How To Reduce Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms

I have been on Effexor at various dosages for approx 7 years now. I have recently come to believe that where it once may have an appropriate choice of drug therapy for me it may be now hindering more than helping me. If like to get feedback from people who may also have come to this conclusion and hear in more detail about what experiences and symptoms led you this your decision to withdraw from this medication. I especially would like to hear from those of you who have stayed off Effexor for more than 6 months - how are you doing post-effexor and did you end up on any alternative drug therapy?

specific questions:

dosage?

length of time on?

length of time to withdraw?

Any other meds?

reasons for decision to withdraw?

post withdrawal outcomes (pros and cons)

replacement therapy? Drug or otherwise ?

Age

Sorry!

age/sex/diagnosis-if you feel comfortable supplying 

 

Hi, I started off on a 75 mg dose of Effexor about 10 months ago, then was moved to a 150 mg dose 2 months later and ultimately a 225 mg dose on the 4th month. After 6 months on the 225 mg dose I lost my medical insurance. I tried to taper off of my meds as best I could, but inevitably ended up quitting cold turkey.

I am now on day 3 of the withdrawals. I am experiencing Vertigo, hot flashes, jitters, nausea, frequent trips to the bathroom, hard time remembering things, slight depression, EXCESSIVELY vivid dreams, and anxiety. Oh, and these "zaps" people keep talking about. Kind of like nauseating pulses that effect your vision and balance?

Today, I just started taking Omega 3's and One a Day Men's which includes Vitamin A, C, D, E, K, B1, B2, B6, B12, and many, many more vitamins and minerals, most of which are 100% or more of the recommended daily value. Tomorrow, I will begin incorporating things like exercise into my daily schedule to help speed up the process.

Is there anything else I can do to help myself get back to normal? And what is the average amount of time I can expect the withdrawal symptoms to last? I am an 18 year old male with clinical depression.

I feel for you Fall3n_Blo0d. I subscribed to this post back in August when I was taken off Effexor XR cold turkey by my doctor. I had been on 150mg for just under 2 years and it had gotten to a point where it was doing more harm than good. I had no clue what I was in for. My symptoms were similar (as are most) and very intense. Physically speaking, days 3-10 were the absolute worst for me. My condition very gradually improved and I would see small improvements daily. I had my highs and lows. Just know the lows will pass and that none of this be permanent. Even with clinical depression and anxiety, the feelings I felt through withdrawal were extreme and I had to try my best to remind myself that.

My personal remedy was a good quality multivitamin, omega 3's, extra vitamin c and b and magnesium malate. For the first couple of weeks I also took ginger to help with the vertigo. I stayed away from anything prescription to help detox. I quit caffeine and drank mostly water. The only thing I would drink other than water would be a smoothie once or twice a day. The less taste it had, the more I liked it. Something about the cold and crunch really seemed to help me. I tried a few sleeping aids, but ultimately with the vivid dreams and fear I seemed to do better without. If I was to recommend one though, I preferred valerian root. Although I did not use it regularly enough to truly feel the sleep benefits, I found it helped not only with sleep but with my anxiety. It seemed to help calm me.

I also began breathing. When you start to panic, try to stop and pay attention to nothing but your breath. I promise it helps. I found that just being outside in the fresh air helped me tremendously! I was too sick and dizzy to over exert with exercise, but I walked as much as I could.

My reaction was extreme, but it's been almost 3 months since I have quit and I feel SO much better. I think if I could do it anybody can...I was a horrible mess! I still fight some demons, don't we all, but it does get easier and you do feel better. I read so many negative reviews that I just drove myself even crazier. It got to a point that I had to stop. I couldn't tell what was my mind and what was the drug. Something you might want to consider if you're anything like me.

Good luck to you...it will be over soon enough! Let me know if you have any questions or need any help.

After reading through this thread I am so thankful that the pharmacy was out of this stuff so I couldn't get my RX filled right away.  I was started on effexor while at inpatient.  I was on 50mg day for only 6 days... could not get it from the pharmacy and started experiencing symptoms I thought were related to anxiety attacks after missing just one dose.  Sweating, cold tinging in my arms and legs, weird stuff with vision that I thought was just tired eyes. Took a .5mg klonopin and 50mg of seroquel and went to sleep that night no problem, but it was bad sleep; interuppted with weird dreams.  The next night (tonight) has just been freaking awful.  I felt okay all day then in the evening started to feel ill and have problems catching my breath, and in a matter of hours my emotions were getting away from me, I was tremoring so badly I couldn't walk, stuttering, and so nauseated I was camped out in front of the toilet for a couple hours until finally vomited my guts out.  It was like all I could do was lie on the cold tile floor in the bathroom to make myself feel better... but still there shaking and just crying.  Am still nauseated but have regained controll of my emotions again and can make it to bed and am not tremoring so much.  I am so angry with the doctor at the hospital prescribing me this drug or MDD and social anxiety like it was no big deal.  I feel like she hurt me rather than helped me and my whole stay was fruitelss.  My heart goes out to you guys dealing with this.  I was on a low dose for not even a whole week and was so ill at times I thought about calling someone to take me to the emergency room.  I can not even imagine the hell that is coming off a high dose over long period of time.  the nausea is coming back on as i type this and feels like having the stomach virus.  I guess I am lucky because I am admitting myself to inpatient psych at a GOOD hosptial tomorrow so if I go through this again tomorrow night I'll have nurses and drs right there to help.  I can not stomach anything, but happen to have powdered BCAAs on hand as suggested by others and hope mixing it with water and sipping on that tonight might help.

oh, I am 25, female, and was prescribed this for treatment resistant Major Depression and Social Anxiety Disorder.

