Effexor Withdrawal Finally Successful
Posted , 50 users are following.
I am jumping for joy as i have just finished my 3 1/2 month journey from withdrawing from this nasty nasty drug. I have been on Effexor for approximately 10 to 12 years. I was put on it not because I was depressed, but because I had a tendency to make lists and ut worried me if I didn't complete my lists. Never knew this drug would be so hard to get off of. I tried to get off it so many different times but gave up because of the terrible side effects. I finally qent to a different doctor who had me try it a new way and it worked. Yay! I hope my story helps someone out there to get off this drug as well. This is what i did: I was taking 37.5 mg one time a day. The doctor put me on Buspirone, one pill a day to prevent anxiety attacks that i had previously gotten when trying to withdraw. Then i started skipping 1 pill a week for 2 weeks. Then skipping 2 pills a week for 2 weeks. Make sure you're taking a pill in between the days you're skipping until you get down to where you can't take a pill in between your skip days. Once you get down to your last week of taking your last pill, then take a half of pill for 2 weeks, then 1/4 pill for 2 weeks, the stop completely. I also took fish oil and b complex vitamins to help with brain zaps which I had terrible while trying to get off all my other times. I really believe these helped tremendously because i had no brain zaps whatsoever. No anxiety attacks and no nausea. I couldn't believe I had none of these doing it this way. I believe thoygh that if you're on higher doses of Effexor that you should do this regimen for each strength that your on. My low dose of 37.5 mg took me 14 weeks to get off, so it might take 14 weeks per strength you go down, but tome, it's worth it. Believe me when I say, No withdrawal Effects doing this way. I sincerely hope this may help someone out there.
6 likes, 50 replies
kristen47865 Shrock79
Posted
Also, I lost 15 lbs in the first 2 weeks. I am convinced the drug slows down metabolism to snail speed which is why I could not lose anything over 10 lbs no matter how much I dieted and worked out.
SHW1649 Shrock79
Posted
i have been on this nasty drug since 6 years. i started my withdrawal 3 weeks ago with cutting off 25% dosage of 150mg Venlafaxine XR. I receive no guidance from the psychiatrists on an effective way to withdraw this drug. i m also on Clonazepam 0.5mg. the biggest symptom i experience is BRAIN ZAPS which debilitate me physically and mentally. i have no idea how to proceed with my withdrawal. Can you throw some insight here which might help me do it in a way that i don't experience brain zaps or any symptoms..????????
mfandworkingon Shrock79
Posted
Thank you for taking the time to write your process . Been taking this for 8 months and ready to stop! i have so many bad days on it between a few good ones! your info is very helpful. Thank you !! Learning doctors have no clue what they are putting people through
mich94334 Shrock79
Posted
Hello. It is nice to read these posts as reading the medical comments is quite scary when it comes to coming off Venlafaxine.
I take 75mg, have done for two years. I went on it for anxiety, I am a very self conscious person, I get so anxious speaking out loud in training courses, meetings, interviews, etc. I just hate and fear all eyes on me and the anxiety makes it impossible to speak. Other than these situations I am fine and live a normal life. I went to the doctors telling him of this and wanted something to take to curb my anxiety but Venlafaxine didnt work. But I was doing ok, my confidence was ok and thought I'll keep going, maybe it is helping somewhat without me knowing. But 2 years down the line I know its doing nothing to help me. Working from home during Covid19 has meant my self conscious fears are not triggered at all and 5 times now I've had my online prescriptions mess up. I had 2 tablets left, expecting my medication to come on xmas eve. It didnt come and I checked my email on xmas day to see it had been posted but I had an email saying it had been cancelled as the chemist never received the prescription back from my surgery. With it being xmas day and then the weekend now and a bank holiday on Monday I have no choice but to not take my tablets and I have decided to try and not take any more. I am only 2 days and 4 hours hours since I had my last tablet. So far the side effects are feeling light headed and a bit dizzy. I hope I can ride out any side effects and come off this. I will write again to let you know how it goes.
am70266 mich94334
Posted
Hi, how did you get on with this over time?
allison72778 mich94334
Posted
Hi,
How was the rest of your journey for withdraw? Did you have to start taking them again?
marylou830 Shrock79
Posted
Hello, i finally was able to stop taking effexor over a month ago. I still have the occasional woosh in my head and my brain feels foggy in the mornings when I sit at my computer to start work. I'm not going to disparage the medication because it helped me for 10 years. I took it by my own choosing. but I would like to know if anybody has long-term withdrawal effects from it like I do? I'm wondering how long this is going to take? thank you so much for any input you have.
am70266 Shrock79
Posted
I have been taking this for around a year after switching from citalopram. I decided to go cold turkey from 75mg today. So far have felt pretty bad, not dissimilar to a hangover, thought I was getting it quite easy however now I can't sleep and feel so restless. I am regretting not tapering it, although I want this done with as quickly as possible so I can feel 'normal' again and want my brain to be clearer for driving lessons starting back after lockdown. I've purchased some omega fish oil as heard it can help.
