How long does Effexor withdrawal last?

If you have tapered over a relatively fast period ie. more quickly than is recommended, are experiencing symptoms and are looking for advice as to how long they'll continue my advice would be to reinstate ASAP at the last dose you were stable for a significant period of time. In my own case I tapered from 150 mg to 0 in just under two weeks, thought I'd tough out the symptoms which were my own personal pharmaceutical hell and saw some improvement (not a lot) over the next month or two. I'm not kidding 2 months later I was experiencing symptoms of a severe acute brain injury - google neuroleptic malignant syndrome or sympathetic storming if you're interested. Among other things the frontal part of my brain - ie. the origin or your personality and higher order functions etc. was numb and tingling and I could barely work out how to implement tying my shoes. My heart was racing and stopping and I was going into shock periodically & when I sought medical help and mentioned effexor I was met with blank stares and raised eyebrows and told to take supplements. 6 months later I woke up with genital atrophy. 8 months later things continued to worsen & I had to restart the effexor at the original dose which came with additional start up symptoms and now new side effects etc. Late reinstatement apparently doesn't work for everyone, the sooner you can do it the better chance you have of a good outcome so I was pretty lucky in that respect, I'm just left with visual snow, vertigo, sexual dysfunction and involuntary movements/ seizures. (Plus all the old side effects and some new ones - 25 Kg weight gain in a few months, more than 50% of my total weight when I reinstated.) The surviving antidepressants website has a huge collection of case histories if you're interested or there is a facebook support group and pretty good ebook by Dr Stuart Shipko (among others) that outlines a lot of the relevant information. Don't want to scare anyone, many people withdraw successfully and feel better as a result but don't mess around with this stuff it can can absolutely cause long term injury or disability, even death in some cases.

Puking, diarrhea, insomnia, horrible panic attacks. I prayed to die. Once I got a couple of months into it, I thought surely the end must be in sight. But it lasted and lasted and lasted. Almost a year later, I finally was Effexor free. But... I have been off of antidepressants for the past year and am feeling so down and anxious. I went to see another nurse practitioner (medication provider) and he put me on Viibryd and Gabapentin. I had been on .5 mg of Xanax all along. I hate to say it but I feel worse now than I ever have. I have read up on the side effects of the Viibryd and Gabapentin and they both say they CAUSE depression and anxiety. I am at my wit's end. I know deep down in my heart I'm going to have to make a major life change to get out from under these pharmaceuticals... eat better, get more exercise, find a social circle, find a hobby, etc. I have just been so stuck since losing my son I don't care about anything. I pray every night that the Good Lord call me home so that I can be with my son again. I don't know what the answer is... my next trial might be CBD oil. Or Levium... has anyone ever heard of it? It almost sounds too good to be true... so that means it probably is. Best of luck to all who suffer out there. It's a helluva an existence, isn't it?