Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hello fellow sufferers.
I feel like this drug, ( with similar chemical properties to pcp) is poison to my system.
I've been researching how to get off this drug-venlafexine. Here's what I found:

1. Some people can taper faster than others.
2. It is a good idea to start with a 10% taper and hold for a few weeks. Sometimes as long as 4
3. The next lower dose than 37.5 ER is 25mg IR. Which is taken 2-3x a day. And can be cut smaller.
4. 25mg IR is water soluble and this makes it easier to taper to the lowest possible dose.
5. Symptoms should be minimal or gone before next taper.
6. If a reduction gives you intolerable symptoms, reinstate and hold that dose for a few weeks before next taper. This means it was too much of a taper.
7. Some people take a year or longer to completely taper off this drug and that's ok.
8. Listen to what your body is telling you.
I was on 37.5er for a few years. It stopped working and was giving me terrible side effects. I wound up in the ER June 2022. I stopped cold turkey for a month and initially felt a little better. July I tried Prozac which made me terribly sick vomiting and diarrhea. Then I tried Pristiq which worked for about a week then made me extremely angry and aggressive and feeling very agitated. Beginning August I started 25 mg immediate release. Half a tablet three times a day. It did help but unfortunately with all I had done to my nervous system I was taking it sporadically. I had 3 days of no medication then I made a liquid out of my 25 mg IR tablet however what you should know is this enters the bloodstream very quickly. It made me quite sick at 6.25ml 2x a day. I tried one day to switch back to 1/4tab and immediately vomited.
So as of right now I am taking 1 ml of liquid mixture two times a day. This is a very small amount but it is staving off my withdrawal symptoms for now.

Hi,
I am currently tampering off of Effexor. I am in the beginning of month 3 of this process. Each month, I reduce the amount by 37.5mg. At the start of each reduction, I have gotten diarrhea & short lasting abdominal queasiness. Last month the queasiness occurred over a longer time period than the actual diarrhea. I have been using Metamucil as a supplement and eating yogurt on a daily basis. When I feel queasy I also eat Saltine style crackers. I have been trying to use exercise (powerlifting 3 days a week & cardio at least 2 days a week) as a natural means to replace the serotonin. The first month I was aware that I was more irritable than normal & was teary on several occasions. This past reduction, I noticed I became teary & was engaged in ruminating thoughts. That observation allowed me to change my behavior which ended the tears. I am also more sensitive than normal to heat. Although I no longer feel depressed, I am continuing to see my therapist on a weekly basis through out this process. This is the second time I have tappered my amount of Effexor. The first time was a disaster. My then-psychiatrist recommended too big of a jump. I quickly ended up back on the prior dosage. This time my goal is getting off of it completely.

I would love suggestions as to what else I can try for the gastro issues.

So sorry to read of your difficult withdrawal. Your suggestions are great and thanks so much for writing them out. The difficulties you have had reminded me of my withdrawal beginning Sept 2021 from Cymbalta ( on the therapeutic amount, 80 mg, for about 20 years). I'm off now and have been since December 2021 but it has been incredibly difficult. I hope you have a good support system and cheers for your accomplishments. I used Amanita Muscaria, a mushroom that helped with brain zaps, feelings of anxiety and hostility, and with insomnia. However, nothing except time seemed to help with the stunning depth of depression. I'm better now though and feel incredibly grateful for sites like this one and some Facebook groups (for info on Amanita Muscaria) that really helped.

Well I'm glad I could be helpful. I do not have a good support system at all whatsoever. But I think that's just part of my depression.
I'm glad to hear that you're on the other end of things and are doing better.
You're not kidding about the stunning depth of depression that's for sure. I am on day 8 of no medication and feeling exceptionally depressed. I will check out that Facebook page you recommended

I also took 75 mg of venlafaxine time release ..same things as Effexor time release . Horrible side effects trying to stop. I finally thought to myself, since these are time release capsule how could I cut the pill? Impossible. So this worked beautifully for me to get down to the 37.5 mg. I got a small bowl and a very pointy tweezer. ( make sure to have the short end of capsule at the top as you slowly pull apart) At first I removed 15 beads, WHOA! No NO NO I had to remove much less beads. I started by no taking out 2-3 beads, I would do 7 capsules at a time for my weeks supply. NO SIDE EFFECTS!!!!!!! I did this over the course of a few months. Totally worth it in every way no side effects. Now I want to get off the 37.5mg Same thing..today I took 3 beads out of 7 capsules. I know it will be painless. If you decide to do this, make sure to log how much you take out each week. It's not that time consuming and very rewarding. Each week remove 2-3 more beads, you will know if you take out too much., this works !!!! Toward the end it can be a bit tedious but so very worth it. There is about 100 beads in a 37.5mg