Good for you having the patience to taper, glad it worked for you.
lesley23594 am70266
Posted
Hi am70266 I have successfully reduced by purchasing a tablet cutter and taking off 1/8th every six weeks. The Omega 3 plus Vit B and Vit D should help you. Good luck
lesley23594 Shrock79
Posted
Interesting to read your thread. I had been on 225mg of Venlafaxine for nearly 28 years and no once did my GP ever try to wean me off! I decided to do this by myself and reduced by 1/8th of a tablet every 6 weeks. I am now down to 1 x75mg tablet but due to Covid am frightened to carry on weaning off right now! I started to reduce this by 1/8th but just not sure whether to continue or now!
jennifer13689 Shrock79
Edited
I have been on venlafaxine for 5 years 225mg and have tried coming off previously with no luck. My doctor referred me to MH who advised tapering off venlafaxine and eventually switching to fluoxetine. I had a telephone consultation my doctor to discuss how we we're going to move forward, he suggested reducing by 75mg weekly with a switch to 20mg fluoxetine after the final week. Basically I went from 225mg -
week 1 - 150mg
week 2 - 75mg
week 3 - no venlafaxine but 20mg fluoxetine
week 1 and 2 were not too bad but today is my first day on fluoxetine with no venlafaxine at all and I feel dreadful. I literally had to go back to bed this afternoon because I couldn't cope with the withdrawal. I feel so sick, I keep getting a whooshing noise in my head, my emotions are all over the place.
I am going to ring the doctors in the morning because I can't go on like this, I have just taken 75mg of venlafaxine and I feel so disappointed. I'm really hoping that I can successfully get off this horrible drug. I'm going to suggest some of the tapering methods on here to my doctor. fingers crossed 🤞
allison72778 jennifer13689
Posted
Hi Jennifer,
I feel your pain. I am on the lowest dosage but getting throughout the day with just missing one dose is difficult. I am trying holistic ways to cope but feel awful.
Can I ask why they put you on fluoxetine? Do they just want to keep you on an antidepressant or is it just for the withdrawal period?
Wendyjolittle jennifer13689
Edited
hello. how are you doing now? my pharmacist is suggesting i go on Prozac 10mg everyday then do the 37.5mg of effexor every other day. do this for a week and see how i feel. maybe do another week then fully stop the effexor.
im scared!! will this be too much Serotonin?? im already having bad anxiety but i have been on effexor for almost 16 years and my highest dose was 75mg. been on 37.5 for about the last 6 years. its not working for anxiety and i also have high blood pressure so need to get off.
has anyone taken prozac with effexor to get off?? please help! im praying for all of us ❤
allison72778 Shrock79
Edited
I have been trying to withdraw from effexor for the past two weeks. It has been difficult and I have had to take a half to get through the day because of the symptoms. This is the second time I have been on this medicine and the first time I went off cold turkey. That was probably the most painful experience I've had. I am on the lowest dosage now but I feel the lump in my throat like I am about to throw up, headaches and brain zaps are my worse symptoms.
I am glad fish oil and b complex were mentioned. I am going to try that. I have also been taking small doses of CBD throughout the day in addition to advil.
Has anyone else been on other antidepressants while withdrawing from effexor?
I am also on nortriptoline (sp?)
The reason I have decided to end effexor was the amount of anxiety I was getting from being on it-- my heart would race and I would feel panicked always. I think it also made me gain weight which is what happened the first time.
So I am going to try the fish oil and b complex today and go from there.
Thanks for the advice!
MyOpicVoid Shrock79
Edited
Hey. I just joined because today is day 1 on my battle with Effexor.
I was prescribed Venlafaxine 75mg XR 2 years ago. I was fighting prostate cancer and due to other cancer treatments my treatment options were limited. They put me on Lupron which eliminates all testosterones and has a chemo drug to allow continued fighting of prostate tumor.
The venlafaxine was supposed to help with the hot flashes which I don't believe it did anything except make me not care that I was flashing.
I had read about all the side effects before starting but I was literally at the end of it. A Man with no testosterone isn't a Man. Zero energy, zero sex drive and shrinkage of testicles and penis because of the Lupron.
Started with 75 and today is my 1st day on 37.5. I can feel it. No zaps but pretty foggy. I feel like I need 100oz. of caffiene.
I'm following my Dr's plan as he said he has helped numerous patients get off. I even heard that some people went cymbalta 1st then dropped venlafaxine after several months stating that the Cymbalta is easier to come off of.
It sounds as if Fishoil and B complex is a absolutely 2 supplements to use while trying to stop this. I will get some today.
I missed 2 days of Venlafaxine last year. Those 2 days violently showed how bad I'm addicted to this. Brain zaps, moved my head and the whooshing sound, ridiculous fatigue.
Today is day 1. I have medical marijuana authorization and I was told be several Dr's to try and supplement at night to help get sleep.
I welcome all comments and truly hope you all have success getting off Satan's drug.( supposed to be funny,,,,,)