Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

@frediz
I wouldn’t decrease your dose so quickly were I you. There shouldn’t be any symptoms if you reduce slowly enough. I think Effexor comes in a 25mg tablet. I do not understand why the big rush getting off. Isn’t it be better to go off slowly without side effects?
Good luck,
Jake

I feel the same as @sandj

I was only on Effexor RX for a year (last January), and titrated from 150 (which I was only on for 2 days) to 75, 37, and 18 (a week each at my doctor's recommendation). I was off completely last Saturday and still have bad side effects. Any idea how long I can expect the side effects to continue? Dramamine for the dizzies and a pain killer for the body aches had no effect. Also, is there a remedy for the paresthesia? I cannot live life whatsoever this way and sleep 12 hours a day (including naps, or else I'd never get to work on time). My so mad my doctor prescribed this without any mention of the side effects if you skip a pill or ween off. With side effects this day, I think it should be very clear before you even start about what to expect when you want to finish.

@leross21 There's no tried and true formula for getting off Effexor. Your doctor and the rest of us (I'm not a doctor and I don't recall any doctors posting) here are just guessing. The overall recommendation on this site is to go slow ... very slow. Your schedule for tapering off is/was too fast.

Suggestion 1--Do you still have the medication? Since it has only been a week since you stopped, you may get relief by taking Effexor again at your last dose. If that doesn't get rid of the symptoms, go back to next higher dose and see if you get relief. Step back up another level until you feel relief. Then, stay there for a while (weeks) before tapering down to not so big a drop (10%, or less reduction).

To make drops in your dosage easier, get a liquid formulation of your antidepressant. If need be, demand your doctor specify a liquid prescription. Your local pharmacist can source a liquid form of almost any drug. Reduce by a comfortable amount in weekly steps. This may mean reducing as little as 1 mg per week and being prepared to stop and stabilize if things get too difficult. (Rxisk)

A compounding pharmacy may be available in your area to help with making lower dosages. You need a prescription and this service may be costly.

Suggestion 2--Can you contact your doctor and get a response quickly? If so, ask your doctor for Prozac. Some folks get relief by taking a single 20-milligram (mg) dose of Prozac. Your symptoms will likely go away within a few hours. And because of Prozac's long half-life, you won't have withdrawal symptoms after taking that one capsule. Some may need to take a second 20mg dose of Prozac.

Ben*dryl (diphenhydramine) is an over-the-counter allergy medication that may help with discontinuation symptoms; it has a sedating effect, but you said you were doing a lot of sleeping anyway (congrats on that, I and others had insomnia). Start taking fish oil--it will help your brain heal.

@leross21
You decreased your dose way to fast. 50% reduction is seldom a wise choice. You may want to increase your dose until your symptoms go away then very slowly reduce it by small increment, 5-10 maybe 15% at most. If your in a hurry be prepared to suffer. It wouldn’t have mattered if your doctor had told you more about it. The doctors don’t know. The manufacturer never researched how to properly stop it. Doctors aren’t Gods and should never be put on a pedestal. Never take a doctors word for anything. Check out throughly what they tell you. Had I done what I was told to do on several occasions I’d be dead.
Wishing you luck,
Jake

@leross21 if it's been a week since your last dose, you may be ok to reinstate at the last dosage you were on. If you have some medication left you could try to stabilize on the same dosage you were on, I think you said 18 mg? However, at such a low dosage you may have side effects when you do wean, no matter how slowly. I have HEARD on other forums that the wd symptoms can be worse at the lower dosages, in other words, although I've done ok from 225 down to 75, it may be that this is where it begins to get difficult..i dont know this for a fact, but I am prepared for it to get worse before it gets better. It may not be possible to not have any wd symptoms but it is possible to minimize the severity of them, by taking other supplements (for me, that's vitamin d, omega 3, multivitamin with methylated b since I also have the mthfr mutation, CBD from a reputable source ..mine also contains orange terpenes for anxiety..., Epsom salt baths to release toxins and provide magnesium, acupuncture treatments and Chinese herbs) I can only speak from my own experience. I'd rather die than increase my dose again. No matter how horrible the wd symptoms get, for myself, I refuse to go backwards. These symptoms are temporary and I'm not going to let a f*cking capsule defeat me. I have long ago given up on relying on any doctor to give me accurate information, validation or any level of compassion regarding my experiences with withdrawal. I went through two years of it with another medication (neurontin), with doctors telling me it was not possible that my symptoms were being caused by withdrawal. It takes a lot of inner strength to stand up and say, look, I know I'm not crazy, and stick to what you know is the truth. Remember that while this medication has far reaching and long lasting effects on every system of your body, it is NOT going to win. The human spirit is stronger and more resilient than realized. Read the information provided here and do further research on your own as well. There are lots of very helpful suggestions from many others who have won this battle. You have the strength to do this or you wouldn't have come this far already. The answers will come to you. Many blessings to you, and everyone else on this journey.

So taking one third of a 37.5mg got me through the gap. By the time I was picking up my rx on Friday I was feeling sick and dizzy and weak. Started feeling better a few hours after taking my rx refill. Now I'm also on a low dose of Prozac. The plan is to cut out the venlafaxine after one to two weeks.

I had almost forgotten one of the best (for me) side effects of venlafaxine: not dreaming. Now that I'm getting down to a low dose, I'm having the same level of terrifying nightmares that I had years ago. In my case I don't think that's a withdrawal symptom - it is relapse. Not that it has kept me from being really tired all the time.

To all of you who have posted on this , thank you thank you thank you! I have posted that I had a MASSIVELY BAD round of withdrawals trying to wean off of this drug in the past. Now in a few months it will be time for round two, and hopefully for the last time. You guys have given me the courage to now go back to my very well-meaning doctor and tell him 'NO I WILL NOT' jump down by 50% each drop on dosage. Also, I now plan on waiting until full spring time/longer daylight hours before starting the process (duh I already struggle with chronic SAD) and I will tell him what dose I plan to go to at each step, and for how long. I need to remind myself that he was not my doctor during my rebound reaction fiasco and that what has worked for his patients in the past will NOT be what will work for me, obviously. Deep breath. I can do this

@notaround I can relate with the nightmares. I agree it's not withdrawal (wish it was!). I hope bridging with the prozac helps.

@cristin1 my doctor has no idea I'm weaning. I just keep getting my refills.