Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Good Morning everyone! I have no idea how to start a thread, so I just hit reply! I am looking for suggestions. I have been Effexor free since February! Yes, I had a horrible time, had to have a bridge of Prozac, didn’t help at first, but now I feel great. I still get anxiety, but not as bad. My problem now is restless leg syndrome! I have had this diagnosis for years and take Requip for it, but since stopping Effexor it is worse than ever! I can not sleep for the aching feeling of having to keep moving my legs. It starts around 6 PM and I’m walking, dancing, whatever to keep it at bay! Has anyone else had this problem? Also, I want you all to know that each and everyone of you are in my prayers, this is a journey we are on to feel better and I love the support and suggestions that I read from you all! Keep smiling your all beautiful and worth it!

Wanted to check in so people know I'm still alive. Still venlafaxine free. I don't think I'm getting any withdrawal symptoms. Prozac bridge worked for me. Didn't help the depression but it stopped the withdrawal.

I'm not really reading this forum regularly anymore so sorry if I worried anyone.

Maybe someday I'll find a treatment that works. Next step is a prescription stimulant under the idea that if I have more energy I'll actually be able to do the self care stuff. Still angling for a clinical trial for ketamine.

How is everyone here doing? I'm hanging in there, taking vistaril, 10 mg prozac, omega 3, I have a wave almost every day like clockwork between 11 and 3-4 pm. Grateful it's only those few hours, and doesn't interfere with my work. I've been able to return to almost a full schedule of teaching (for me that's 2 to 3 hours early am), which was something I was completely unable to do in June. Also I'm going to the gym 3 or 4 times a week with my neighbor and seeing a therapist. Although I spend lots of time trying to explain to the therapist that I've had and managed anxiety all my life, no thanks to effexor, and I'm needing support for the WITHDRAWAL. The techniques she has given me are helpful. It's just frustrating to have to educate these professionals, lol. I'm sure between all of us here we have boatloads of valuable information for them!!! Grateful today for recovery from this drug, my husband for his patience and my God.

hello. could you please tell me for how long you ve being on prozac bridge?

I have been trying to ween off Effexor for 7mnths now. The first two times I went off completely I ended up in the ER. First for brain zaps and the second for out of control anxiety and thoughts of being better off dead. This has been the worst. I have lost my job. As it turns out, rage isn't the best withdrawl symptom for a preschool teacher. No doctor has been able to help. (I live in a small town) I don't know how I'd get a job in this condition. I'm so confused sometimes. I need help

Please start at Page 1 of this thread and read ALL of it. There's a lot of good information on this discussion board; I hope you'll start at the beginning and work your way through up to the present. You will note that the recurring recommendation is to taper off Effexor (venlafaxine) slowly—drop to a lower dosage that is no more than 5–10% less and stay at the new level for weeks (even months) AND stabilize before dropping again. Withdrawal symptoms (brain zaps, anxiety, hopelessness, rage, etc.) are the big tipoff that a taper is being done too aggressively.