I am 24, female and have been on Effexor XR for 10 years. For the last couple of years I have been in 150mg, though before that I was on 300mg (since I was 14 years).

I've wanted to taper off this drug for years, but have never felt prepared or ready to do so until now. Previously when I have missed a tablet, I've experienced all the usual side effects like night sweats, brain zaps, nausea, etc. 

 

I've just started to taper down (today is Day 2) through I method I found online. It goes down 20mg, up 15mg, then down another 5mg and maintain that dosage for four days before starting again. E.g.:

Day 0: 150mg

Day 1: 130mg

Day 2: 145mg

Day 3: 140mg

Day 4: 140mg

Day 5: 140mg

Day 6: 140mg

Day 7: 120mg

Day 8: 135mg

Day 9: 130mg

Day 10: 130mg... etc.

 

I feel okay so far, today was just headachey and my mind was a little spacey.

I've been taking, and will continue to take, the following supplements everyday: 1x Women's multivitamin, 3x low reflux fish oil supplements, 1x B12, 1x iron supplement, 1x Vitamin C, Malic Acid, and a Fibre supplement containing psyillium. I'm also taking Nurofen (ibuprofen) for headaches, drinking lots of purified water and electrolyte drinks. 

Will try to post again to let everyone know what is/isn't working!

Hi all,

This is my only post but I wanted people to know how much the Omega 3's and magnesium malate helped me. I'm on day 5 of cold turkey from 150 xr and finally feel like myself. Not great, but MUCH better. I have been taking the Omegas 3 times a day, and the mag twice. I'd recommend to anyone to try it, they are great supplements in general anyway.

I am just starting the process of getting off Effexor.  I have tried to taper but been unsuccessful.  I was diagnosed with acute depression after being bullied in the workplace.  I have since left the job and felt well enough that I wanted to begin the process of freeing myself from this drug.  And, I must mention that I had never been on any drug consistently -- I would rarely take Lorazepam to help with anxiety.  I was initially on Pristiq and it worked well for me but when it was time to taper my doctor put me on Effexor.  I wish I had done more homework on this drug because I would have never taken it.  

I am in the process of going cold-turkey (which I know people say not to do).  I was on the lowest dose of Effexor and the only other option I was presented was to transition to Zoloft to help taper off.  I am not willing to take yet another drug to get back to my normal self.  My symptoms are nausea, brain zaps, hot flashes, difficulty with concentration & focus.

I will review some of the recommendations on this site and up my intake on vitamins, water and exercise in hopes to resolve these symptoms.  The thing I am most scared of is the brain zaps -- I am currently experiencing these -- will they ever stop or will I have to live with this?

If you are ready this and considering this drug -- please do not start -- it seems impossible to get off.  I will not take this drug forever.

I should mention that I have only been on Effexor 3 months and this is my 6th day of going cold turkey.

I am going nuts been on effexor xr 75mg for about 8 or 9 weeks and it I told the doc i wanted off it  because i felt blah and tired and had a headache all the time.. so she said take it every other day for a week the every 3 days for a week.. OKAAYYYY im on 2nd day no med and going freaking nuts... shakes dizziness brain zaps or brain shivers i feel like im losing my mind like im going to pass out... I dont know what else to do.. I want off this med so bad.. this med is evil and for anyone thinking about taking it.. I would see what other options u have first.. Anyone have any suggestions on what to do and how long these side effects or withdrawls last?? 

I'm a 60 year  old male I started with Effexor 6-7 years ago then went to Pristiq made by the same manufacturer about 4 years ago.I wasn't depressed but I was having motivation issues so the Doc said " try this" It didn't help the motivation issue but it did make life flow better. If I knew then what I know now, I never would have started. Most of the Posts are of people just starting the process of getting off the Drug. I started 3months ago decreasing dosage then  duration. It has been 3weeks now and all is good. Every symptom that was said I had and it was tough BUT! it can be done.

take out 2 balls, then 4 then 6 then 8 each day and so on until you are taking none. you will get no side effects this way.

just remove 2 balls from capsule per day. 2, then 4 then 6 then 8 and so on until they are all gone. It takes a bit of time but you will get no side effets.

I have been on effexor for 8 years. 150mg every time. Effexor is not a terrible drug but it should never have passed the FDA. That's besides the point. Right now I've been off Effexor for 4 days. Eventually, if you forget to get your prescription on time, you'll become iron man to the effects of withdrawls. I used to yell, p*****f and cut off everyone around me. Not anymore, but that doesn't make it right. If you need relief and you just can't take it, find someone with a Zoloft level antidepressant. It will negate a few of the effects, though it won't balance out the chemicals like you're used to. 

 

If you're wondering why omega-3 helps you, I can try to explain. Omega-3 helps speed up your metabolism. The reason it's used most of the time is because the body actually doesn't produce omega-3, but it's considered essential to your health. If you aren't getting enough of it, you're probably not at your max potential. As for magenesium malate mentioned before....it might help. It's just going to help balance the chemicals in your body faster. Not a miracle cure but it might speed up the process if taken regularly (and as directed).