1. < Depression & Anxiety

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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huxy | @huxy | Feb 20, 2022
In reply to @breathe43 "1 million thank you‘s! Your story is so very encouraging. I tried tapering off of my..." + (show)
@breathe43

1 million thank you‘s! Your story is so very encouraging. I tried tapering off of my sleeping med, temazepam, only to give up after about four months. I just could not handle the insomnia. However, now I am going to give it another try and focus on the suggestions that you offered. Wish me luck and thank you again.

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Very best of luck to you. I hate insomnia! Thank you for telling me I encouraged you. That means so much to me.

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kimball1 | @kimball1 | Feb 21, 2022
In reply to @mmkctg "Hello! I’m new to this page. I was on Effexor for 7 years and got off..." + (show)
@mmkctg

Hello! I’m new to this page. I was on Effexor for 7 years and got off in June 2020. Everything was fine until October 2020 when I started to feel overwhelmed and anxious. It’s hasn’t stopped. I am wondering if my body is still adjusting form being on the Effexor (it’s Feb. 2022) or am I just depressed and I need to get back on something? Thanks!

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Hi. I have similar concerns but I am meditating, walking and journaling and I seem to be improving.

The cost of being on Cymbalta, constipation and when it stopped working, having to withdraw from it, convinced me to do every thing I can to avoid prescribed meds.

Best to you.

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sears | @sears | Feb 21, 2022
In reply to @mmkctg "Hello! I’m new to this page. I was on Effexor for 7 years and got off..." + (show)
@mmkctg

Hello! I’m new to this page. I was on Effexor for 7 years and got off in June 2020. Everything was fine until October 2020 when I started to feel overwhelmed and anxious. It’s hasn’t stopped. I am wondering if my body is still adjusting form being on the Effexor (it’s Feb. 2022) or am I just depressed and I need to get back on something? Thanks!

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It’s really hard to tell. The same thing happened to me when I tapered Paxil after 25 years. I tapered for 9 months. One doctor said it could definitely be the Paxil tapering causing my symptoms after being off for months, another doctor said it was my depression returning. I tend to agree with the first doctor. I had nothing to be depressed about when the symptoms returned. Since researching antidepressants and hearing others stories I do think it had something to do with withdrawal.

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1 reply
syvie | @syvie | Feb 21, 2022
In reply to @sears "It’s really hard to tell. The same thing happened to me when I tapered Paxil after..." + (show)
@sears

It’s really hard to tell. The same thing happened to me when I tapered Paxil after 25 years. I tapered for 9 months. One doctor said it could definitely be the Paxil tapering causing my symptoms after being off for months, another doctor said it was my depression returning. I tend to agree with the first doctor. I had nothing to be depressed about when the symptoms returned. Since researching antidepressants and hearing others stories I do think it had something to do with withdrawal.

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You're right, @sears . It's not rebound depression, but withdrawal. I was on AD too, and could never get rid of a few symptoms. I had learned to live with them. And today I'm struggling with a benzo that I'm trying to wean off. Effexor is notorious for not being easy to taper, but certainly not as excruciating as tapering off of benzo. I wish you to recover completely, @richyrich .

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texasduchess | @texasduchess | Feb 22, 2022
In reply to @mmkctg "Hello! I’m new to this page. I was on Effexor for 7 years and got off..." + (show)
@mmkctg

Hello! I’m new to this page. I was on Effexor for 7 years and got off in June 2020. Everything was fine until October 2020 when I started to feel overwhelmed and anxious. It’s hasn’t stopped. I am wondering if my body is still adjusting form being on the Effexor (it’s Feb. 2022) or am I just depressed and I need to get back on something? Thanks!

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Effexor is VERY powerful; while reducing, or after getting off Effexor, it takes your brain a while to figure out how to rebalance serotonin and norepinephrine. It took almost three years for my withdrawal symptoms to go away; they would ebb and flow with longer and longer periods in between. The stress of losing my job due to the pandemic and the isolation from friends/family for over a year because of lockdown added at least a year to my recovery time.

I was on just 25mg for 17 years (for hot flashes, not depression). After slowly tapering off, I was fine for 6.5 weeks and then, developed what were obviously withdrawal symptoms. During long-term use, Effexor gets stored in fatty tissue all over your body; you're NOT really off Effexor UNTIL that gets used up as well.

