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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6363)
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@colleenyoung

Hi Huxy and welcome. You may have noticed that I moved your question to this long-standing discussion about tapering off Effexor. Click this link if you'd like to read from the beginning https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tips-on-minimising-withdrawal-symptoms-from-effexor-aka-venlafaxine/

I moved your question here so that you can fellow members like
@texasduchess @jakedduck1 @sears @momo13 @vfrifr @dianecostella @miker8888 @db1 and others who have successfully weaned off Effexor or are currently in the process of doing so.

You're absolutely right that this has to be done very gradually. The pace may vary from person to person, but slowly is key. How long did you take Effexor? Can you tell what you mean by "a 1/4 crumb once a day"?

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Replies to "Hi Huxy and welcome. You may have noticed that I moved your question to this long-standing..."
huxy | @huxy | Oct 30, 2021

I was on Venlafaxine for about 20 years, Effexor before that for around 2 years(that got expensive hence the switch to Venlafaxine), Prozac for about 5 years before that. Looking at the amount of time I have been on this drug is shocking.
There was a time when my life was stressful but my God! This is ridiculous I have lived a peaceful life for over 10 years. I would have stopped a long time ago but the withdrawal is not a cake walk. I want out!
Venlafaxine comes in tablet form. My prescription calls for me to take two 37.5 mg tabs a day.
On Oct.1st I cut a number of tabs in half and started a two and a half week schedule of 11/2 tabs a day. Now I am down to 11/4 tabs a day.(I call the 1/4 a crumb…because it is!) November 5 I plan to only take one 37.5 tablet a day for a month then 1/2 of that for awhile then nothing.
I experienced my worst bout of feeling nauseous today, which is why I joined this forum. Ugh, it went away after I ate something and went for a walk.
It’s nice to have a place to go for support and other stories.
Thank you!

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