Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Hi All!!
Well, I am ending week 3 of my reduction of my PM med's dosage. I am currently taking 1-1/4 pills (down from 2 whole pills) at night.
I should be taking 1 pill, every other night, for my next reduction at the end of the week.
I don't think that will happen. I am feeling a bit anxious so I will remain on this dosage for at least another 3 weeks to see what happens.
I am not jumping out of my skin, but I am starting to have difficulties about making decisions. Should I go? Should I not go? Etc..

Will keep you up to date!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

I am so thankful to have found this board. I've read all if not all posts from the beginning and have been following for a few weeks. After a visit to optometrist revealed increased pressures in my eyes (a sign of glaucoma), a friend encouraged me to research all meds I take, Rx and OTC to see if there could be a cause...sure enough...long term use of Effexor has been seen to lead to glaucoma--and High blood pressure-which I treat with medication. I decided it was time to come off Effexor!
I'm following a taper down routine of removing 5-7 beadlets from each capsule every 2 weeks. This week I step down by taking out 10-15 beadlets from each capsule. (Rx is for 150mg/day). so far, no withdrawal... WHAT A RELIEF!!! I do not plan to share with dr that I'm tapering down--plan to request same mg when refills are needed since i've based my bead counting on 150mg dosage.
I've tried to get off Effexor before following dr guidelines, but the step down from 150mg to 75mg was too drastic. The fear of withdrawal symptoms has kept me taking this medication far longer than I feel I need it for depression.
I use lemon essential oil to stave off depression/blues and so far, those symptoms remain at bay.
Looking back, there are many times while on full 150mg of Effexor, I feel like my feelings of depression/sadness/loneliness were exacerbated by the medication, not made better.
So far, feed back from husband is that he notices I'm doing more hobby related activities and cooking more in the past few weeks. 🙂
I'm just again, thankful to have found this board and the "taper down" method of counting beadlets.
Peace.

@grandmarr I would caution against an every other day/night dosage due to how quickly withdrawal starts. Long and slow taper wins when dealing with Effexor.

I'm on day 3 or 4 of having to go back on effexor. The first to days were good but the last day has been not so good. Cranky,short fused and agitated. Dang if I do dang if I don't.

@farmboy hang in there!

Thank you!! I do every other night for 3 weeks (or more if I need it). Then I go to nightly. Up until now, it has worked.
Ronnie (GRANDMAr

I see. This stuff is tricky for sure!!!

@farmboy
Effexor messes with your brain chemistry and you've been on quite a rollercoaster lately. Your taper was steep and fast (225 then to 150 for 2 weeks, then to 75 for 2 weeks, then 75 every other day, then every other day, then stop). You only went back to 75mg. The usual recommendation is to go back to the dose where you didn't have withdrawal effects, stay there for a while (weeks, months, etc.) before again tapering to not so big a drop. Some suggest no more than a 5-10% drop at a time (or even less if your W/D is bad).

I did real good believe it or not from 225 to 75. At 75 is where everything went to heck. So I restarted at 75. The panic/anxiety attacks are gone and my thinking is more clearer. My girlfriend told me I am more like my old self. It's just getting restarted. Cranky, agitated and tired

@farmboy I have heard that at the lower doses the withdrawals are harder. I hate to think that's true, but this taper for me from 75 to 65 has been worse than my previous, bigger cuts (225 to 150, then 150 to 75. I know those were way bigger tapers than recommended). Its also hard to say if it's the taper or if its situational stuff or other physical conditions as well. But you're doing the right thing by being here and discussing what you are experiencing.