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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Posted by richyrich @richyrich, Nov 2, 2016

I have been taking Effexor/Venlafaxine for years and tried to get off it a few times but each time I try to give up the chemical withdrawal symptoms are a horror story and I give up giving up. Anyone got any tips or tried and tested strategies? Thank you

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tisme | @tisme | Sep 29, 2025
In reply to @cistus "@njoys Are you in uk? Here we have Efexor made by Viatris. The beads in those..." + (show)
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@njoys
Are you in uk? Here we have Efexor made by Viatris. The beads in those capsules are the ones I am told vary in their amount of venlafaxine, & this does not depend on the size of each bead. I certainly had a very bumpy 3 months. I did subtract 12.5 mg from the 125mg I was on under a fast & loose psychiatrist. Never again.
I did try liquid venlafaxine but I can't take a drug which isn't modified release. I did work out I could minimise that fact by tapering off 12.5mg at a time using Venlablue whose mini beads are of 12.5mg but the instant release of the liquid balance eg 11mg, makes me very unwell. Does nobody else have these reactions?
I am hoping that I will be seen at a prescribing clinic soon so no more tapering until a new approach is suggested.
Thank you for sharing.

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@cistus that website i mentioned used to say u take out 10% of the beads counted and put them in a gelcap

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sanchezz | @sanchezz | 4 days ago

I started weaning off 150 mgs of venlafaxine 7 months ago ending with the last 37.5 New Year's Eve. Terrible withdrawal.
Scratching sounds in my head, nausea, crying at the drop of a hat and more.
Has anyone tried Gravol for the nausea and is it recommended?

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2 replies
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njoys | @njoys | 3 days ago
In reply to @sanchezz "I started weaning off 150 mgs of venlafaxine 7 months ago ending with the last 37.5..." + (show)
Profile picture for sanchezz @sanchezz

I started weaning off 150 mgs of venlafaxine 7 months ago ending with the last 37.5 New Year's Eve. Terrible withdrawal.
Scratching sounds in my head, nausea, crying at the drop of a hat and more.
Has anyone tried Gravol for the nausea and is it recommended?

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@sanchezz I would suggest that you read up on Effexor withdrawal on this site. I think you will learn that you weaned off way too fast and at decreases that were too large.

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iceberg | @iceberg | 2 days ago
In reply to @sanchezz "I started weaning off 150 mgs of venlafaxine 7 months ago ending with the last 37.5..." + (show)
Profile picture for sanchezz @sanchezz

I started weaning off 150 mgs of venlafaxine 7 months ago ending with the last 37.5 New Year's Eve. Terrible withdrawal.
Scratching sounds in my head, nausea, crying at the drop of a hat and more.
Has anyone tried Gravol for the nausea and is it recommended?

Jump to this post

@sanchezz nausea does pass but six weeks discontinuation and I am still crying at the drop of a hat and so fatigued. Good luck.

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1 reply
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sheffieldsmith | @sheffieldsmith | 7 hours ago

You must do a slow withdrawal in increments or you’ll have horrific withdrawal symptoms. My successful weaning off plan is documented here in my discussion thread. It’s wasn’t a fast tapering off, but it did work for me. After tapering off with no uncomfortable symptoms, I did get a low dose of Buspirone that help to take the edge off for anxiety, but it was not addictive and easy to stop using.

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sheffieldsmith | @sheffieldsmith | 7 hours ago
In reply to @iceberg "@sanchezz nausea does pass but six weeks discontinuation and I am still crying at the drop..." + (show)
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@sanchezz nausea does pass but six weeks discontinuation and I am still crying at the drop of a hat and so fatigued. Good luck.

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@iceberg ask your doctor about Buspirone 10 mg to help with the anxiety and sensitivity. You’ll likely only need to be on a a short while and it’s not addictive at all. You body seems to know when to just ease off taking it. I went from taking it 3 x a day to only at night, and then after a couple of weeks I stopped taking it at night. I did keep and take it when under more stress and anxiety, but now I rarely need it to take the edge off. Some of us are just more sensitive than others! Wishing you all the best! I hope this helps! 🙏💕🥰🙌

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