How long is Effexor withdrawal supposed to last?

[7essa]

A little over two months ago I stopped taking Effexor after slowly weaning off of it.  I had horrible withdrawal symptoms: nausea, fatigue, and dizziness.  After two months I don't feel any better.  Needless to say, I'm really scared.  I can hardly function at my job and am very frustrated and angry.  This medication has ruined my life.  Waking up in the morning is the worst part of my day.  All I have to look forward to is dizziness, fatigue, and attempting  to function.

How long did you symptoms last?  Are they supposed to last this long?

[Claire_MHModerator]

Hi, folks,

Wow, this is a long thread that goes all the way back to 2007!  Because it's become difficult to follow all of the different conversations here, we'll close this thread now.  

If you have a question about Effexor withdrawal/effects, please start a new thread by clicking the big "Post a Question" button at the top of the page.  This will make it easier for everyone to see your new question, and you're much more likely to get answers from our members quickly.  Thanks!

Claire

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[sara12345]

Maddie,  In the US, Effexor comes in a 25 mg pill which is not XR, meaning it does not go through your system gradually.  Since your doctor has no advice for you, that's what I personally used when I went off the Effexor in combination with the 37.5 mg XR. I would think that you shouldn't continue going lower until your depression is gone completely.  That way you know that your withdrawal at that dose has stopped.

If your depression completely went away for a year after you stopped Effexor in the past, I wouldn't think that it could possibly be a withdrawal symptom when your depression returned.  Once withdrawal symptoms are gone, then your system has recovered.  And a whole year later, I think that the depression obviously returned.  But this time, you may not need to go back on it.  Wish you the best.  You've at least gotten the dose way down.

[4Maddie44]

It has taken me 7 months to reduce from 150mg Effexor XR to 75mg.  Now my doctor says there is no lower dose of XR and has prescribed the generic 37.5mg but is not sure how I should reduce.  She suggests taking one in the morning and one in  the evening, and then take one a day.  After that she is not sure what I should do.

I live in the UK, so may be different from USA.  Can you get Effexor in pills, so they can be cut?  My doctor says slower I reduce I am less likely to get withdrawal symptoms.  But this last hurdle is the most difficult, and I am stuck as to what to do.  Despite reading about taking out granules from capsules, I have no idea.  It has been suggested in a book I read that one should reduce by 10% monthly, but how do I do that?

Because discontinuation can mimic depression, it is difficult to distinguish what is what.  I read that discontinuation (withdrawal) symptoms emerge within  days to weeks of stopping medication, or lowering the dose, whereas relapse symptoms develop later and more gradually.

The latter happened to me.  I stopped Effexor cold turkey, was well for a year - really well, but after that symptoms returned.  I was put back on Effexor.  This time, hopefully I will know the difference.

[Shirazlove]

I quit effexor in March cold turkey.  There is hope guys!  It took about a month to finally get over all the withdrawals but I no longer have any. The brain zaps are completely gone...yahooo.

The downside - I have wicked hot flashes (I am in perimenopause - soon to be menopause) and the one good thing about effexor is that it controlled those.

As far as weight - I've not lost anything and am still fat, fat, fat - which in itself is making me depressed.  I am trying to keep positive.  I have my bad days in terms of feeling blue.  I get twinges of anxiety but nothing like I had before going on effexor.  

I'll never go on this drug again.

[mikkij]

The sweating will not go away while you are still on the effexor.  I went off for 3 months and the sweating finally stopped.  I swear I would sweat just putting on my make up! It was miserable. I had to quit working on clients (massage therapist) because of the sweating, I was like my own little rain forest. Unfortunately, I went back on a low dose because my psychiatrist said that I need to be on something because I was back to feeling suicidal but I don't know if it's worth it.  The sweating is miserable and feeling like I'm in a fog, losing memory and having no libido aren't worth it.  I'd like to find a more natural way of getting through this and my psychiatrist insists that once you have depression you will always have it.  What do I do?

