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Effexor, How long do withdrawals last????

Hello all,

Effexor, it ***** coming off!!  I was on for more than 12 years, at 175mg at max dose.  I weened off very slowly using the ball counting method (more than 6 months), which worked well.  Now I have been off for more than a month and I am all over the place emotionally.  From thoughts of suicide to deep sadness to deep depression.  I would love to know how long other people feel it has taken them until these effects lessen.  I understand that life is always happening, and it is a strong effect on my emotions, I am just feeling so unstable that it seems like much of it is the drug.  I am starting to see a therapist next week so that may help, but after such a long struggle I am wondering if I should just go back on.  I went off because I had not had deep emotions in years and it felt like the drug was not working well anymore.  Please share your thoughts.  Louis
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1110049 tn?1409402144
Have a read of the comments above where there are over 800 experiences of withdrawing from Effexor.  I am slowly weaning off.  Before I went cold turkey, and was fine after 2 weeks, but had to go on to it again.  This time, with my doctor's help, I am withdrawing from 150mg daily over a year, as I am told, the slower the better.

Hope you feel better soon.  I am told what you are feeling could be withdrawal.  When I stopped before I was well for a year, and then had what I thought was depression returning.  I am now told it could have been withdrawals, even after all that time.  this time I will ride it out for longer.  I don't know how we can tell which is withdrawal symptoms and which is the return of depression.  Seems they both feel the same.
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Avatar universal
I've been on Effexor for 5 years and turns out I stopped it because of the physical harm it does to the body (especially the heart) and then I felt like you felt-all over the place and incredibly depressed. I then went on Zoloft which 9 months later doesn't work now! The Effexor worked for me but I can tell u, I really found it v v hard to get off of and I was on half the normal dose. Good luck with it. Maybe there's something you our take to help like diazepam to help you get off the withdrawal symptoms?
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Avatar universal
I've never taken Effexor, but I read your post and I wanted to let you know that I've went through similar feeling after stopping other medications. I don't know, maybe your doctor will want to try a different medication, or a smaller dosage of Effexor. I hope you feel better soon.
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