I take Effexor and at first the nightmares were bad but it got better. I feel pretty good during the day and it’s helped my panic attacks pretty much go away until the past few days. I saw a video of how bad coming of of Effexor was and now my anxiety has gotten bad about taking it ☹️
any advice would be appreciated…. Not feeling so great today
Mskitty21
I've heard both sides of the coin when it comes to getting off Effexor. So it seems it's another one of those things that's got to do with our chemistry I guess.
I'm on it also. I'm not sure I will ever be off it but if I do need to come off I hope it's not as tough as some of the stories I have heard
🐬
Thanks for replying 🩷 I know I’ll probably be on something the rest of my life… I was on lexapro for about 18 yrs before this. I’m just not sure if I’m going thru a slump or if Effexor just isn’t the one for me.
Somedays are so good and than there’s days I wish my depression and anxiety would just go away .
It's all trial and error isn't it. This is what makes it so difficult. Maybe you need a bigger dose? Or maybe something in addition too.? I think my does is 225.
Yes this illness is a rollercoaster. You never know what waking up is going to be like and that's if you even got sleep.
Hang in there. Chat with your Dr.
I did have a chat this morning and he’s adding something to help my sleep 😊 And have an appt Thursday to see how I’m doing. If I’m not doing better we’ll probably switch to Zoloft.
Yes… trying to find the right combination is challenging and God forbid you read one bad review lol than that’ll be stuck with you forever.
This is all good. There is a plan on place. I hope the sleeping med helps you
I won't read the side effects list. I wait and if I feel something then I look it up. Try not to get so focused on what happens to someone else on a medication. We are all so different
Thanks 😊 That really has been what’s been bothering me. And my daughter is on Effexor as well… she’s in her 20s and it made me very concerned for her if she had to come off it and if it would be bad for her. Ya know…. Such is the life of an over anxious person.
Thanks for chatting…. It always helps me so much to know I’m not alone in all this 🩷
Hi! I’ve been on effexor for a few years now and know the feeling of withdrawal…it’s definitely one of the more challenging medications to stop but it is definitely possibly and the key really is a slow taper. BUT I encourage you to really give it a few weeks or even a few months to see if it works for you. It’s a great med and can be added with other medications. It doesn’t work for everyone but I promise that the nightmares will go away and the benefits can totally outweigh the horrible first week or two.
I used to take Effexor but had to drop it because of my migraine medicine. Doctor gave me a taper program to follow and it was no problem.
That’s very encouraging to hear 🩷 Thank you! I don’t know why there are just horror stories all over the internet about it but it’s encouraging to know not everyone had a horrible experience 😊
why would you worry unnecessarily now about coming off the med? I’ve been on Effexor XR on and off for 21 years… have gone through the slow taper and then off several times. The worst that happened was what I would call ‘ brain zaps” for a week… but it’s really not bad. I have stayed on the lowest dose of 37.5 for years now to get me through menopause- recommended by my Dr.( apparently it is one of the meds recommended for menopause symptoms)-gotta tell ya- I sailed through that phase. I actually take my 37.5 every other day or sometimes every 3rd day- by the 3rd I can feel the funkiness in my head start. It’s not bad. I know of people that also have had prozac prescribed while getting off effexor to help- and then you get off prozac. I wouldn’t recommend that… but do recommend tapering down to 37.5 for several months, then take it every other day for a couple months then be done. Don’t worry about if the med may be needed for longer then you think… if it helps improve your quality of life- stay on! Also…. The sleep does improve after a month or so… unless you are menopausal- that’s a whole different ballgame😂
I worry because I have panic disorder and sometimes my brain latches on to things and I worry about them… even when it’s not an issue yet. It’s the nature of the beast unfortunately.
I am menopausal and it has helped with that and other things as well. Thanks for sharing your experience… it does really help ease the concerns I have 😊
I was on Effexor Xr for a few years but I have thyroid issues. Taking it had flipped my under active into over active which normally your thyroid goes to over to under but taking this made mine to the opposite. It did help with depression to a certain extent but like I said it caused me to have other problems. But getting back to your question. I don’t recall having severe withdrawals on this certain drug. However Prozac made me feel like my heart was gonna to beat out of my chest and the room was spinning so bad for couple days but the worst anti depressant I had a hard time coming off was cymbalta. I had withdrawals for literally months and months. It took me maybe 5 attempts to stop this one but I have to tell you it was the one antidepressant that helped with my mood and depression tremendously. But something to end this with. Everyone is different and everyone is going to have different symptoms and different withdrawals. Don’t worry about what you may think it may do because it may not do anything at all if you taper off slowly. Good luck and God bless
past couple of days 
Few days later...
Everything was great until
I can’t do this. 
Tough few days