Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Research, research and more research. At age 67 I’m now paying a terrible price for listening to my doctor of 30 years. He deserted me when I expressed my desire to quit taking Xanax and Paxil. He deserted me because he didn’t know how to safely get me off these drugs. And guess what? A doctor is absolutely legally allowed to desert a patient at any time for any reason. Fortunately after many months I found a doctor willing to help me. At my age it wasn’t easy. Most are reluctant to take patients 65 or older.

@sears That is absolutely awful! He must not have been a very smart doctor. Was he a psychiatrist, they usually know how to get patients off of drugs like that. I'm glad you found another doctor. I go to a psychiatrist, we have mental illness in our family. My mom took her life at age 69 and I'm 67. My son is Bipolar 1 and his wife controls him, but yet I'm glad he has someone, but we have not contact with him or our 8 year old granddaughter, who I haven't seen since she was 3. We have skyped with her when she's at her other grand mothers, but she lives in Chicago and they live in NYC. The only thing I can do is pray to have our son to come home. You are loved.

hi jtj. I did a taper without consulting my doctor which, apparently, not recommended. However, I opened a capsule and discovered that it was filled with hundreds of little beads. I purchased a microscale off amazon for about $35 and, once it arrived, started emptying out the little capsules. I was aiming at a 3-month or so interval to get down to zero milligrams from 150 and i had planned to measure out a consistent amount for a two week supply, then another two week supply with a little less, etc. By the time I got to my last two week interval, I finished and was at zero. The capsule itself weighs a significant amount, as I recall. Even though the pill was 150 mg, the whole thing, 150 mg of effexor plus the capsule weighed about 500 mg. So, I every two weeks I emptied about 100 mg out of each of 14 pills: emptying out 100 mg for the first two weeks; 200 mg for the next two weeks; 300 mg emptied out for the third two week interval, etc

Now here's my reaction. At first, in the first month that is, I didn't notice much of a difference--it seemed like a gradual taper. Then over the next couple of weight drops I was a little grumpy at times (more like quick tempered) sometimes more emotional. On the positive side, I had much more energy, ambition and started to re-develop a long absent libido. By the time I was in the last phase of my taper (just a little bit in each capsule, then finished altogether) my side effects were more noticeable. In retrospect, I think it would have been best had I drawn out the last phase more,: taking out smaller amounts from the capsule--with another few two week intervals of dropping amounts. Once completely off it, I was very proud and confident that I had accomplished it; however, the side effects were noticeable. Not a lot but, noticeable. This will sound strange but I started smoking again to ease it (I had quit smoking for about 6 months). This made me feel better. I also started meditating. I found quitting smoking easier than quitting effexor (now I'm tapering off cigarettes which I'm quite confident I can do). I've been off for about a month now. The side effects are less and less each day. I still have my emotional moments (just getting teary during movies, etc)--it's sort of amusing. I've had "brain-buzz" which has seemed to all but disappeared. What's amazing is how different I feel. For years I've been constantly tired, sleeping up to 14 hours a day--virtually every moment I'm not at work; sexually impotent; no ambition whatsoever; messy, poor hygeine, usually sleeping on my couch in the same clothes I wore to work, etc. I'm 55 and, for the past ten years or so, I kept thinking I only had a few years left before I would pass away. The thought of doing the dishes, cleaning the house or any pedestrian task was so overwhelming, tantamount to spontaneously running a marathon without any training. I have diabetes and it kept getting worse. I watched my body start to resemble Jabba-the-hut. I kept telling my children that I was never like this.

Now, out of nowhere, I want to exercise, I want to eat better, and I do on both counts. My sugar is under control and I'm working on slowing down my medication. I've been walking 5 km every day and I started working out with my son today. I get up every morning around 8 a.m. without an alarm clock and have no wish to go back to bed to get more sleep. I can't describe how much better I feel.

I hope that my story, and how I tapered off effexor helps you and, if it is your desire to do so--then do it. You can if you're patient and you persevere. I am wishing you the best of luck and a huge amount of happiness. Don't take any shit from effexor!

Hi! I was on Effexor XR for a few years and got off it several years ago. It was a very difficult process, so I fully sympathize. You MUST wean off
VERY SLOWLY. I don't remember what my dosage was at the time (225mg?), but it took me about 9 months. Please do not let that long time scare you, it's worth going slow, that will be your biggest help w/ withdrawal. At the time I had a very difficult time finding any doctor with experience getting people off it.
Luckily I was advised to to find one and luckily I did. It is considered harder to get off than heroine. Not trying to scare you, just want to make sure you go as slow as possible. Mostly, I was moody/angry, had headaches, and some brain "shivers". The brain shivers I already had while on the meds.
I think we went down in 25mg increments over several weeks for each reduction. Keep us posted and good luck! Just give yourself some time and it will be over before you know it!

I just showed your post to my pharmacist daughter and her comment was, “You can’t go from 37.5 to nothing, what is the matter with her doctor?”
You need to tamper off longer to a much smaller dose before you go to zero.

Hi Jon, I tried several times to taper off Effexor XR ( slow release ). Went from 37.5 daily to 5 times a week for a week, then 4 times a week for a week, then 3 times a week for a week, then every second day for week, then every third day for a week. All went well both times until around 6 weeks not taking any. I started waking up at 4 am, became restless, and agitated at the least little thing. Had to go back on. Not sure where to go from here, thinking of taking one every second day for around 3 months or switching to Effexor IR ( immediate release ). They are in tablet form rather than capsules, I could taper off more slowly because I could cut the pills. Also thinking of using CDB to help with the tapering.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks

I have completely tapered off Effexor ER, the last 37.5 in 1/4 increments over the course of a couple weeks. It was not difficult for me (thank God). I'm still recovering, however, including dealing with 40+ pounds I had gained! The big challenge will be the actual depression that precipitated me taking Effexor to begin with. I usually feel pretty good, although I'm a bit off today after biking 20+ miles yesterday. I might have over did it, maybe, perhaps. I do like to bite off more than I can chew, for sure. A bit of an excitement addiction. I guess. I need to be very careful to keep things simple, choose my friends wisely, set up boundaries, meditate so I'm not ruminating or obsessing.