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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notaround | @notaround | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @drtrust84 "please I need your help I was on Effexor for almost 9 years and get out..." + (show)
@drtrust84

please I need your help I was on Effexor for almost 9 years and get out of it 3 months ago now everything I suffered of 9 years ago return stronger with horrible thought I am hopeless, I am now back on Effexor I really need to ask you many things please I need answer is this gonna work again??
I am fighting now almost two weeks back on 75mg and I feel days getting better and days get worse can anyone share experience of relapse and if am taking the right decision back on Effexor because it worked for me perfect and cured me last years, I am afraid am going back from square one sense I started the medicine 9 years ago
I really need your experience people

Jump to this post

@drtrust84 you probably have a good reason to have gotten off of it but have you tried other antidepressants? And at the end of the day, if it works and doesn't have some horrible side effects, it might be worth staying on, even if you don't like the idea of being on medication.

For me, I'm tapering off after this being my second time on venlafaxine. First time around I didn't have much withdrawal on being switched to another med but I was put on another med at the exact same time as quitting venlafaxine. No gap. Unfortunately I have no idea which of the dozen or so meds that was. It was almost ten years ago. So it's possible to get back on and switch meds.

Having one day be okay and the next bad is normal. I hope you have more good days starting today. Do you have any friends or family who you can lean on? Even if it's having a buddy over for a movie, try not to spend a long time alone. Having company really makes a difference. Also try a hot bath - it helps with the muscle tension/soreness if you get that too.

REPLY
2 replies
notaround | @notaround | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @grandmar "@drtrust84 Several years ago, I started to wean of the Effexor on the advice of my..." + (show)
@grandmar

@drtrust84
Several years ago, I started to wean of the Effexor on the advice of my PCP. I wasn't long into the weaning process when my symptoms came back full force. I tried to get back on them without success.
I went to a psychiatrist to manage my meds (other than my PCP). She told me that once you get off or wean to a degree, you cannot go back on for 6 months. It's been a while so I cannot tell you the reason why. The psychiatrist tried a couple of different of meds but non worked as well as the Effexor.
After 6 months I asked to go back onto the Effexor. I did. Although the Effexor worked better than any oth the others, it never worked as well as it did before.
I am now starting to wean myself off of it again. This time, I am doing it VERY, VERY slowly (no matter how long it takes). I am not looking to come off, I am looking to reduce a lot.
Good luck!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Jump to this post

If you do later remember your old psychiatrist's reasoning for waiting six months, I'd be interested to know why. I haven't heard that from my doctor but gods know they individually can't know everything.

REPLY
1 reply
drtrust84 | @drtrust84 | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @notaround "@drtrust84 you probably have a good reason to have gotten off of it but have you..." + (show)
@notaround

@drtrust84 you probably have a good reason to have gotten off of it but have you tried other antidepressants? And at the end of the day, if it works and doesn't have some horrible side effects, it might be worth staying on, even if you don't like the idea of being on medication.

For me, I'm tapering off after this being my second time on venlafaxine. First time around I didn't have much withdrawal on being switched to another med but I was put on another med at the exact same time as quitting venlafaxine. No gap. Unfortunately I have no idea which of the dozen or so meds that was. It was almost ten years ago. So it's possible to get back on and switch meds.

Having one day be okay and the next bad is normal. I hope you have more good days starting today. Do you have any friends or family who you can lean on? Even if it's having a buddy over for a movie, try not to spend a long time alone. Having company really makes a difference. Also try a hot bath - it helps with the muscle tension/soreness if you get that too.

Jump to this post

I never ben on any other medication its the only medicine I ever tried and now am back on it after 3 months of being off it
am now wondering is this gonna work as it had before now am on my second week on 75mg
I feel unstable one day good and next bad am really so so worried and afraid if this not gonna work as before
I think its the only medicine work perfectly for me I believe on it it had cured me last couple years
and I believe if it will work again I will be on it for the rest of my life without hesitating
I need your experience
do you think if I don't feel better for next weeks I should increase the dose?

one bad side effect am experiencing for the first time now can't sleep
I sleep couple of days at beginning smoothly and in the past 3 days couldn't fall a sleep deeply
is this normal and how long this gonna stay until I get back to sleep as before

REPLY
1 reply
drtrust84 | @drtrust84 | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @grandmar "@drtrust84 Several years ago, I started to wean of the Effexor on the advice of my..." + (show)
@grandmar

@drtrust84
Several years ago, I started to wean of the Effexor on the advice of my PCP. I wasn't long into the weaning process when my symptoms came back full force. I tried to get back on them without success.
I went to a psychiatrist to manage my meds (other than my PCP). She told me that once you get off or wean to a degree, you cannot go back on for 6 months. It's been a while so I cannot tell you the reason why. The psychiatrist tried a couple of different of meds but non worked as well as the Effexor.
After 6 months I asked to go back onto the Effexor. I did. Although the Effexor worked better than any oth the others, it never worked as well as it did before.
I am now starting to wean myself off of it again. This time, I am doing it VERY, VERY slowly (no matter how long it takes). I am not looking to come off, I am looking to reduce a lot.
Good luck!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Jump to this post

please tell me how long have you stayed on Effexor when you returned back to it first time when you got back on them without success

