Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

Cold turkey? What strength was your Effexor and were you on the extended release. I started my taper from 150mg, now down to 37.5, and this is the XR version.
Thank you for your post

Ask your doctor to put you on 10 mg of prozac. It has a much longer half-life than effexor. Take that with the effexor for about a week or two (however long it takes for the prozac to reach steady state - the pharmacist should be able to tell you), then quit the effexor. You should then be able to taper off the prozac by adding a day between doses (every other day, then every third day, etc.) until such time that you can quit taking that. It's the ONLY way I've ever been able to get off effexor or pristiq. I've tried slowly tapering off for months, and that was miserable. The prozac trick worked and was prescribed by my OB when I was pregnant. I've used it recently to get off pristiq, but I was surprised to learn that my PCP was unaware of it. No brain zaps with the prozac, and it took me about a month or so maybe two - to wean off both completely.

in reply to @jrbourquin Thank you! I appreciate this very much, as trying to count out the small beads in the capsules is futile, and sometimes I don't always get it right. The pharmacist did recommend going on the regular Effexor and tapering down with that, which I tried and failed. I have taken Prozac in the distant past, and it led to unexpected weight loss. an issue I still have as a result of multiple chronic conditions. It might be worth it in the long run to lose a few pounds but allow me to get off of this medication, without the undesirable side effects.
Enjoy your day and thank you again for this sage advice.

Thanks for your input. I have been in touch with my psychiatrist, and since I've been detoxing for ten days now and feel past the worst of the Effexor withdrawal, we're going drug free for now. I felt that my personality had been medicated out of existence, and I'm not in hurry to try a different drug. I was on a low dosage of both drugs and coming off of them was not what a lot of others have endured. The brain zaps were the worst part, but those have mostly settled. I don't want to resume the Effexor now, even at a taper dosage, because it would prolong an unpleasant situation.

I want to stay off psych drugs altogether moving forward. I'm going to look into cognitive behavioral therapy. I'm just not seeing it available in my area.

@colleenyoung
I have been having trouble finding any helpful conversations regarding weaning off of Paroxetine (Paxil). Can you guide be? I am new to this forum. Deborah Youngblood

I had been reduced to 37.5 a few months ago, with Abilify introduced. I stopped both because my depression continued as ever, but my sense of self was lost to the drugs. Coming off of 37.5 wasn't impossible, but the brain zaps were not fun. I'm 11 days out from stopping right now and feeling much better.

I want to get off Effexor but am afraid to try. I once forgot one pill(I take two at bedtime and 1 in the morning - one at bedtime was the one I tried not to take. Wow-I was really slammed with a reaction. Heart racing, shakes, and felt awful. I am scared to try again. What should I do?
didgi

Almost everyone here is in the same boat. You will learn a lot by starting at page 1 of these posts and reading through at your own pace--a suggestion given to me. I am still reading; it is a wealth of information.

in reply to @coloradogirl, thank you for this great information. I am tapering off of Effexor XR, my current dose is now 37.5, and a few days ago I began emptying the small beads in the capsule into a measuring spoon in an effort to taper off of this dose. This is my second go at it, and already I noticed I am feeling more tearful than usual, which is exactly what happened last time I tried this method. While I do have some deep sorrow about many things this month, I am a bit surprised at just how tearful I really am. I suppose this too will pass, and like you, I am not making any plans to do myself in or harm myself.
My psychologist and I agreed that I no longer need to be on an antidepressant, thus my reason for tapering off of this particular drug. Coincidentally, she went AWOL just before the first of the year; this is the third time this has happened to me re Teletherapy. While I am working with a new one, who wants me to try EDMR therapy to deal with my many chronic issues, it is going to take a while for me to allow myself to be vulnerable again. Are you familiar with this type of treatment by any chance?

@debamato, you did a good job of connecting with other members talking about paroxetine (Paxil) in the discussion you started here:
- Tips on how to wean off of Paxil (paroxetine): Bad withdrawal.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/trying-to-wean-off-of-paxil-on-it-for-20-years-bad-withdrawal/
If you use the search, you will find additional related discussions. Click here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/search/discussions/