It's only been day 2 (insurance cancelled) of withdrawal & so far I've been feeling as though when I'm walking to whatever destination, my body arrives but my brain delays its arrival. I feel extremely anxious, nauseous, short-tempered, dizzy, sensitive & confused. I like how I felt while taking Effexor but these withdrawals are unbearable... how much longer can I expect to have them?
How long do Effexor withdrawal symptoms last?
Question posted by ambudai on 9 Feb 2014
Last updated on 3 August 2024
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
170 Answers Page 4
turtlemomma
25 Feb 2017
** You can have a seizure if abruptly stop Brand name EFFEXOR / Generic: Venlefaxine. Known risk - why Pdocs, psychiatrists say - follow orders, RX and call if problems. Go off it alone + can lose a good doctor for not following orders, people do it, then really get stuck. Allergies may develop over time, why psychiatrists have a lot of education + have insurance too The doctor needs to know and advise. Withdrawals us serious.
Ginnymginny
23 Feb 2017
I've been off approximately 2 1/2 weeks after weaning myself from 150 to 75 to 37 1/2 mg. I still feel that I have quite a few brain zaps during the day. And I feel as though I'm not all with it snd generally not well with nausea, dizziness and mood swings.
Blandpam
22 Feb 2017
So far I've dropped about 40-50 mg every 2 weeks I started at 150 now I'm down to 75. Withdrawal sysmyoms are same as yours but some what lighter. With worst symptoms around day 2-3. Then by day 5 from drop I feel a lot better. Pretty much back to "normal ". I've been on this medication for over 10 years and feel I'm in a better place in life to give this a try. And so far so good. I plan on switching to non xr pill to break it down slower soon. So when I get to 27.5 I will only decrease about 5 mg a week. Good luck. If you feel any depression symptoms orsevere anxiety that lingers past a week I would think you need to stay on medication. Always talk to a professional before attempting to detox from this. It's nasty. One day I forgot my Med. Wow. Heart palpitations complete stomach upset brain zaps /fog. Anxiety. Just plain crazy.
Baby7877
29 Jan 2017
I never could have imagined how difficult the withdrawal from Effexor XR would be! I had been on 150mg for approximately 2 years. After a lipid panel in September 2016 that indicated high triglycerides. GYN suggested it might be birth control pills; went off; next triglyceride reading rose from September; GP suggested going off Effexor since it's possible it could cause high triglycerides. I have been weaning off since Dec & on Mon 1/23 took my last pill. Body aches are terrible - this has been going on for quite some time - I had always thought I was just getting old & couldn't handle the exercise I was doing. Then I started reading about Effexor side effects & realize that all this time it was the Effexor! Brain zaps, irritated, depressed, crying spells - I gained 20 lbs while exercising & eating decently. My next lipid panel is in March; I will update with my results.
Each day gets a little better but it is awful not only for me but also my spouse who cannot understand what I'm going through. There is not sufficient warning about using or discontinuing this drug! It really is very serious. I have been taking fish oil, vitamin C & Advil for joint/muscle aches - it helps somewhat but not enough to suggest that the withdrawal is easy - it is not!
docweathers
26 Jan 2017
venlafaxine is the generic Effexor... and much cheaper
Patti Kellar
31 Dec 2016
I have been on Effexor XR for about 10 years now. In June we lost our health insurance and could not afford this medicine. I took this medicine for anxiety and then it helped with my hot flashes, i had none to speak of. Just before losing our insurance I filled both my prescriptions for 75 mg & 37.5 mg. When i was almost out of the 75 I switched and went to the 37.5. Went to the Dr. just days before Christmas and she said you could just stop them as you are on the lowest dose there is. Or take it days apart and slowly wean myself off. Christmas day was my last day taking them. I cry over nothing, I have zapping in my head and sometimes like I have a bubble in my head. Not quite there for a few seconds. I keep waking up every two hours as I can not sleep. I have these weird dreams that actually make me uncomfortable I then i lay there a wake, till i am able to fall back a sleep. So the medical professional do not realize what goes on when you stop taking this medicine.