[abalem]

i have been on two hundredand twenty five mls of effexor for the last ten yrs. I was first diagnosed with ante-natal depression after my twins were born. With a physically, emotional and mental abusive partner my condition deteriorated until i bacame someone i didnt know anymore. I left my partner five yrs ago knowing being with him i would never improve. Since then family and friends have become tired of trying to help me. I dont know wether i have been hard to help or wether they just gave up to easily. being told continuously by loved ones i was nothing but a lunatic and did nothing to help myself i took drastic action. My family didnt think the tablets were helping, even though they have no idea seeing as they never contact me anymore. I ran out of my prescriptions eight days ago and decided to try cold turkey. Since then i have done nothing but sleep, bouts of crying then laughter. I feel okay while lying down but sitting or standing brings on nausea, dizziness, and i feel i have a bad case of the flu. I have three children to look after, thankfully they were at their dads during the week as it is school holidays. They are due back tomorrow and im scared im not going to be able to look after them properly I would really like someone to be able to tell me how long am i going to feellike this. My mind feels clear for the first time in yrs in a strange way i cant explain but the body is suffering so much. sorry if this post doesnt make much sense but while typing this i have had another bawling attack. Just want this feeling to end soon, someone please tell me it will

[healforlife]

Thanks for the laugh...with you, not at you. I can relate to all of it and feel better knowing \i am not alone...are you better now?

[healforlife]

I am coming off after 15 years...and yes I am now beginning to see an old me that has been gone for a long time...sticking to my decision this time has been hard going. I am also down to 37.5 and this last step has been brutal...my head feels as if there is a band around it...constant pain. My face hurts, jaw is tense, body aches, irritable to out of control anger and crying...and brain blanks...can't think straight or clear...no wonder I always went back on before....but, I think maybe I would like to give my 15 year old the real me. I just looked today for info on withdrawal and I am so happy to find this site and all of these people who know what I am going through.

[effexorispoison]

I have now been off Effexor (Cold turkey, see previous posts) for 60 days and I am now able to sleep at night and am feeling better each day still. For me the worst was sleeplessness, brain zaps and body pain esp. my legs which after 30 days really got bad made worse by kicking all night. I took a 1 hour nap this afternoon for the first time since April and that felt great. I can not stress strong enough to others not to quit the way I did but am writing now to let people know that it does get better, reading these posts here really did help me when I was at the worst. Hang in there!!

[Goldie2525]

Hi Jimmy! I am so sorry you are going through this. I know just how you feel. I have been on this awful drug for 8 and a half years. It is awful trying to come off of it. My husband does not have a supportive bone in his body.Hang in there. It will get better. It has to. I am blessed to have my mom to talk to. She was a psychiatric nurse for many years so she is a wealth of knowledge. She did not even know about this crazy withdrawal! How are you doing now? I hope your boys are doing good. They grow up so fast! I live second by second. It helps. Just try to live each second and pray. It really does help.

[weber90]

I am 1 week and 4 days free of Effexor. What a horrible drug. Was put on it for depression, but if I would of known how dependent your body is on it this would of never happened. The first few days without it was horrible. Out of body experiences, brain zaps and crying uncontrollably. My daughter didn't know what was going on. I do have one question though....did anyone have horrible dry mouth and tingling with this drug? Mine is slowly going away, but it's unreal. I couldn't drink enough, inside of my mouth would stick to my teeth. The tingling in the lips and numbness got so bad that I didn't realize I would be drooling. Glad it's getting better, just want to be back to normal. I didn't realize the community that is here, you are all wonderful.

[Vicko]

It has been 38 days since my last dose of Effexor (I tapered off).  Thirty eight days of hell!  I wish I knew when this will stop. Recently, I started having anxiety issues on top of the other battles.  I'm taking Omega 3 and multi vitamin for the withdrawal, and recently added magnesium and B1 for anxiety. I'm hoping the magnesium will help.  Most of the time the Omega 3 helps the withdrawal symptoms. Occasionally, I will have a day where nothing helps though.

[luque9]

HOw are you doing? any relieve of your symptoms? I am going through the same nasty road.
I hope you are feeling better.

[4Maddie44]

Well that is really good.  May it continue now.  I am so pleased for you.  When I stopped 150mg Effexor cold turkey before, I was really well for a year.  I am tapering off really slowly this time.  Lets hope I feel like you do.