I was prescribed Valium short-term by a Care Now doctor when my akathisia and anxiety became overwhelming. I did not want to rely on Valium and through trial-and-error came up with a number of OTC medications and supplements that helped me and have listed the supplements I took in previous posts (click on my name to go back through and read). The most helpful are l-tryptophan (DO NOT take while still on Effexor) and GABA.

As @huxy mentions above—sunshine, fresh air, hobbies/distractions and supportive friends/family are very helpful as is reducing stress and (for me) avoiding frenetic, violent, or disturbing music/TV/movies/reading not only while you are tapering, but for some time afterwards.

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Jacqueline R. | @jacqueliner | Mar 5, 2022
In reply to @huxy "After being on Venlafaxine (effexor) for @30 + years I decided to get off of it...." + (show)
@huxy

After being on Venlafaxine (effexor) for @30 + years I decided to get off of it.
I started an exercise routine at home and signed up to take a language course through zoom as well as learning how to bake bread. (Sourdough!).
I did those few things so that I had a number of set, positive challenges to look forward to during withdrawal .
I was on 37.5 Mgs twice daily. I started tapering off October 1 ,2021 and finished two weeks early on February 10, 2022.
To be clear, I have never suffered from severe depression or anxiety. I really don’t understand why I was prescribed this medicine. At the time I was married to an abusive husband and I was far from home. I had no support system and was suffering bouts of extreme anger and tears(No surprise). Anyway the medication did help me with my temper/anger but getting out of my marriage and starting over was ultimately the proper cure. Anyway that was over 25 years ago and I have moved on to a happy marriage and life.
I would have liked to get off Effexor sooner but the withdrawal is horrible and I didn’t have the time to feel disgusting and run my happy household as well. So I waited until I Had the wherewithal to focus on getting off the drug.
It wasn’t easy but I did get several encouraging tips by reading this blog and now have successfully completed my journey with this drug. I simply tapered off.
First 4 weeks 1 1/2 tab, second 4 weeks 1 1/4 tab next 4weeks 1 tab, next 4 weeks 1/2 tab last few weeks 1/4 tab and done. I felt slightly nauseous most days and extremely
Nauseous a few mornings during the last bit of my 1/4 tab days… so I just quit two weeks early…Sick Of It! No brain zaps for me , just a fuzzy sensation all day. But that could be age as well. I’m 67 and in great health but doesn’t fuzziness come with age,Ha! That’s my excuse!
And here I am feeling much better and so happy to be free of having to take an un necessary (for me)drug .Now that Spring is almost here the sunny days and outdoor fresh air will also help me to fight off any lingering icky feelings.
I remember when I quit smoking (Years and years ago) that I really didn’t feel quite right for around a year. I’m thinking this might be the same way. Getting off this drug is a huge commitment and so I would suggest setting yourself up for success Before taking the plunge. Find a Few healthy hobbies/distractions to keep yourself occupied. Have a support system in place ( spouse, friend, co-worker) who knows what is going on with you and realize that you are probably not going to feel perfectly fine for a few months. This was not sad or scary for me. It was just a fact. I wanted to quit this drug there was a price I was willing to pay. Now I Am happy to Be FREE!!
Thank you to the other bloggers who told their stories and helped me to realize this CAN be done !

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Thank you for this -- it makes me very hopeful! It's taken two years but I've gone from 225 mg/day to currently 1/2 of a 37.5 mg. In two weeks, I'll cut that down to 1/4 for another month, and then I'll be free of this. As we all know, it's been very very hard. I don't know how this pill is even allowed to continued to be sold. This page is helping me because I know it's not me -- that all of us here getting off Effexor (Venlafaxine) are going through the same thing. The heat, the anger, the fuzzy head, feeling dizzy, and my body just not feeling right -- I thought there was something wrong with me, but it's just been the withdrawal effects. I've been on Effexor for 18 years. I tried to get off several times and failed, before I was able to taper down very very slowly. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and this page gives me hope because I'm not alone and what I'm feeling is common to us here. I will be happy when I am DONE with this medicine. Almost there!

