Effexor Tapering Off and Side Effects

Karyna, I so empathize and commiserate with what you are enduring. It's so important for you to be able to have a means of dealing with your symptoms, particularly since you are getting married in such a short time from now. That should be a GLORIOUS EVENT FOR YOU, and I don't want you to live in dread with not knowing how your body and mind will behave. I got help from a trusted neurologist, not from the clueless primary who had prescribed Effexor years before I decided to take back control of what was happening to me. Please see about getting in to see a neurologist who can guide you, assist you, HELP you. Effexor is a horrid drug, and yes it can be hell to get off it. But I don't recommend doing it alone, especially with such a happy event coming up. Strongly advise that you avoid ALL alcoholic beverages (as in toasts at rehearsal dinner, bridal showers, and day of wedding itself). I also do not advise taking on another medication as a "bridge" as so many members have written that they have done. GET MEDICAL HELP.

I have you in my daily prayers, Karyna. Please don't continue this difficult journey on your own. There's another important reason: Stopping this drug abruptly or ineffectively can cause cardiac issues, including reported deaths. That was another reason why I sought medical assistance with the tapering/getting off Effexor: I've had irregular heartbeats for years, and there is history of cardiac disease and deaths on both sides of family tree. The drug created issues with blood pressure which I didn't have this prior to the drug. To this day, I deal with blood pressure issues, AND the irregular heartbeats, and I'm on 2 blood pressure medications.

I'd appreciate knowing what you decide to do, and your progress. 🙏🏽🌺 God bless you and your hubby-to-be.

@delia74 thank you so much for the kind, thoughtful response. It really means a lot to me. Getting in for an appointment is tricky right now but at least I have one scheduled. Good news though, the symptoms that bothered me most have improved. Nausea is gone and brain shocks are occasional. For some reason pineapple has been helpful. Green tea and sunlight are good (I was repulsed by coffee for a while). Running was not easy at first but I persisted and it's been getting better. I've been a runner for 12 years and now I see myself running for life. It sure beats Effexor as an anti-depressant. Coping with stress is important too (yoga, meditation, deep breathing). I'm taking micronutrient supplements daily, trying to get 7 hrs sleep each night, and checking in with coach, counselor and friends. I'm feeling optimistic for my wedding day but I appreciate your prayers anyway! Thank you so much. I hope you are well. 🍵

I was on Effexor for over 20 years when I stopped altogether. I opted to ride it out at 37.5 rather than taper. It was highly unpleasant for about two weeks, then the symptoms began declining. At about four weeks they were only noticeable a bit. By six weeks they were gone. The severity and duration are different for each person, as is the capacity for tolerating it. So I cannot promise that what worked for me will work for you. But that was my experience.

It’s sad but encouraging reading other people’s experiences with Effexor, I’ve been on 150mg twice daily for near ten years for depression and had no idea how huge that dose was. I’ve been dealing with Bruxism or grinding my teeth/clinching my jaw in my sleep and migraines for years as well and recently discovered theyre connected to high doses of Effexor. I’ve been hesitant to consider lowering the dosage because of the side effects of accidentally missing a day or two the bad headaches and shocks in my brain I get, but perhaps just a very prolonged decrease will do the trick