You say that no doctor has been able to help. Sadly, the NORM is that often doctors don't know how to get someone off antidepressants; as @jakedduck1 said, "If there is an expert on getting off Effexor, they are hiding very well." You can help yourself—read this thread, do some online research, print out articles to give your doctor. Here are some articles about the difficulty of getting off psychiatric drugs, tapering off and the importance of tapering slowly—
https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018703293/going-off-antidepressants-take-time-to-quit
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/30/antidepressant-withdrawal-symptoms-doctors-side-effects
https://natashatracy.com/treatment-issues/withdrawal/stop-antidepressants-minimize-withdrawal/
https://natashatracy.com/treatment-issues/withdrawal/antidepressants-effexorpristiq-venlafaxinedesvenlafaxine/
https://www.benzoinfo.com/benzodiazepine-tapering-strategies/
Once your doctor is up to speed re discontinuing psychiatric drugs, you can ask your doctor to prescribe a different formulation of Effexor—changing from extended-release capsules to regular-release tablets (I was on 25mg regular-release tablets that could be cut), or to specify a certain brand of capsules (@farm_mom found Teva had the most consistent size and number of beads within a capsule—helpful to those counting and throwing out beads to taper—see @sandij, or @doorman on how to do this). Or your doctor can write a prescription for a compounding pharmacy to make tapered doses for you (the extra cost may well be worth it because you can glide down in incremental amounts, rather than make rather large jagged drops). You can also ask your doctor about a "Prozac bridge"—essentially, the Prozac cushions the effect of no Effexor and lets you "ride out" the withdrawal process—
https://natashatracy.com/treatment-issues/withdrawal/antidepressants-effexorpristiq-venlafaxinedesvenlafaxine/
https://www.depressionforums.org/forums/topic/107532-coming-off-of-effexor-with-prozac-bridge/
Even with a slow taper, you can experience withdrawal symptoms until you stabilize at the new lower level; OTC medications and supplements can help with some of the withdrawal symptoms (you can click on my name and go back through my past comments to see the supplements I used). Ben*dryl, Bon*ine, or other seasickness remedies can reduce/minimize the dizziness/vertigo. Sucking on Pepto Bism*l lozenges and eating dry saltine crackers can help with nausea. Folks who experienced "brain zaps" found relief by taking fish oil capsules. Do NOT take l-tryptophan, or 5-HTP while still on Effexor (can trigger serotonin syndrome). Here's a good article re how to mitigate withdrawal effects with supplements—
https://www.4mind4life.com/effexor-withdrawal-symptoms
Distraction during the weaning process helps—reading, hobbies, work, chores, gardening, exercise, etc. But some things can just be too agitating, so be mindful of what TV and movies you watch, or any video games you play—nothing frenetic, violent, or disturbing. Same for what you read, or listen to (no atonal, or dissonant music).

There is quite a benefit to getting your hands in dirt. There's a microbiome in it that acts as a natural anti-depressant. Even if you aren't up to a lot of gardening (or that interested), a houseplant, or an outdoor potted plant can lift your spirits and give you something beautiful to look at and/or smell.

Getting natural light to your eyes is extremely beneficial for lifting your mood and is calming … sunbathing isn't required, but getting out and seeing daylight—take a walk, or at least, get out of your house for 5–10 minutes, even if it's just stepping out onto a patio.

Effexor is a very powerful antidepressant that affects your brain's neurotransmitters–serotonin and norepinephrine. While reducing, or after getting off Effexor, it takes your brain a while to figure out how to rebalance serotonin and norepinephrine. Each of us is our own guinea pig; we're all just guessing here on what tapering schedule's going to work for us. Only you know how you feel; don't let anyone rush you. Make it easy on yourself—take as much time to taper off as you need to.

I have been taking 75 MG of effexor for about 5 years and then increased to 150 mg as I didn't feel it was working effectively anymore and was on that for a year before I consulted with my doctor to try something else. I started taking wellbutrin and we tapered myself down from the 150 to 37.5 over the duration of 6 weeks and that went relatively smooth (minus some moodiness and extra anxiety that I could handle) Once I started the 37.5 dose one day and nothing the next is when I started having severe issues. Word would not come to me, I had dyslexia with my numbers, I couldn't multi-task ( I work in a fast paced environment and require attention to detail). The brain zaps were increasing and the ability to function normally was not an option. I saw my doctor who offered for me to stay on 37.5 MG without weaning off anymore, which I didn't want to do, or stop taking the medication as the every other day was not working for me. I chose to stop taking the medication and take the rest of the week off of work to push through it. I have increased my omega 3s to 300 mg, am taking prenatal vitamins for the extra vitamins, magnesium, and benadryl (to sleep). I also take Epson salt baths every other day..I am on day 5 of no effexor. Day 4 was almost constant brain zaps and headache. I woke up today feeling OK and with hope. Since I was feeling ok, my husband and I went to supper and walked around home depot for an hour and my brain zaps and headache were back tenfold...once I got home and laid down without movement, they aren't bad again.
Is there anything else I can do to decrease the brain zaps? I feel I will be ok cognitively but I am not sure I can function at work for a full day with the brain zaps and I only have one more day off before they are expecting me back. Any advice is appreciated!!