Effexor XR Discontinuation Syndrome-any way to minimize withdrawal effects?

Question

I am being titrated off of Effexor XR . I was on 225 mg and my Dr. lowered it to 75 mg in under a month. I started to experience SEVERE nausea, vertigo , severe headache, symptoms of "spinning in head"wooziness,stomach pain,extreme fatigue. I can not function at all.
I also have developed leg crams in sleep in the past few weeks. In the past few days.have leg pain during day.
My calves and feet just went numb with pin and needles.

What is the recommended titration schedule for going off Effexor XR?
My close friend is a psychiatrist and she says that my Dr. lowered it much too fast.
does anyone have any suggestions as to how to MINIMIZE withdrawal effects?

Answer

I know this is an old question, but I am in my SECOND Doctor induced E credit withdrawal syndrome. Both docs took me off meds w.o ANY weaning, despite my protests. I am on day 8 this time and it is so much worse.I have surpassed nausea and now have violent vomiting episodes that have been continuous for the last 6 days. I have all the other symptoms you had, including the arm-leg-brain "zaps". I cannot read, write, watch tv or even play solitaire w.o becoming severely dizzy and eventually vomiting. No food is appealing, and I rarely keep anything down. I just wanted to ask if you made it thru alright? Someone responded, open the caps and remove 1 ball at a time. That is the method I have most often heard to be successful. I am a female Veteran w PTSD. For unknown reasons, the anxiety has increased over the last 2 years, making it difficult for me to leave the house.

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Sadly, my Psychiatrist dismissed me from his practice after I rescheduled my appointment for the 2nd time... bc I HAVE TROUBLE LEAVING MY HOME, which he knew for over a year, and I discussed it w him emphatically at the last appt I had w him. Now my anxiety and panic is nearly unbearable and has been joined by mood swings, from crying to rage so strong I actually blacked out for a brief moment screaming, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! " , at my barking dogs (noise is also intolerable). I dropped to my knees and spontaneously wet my pants. Also sadly, I had been seeing this psychiatrist for 6 years bc my previous prescriber, my amazing (former) PC doc was the first one who failed to wean me from Effexor, and had just stopped it and prescribed Wellbutrin bc I wanted to quit smoking.
I hope you survived the withdrawal period. What do you think about forming a group of "survivors" and current users, to gather stories like ours and perhaps force either the manufacturer of doctors, or both, to be educated on the syndrome and how to properly wean a patient, as well as combine and share proven tips to help ease the transistion? I plan on going back on it as soon as I can access my insurance plan's Tele-medicine program. It's quite difficult to go to a doc for proper care when they remove (and improperly so), the only med that controlled the anxiety well enough to allow one to actually leave their home!

Votes: +1

Answer

Open the capsules and take out some of the beads after you get to 37.5mg. The beads are 1mg each, at least in the 75 and 150. I counted them out. I'm down to 22mg from 225mg. I take Luvox 50mg and Wellbutrin 450mgXR to counter the affects. The multiple side affects come from 20mg+drops. The worst of all is going below 37.5mg, for me anyway. I'm quitting because my  cholesterol  has gone off the charts and it started doing so the first 6 months on EffexorXR and climbs 50 points every 3-6 months. Other than that it works good. Luvox sucks your motivation but I have OCD and it's supposed to work better for that.

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Dran mandynikki, I'm experiencing upper GI pain such as: cramping, upset stomach, and occasional diarrhea. I've also experienced some hand and foot cramping as well. I haven't discovered anything that works for me... yet. I have been taking venlafaxine, aka Effexor XR for nearly 20 years, which btw lost it's efficacy after so many years, so I can relate to your particular situation. I'll keep looking for ways of minimizing the side effects of withdrawals symptoms caused by reducing the intake of this med. I'll do my best to inform you when I discover what works best for minimizing these effects.

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I've only been on this medication for about 60 days. 45 on the lowest dose then my doctor doubled the dose. I stopped taking it because it was hell on my bladder. I was getting up 3-4 times a night to go to the washroom. I stopped on Thursday night, so now I've only missed 2 doses & I'm in misery. The worst is the huge headache & nausea. I've just read everyone's horror stories & am really scared. Do you think my withdrawals will last as long or be as bad considering I wasn't on the drug for a really long time?