I am so ready to take one and wait a few days and then take another to see if this will. help. Thankfully i am not nauseous like others have been. Did not realize you could open them up and just take so many beads. That may be another way to go. Although I have no way of knowing how to this. My systems are not as bad so i may just try hang out with it for awhile longer. Thank you everyone I am glad to know that these kind of things are normal.
sue gee
31 Dec 2016
Hi Patti,
It's been 21 months since I stopped taking Effexor (was taking the generic) and withdrawal symptoms, initially, were a nightmare. I couldn't get my primary MD at the time to listen to me, he basically told me it was all in my head (which is was, if you could only get people to experience brain zaps they might be more willing to listen). I switched MD's because of his attitude. My new MD basically admitted he had no idea what to do for withdrawal, so I decided to tough it out. That didn't last long. I was crying, not sleeping, ready to jump out of my skin. So I got back in contact with my new PMD's office and got an appointment with his PA. She LISTENED. First time in the whole experience that someone actually paid attention. I told her I had heard of the "Prozac bridge" which is a way to wean off completely.
She looked it up on her smartphone while I was sitting there, figured out the dosage, called a scrip for Prozac in to my pharmacy (it's a dose that gets titrated down along with the Effexor) and that's how I finally got off this crap. I still have the occasional brain zap when I'm falling asleep, and I now have permanent tinnitus which I've learned to live with. This stuff should be taken off the market. No one knows how awful this is unless they experience it. My best advice to you is to look into the Prozac bridge and see if you can get someone to prescribe. It worked for me. Incidentally, I'm nurse and none of the MD's I worked with knew what to do either. Crazy.
Good luck!
Sue
cc1982
22 Jan 2017
I'm so glad to have found this thread. I have just been diagnosed with type 2 Bipolar disorder, after 15 years of being treated for unipolar depression. Psychiatrist is weaning me off Effexor (from 375mg, dropping 75mg every week) I was coping okay with that but since last Tuesday I'm totally off the drug. It has been absolutely horrific. Constant dizziness and nausea, diarrhoea, head zapping feeling constantly (accompanied with a weird feeling as if my eye balls are tremoring slightly). Can't sleep (although exhausted) and constantly tearful (although not like depression, more just because physically I feel so awful). I'm from Ireland so the whole insurance thing isn't an issue as all prescriptions are free here on the NHS, but not sure if I should ask for Diazepam or something to help while the withdrawal effects pass. I had hoped it wouldn't last any more than a week but some people on this thread seem to be saying withdrawal can last weeks.
I don't know if I can face that. All the while I am being introduced to Lamictal (an epilepsy medication used to treat Bipolar) so it's really hard to tell how effective the new drug is while the withdrawal is so strong from Effexor.
Neededsomthing
23 Feb 2017
The medication for the bi polar should act as a bridge or help with symptoms.
Loweez67
17 Dec 2016
I have been on the generic version for about 10 years. I lost my job of 26 years and am finding less stress means time to give up some meds. I went from 300 mg Ventalafaxin and I'm down to 75 mg. I also take bupropion and went from 150 mg to 100 mg. My goal is to totally drop the Ventalafaxin and just take Bupropion because it makes me less sleepy. The withdrawals are real. The brain zaps bother me the most. I'm hoping they go away and I can be off the Ventalafaxin.
starpolish1
17 Dec 2016
You can do this! I'm sitting here on day 4 w/ Effexor. I needed up using Prozac to taper and it helped tremendously. Do it slow and with a doctor who will listen to your very valid concerns
Le Perrot
18 Dec 2016
When you go to even lower dose, I found it most useful to open a slow-release capsule and take a few granules every day and so on.
Hang in there. In my case, the brain zaps are very real too, as was irritability or moodiness. I could only reduce the zap strength by tapering the dose slowly, which was hard to do because I hated the drug and the withdrawal symptoms. When they were strong and frequent, I took some additional Effexor as needed that day - I'm talking of some extra granules only. I also took ibuprofen to deal with the headaches. I still take one ibuprofen every week or so.
It took me 2 months to wean the drug from 150 mg to zero. And now, one month later of not taking any dose, I still have the occasional but mild electric shocks or brain zaps, especially if I get irritated or stressed about something. But overall, they do decrease in intensity.