[Al50Scand]

I had a stange exprience last night. I really felt and could see the old me coming back, after 12-13 years on Effexor. It was nice to see myself again after so long. I have been tapering from 75 mg and am now on 37.5. Anyone else had this expereince of the old me coming back?

[trad969]

Are you on any benzodiazepine and or Z-drugs like ambien, ambien CR, sonata, temazepam, antivan, Xanax. klonapin. If you are taking any of the above listed drugs has it been for more then 2 to 4 weeks or longer. I took them on and off over a 20 year period. The drugs can cause severe depression and anxiety and can make your insomnia much, much, much worse.

[Al50Scand]

Hei - I am not an expert, so this is just from what I have read. There is something special with Effexor that means that it has severe side effects when withdrawing. Effexor has a very short half-life compared with all other anti-depressants and many people believe that this is one reason why withdrawal is so difficult.

There is something called Prozac Bridge and I recommend you read about it on the Net (Google Prozac Bridge). There is also a document out there by the 'inventor'. Maybe this can help you.

You should also consider tapering off slowly - over many months, also alot of information on this on the net.

I have been tapering and began at the end of February. Side effects come and go. Right now just experienced some days of joint stiffness and diziness/confusion, same as you.

Getting off Effexor is a really rough experience and side effects can continue for some time. So, be prepared for it, take good care of yourself and try some of the tips given here (i.e. Omega 3).

[Rane7]

Three weeks ago my doc took me from 150mg to 75mg. The first week was bad and the next two weeks were a little better except my joints are swollen and hurting. Today I went to 35 mg (will do this for 7 days then 35mg every other day for 3 days)
I took the 35mg this morning...it's 7:30pm and I'm hurting all over and just got up from a 2 hr. sleep.I feel weak, like my limbs are cement and slightly dizzy. I've no idea how long this will last or if it'll get worse, but I'll never, ever go on this medicine again.
(the reason I decided to come off the medicine is because I've gained so much weight that I was having more anxiety than before I started the medicine)
I'm wondering how long this will last?
When I was on the full dose and I missed just 1 dose - I immediately felt horrible, I mean within hours of missing the dose. So I assumed the medicine did not stay in my system very long...why then does it take so long for it to leave my system when I'm trying to come off of it...
Sorry this sounds scattered, I can't even put together a sentence-my brain is completely scrambled...sigh.

[4Maddie44]

Wanted to share my SLOW withdrawal.  Last time I went off Effexor I went cold turkey.  My doctor says depression more likely to come back if don't withdraw slowly.  I was OK for a year, but then began to feel poorly again, and was put back on Effexor 150mg daily.  I am now in 6th month of the slow withdrawal, and expect it to take up to another 8 months to come off it completely, with my doctor's help this time.

[Al50Scand]

Hei, I'll give you a few tips that many recommend and I have found useful
1. Omega 3
2. High quality multivitamin
3. Exercise
4. https://****.anu.edu.au
5. Keep social
6. Homeopathy

This is going to be hard and maybe long, so be prepared.

[Al50Scand]

I don't think it makes a difference.

[Vicko]

It has been one month since my last Effexor dose.

After reading about Omega, I started taking Omega 3-6-9, 1200 mgs 3 times a day.  This really helped, but I started swelling in my feet and hands, so I discontinued the use.  

The symptoms returned with a vengence, and now I'm considering going back on the Omega.  

Does anyone know what the best dose is, and does it matter if you take Omega 3, or Omega 3-6-9?

Thank you

[Vicko]

Does it matter if you take Omega 3-6-9, or Omega 3?

[Deb73071]

I have/had been taking effexor for 10.-15 yrs. The post office returned my mail order scripts last week.  The reason is still unknown.  The problem now is I ran out and had to go cold turkey for the past 4-5 days. I spent 3 days in tears. (for no good reason)  I have been having what seem to be hot flashes for 4 days now.  Remember the sound the old metal slinkies would make? Well thats been going on in my head since the first missed dose. I have a Dr appt for tomorrow but I don't think I want to go back on the effexor.  Not after all I've been thru the past few days.  10 yrs on this med how do I even know if I'm still depressed or not. So I'm seeing the Dr (a gp) to ask for help coming off of it completely.  I feel like I'm over the worse, but how ong does w/d take?