need some advice on venlafaxine withdrawal please

I came off Venlafaxine 7 weeks ago cold turkey. It's not advisable and ur friend should be prepared for feeling awful for a while. Symptoms for me were dizziness, tiredness, nausea, brain zaps (which i still get occasionally) emotional and irritable. I would advise getting omega 3 fish oil tablets as these seem to help the brain zaps, also vitamin b complex tablets. Eat fruit and veg and try to get plenty sleep!

def dont do cold turkey, i withdrew at 75mg/fortnight which was quite quick and took a low dose of prozac for last week when stopped altogether, it helps with the final withdrawl

I have had depression for over 20 years and been on many anti depressants.  The last nine years I was on Effexor (Venlafaxine).  I diud stop cold turkey once, but depression returned.  Withdrawals bad for a couple of weeks.

Last year I took 10 months to withdraw on doctor's advice.  I got no withdrawals by doing it slowly.  I was on 150mg a day. 

Yes if your friend withdraws cold turkey he will get symtoms of withdrawal, the worst being zaps in the head like little electric shocks.  If he can ride out the symptoms, then hopefully he will be OK.  But many people have reported it has taken weeks or months to feel right again. 

The medication did help me, but I would not like to go through withdrawals again.  Iwould advise your friend to take it slowly withdrawing.  Up to him of course if he wants to go cold turkey.  I hope he manages OK doing it this way. 

A lot of people advise taking supplemnents, which I have always done.  There is a lot of advice what to take whilst withdrawing.  Some people go onto another anti depressant whilst withdrawing from Venlafaxine.  I would not personally do that, but some say it helps.

 

Slow slow slow. I was on 175mg for over 12 years . I have been V free for 7 or 8 weeks now. We decreased about 10% every 10 - 14 days. It was hell even doing it that way . Sweats headaches crying hysterically brain zaps buzzing in my ears total withdrawls. I'm just now starting to feel better. I have about 4 good days a week and getting better. Your friend needs someone to be with him in conditionally to lean on . I couldn't have done it without him.  From what I've heard cold turkey is not the way to go.

Good luck to your friend. Tell him there is nothing wrong with going back on it and tapering off more slowly. He is lucky he has a friend like you to be by his side.!

There is potential one big risk should his depression return on top of the withdrawl symptom he may be in a really bad place

Hello, I gave up the effexor, and I acted really weird.  Thought I nearly made it, but took a tiny amount of a valium.  Now I realise I am overly sensitive to so many medications, I ended up in hospital, and that is not a great place to be, when people do not understand.  Luckily managed to get out the same day.  think I had to go back on them, then later managed to change over to Zoloft again, one of the first I was ever put on.  Plus a mountain of other things.  I cut out nearly everything four months ago, I took four months to do it this time, not four weeks. Taken four months to finally get my brain back after about 10 horrific years.   caused by Effexor, but others are not much better.  Lost everything, home husband, financial security, due to what I call "risk taking behaviours"  financially. That I would not have done if I had a clearer brain.  All is clear in hindsight.  Anyhow, severe withdrawal has happened after four months off.  Now realise how lucky I have been, even though the last two years have been pretty awful), actually going from effexor to something else, Have heard, and know withdrawal from effexor is horrific.  I am lucky, I can not go back on the previous drug because I believe my brain has begun to recover, and I would feel worse trying it.  The one drug, however, I did not toally give up was Seroquol, so have gone back on half the dose I took previously.  I slept OK last night, and am actually out of bed (very difficult usually), and I am cleaning the house, and of course on the computer.  I enjoy the support from others going thru the same.  Good luck.  Myadvice? Go on a different antidepressant, stay on that for two years, then cut down over four years, not four weeks.  Good luck!  surviving antidepressants is a great support group.