I wanted to give an update and just say to everyone to hang in there!! Get the support you need and keeping pushing yourself--fight! Tapering off the effexor was one of the best and one of the worst things I've ever done! The journey can be difficult but also, very freeing! I am just now feeling more and more like myself after six months and still imagine I will continue to improve. It has been an emotional ride. But, I have used the book/workbook by Craig Groeschel, "Winning the War in Your Mind". It has been a tremendous help and I have had success using some of the tools he mentions such as "framing, reframing and preframing". He explains information about how our amygdala and prefrontal cortex work in controlling our mind and our emotional responses. I don't know about you but the more facts I have the better I understand how to heal my brain. Because, that is what you are doing is healing your brain and giving it time to reregulate itself. But, you must help reregulate it in a positive direction!! So repetition of giving yourself positive feedback, giving yourself lots of grace, taking care of your body through exercise(no matter how slow or out of shape you are, just move), and eating correctly and drinking lots of water--think about detoxing your body and breathing in good and exhaling bad! After a long wait, I was able to get into an Ob-gyn/Psychologist. She has been fabulous to recommend different supplements my body was lacking through doing the correct bloodwork. I had already been low on Vitamin D, but now also take a Super Vitamin B Complex, Magnesium Glycinate, Fish Oil(not krill oil), Calcium. I would recommend adding one at a time to be sure your body doesn't have any reactions to each supplement and to definitely speak to your doctor about how much to take--we're all different. Be sure the laboratories your supplements are made in are in the US and regulated by a third party. Try to obtain as "clean" of a vitamin as possible without all the extra stuff some companies add to them. We are now also looking at my hormone levels and trying to decide if I should try hormone replacement. The supplements my physician recommended all help the brain and help regulate mood and anxiousness!! BUT, besides the book, the supplements, a good doctor, ... obtain support from a counselor and don't be afraid to walk away from them if they don't understand what you're going through. I have tried four different counselors--only two of them understood the effexor withdrawal and believed me(unfortunately the first one died unexpectedly during this process). The other two counselors just wanted me to talk talk talk so they could psycho analyze my childhood. I needed a counselor who would not only listen, but also someone who could offer facts, concrete tools/skills to learn to regulate my brain again. As one counselor explained--the effexor controlled all the highs and lows in my life for years and now the brain without it, was saying "help!, no one is telling me how to react". Understanding that I needed to start telling my brain how to react and practicing, repetitiously practicing how to react has been the most helpful. My new normal going off the effexor, was to cry about everything--happy, sad, angry. This has been the hardest to fight through. Forgive yourself, give yourself grace and if you need a nap or time out to go for a brief walk, take it! Then start again. Give yourself small positive talks for achieving small things--take courage and take victory, don't be afraid. Mornings and evenings had been my hard times initially. And then there would be days, that all I'd focus on would be wondering when the anxiousness would subside, which as you know causes more anxiousness. But, I'm evidence of pushing through and you can do this too!! Make yourself get up and exercise--whatever you enjoy as a physical movement or come up with something new and joyful, like bike riding or dancing around your living room(physical exercise helpf increase serotonin which you need). The process can be a roller coaster, but hang in there. I have had a difficult time listening to and watching action movies and extensive drama shows. It was just too much for my brain. My brain had a hard time handling all the quick changes in emotion. I know this sounds strange and I thought it was just me reacting strangely, but I did find others who have had this same response off the effexor. One person said all she could watch for the longest time, was cartoons. So maybe be prepared to take a break from too much drama on the tv or facebook or the news--I'm just now starting to be able to handle listening to US and world news reports because I felt they were all doomsday reports. I have felt fearful about my children living so far away from me even though they lived far away when they were in college and now in there careers for some years. That fear is greatly subsided but I still need to be careful not to dwell on it. So get a good counselor and ask them to help you practice emptying your mind of negative thoughts and then telling your mind to stop, and move on to healthier topics. You can do this! Personally my faith in God has been helpful, but you will all have to decide what helps you best! I hope your families and friends are patient with you! Be patient with yourself and remember to celebrate the small hurdles! I'm now able to get up in the morning and feel positive about my day. I try to look at my schedule the night before and come up with at least one thing where I can focus my energy and have a positive outcome the next day! I hope this is helpful!!

@dorothy1914
I have been suffering terribly with protracted withdrawal from Effexor. I am losing my ability to walk as I have no balance. I look anorexic. My tinnitus is so loud that it’s really affecting me. My hair is falling out and my heart palpitations make me feel that I am dying. I don’t know what to do. I no longer have a life.

I’m sorry you’re feeling so bad, your symptoms are very similar to mine but for different reasons. I think you might need some more help from your doctor, medication withdrawal can be brutal for some people and can cause undo suffering. My symptoms are due to a covid infection two years ago and it’s been rough but now I feel like it’s easing up more and this is good. I also know how difficult it is to stop medication and deal with withdrawal symptoms, mine are due to benzodiazepines. I hope that you will start to feel better soon, it usually improves with time but if it doesn’t then you should see your doctor for help, best wishes.

To @frouke
Thank you for your reply. I am so isolated and have to rely on my husband for everything. I haven’t left the house in weeks as I don’t want my neighbors to see me in this condition. They have no idea what’s going on. I am sure they are wondering where I am as just several weeks ago I used to walk with my husband around our neighborhood greeting everyone as they walked their dogs.

Try not to think about what the neighbours are thinking, I can’t be bothered because there’s nothing I can do about it, I always get reclusive when I’m not well. If the withdrawal is having such a bad effect on you then it’s probably something you need more help with, I know it’s not what you want because they’re just going to use more medication but even if it’s just to get you through the toughest times it will help you stay strong, try using some protein drinks to keep yourself hydrated and get some energy, I use them when I’m feeling weak. I sincerely hope that you feel better soon, please stay connected and let us know how you are doing, best wishes.

Anyone in the group that’s in protracted withdrawal from nortriptyline?