REPLY
1 reply
Parus | @parus | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @drtrust84 "I never ben on any other medication its the only medicine I ever tried and now..." + (show)
@drtrust84

I never ben on any other medication its the only medicine I ever tried and now am back on it after 3 months of being off it
am now wondering is this gonna work as it had before now am on my second week on 75mg
I feel unstable one day good and next bad am really so so worried and afraid if this not gonna work as before
I think its the only medicine work perfectly for me I believe on it it had cured me last couple years
and I believe if it will work again I will be on it for the rest of my life without hesitating
I need your experience
do you think if I don't feel better for next weeks I should increase the dose?

one bad side effect am experiencing for the first time now can't sleep
I sleep couple of days at beginning smoothly and in the past 3 days couldn't fall a sleep deeply
is this normal and how long this gonna stay until I get back to sleep as before

Jump to this post

@drtrust84 What you are describing is uncomfortable. If I knew of a way to help make things easier I would as this is a battle. I know keeping busy worked the best for me. Distraction has helped many and there is a thread about things that can help with difficult times. Help from someone knowing where please.
Many here are helpful in so many ways. Try not to denigrate yourself for being in a hard place. We are here.

REPLY
1 reply
drtrust84 | @drtrust84 | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @parus "@drtrust84 What you are describing is uncomfortable. If I knew of a way to help make..." + (show)
@parus

@drtrust84 What you are describing is uncomfortable. If I knew of a way to help make things easier I would as this is a battle. I know keeping busy worked the best for me. Distraction has helped many and there is a thread about things that can help with difficult times. Help from someone knowing where please.
Many here are helpful in so many ways. Try not to denigrate yourself for being in a hard place. We are here.

Jump to this post

thank you so much that's kind of you
I will be always believe that god have mercy on us whatever long time it takes

REPLY
drtrust84 | @drtrust84 | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @notaround "@drtrust84 you probably have a good reason to have gotten off of it but have you..." + (show)
@notaround

@drtrust84 you probably have a good reason to have gotten off of it but have you tried other antidepressants? And at the end of the day, if it works and doesn't have some horrible side effects, it might be worth staying on, even if you don't like the idea of being on medication.

For me, I'm tapering off after this being my second time on venlafaxine. First time around I didn't have much withdrawal on being switched to another med but I was put on another med at the exact same time as quitting venlafaxine. No gap. Unfortunately I have no idea which of the dozen or so meds that was. It was almost ten years ago. So it's possible to get back on and switch meds.

Having one day be okay and the next bad is normal. I hope you have more good days starting today. Do you have any friends or family who you can lean on? Even if it's having a buddy over for a movie, try not to spend a long time alone. Having company really makes a difference. Also try a hot bath - it helps with the muscle tension/soreness if you get that too.

Jump to this post

thank you so much I really wish every one the cure and the best in there life
I really ben cured 100% when I decided to tapering off and I really didn't notice any bad withdrawals cause I made it in the right way
down from 75mg to 37mg to 37mg every other day until I forget about it without notice any bad days at all
3 months now without any medications and suddenly without any any reason just screening from how horrible panic attack I had
then without even thinking went to nearest EMERGENCY ROOM and described 75mg again
now am exactly at the end of the second week
I really noticed a-lot of better days but at the end of the day I return to bad mood and feel hopeless again
I am really so carious if this gonna work again as before or not
I have deep believe this is miracle drug when I started 9 years ago I thought there will be nothing in this world would treated me
and after 8 months resistance for any drugs I give up and give it a try for Effexor this drug return my life back after the welling of god
but it really took years to feel 100% cured and free of any thoughts
thats why am so depressed asking if its gonna take the same long years to feel the same and free!
am so dispersed I don't have any confidence in my brain again :'(

REPLY
grandmaR | @grandmar | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @drtrust84 "please tell me how long have you stayed on Effexor when you returned back to it..." + (show)
@drtrust84

please tell me how long have you stayed on Effexor when you returned back to it first time when you got back on them without success

Jump to this post

@drttrust84
I was on the Effexor for about a year, maybe 2.
ronnie

REPLY
1 reply
drtrust84 | @drtrust84 | Nov 24, 2018
In reply to @grandmar "@drttrust84 I was on the Effexor for about a year, maybe 2. ronnie" + (show)
@grandmar

@drttrust84
I was on the Effexor for about a year, maybe 2.
ronnie

Jump to this post

I mean when the first time you had returned to Effexor you told me that you didn't feel any benefits and u switched it
for how long you keep taking it at that time that u decide to switch

REPLY
abq179 | @abq179 | Nov 24, 2018

I am starting to taper off my Venlafaxine and decided to do some google searches on dosage and tapering. A key point of several articles was, (as a new user to this group I'm not allowed to post URL's or web addresses yet), that the symptoms arose due to the short half-life of the medicines and the possibility that manufactured doses were too large to use in tapering without having significant symptoms. Subsequent online searches on tapering revealed an exciting possibility - tapering kits. An organization in the Netherlands provides specialized dosage tapering kits customized to each patient and doctor. Do an online search for Tapering Strip made for Cinderella Therapeutics. I think I'm going to give it a try - coordinating with my doctor. It's interesting and sad this is happening over in the UK and the Netherlands, but not here in the US yet.
Has anyone in the discussion group tried these?

REPLY
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