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huxy | @huxy | Mar 5, 2022

It makes me so happy that we have this forum to talk to each other so that we can continue this journey on getting off of this toxic drug.
This past week I was back to feeling slightly nauseous, ugh. Which plays into low energy and a bad attitude. Just the recipe for sliding backwards. So rather than EATING my way out I forced myself to go out side and walk and then do a 30 minute “Walk at Home” excercise plus deep breathing afterwards.(I do this 4-5 times a week, if 30 mins sounds like too much 15 mins can help just as well!)
I also started taking a tablet of Kelp with iodine which has really helped a lot!
I take vitamin D3, Zinc, C, Green tea , selenium and now added the kelp.
It’s important to listen to your body and move it, move it!!!
Sending hugs and positive attitude!

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1 reply
clutch | @clutch | Mar 7, 2022
In reply to @huxy "It makes me so happy that we have this forum to talk to each other so..." + (show)
@huxy

It makes me so happy that we have this forum to talk to each other so that we can continue this journey on getting off of this toxic drug.
This past week I was back to feeling slightly nauseous, ugh. Which plays into low energy and a bad attitude. Just the recipe for sliding backwards. So rather than EATING my way out I forced myself to go out side and walk and then do a 30 minute “Walk at Home” excercise plus deep breathing afterwards.(I do this 4-5 times a week, if 30 mins sounds like too much 15 mins can help just as well!)
I also started taking a tablet of Kelp with iodine which has really helped a lot!
I take vitamin D3, Zinc, C, Green tea , selenium and now added the kelp.
It’s important to listen to your body and move it, move it!!!
Sending hugs and positive attitude!

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@huxy, good plan. Please tell me how the iodine and kelp help. What do you do for nausea? Keep going!

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samrichardson | @samrichardson | Mar 30, 2022
In reply to @kbmayo "I'm down to my last few days -- 4 more, to be exact -- and I've..." + (show)
@kbmayo

I'm down to my last few days -- 4 more, to be exact -- and I've done the whole thing by opening the capsules and counting out beads. When I get fully off, I'll post my taper schedule. I do know it's different for each of us, but so far -- knock on wood!! -- it's been relatively painless physically. (Emotionally and mentally is another story, but I think that's unavoidable.) I'm coming off a daily dose of 150 XR, so it's taken me a while. But I know TOTALLY what a bitch it is to count out those tiny beads!! I was so tempted more than once to just say the hell with it and quit. But having experienced the brain zaps and other physical symptoms a few times when I didn't get my scrip renewed in time, I decided to hang in there and count the damn beads!!

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❝ Capsules should never be split. Removal of beads from capsules to accomplish titration is not a recommended method of tapering. ❞
src: Colleen Young, Mayo Clinic Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 14, 2018 | connect_mayoclinic_org/comment/220253/

I'm not sure how we're supposed to taper off this crap if we can't even take those beads out, though. Your message is 4 years old, how have you been since ?

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1 reply
samrichardson | @samrichardson | Mar 30, 2022
In reply to @youngsally "It's difficult to count beads because the number and size vary from capsule to capsule...the easiest..." + (show)
@youngsally

It's difficult to count beads because the number and size vary from capsule to capsule...the easiest should be to call the doctors office and make the request for lower dose capsules - but know that 37.5mg is the lowest...but you might see if the doc is okay with taking it every other day or some other taper. In my experience, it helped to hold at the same dosage (in my case 37.5mg) for a few weeks instead of the one week as originally planned.

Not all of the SSRIs/SNRIs are difficult to taper....but just as many people have side effects getting on....you get to revisit what you had on your way off.

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@youngsally I'm trying to taper off 37.5mg venlafaxine XR, and my pharmacist told me to open the capsule and take those beads seperately, but I keep reading that those capsule should not be open at all.. Don't know what to think.
My 37.5mg capsules contains 3 beads(mini tablets) (I assume those are 12.5mg).
My plan was to go this way: 37.5>25>12.5>0... but 👇

❝ Capsules should never be split. Removal of beads from capsules to accomplish titration is not a recommended method of tapering. ❞
src: Colleen Young, Mayo Clinic Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 14, 2018 | connect_mayoclinic_org/comment/220253/

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