Help for venlifaxine withdrawals

Hi Lisa,

I understand about talking to people who havnt been on ven or about the withdrawals. My husband couldn't come to terms with my depression or the fact that I was on medication. When I was coming off ven, I couldn't talk to him or anyone about withdrawals for fear of what they may think. 

I was on 225mg for the two years. I was ok when I got down to one tablet. It was when I stopped all together that I had withdrawals. Everyone is different when it comes to withdrawals and I wish you well in coming off all together Lisa. 

Happy new year to you and all the best for 2015. 

Thank you Sandra ~ here's hoping we all have a good 2015! I always feel very reflective and quite down at the end of the year but I had a wonderful Hogmany & it's really lifted my spirits. My goals this year are to completely stop taking Venlafaxine & lose weight. Have put on far too much these last few years & it's not good, so time to change that....

Take care.

i went from capsules to tablets, and that way I could cut them into smaller and smaller doses.  I got a pill cutter on line, and gradually went from whole tablets to 3/4, to 1/2, to 1/4, to 1/8th, and it

took a long time, but I did not get any withdrawals doing it this way.  Been off Venlafaxine for over a year now, and that is great because I was on anti depressants for over 20 years and Venlafaxine for 9 years. 

I have read on this forum and others that people felt Benadryl was helpful during withdrawals.  Never tried it myself.  I am on Omega3, VitaminB complex, Cod Liver Oil, VitaminD, Multi vitamins and minerals and magnesium.  Just going to start 5HPT.  I think supplements help a lot. 

Happy New Year

So glad other people are managing to withdraw too. 

Hi Patricia,

I was on 225mg for clinical depression. It took about 6 weeks before I felt any benefit. It did help me and I'm glad I went on it, but I wasn't told about the side effects or withdrawals when you come off it. 

In my case, after two weeks on 75mg my doctor increased it to 150mg, and I did really well on that dosage.  Perhaps you need yours increased.  Bear in mind anti depressants can take up to 8 weeks to have any effect.  If it does not work at that dosage after that time, perhaps you should see doctor about having dosage increased.

Give it a bit more time, and see how you go.

I feel so fortunate that my husband was there for me and did all of the research and reduced the beads 10% every 1-14 days. I am so happy that I was able to reduce until I was off . Still have some ups and downs. Effexor helped me through some very difficult times in my life where my anxiety paralyzed me. I am at a different time in my life and don't think I need anti depressants any more and chose to deal with my problems on my own. With he help of my therapist. I just wish I had known what I was in for whe I went off them. No time is a good time.  tho I felt like going back on them I'm so glad that I was able to push through and have been off of them since October 14th 2014. Keep plugging along as my husband reminded me so many times it is the withdrawals from the drug not you! Oh we have our ups and downs but things are getting better ever day!

Keep up the good work . It is so good to hear how well everyone is doing!! 

Keep up with the posts I really like hearing from all of you!

I went onto tablets so I could cut them up and reduce gradually.  Like you, I had no withdrawal symptoms. 

My doctor kept telling me it wasn't a good time To off the Effexor menopause this that blah blah blah! I did it myself and she was surprised that I had withdrawls. Research yourself and be your own advocate. My dr did prescribe Xanax. Which helped , but now I still have 1/2 prescription left and don't need it anymore. Everyone was freaking and thought I would get addicted. What they don't get is I don't want to take anything! I take omega 3 d3  and b complex. Keep up the good work . It feels so good to be off of it doesn't it. Keep up the good work and posting on this site! We can all do it. There are ups and downs but keep pushin!!

Jaye I did not get any withdrawals at all because I took 10 months to come off Venlafaxine.  If you do it really slowly like I did you will not get withdrawals, I promise.  I quit cold turkey once before, so know what withdrawals feel like.  Most people seem to come off it too quickly and that is why they get withdrawals.  It can be withdrawn from without any of those withdrawals people get.

Hi,

I started taking Benadryl the morning of finding out about them after being up all night. Later that evening, I was able to sleep and the brain zaps had calmed. I believe that they saved me. I realise that they may not work for everyone, but if it helps one other person than myself, then it's worth putting out there.