Also, stay away from alcohol of any kind, as (in my case) made the electric zaps even stronger and more frequent. Hang in there.
Someone here wrote to think of the withdrawal symptoms as "the drug coming out of my body." That helped me A LOT. I visualized the drug evicted out of my body daily.
milemile
22 Dec 2016
Hello I was on Effexor 225mg for about 2 months and the medicine barely worked so my dr started to ween me off. She dropped it to 150mg for 1 week then 112 for 3 days then 75mg for 2 days she had added in 50mg of Pristiq. Well on the 3rd day of the 75mg of Effexor I woke up in the middle of the night and had the most awful dizzy spells I have ever experienced. I thought i was having a brain aneurysm. It contined for 4 days she upped the dose from 75mg to the 112 and i am off pristiq it didnt work either and am trying something totally new. The withdrawals of Effexor have been hell. I have went on and off other medicines and never have a I ever experienced something like this. I have also had many crying episodes. Please tell me this will get better...
starpolish1
22 Dec 2016
IT WILL! Ask for Prozac to help you taper. It worked wonders for me and I am VERY sensitive to any medication changes. I wrote on here 9 days ago and today I am so much better than I was then. Please know you can do this, and there is other things out there to help you. Keep us posted!
Keptgoing
30 Dec 2016
I'm so glad I found this thread a but sorry to see so many others suffer because of this vile drug.
I came off venlafaxine over a year ago but I still suffer with brain zapps. Does anyone else suffer with this? I see a lot of people have commented about fish oil... have they found this helps with the zappa. Despite the zappa I do not regret coming off venlafaxine at all.
starpolish1
31 Dec 2016
I'm so sorry, can you ask for Prozac? It helps so much with the zaps.
Loweez67
31 Dec 2016
Wow, I just read that after a year of no Ventalafaxine there are still brain zaps. I really hope they don't last forever. Mine are really minimal now. I've taken the 37.5 for 10 days and now I think it is time to open capsules and slowly lower the dose until I'm off of it completely. I WILL do this. I'm too close to give up now and quite frankly I'm proud of myself for weaning off the drug. I think it can be done it just needs dedication and patience for the withdrawal side effects. The comments on here have helped me a lot!
starpolish1
31 Dec 2016
You can do it! It's so hard; but so worth it! Start taking a few beads out at a time!
James0127
31 Jan 2017
10 years at 150 mg January 1/17 I decided to take control and not be a zombie anymore
My Dr had me go to 112.5 mg and after 3 days I had all the symptoms you read here
A friend who is a Health supplement store manager suggested 5 HTP as it has helped many others she's helped
Within a week I felt normal again
100 mg 5HTP in the morning and Effexor 112.5 mg at bedtime
After only 3 weeks I went to 75 mg Effexor in evening and 200mg 5HTP in the morning
Absolutely no side effects actually feel better each day
I hope to be Effexor free in 2 months.
This may not work for all but at least it's with trying and not substituting 1 drug for another .
Loweez67
5 April 2017
I did it!!! It took time and dedication but i did it and I feel great!! Support like this forum really helped, thanks so much
aclotheshorse
13 Dec 2016
Just wanted to say that I searched so many chat rooms when I was going through this, and I thought I would post what it is like on the other side. There is hope! I titrated down very slowly from 150 mg to nothing over 3 months. Lots of issues with dizziness, mood swings, nausea, etc. The worst was when I went from a few granules (in the end I was taking about a third of the granules in one capsule a day). I felt AWFUL for a good 2 weeks. Felt hot and almost flu-like. Brain zaps and just a general desire to crawl in a hole and not come out. I was certain I would never get better. But guess what? It does get better. I know it is hard when you feel sick, but the drug withdrawal period does end. Have hope! Also: fish oil capsules three times a day really helped. Saw that on other boards and darn it, it worked!
starpolish1
14 Dec 2016
What kind of fish oil capsules?