I mentioned that I did some research to see what steps I could take to minimize the Effexor "discontinuation" symptoms I started experiencing six weeks after taking my last dose after tapering slowly; here's a bit of what I learned.--

78% of people stopping Effexor (venlafaxine) have withdrawal reactions. (In this situation, I would have been happy to be in the 22%!)

While anti-depressants aren’t addictive in the sense that cocaine and other street drugs are, they do cause dependence, meaning the brain has to substantially reorganize when you stop taking them.--Therese Borchard, Everyday Health Columnist

Withdrawal symptoms are more likely with antidepressants that stay in the body for a short period of time, especially medications that affect both serotonin and norepinephrine such as Cymbalta (duloxetine) and Effexor (venlafaxine).--Nootriment.com

Certain supplements are well-known to buffer the effects of withdrawal. The right supplements can make a huge difference in expediting your recovery. Think of supplements as a way for your body to repair itself and minimize withdrawal symptoms. They help make the transitory process from being medicated to being medication-free a little bit easier.

NOTE: These supplements are helping me, but might not be helpful to you. I went through quite a bit of trial and error; I have a whole shoebox full of supplements I tried and either didn't find helpful, or found something better, or chickened out of trying (kratom). The friendly folks at Vitam*n Sh*ppe now know me by name instead of just recognizing my face.

ALSO NOTE: I am not a doctor--I'm not in the medical field in any way other than as a patient. It's always recommended to consult with your doctor before taking anything and to consider what you are already taking. You can learn about some supplement interactions here--https://bottomlineinc.com/health/supplements/new-dangers-supplement-users.

Fish Oil--During withdrawal from an anti-depressant, one of the quickest ways to help the brain heal is to supplement high-quality omega-3s (there are significantly more omega-3s per serving in fish oil than in krill oil). For some people, omega-3s may significantly improve symptoms of anxiety. Many people have documented significant reductions in the frequency and number of “brain zaps” they experience during withdrawal as a result of supplementation. Many people become highly irritable during withdrawal from anti-depressants. While omega-3s will likely not cure the irritability, they may help improve it. The improvement is likely a result of changes in brain activity and neurotransmission.

L-tryptophan--Your serotonin levels are likely abnormal upon [anti-depressant] discontinuation. The drug rewires your brain to become dependent on it to create sufficient serotonin. When you discontinue the drug, the brain is still expecting to receive the serotonin boost that it got from your anti-depressant. It takes the brain a little while to figure out that it’s no longer getting any serotonin from the medication. Things can then get chaotic as the brain attempts to reset its normal functioning. L-tryptophan is an essential amino acid that is an indirect precursor to serotonin. Tryptophan is metabolized in the liver into 5-HTP, which then travels to the brain and is converted into serotonin. By taking L-tryptophan (or 5-HTP), you’ll be increasing the level of serotonin within the brain. This helps reduce anxiety, can improve mood and decrease all withdrawal symptoms related to low serotonin. Some people find that for targeting insomnia, L-tryptophan is the more potent option. If you are taking 5-HTP, or L-tryptophan daily (dosage 6-12 g split into 3-4 doses per day), you may want to keep at it for a few months. Once you’ve taken it for a few months, you should then attempt to reduce the doses and taper yourself off. These supplements help increase serotonin levels, but you don’t need to rely on them long-term.

B Vitamins--Vitamin B3 aids in the conversion of tryptophan and B6 helps the body make the hormones serotonin (which regulates mood) and norepinephrine (which helps your body cope with stress). Long-term high doses with supplements (not from food) can lead to liver toxicity and nerve effects.