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I am on my last week of reduction in dose over a month. I am sick now so it is hard to tell if I am still having effects or not. However before this past week I was still having vertigo but no other side effects. I am hoping next week when I am totally off of this med that I do ok. I am still having vertigo but not sure if that is due to this seasonal stuff going on or still after effects. I will reapost next week.
I hope you start getting some relief as well. Thanks for your response. K Madison

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OMG!!! I am so glad to have looked this up. I have been on 150 MG of Effexor for the all dreaded hot flashes and the added benefit of  anti-depressant . I very rarely miss a dose but have come to realize that when I do miss a dose I don't do well at all. I wish my doctor would have told me side effects of missing a dose. I really would like to get off now after reading all these comments. I missed a dose yesterday and today I am agitated and have vertigo like crazy!!! it is nauseating to say the least and have a headache!!! my next appointment I will ask if I can get off this and will take all the advise of you all on gradually getting off this medication. There has to be something else that I can take and not feel this way? Thank you all for your comments.

Answer

It took me a year to be free of effexor, my gp insisted 2-3 weeks... It got so bad I opened the capsules and took pellates out to wean off. I became extremly angry coming off being lowered so quickly. I also lost weight. A few years later I tried cymbalta for 3 years and all it did was agitate me and increase my anxiety and it was far worse coming off cymbalta being on it for 3 years as to 300 mg effexor for 15 years. Those pills are no joke. I lost a job both times I came off those meds. I kid you not 1 year. Go as slow as you can. These Dr. Make me so angry when they tell me it should be out of your system. They are wrong. Actually you will be unfit to even work. Before you get normal or even close to being free from withdrawal, you become psychotic. Your family wants to admit you and they will pump you full of drugs again. My most severe problem was anger.

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I was never like that before ever! Either find a good sensitive psychiatrist or do it yourself. Very slowly. If you can get someone to prescribe a benzo to help the drastic mood changes it will help. Just a few for a break from mania, helps @ least a little. Also workout if you can that really does speed up the process. Be careful you don't fall since you will be off balance the zaps just take forever. After a year I still found myself needing a beginner dose once a week. Crazy... What makes it worse is no Dr can relate. A good and I mean a good psych will, listen but they are very rare. Those who have taken these drugs can understand. Going to different anti depressants helps but you will still need to come off that. I don't recommend that. Anyone who came off of these drugs quick were not on them long and had to be on a low dose. There is a lawsuit because some can't ever get off.
I lost friends, family, and 2 jobs because as I said before my anger was extreme. My GP dropped me because of my behavior. Which was why I was asking her for help. She said I should be over WD from the discontinuation. I found another Dr. Because my psych took 6 months. I stopped seeing him once he was no longer accepted my insurance but I was willing to pay cash to see him again. He got it. My Psychiatrist suggested to me it takes way longer and had suggested before coming off the drugs to apply for DISABILITY before stopping. Unfortunately that timing changed and I had to rely on my GP. Now a I could see why he suggested it. After my GP dropping me because my anger was so bad. I found a new GP. I showed him the letter discharging me from the entire practice because of my behavior from which 2 days before at my visit I was weaning off I told I her I was very short tempered, funny my GP SAID she could never picture me getting that upset. I called because my script was never I called in and that set me off. I found a new Dr showed him the letter, He stated what she did was unethical. I wasn't taking a chance I just said I'm staying on them and I did it myself. Though now i have gained trust in this Dr. I have started to be more straight forward. My previous Dr was my Dr for 15 years. I just couldn't believe she did that. I'm still hurt and now guarded with my faith in Dr.s in general. I wish I had a better outlook but that was experience.

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I have been off Effexor for 5 months now and I have bad mood swings and anger! my stomach is a mess cant sleep well ! and I also went off to fast! Had all your symtoms and wonder if it ever stops! I am taking b-complex and pray a lot! I well never go back on it! Try to keep busy if you can it does keep your mind clear! And I just rest when I need to!

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I have been trying to get off of Effexor for 2 years!! I have tapered off by actually counting down the granuals in a capsule and get completely off this way after a 9 month period. But 3 months after being totally off, I crash both physically and emotionally. Nausea, diarrhea , no appetite, no energy, foggy thoughts, anxiety, depression, panic, no sleep. I have been this way for a month and am not sure how much longer I can hold out. Any suggestions for some relief other than going back on another med? Anything natural to relieve symptoms? I have tried several with a homeopath, but with limited success.