101stAirborne
4 Dec 2016
Hello Internet World,
I have been on this nightmare of a drug for quite some time. Recently I ran out of pills due to my own procrastination and have paid a serious price. Normally, I take 300mg per day for severe anxiety and depression (PTSD). In September of this year I went into rehab for alcohol and prescription drug abuse. While in rehab the doctor increased my dose from 175mg to the 300mg I'm supposed to be on now. After completing alcohol rehab I felt extremely better and have an entire different outlook on life. I figured if I felt this good without alcohol I was sure to feel better without any drugs in my system. OH, HOW WRONG I WAS. I stopped taking this crap three days ago and so far my life has been a living hell. I'm not depressed or having anxiety attacks, I'm having electricity coursing through my brain like it is coming from a Florida Power and Light Power Plant.
Along with the electric shocks I have been extremely dizzy and have an ungodly ringing in both of my ears. I can't sleep and every time I look at food I gag. My ears naturally ring due to spending almost 20 years in the Artillery while in the military. But now, I can't hear anything but RINGING. If this drug has made me feel this bad in only a few days then it can't be good for the human brain. My family is begging me to get back on it but there is no way in this world I will take it again. I'm willing to fight this. Can anyone tell me how much longer these symptoms will last. I am determined to be alcohol, tobacco and any type of drug free. What can I do to make these messed up symptoms go away or at least ease up.
Airborne!
An Old Retired Soldier.
amuhaimin
20 Nov 2016
If you download an app it's called Blink it's a red B with two pills sideways as the opening of the letter B and its red. I have no insurance and my pharmacy bill is $16
KE1991
16 Nov 2016
I was one Effexor for almost 4 weeks to treat dissociation/derealization that was caused from too high of dosages of Zoloft and Celexa. I went from 12.5mg twice a day to 37.5mg twice a day over 3 weeks. I had horrible headaches and blurry vision the entire time. By the third week, the dissociation was MOSTLY gone, but then I was having random panic episodes where I thought I was losing my mind and just didn't want to live anymore. The psychiatrist thought the extended release would ease that symptom, and it made it worse. I went from not wanting to live with dissociation, to not wanting to live at all. I've been tapering off over the past few days, and I was awaken at 5am this morning with HORRIBLE anxiety and suicidal thoughts, and my husband tried calming me down but I barely felt like I knew or recognized him.
Both my psychologist and the head of psychiatry at Mayo Clinic agreed I need to stop taking it immediately (take 1/2 of 25mg if I experience "brain zaps" or any horrible side effects) but this medication is NOT for me, and they're thinking no SSRI or SSNI chemically reacts well with me after trying 3 and having worse side effects than what I was taking it for.
I haven't been out to eat with my husband in 4 months. Everything in the world now looks different, and I still have anxiety and blurry vision, and as this medication leaves my system in the next few days, I pray my mind will get back to the way it was 4 months ago.
Any prayers would be greatly appreciated ❤️ Thank you and I hope everyone going through anything horrible with Effexor finds relief soon.
JDSPARKS
16 Nov 2016
Yes, my prayers are with you. I FINALLY have come off of this poison. It took a good week off the stuff to feel better after almost two months of weaning. I had to go back on and start over twice because of the side-effects. Still get 'brain zaps", but am thinking that it is really just tinnitis now. Which I have read that was possibly caused by this stuff. Not too bad, so haven't seen a doctor for it yet. My reasons weren't as serious as yours or others I have seen on this site. I just wanted to alleviate my hot flashes!
Hang in there. I am praying that you feel better real soon.
101stAirborne
4 Dec 2016
I'm praying for you. I battled alcohol and prescription drug abuse along with depression and suicidial thoughts for years. Whatever you do don't give up. I almost took my own life one night and to this day so glad I didn't. Life is short. Think about all the great things god has to offer. Besides, would you really want to hurt your husband in that way? It does get better.
Le Perrot
13 Nov 2016
I am so glad I found this page. I started taking Venlafaxine (Effexor) 2 years ago as a consequence of my divorce (sadness). My family physician put me initially on 75 mg, then increased to 150 mg. Two years after, I decided to come off this medication, so she weaned me off stepwise over one month. I had few discomforts until the last step: 35 mg for one week and then off.
After 3 days without the medication, the withdrawal symptoms have been horrible; especially the brain "electric shocks", coupled with irritability, tinnitus, and some nausea. After 3 days of no medication at all, I could not endure the electric shocks any more, so feeling like a loser, I broke a tablet and took a "fix" that I estimate was about 3 mg. It helped a lot with the symptoms, but severely bruised my self-esteem for going back to it.
