Effexor Withdrawal

[rmce]

I am trying to withdraw from Effexor 75 XR after 24 years. I started tapering in late May 2022 and have only reduced to 73 since then. I tried to reduce to 72.7 2 weeks ago and have been very sick ever since, so I went back up to 73. Still sick. I am terrified to try the Prozac bridge that my PCP would like me to do. The WD is so horrible. The drug stopped working in 2019 and I didn't realize what was happening to me when I started having physical symptoms. Anyone else in this situation? What can we do? I have lost 31 pounds in 8 months because I just can't tolerate most food. I am so scared and so sick, and my doc isn't much help.

[tekworm]

Check out reddit, there is a lot of info there about coming off of Effexor! Email me if you want to talk

jbolo2015 at gmail

Good luck! Love and prayers! Hope you get through this, Ive withdrawn from many rx’s over the years and I know Effexor is bad. ❤️ 🙏

[beinganon]

My experience here; YMMV. I got off Effexor after 11 years.

(1) Tapering at the slow pace you’ve described isn’t likely to help.

(2) The Prozac will probably help; this is from my extensive knowledge, which comes from too many psycho-atrists experimenting on me.

(3) What really helped me get off Effexor—in three days, believe it or not—is megadoses of fish oil (EPA + DHA). I took ten capsules a day. Diarrhoea and fish breath and all, sure, but at this dose, omega-3 (EPA + DHA) is a seriously potent antidepressant.

If you’re worried, you could try it for just one day and skip the Effexor; if you feel the jitters and brain-zaps come on full strength, you could always take your Effexor dose and ditch the omega-3. You’ve got nothing to lose.

[Hallhal in reply to beinganon]

agreed my doc said Prozac too

[designguy]

I suggest trying the prozac bridge to see if it helps you, you can always quit it if it doesn't and it sounds like it wouldn't make you feel any worse.

[nkotbjoeymc in reply to designguy]

I Take Prozac And It Help’s A Lot With My OCD.

[Livinginthepast]

Think you are doing well slowly tapering of this drug, Id carry on as you are slowly slowly - I have been on 4 times your dose for years & really Im not sure if they helped me or not maybe I would have been worse if I hadnt had them no one knows & everyone is different - but I have read that there are new drugs on the horizon some derrived from magic mushrooms I believe so I am hopefull there may be hope ahead

[babejoemickey]

Hi--I have been on Prozac for 20 years. It started when I had more than normal anxiety of a health issue that never came to be. I have had GAD since I was 9 and finally got some help when the GAD turned into anxious depression. I thought I had "Prozac "Poop out" a few times in the last 20 years but it always turns out to be some "event" in my life that triggers my GAD. Give the Prozac a try. It doesn't work for everyone but if you give me some more history on your past and present situation, maybe I can suggest something. Good Luck to you!

[Judi1234]

Are you sure you are sick because of effexor? Sounds like it could be something else? Why would Dr put you on Prozac? That doesn't do anything for anxiety. Most antidepressants, other than effexor, don't do much for anxiety. My dr kept me on effexor (which I've been on for 25 years, and added Seroquel... 1/2 of lowest dose. No problem now with anxiety.

[Hallhal]

hi rmce,

I was on Effexor for 17 years - 225 mg

I have tried several times to get off. Like you, it stopped working years ago. I am sick of being tethered to this drug.

i am not a doctor — however, you are most definitely going to have withdrawal symptoms. They will be brutal. whilst i don’t know what the delta is between reducing 2mg or 5mg or 37mg - i have to imagine they will all suck — so why not try more (pending you don’t have brain zaps) . If you can push through the first two weeks of the reduced dosage, symptoms should lessen (bc of the short half-life) Previously i had always given up before the two week mark so i never felt reprieve. If you can - (and doc says ok) try to push through.

Here is my story

In the beginning of Sept, i reduced from 225 to 187.5 (150+ 37.5). It was brutal. I didn’t have brain zaps this time. However, i was: distraught, angry, aggressive….generally unstable, more depressed, cried for no reason, brain fog - couldn’t think clearly, couldn’t concentrate, i could snap and say brutal things that i didn’t mean to the ppl i love. I was a mess. This has an impact professionally too. At this time i was just hoping not to get fired. The first two weeks were the absolute worst. Then the symptoms would lessen then plateau until i felt stable (and symptom free)

in november, i reduced to 150. I had the same reaction as the first reduction. The first two weeks were hellacious. Then the darkness started to lift a bit for the next month. Then again i felt stable.

In late dec I reduced to 75. However this time - i felt happy. still some headaches and some fog, but a huge weight was gone

two days ago i reduced to 37.5. Fingers crossed

They say this detoxing from Effexor is akin to detoxing from heroine. So then i called various inpatient detox centers. They took insurance; unfortunately, not mine

[Beth246 in reply to Hallhal]

Thank you for your post. I tampered off of effexor-xr super slowly. I mean I actually counted down the number of granules per capsule. I am completely off of it now. I'm hoping to find some information on how long it will take my body to adjust. How are you doing? I noticed this post was from 6 months ago.