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I have asked my Dr's repeatedly to come off of Effexor. I was on 75mg. Did not like it. Went down to 37.5. I was told there is not a lower dose. I experience the same leg and feet problems. Stomach etc. If I don't take for 2 days I get sharp pains in my head especially when bending over. I get very dizzy and its very hard to function. I want off!!# How do I do this without a lower dose that supposedly doesn't exist. Are there any medications to use to ween off without all the sharp pains,etc. Please help#!#####

Answer

I was on 300mg daily.
Started with 3 weeks less 37.5mg.
Then another 3 weeks less 37.5 x2. (75mg).
Then two weeks less another 37.5.
Now I am in week two of 4th reduction by 37.5mg.
Which brings me to half the original dosage ! YIPPEE !

It has been worth taking this long, as I truly had no side effects, except that
my anxiety actually reduced as soon as i started the reduction. Anything faster in reduction that this (as in the above example), will surely have side effects.

Any questions will be happy to answer. Regards, Raewynn.

Votes: +3

Answer

Getting off this drug is absolutely horrific! My doctor advised tapering down 37.5mg every 2 weeks. NO WAY DID THAT WORK for me. Listen to your body and it will tell you what to do. Starting at 150mg, I got 37.5mg tablets and began daily tapering like this: 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 4, 3 tablets for 2 weeks. Then 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, 4, 3, for 2 weeks. Then 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 4 for 2 weeks. Next, 3, 3, 3, 4, 3, 3, 3, 4 for two weeks. Finally, 3 tablets daily for 2 weeks. This is the only way I've found to minimize the nastly withdrawal effects. In addition, I have fribromyalgia with wide spread pain. If I don't taper very very slowly, in addition to all the other despicable withdrawal side effects, I have unbearable pain. I hope this helps! Good luck to everyone.

Answer

I would be careful going off it so quickly. It seems like a hard drug to get off of. I know if I just miss one day I have this weird sound in my head every time I walk. As it is it makes me itch like there is no tomorrow and trying to skip a dose makes it worse.

Some doctors claim coming off effexor is like withdrawing from Heroin.

I wish I had more answers. Try googling "how to reduce withdrawal effects of effexor".

Votes: +1

Answer

You might pass it on to your doctor.

From: Effexor XR Official FDA website

Discontinuation of Treatment with Effexor XR
Discontinuation symptoms have been systematically evaluated in patients taking venlafaxine, to include prospective analyses of clinical trials in Generalized Anxiety Disorder and retrospective surveys of trials in major depressive disorder. Abrupt discontinuation or dose reduction of venlafaxine at various doses has been found to be associated with the appearance of new symptoms, the frequency of which increased with increased dose level and with longer duration of treatment. Reported symptoms include agitation, anorexia, anxiety, confusion, coordination

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impaired, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, dysphoric mood, fasciculation, fatigue, headaches, hypomania, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, nightmares, sensory disturbances (including shock-like electrical sensations), somnolence, sweating, tremor, vertigo, and vomiting. During marketing of Effexor XR, other SNRIs (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors), and SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), there have been spontaneous reports of adverse events occurring upon discontinuation of these drugs, particularly when abrupt, including the following: dysphoric mood, irritability, agitation, dizziness, sensory
disturbances (e.g. paresthesias such as electric shock sensations), anxiety, confusion, headache, lethargy, emotional lability, insomnia, hypomania, tinnitus, and seizures. While these events are generally self-limiting, there have been reports of serious discontinuation symptoms.
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I downloaded the following after the nursing home where my mother was at didn't give her the dose of Effexor when my mother was resisting taking it. I told them in no uncertain terms to call me any time my mother wouldn't take the Effexor and that I would talk to her and if that didn't work, I would make the trip there to make her take it. This was after two psychotic-like responses from my mother when the medication was suddenly decreased.

Votes: +1

Answer

Had same reaction when my doctor pulled me off cold turkey, shame on him and shame on your doctor. The best way to end this is to get back on the regular dose you were on and then slowly come off. Since you are on the XR you will need to drop I think it is 33.75 mgs per tablet every 10 days to two weeks. Take it very slowly. I was not on the XR but I had the same reactions. Unfortunately the makers of these drugs are not required to label the withdrawal symptoms of this monster drug. Many doctors just simply do not know enough about there effects yet they can legally dispense the drugs. At any rate you are going to have to get back to where you were at first and calm the symptoms down then SLOWLY taper off. Lot of luck to you.

Effexor XR Discontinuation Syndrome-any way to minimize withdrawal effects?

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