Now on my 4th day, I had to take another tablet fragment of about 3mg in the morning and other at night, but I am being gentler with myself: It is not a character weakness that I went back at it; it is a "strategic retreat." After all, the pain of the "shocks" is real, incapacitating, and draining.
Given the horrible side effects of just missing one regular daily dose, and the complexity and pain of withdrawal, I feel this medication should not be prescribed to somebody with temporary sadness (grieving), and it should be limited to people with suicidal thoughts or other very serious condition. I look forward to this drug nightmare to end. Love to all.
Speedotann
13 Nov 2016
It gets better! I am one month off it after weening per doctors orders. I had bad withdrawal for only a week or so. Now I pretty much have no noticeable withdrawal symptoms at one month off it. Stick with it! I am happier now than I ever was on it!
Le Perrot
17 Nov 2016
Update: It has been now about 8 days since have been taking only a spec of the med in the morning and one at night. Today was the first day I had a single (spec) dose but I had no head aches, or marked irritability; The electric shocks or brain zaps appeared only late in the evening. I finally feel hopeful that I CAN quit this horrible drug.
It looks like my road to "sobriety" from this medication will total about 2 months.
starpolish1
13 Dec 2016
How are you today? I have hope after reading your post!
Le Perrot
24 Dec 2016
Update: It took me 2 months to go from 150 mg to zer. In the process I endured the electric "brain zaps", irritability, nausea and headaches.
But to me, weaning this drug did not end at zero mg. The brain zaps and irritability were reduced in intensity daily but still present for an additional 6 weeks.
Another symptom I noticed was the return of emotions. This drug reduces the emotional peaks: No depression, but no joy either. A similar biological event is when your eyes are used to seeing in low light conditions for a long time and then walking out to the sunshine, where the glare is extreme. Once I started weaning off this drug, I found myself in tears while watching a chick-flick; enraged while watching a cops show, and very fearful while watching a war movie. Also I started to experience more frustration to my kids, as well as overflowing near-magical love.
This getting used to having my feelings back lasted about 2.5 months, starting at day one of weaning this drug.
Although having my feelings back felt extreme, in no moment I felt I was a danger to myself or someone else. But again, I started taking Effexor because of simple grief, not because I had a mood disorder such as anxiety or clinical depression.
DurmMare
11 April 2018
I started a post earlier, but had to leave for a few minutes... I am weaning off with my Doc, and what she prescribed for me is Bioidentical Progesterone and a very low dose Estradiol patch.
Mainly for sleeping, as that has eluded me for years. I will say, that I have never slept better!! It is hard to wake up, tho. Since the withdrawal symptoms started, I thought it might be from the estrogen patch, but after reading all these posts, realize it is probably the Effexor withdrawal. I just turned 60 and am female. Reason for starting Effexor in the first place 5 years ago, was anxiety and depression because of my 27 year old son who is affected with mental illness. He has been living with us most of his life and my life had become a nightmare of worry and despair.
So fast forward, I am weaning off the Effexor because we believe it caused my Cholesterol Numbers to go off the charts!! I have felt pretty good on it and really had no reason to go off. Certainly, the withdrawal has been so much worse than the side effects when starting the drug.
I am down to 37.5 and have started with the nausea, headaches, blurry vision, fatigue. I am going to try some of the suggestions of Vitamin C and fish oil. I am also working with an acupunturist.
I want to get this over with, so I'm hoping for a 2 month plan, but who knows what my body will do. Any more natural remedies for the withdrawal symptoms would be much appreciated! Good luck everyone and hang in there :D
Sdc2
6 Nov 2016
Hi. On day 9 of withdrawal from Venlafaxine. Decreased with Drs help. In agony with tooth ache. Right leg restless. Brain zaps easing off. Went to dentist said sensitive teeth Given antibiotics incase infection starting. I'm really in pain. Taking ibuprofen paracetamol not touching pain. Has anyone else had these symptoms. Ready to give up and go back on venlafaxine. But I would feel a failure. Don't know what to do. Help please. How much longer do symptoms last
Speedotann
6 Nov 2016
I am over 3 weeks off after weening down per doctors advice. I have no withdrawal anymore except for the occasional dizzy spell and brain zap but only in the evening. It was a lot less after 2 weeks. Be strong. Drink plenty of water. I feel much happier now then I ever felt on venlafaxine!
