Taking Venlefaxine for 10 years’. Stopping April 2016.

I will back the others in saying to do a SLOW TAPER!  The doctor will probably tell you to go faster than is prudent for someone who has been on for 10 years.  What they don't seem to recognize is that the brain remodels to take the action of the drug into account, in an attempt to regain homeostasis.  The longer you have been on and the higher the dose, the longer it takes for the brain to remodel in reverse.  

I came off too fast after 12 years and ended up in protracted WD for 10 months, ended up reinstating.  When I reinstated, the clouds parted and the sun shone within an hour, a true sign of getting a "fix" of the drug you are withdrawing from.  I am now doing a very slow taper, 10% per month calculated on the previous month's dosage.  I realize now that my nervous system was really stuck operating with the drug's action as part of the equation and it was going to take a lot longer for it to adapt than expected.

When we come off too quickly, the nervous system is destabilized and tthat causes the withdrawal, which can happen in windows and waves, windows being periods of feeling good, followed by waves which are periods of withdrawal symptoms.  It is NOT about getting the drug out of your system and then you'll be ok; it is about the drug not being there that causes all the problems!

Tapering too fast amounts to a cold turkey.  When you taper, if you make bigger cuts than 10%, then at least allow a full month in between to allow for stability to set in.  Usually symptoms will arise about 5 days after a cut, though if the cut is too big you will feel it the next day, and that is a sign that it was too big.  The symptoms will last perhaps a week and then subside, and that is where you need to leave your nervous system alone for a week to 10 days, to settle into the adjustment, before challenging it with the next cut.  NEVER make another cut while you are experiencing symptoms, just because your doctor gave you a schedule to follow!  That would be heaping more instability on top of instability!

Tapering is an art.  People mess up by pushing more cuts, too big and too fast, such that the nervous system gets overcome and the wheels come off the bus.  Much better to make a few cuts and then hold for a couple of months, let yourself get really stable and then resume.

I'm telling you all of this from my own experience as well as a wealth of experience from others who have made the mistakes and learned from them on a withdrawal forum.

Also know that depression/anxiety/panic/insomnia are all withdrawal symptoms that can well up later in recovery, sometimes months later, but doctors will deem you relapsed and insist you go back on meds.  A tiny reinstatement may indeed help, but not because you relapsed and "need" to be on meds, but because you are in withdrawal and came off too fast.  There is a difference.

Good luck coming off Ven!

 

Hi Eigelssveigeson,

I noticed that I had tinnitus about 6 years ago when I was taking Celexa and going through an extremely stressful time. Over the years I've become "friends" with it. 

I started a two month taper with Effexor (I wish I would have taken two years to mirco taper and avoided this hellish withdrawal) and after a week or so the volume and dramatic tonal changes of my tinnitus greatly increases.  Crazy making stuff!!!!!

Four months later my tinnitus is almost back to normal and once after a meditation it was totally gone for about 3 seconds. Cool, eh?

I didn't hear voices but I did hear mechanical clunking sounds in my head whenever I moved it. Thanksfully that cleared up after a few weeks. 

Best of Luck,

Jan

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~