Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

@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.

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?

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?

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

@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! 🙏💕🥰🙌

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!

@nanke99 Been on Effexor for 8+ years 74 mg which isn't too high and went down to 37.5 Jan 5. Doctor said i can go to every other day. Let me add that I'm on IVG for blood issue. Today I feel flu like and buzzy but am determined to do it. The IVG is enough chemical in my body. Wish me luck, same to you thank you for your info.