Effexor Tapering Off and Side Effects

@depressedbutnotdead
I have just kicked( with Great difficulty) Venafaxine after 20 years that I was given for menopause symptoms??tapering down over a very long time . A couple of failures after horrendous psychotic distressing side effects. I have now been off fully for 4 weeks hurrah!! But now am getting terrible night panics waking me up. They don’t tell you these effects I wonder if doctors really understand?or particularly help you get off these drugs.?I was told you will need to take a low dose for life now your body is use to it?? It was menopause ffs ?No! Anyway im off and hope these panics subsided?
.

The great problem with the doctors is that they don’t tell you the effects of medicines clearly. I must always ask: how long does it take before this medicine effects, how does it effect with other medicines, how long time does it take before the effect of medicine disappears totally from my body and if you mix them how does it effect to my brains (< important).

I was on 112.5mg of XR for chronic pain. I started to taper from it over 20 weeks ago by cutting every 2 weeks. It was changed to IR in liquid form and I split it into 3 doses a day. Problem is I never did the math on how much the psychiatrist was cutting every time. I wasn't having issues at first as soon as I came down to around 60mg I'm getting stomach pain constantly, lost weight because can't eat due to pain, insomnia is horrible 3 4 days no sleep. I'm at 31mg and I can't keep going like this. I did the math and if I ask for an adjustment to cut 10% of the last dose every 2 weeks will take me another year or so to get off this horrendous drug. Is there a way I can ask to be given another medication that can cover effexor so I don't have to take it anymore and taper off that other one then. This is too painful.

Will I face withdrawal if I cross to another antidepressant? Please inform me.

@depressedbutnotdead
I have just kicked( with Great difficulty) Venafaxine after 20 years that I was given for menopause symptoms??tapering down over a very long time . A couple of failures after horrendous psychotic distressing side effects. I have now been off fully for 4 weeks hurrah!! But now am getting terrible night panics waking me up. They don’t tell you these effects I wonder if doctors really understand?or particularly help you get off these drugs.?I was told you will need to take a low dose for life now your body is use to it?? It was menopause ffs ?No! Anyway im off and hope these panics subsided?
.

I was on 112.5mg of XR for chronic pain. I started to taper from it over 20 weeks ago by cutting every 2 weeks. It was changed to IR in liquid form and I split it into 3 doses a day. Problem is I never did the math on how much the psychiatrist was cutting every time. I wasn't having issues at first as soon as I came down to around 60mg I'm getting stomach pain constantly, lost weight because can't eat due to pain, insomnia is horrible 3 4 days no sleep. I'm at 31mg and I can't keep going like this. I did the math and if I ask for an adjustment to cut 10% of the last dose every 2 weeks will take me another year or so to get off this horrendous drug. Is there a way I can ask to be given another medication that can cover effexor so I don't have to take it anymore and taper off that other one then. This is too painful.

Will I face withdrawal if I cross to another antidepressant? Please inform me.

I was down to 75 mg for years and I tried taking one every other day! Not a good move I was quite psychotic panic wanting to harm myself and a very unsympathetic nurse? Said to go back on them I obviously needed them ??I went back on them . 75mg then I asked if I could have tablets 37.5 and I would take 2 a day ! I didn’t I took one 37.5 daily for months but found the withdrawal hard but I coped . I then months later brought tablet cutter and split the 37.5 in Half…many months like this .then a quarter again for months . I am now free for about a month . But these panics wake me up and I jump out of bed in a right tizzy . It soon passes but it’s terrifying . I am now also taking Pregabalin low does for pain another ailment lol . Doctor said these might help with withdrawal??? I really do understand your plight and my heart goes out to you .but you will get off of these ,just persevere . X

I was on 112.5mg of XR for chronic pain. I started to taper from it over 20 weeks ago by cutting every 2 weeks. It was changed to IR in liquid form and I split it into 3 doses a day. Problem is I never did the math on how much the psychiatrist was cutting every time. I wasn't having issues at first as soon as I came down to around 60mg I'm getting stomach pain constantly, lost weight because can't eat due to pain, insomnia is horrible 3 4 days no sleep. I'm at 31mg and I can't keep going like this. I did the math and if I ask for an adjustment to cut 10% of the last dose every 2 weeks will take me another year or so to get off this horrendous drug. Is there a way I can ask to be given another medication that can cover effexor so I don't have to take it anymore and taper off that other one then. This is too painful.

Will I face withdrawal if I cross to another antidepressant? Please inform me.

Psychiatrist cancelled (Argh!) my upcoming app't that I was waiting so desperately for ... Thankfully I was able to talk to him on the phone (Yay!) We decided since 6mos+ of increasing either my Effexor and/or Celexa, was not producing the desired results, it was time to chart a new course.
This is where you guys come in.
I'm about to embark on weaning myself off of 22yrs of being on Effexor, currently at 262.5mg.
I know it is going to be extremely difficult (Oh boy there is lots on that in the Forum😮 ) ....I'm just wondering if anybody, has done this without the extreme problems that others have reported??
I'm going to go VERY slow. I will count the little balls out of the capsule if I have to!
I am hoping to hear a couple of positive stories😬

I was on 112.5mg of XR for chronic pain. I started to taper from it over 20 weeks ago by cutting every 2 weeks. It was changed to IR in liquid form and I split it into 3 doses a day. Problem is I never did the math on how much the psychiatrist was cutting every time. I wasn't having issues at first as soon as I came down to around 60mg I'm getting stomach pain constantly, lost weight because can't eat due to pain, insomnia is horrible 3 4 days no sleep. I'm at 31mg and I can't keep going like this. I did the math and if I ask for an adjustment to cut 10% of the last dose every 2 weeks will take me another year or so to get off this horrendous drug. Is there a way I can ask to be given another medication that can cover effexor so I don't have to take it anymore and taper off that other one then. This is too painful.

Will I face withdrawal if I cross to another antidepressant? Please inform me.

Hi @rufus31 - wanted you to know I moved your post here where others are talking about tapering off of venlafaxine (Effexor):

- Effexor tapering question https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/effexor-tapering-question/

Fellow members @cherrycherry @casstate @sallyo420 and others may have some tips for you and positive stories for coming off venlafaxine (Effexor).

rufus31 - did your prescribing doctor have a recommendation for a taper schedule for you? If so, what did they suggest?