GABA--Should calm you down, reduce anxiety, curb insomnia, and decrease agitation. This chemical occurs naturally in your brain and produces feelings of calm, lessens the neurological signs of nervousness and stress, increases focus and aids in falling and staying asleep. GABA is one of the most important brain neurotransmitters for mood regulation and boosting alpha brain waves. Some believe that oral GABA works by stimulating GABA receptors in the stomach which are capable of communicating with neurons in the brain. Much of the GABA found in the body is produced in the gut.--Excerpted from Mental Health Daily Taking GABA with other supplements such as l-arginine may help it cross the blood-brain barrier.

Ashwagandha--Can reduce the stress hormone cortisol by 25%. It is very helpful at calming anxiety of all kinds. Ashwagandha is safe to be consumed for 6-8 weeks; following this, abstain for a month before resuming consumption to avoid dependence. High doses could worsen acidity, ulcers, skin rashes and anxiety. (People using diabetes, blood pressure, thyroid, anti-anxiety, or immuno-suppressant medications; sedatives; or alcohol should consult their doctor first before using ashwagandha.)

Lemon balm--Purported to possess sedative, or tranquilizing effects. Lemon Balm essential oil can interact with GABA receptors in the brain and also increase alpha waves (which indicates relaxed states) similarly to GABA. The Natural Medicines database has rated Lemon Balm as Possibly Effective for improving symptoms of anxiety.--Nootriment.com

Kava--Increases the number of attachment sites for GABA in the brain. By creating more attachment sites, the effects of GABA might be more profound, which results in a mild sedated state. This herb might have detrimental effects on the liver if consumed in excess.--Livestrong.com

Rhodiola rosea extract--Modulates the enzyme monoamine oxidase which metabolizes serotonin. When it is inhibited, serotonin synthesis increases. Dosage: 200-1,000 mg per day, taken 1-3 times per day.--Nootriment.com

So, I just finished this process with Zoloft (sertraline) and here are some things that worked for me. Your mileage may vary, but hopefully these are low risk for you to try.

1) You may need to ask your doctor for a slower tapering program than other patients. Some people are just more sensitive to dosage changes. Be aware that symptoms will get better, then may reappear each time you taper. AAFMA (practice group of family physicians) says that the symptoms typically last 1-2 weeks and as long as 4 weeks, so I just kept reminding myself that it was temporary.
2) Be watchful for things that make your symptoms worse. For example, caffeine seems to trigger the brain zaps for me (still, even after being off for several weeks), so I cut back my caffeine intake. I didn't give it up completely (because I still need to function), but cut back on how much real coffee I was drinking, mixed decaf with regular, and switched to tea sometimes. In the end, I probably cut my daily caffeine intake in half, and it did help quite a lot.
3) Ibuprofen or other pain reliever can help with the flu-like body aches.
4) Benadryl helped with the brain zaps.
5) Exercise helped with both. Even if I wasn't up to a run, a few blocks of walking would settle down the symptoms for a while at least. (Then, when they come back, just take another walk. We took a lot of walks for a while there).
6) Get enough sleep. As I came down off the meds, my normal sleeping patterns returned, which was great, but it did mean that I needed to plan time to let my body rest.
7) Pay attention to your diet. Your brain uses carbs to make seratonin, so now is not the time to go on the Atkins diet. Eat well and make sure you're getting enough healthy carbs. You may crave sweets; I certainly did. I tried to counteract this by having bananas, graham crackers, and other healthy things I could snack on instead of sticking my head in a birthday cake like I seemed to want.

No lie - it's a painful process, but this did really help make it easier. Also, at a certain point, when I was down the below the normal starter dose, I just ripped off the bandaid and went to zero. At that point, it felt like each taper was just prolonging the suffering. Don't just go cold turkey from your current dose, though, as that can be dangerous. Also, don't add any supplements or substitutes for the SSRI without talking to your doctor first (also dangerous).

And of course, watch for the return of depression / anxiety type symptoms. For a while it was hard to tell whether I was tired because of the change in meds or because my depression was returning. I figured as long as I felt okay enough to function and wasn't thinking about being harmful to myself or anyone else, I could play it out and see. It turned out to be the meds and on the other side, I can see that I was more worried about it than I needed to be.

I wish you the best of luck and a healthy life.

Mardee

Hi. I have seen that you may have the same symptons as my friend have. He abruptly stopped taking venlafaxin and very soon developed a chronic anxiety. He is in a constant state of afflction that doesn't seem to be cured by any treatment. He even tried Cetamine Infusion. Is your case similar? Have you got over it? If so, how?