Speedotann
20 Oct 2016
The higher the dose you try to come off, the worse the withdrawal is. I was on 150mg er for two years. I switched to 75mg er and was on that for a year. I really didn't notice a difference or withdrawal symptoms (I also was unaware of the withdrawal with this med). The last few months of 75mg I noticed dizziness when I did more reasearch into Effexor. I told my doc I wanted off. She gave me 37.5mg for 3 weeks and 1 37.5 for every other day for the 4th week. It has been two weeks since I completely stopped. I have the normal withdrawal symptoms but not even half as bad as missing a day of 150mg or 75mg!
Everyone who wants to get off this poison needs to ween off!! Ask and I can try to help you answer some questions due to my experience. Day by day it gets better. The symptoms are off and on now instead of constant and more pronounced when I stand up.
bej212
25 Oct 2016
Over a month ago, my doctor prescribed me effexor 75mg. I have terrible sleep patterns and would frequently miss my doses on the days that I would sleep. I'm up for 1-2 days, down for 1-3 days. I would feel sick and continue to sleep. It has been a few days now since I have taken the medicine and I feel extremely sick. I only have one more. Is it possible to have withdrawal symptoms after only a month?
Speedotann
25 Oct 2016
I read somewhere that just taking it for 7 days requires a 7-10 day weening off period. So taking for a month could cause it. I had missed a whole week of it due to having surgery on my back. When I stopped taking my oxycodone (Percocet) for pain, it was like getting hit by a freight train from not taking the Effexor. The oxycodone seemed to mask the withdrawal symptoms from the Effexor. It took 3 days of taking Effexor again to get rid of the Effexor withdrawal!
Sal_j
5 Nov 2016
I've stopped taking Venlafaxine completely. I took 150mg for 2 years, and a week ago went from that daily dose to 75mg every other day and felt small side effects for this last week. I think people here are exagerrating the effects of tapering.
It's the last push, going from a tapered dose, to stopping completly.
I'm going on my 3rd day and I'm only feeling those often mentioned brain zaps. But I honestly expected it to be worse than this. If you've successfully quit smoking, going from a tapered dose to quitting is a piece of cake compared to quitting smoking.
The brain zaps are the only thing I get a lot of and they merely annoying than anything exaggerated in these replies.
I just drink lots of water, don't drink alcohol (which I know exasaberate the weaning off period), exercise and eat proper food; and you're probably looking at a 1.5-2 month weaning off period that decreases in intencity of side effects every day.
I know I should've tapered down to 37.5mg or even 12.5mg dose before quitting. But I will try from a 75mg dose.
Speedotann
6 Nov 2016
It's been over 3 weeks off for me. No withdrawal anymore except I get a little light headed in the evening only. But gets easier and better everyday. I am a lot happier off of it than I ever was on it.
Sal_j
6 Nov 2016
Good to know.
I forgot to mention I'm on Abilify as well, at 25mg, but I see no reason to taper that since it has no side effects worth mentioning, for me.
Tergo
15 Oct 2016
Additionally to my other post, I can confirm that SAMe does help. However it is expensive to take long-term. You need to take on an empty stomach. For me I needed 800mg/day, would have taken more if it weren't so dang expensive. It does work quickly though, so if you are rly suffering try this.
Also pricey but has noticeable effect is high quality Curcumin. This is great for your whole body.
Please though see my other post for list of supplements which you can take long term which are much cheaper. Their effect is subtle and builds over time.
Lastly know that stopping Effexor was just one lifestyle choice I've made in recent years. I also quite caffeine and switched to intermittent fasting (IF). IF isn't just good for losing weight, more importantly it gives your body more time to cleanse itself of toxins and deficient cells. Definitely worth a read.
Related topics
effexor, withdrawal, insurance, brain, symptom
Further information
- Effexor prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Effexor (detailed)
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