Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
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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Oops, should have clicked on your address first to see how you did your taper. Thanks!
I really really think you should taper more slowly. I did taper off Paxil by myself over nine months. Evidently it wasn’t slow enough as I wound up in the hospital after losing a lot of weight, crying all the time and becoming agoraphobic. Terrible insomnia and 0 appetite. These symptoms did not show up until a few months after I thought I was in the clear. Don’t be fooled by how well you’re feeling now. Paxil is about as bad as Effexor to taper successfully. These drugs are both lifesavers and evil.
sears – "These drugs are both lifesavers and evil." What a mind-blowing statement. I believe it is probably accurate. When I became, at midlife, unexpectedly delusional and quite psychotic (had been bipolar most of my life without knowing it) a good shrink pulled me back from the brink with a long, evolving series of psychiatric meds.
However, she neglected to ever consider getting me off the meds at any point. Years went by, she died, I got old and progressively lost a lot of hearing. Research told me the hearing loss could be attributable to the powerful meds, and I seemed pretty sane, so a year ago, I took myself off them gradually.
Now I have just discovered that my most recent meds, which I was on for years, are BOTH associated with a higher chance of having Alzheimer's. My message to everybody on meds – never stop researching the effects of whatever meds you are on, or were on in the past. You need to know as much as possible.
Research, research and more research. At age 67 I’m now paying a terrible price for listening to my doctor of 30 years. He deserted me when I expressed my desire to quit taking Xanax and Paxil. He deserted me because he didn’t know how to safely get me off these drugs. And guess what? A doctor is absolutely legally allowed to desert a patient at any time for any reason. Fortunately after many months I found a doctor willing to help me. At my age it wasn’t easy. Most are reluctant to take patients 65 or older.
I didn't realize desertion by doctor was a problem. That is shameful. Very glad you were able to find a new doc. Congrats on asserting yourself for the sake of your health, and good luck!
hi jtj. I did a taper without consulting my doctor which, apparently, not recommended. However, I opened a capsule and discovered that it was filled with hundreds of little beads. I purchased a microscale off amazon for about $35 and, once it arrived, started emptying out the little capsules. I was aiming at a 3-month or so interval to get down to zero milligrams from 150 and i had planned to measure out a consistent amount for a two week supply, then another two week supply with a little less, etc. By the time I got to my last two week interval, I finished and was at zero. The capsule itself weighs a significant amount, as I recall. Even though the pill was 150 mg, the whole thing, 150 mg of effexor plus the capsule weighed about 500 mg. So, I every two weeks I emptied about 100 mg out of each of 14 pills: emptying out 100 mg for the first two weeks; 200 mg for the next two weeks; 300 mg emptied out for the third two week interval, etc
Now here's my reaction. At first, in the first month that is, I didn't notice much of a difference–it seemed like a gradual taper. Then over the next couple of weight drops I was a little grumpy at times (more like quick tempered) sometimes more emotional. On the positive side, I had much more energy, ambition and started to re-develop a long absent libido. By the time I was in the last phase of my taper (just a little bit in each capsule, then finished altogether) my side effects were more noticeable. In retrospect, I think it would have been best had I drawn out the last phase more,: taking out smaller amounts from the capsule–with another few two week intervals of dropping amounts. Once completely off it, I was very proud and confident that I had accomplished it; however, the side effects were noticeable. Not a lot but, noticeable. This will sound strange but I started smoking again to ease it (I had quit smoking for about 6 months). This made me feel better. I also started meditating. I found quitting smoking easier than quitting effexor (now I'm tapering off cigarettes which I'm quite confident I can do). I've been off for about a month now. The side effects are less and less each day. I still have my emotional moments (just getting teary during movies, etc)–it's sort of amusing. I've had "brain-buzz" which has seemed to all but disappeared. What's amazing is how different I feel. For years I've been constantly tired, sleeping up to 14 hours a day–virtually every moment I'm not at work; sexually impotent; no ambition whatsoever; messy, poor hygeine, usually sleeping on my couch in the same clothes I wore to work, etc. I'm 55 and, for the past ten years or so, I kept thinking I only had a few years left before I would pass away. The thought of doing the dishes, cleaning the house or any pedestrian task was so overwhelming, tantamount to spontaneously running a marathon without any training. I have diabetes and it kept getting worse. I watched my body start to resemble Jabba-the-hut. I kept telling my children that I was never like this.
Now, out of nowhere, I want to exercise, I want to eat better, and I do on both counts. My sugar is under control and I'm working on slowing down my medication. I've been walking 5 km every day and I started working out with my son today. I get up every morning around 8 a.m. without an alarm clock and have no wish to go back to bed to get more sleep. I can't describe how much better I feel.
I hope that my story, and how I tapered off effexor helps you and, if it is your desire to do so–then do it. You can if you're patient and you persevere. I am wishing you the best of luck and a huge amount of happiness. Don't take any shit from effexor!
Your story is very inspiring, thank you so much for sharing!
@sears That is absolutely awful! He must not have been a very smart doctor. Was he a psychiatrist, they usually know how to get patients off of drugs like that. I'm glad you found another doctor. I go to a psychiatrist, we have mental illness in our family. My mom took her life at age 69 and I'm 67. My son is Bipolar 1 and his wife controls him, but yet I'm glad he has someone, but we have not contact with him or our 8 year old granddaughter, who I haven't seen since she was 3. We have skyped with her when she's at her other grand mothers, but she lives in Chicago and they live in NYC. The only thing I can do is pray to have our son to come home. You are loved.
Yes he was a physchiatrist.
@2degrees – Great story, congrats on freeing yourself! I am very happy for you.
@collene Hi Collen I know you directed me to people who have taken the Vraylar which I was just prescribed. I forget who that was. I a very sick and as I read about Effexor withdrawal I am wondering if I could still be experiencing that. I stopped the 37.5 two weeks ago. I am sick. On Carafate because of throwing up. Now I am afraid of the Vraylar, Thank you.
I just showed your post to my pharmacist daughter and her comment was, “You can’t go from 37.5 to nothing, what is the matter with her doctor?”
You need to tamper off longer to a much smaller dose before you go to zero.