Effexor Withdrawal

**Posts:** 1 · by **moxieami** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:57 pm

I am currently experiencing terrible withdrawal symptoms from Effexor XR. Starting a family has been a dream of mine as well as my fiancés until now. To prepare for a future with this man I investigated the effects Effexor XR may have on a pregnancy. Once I discovered the potential harm to an unborn child it was decided I would discontinue taking Effexor XR. It is important to state I was never told nor could I have discovered the facts regarding this drug and it's withdrawal effects. I am currently experiencing dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, major headaches, nervousness, tremors, vertigo, vomiting, agitation, abdominal pain, confusion and various other effects. After it was apparent to me that these were in direct response to my discontinuing taking the Effexor XR. It is impossible to me to work at this time due to the withdrawal symptoms. There are thousands upon thousands of people suffering from these effects to the point of remaining on the drug to avoid them. This to me seems more like a systematic way to keep people on this drug to increase profits than a drug to help people who are ill.

**Posts:** 2546 · by **Dr. Tamer Fouad** » Thu Mar 04, 2004 8:09 am

Moieami,
Effexor or venlafaxine is known to have disturbing withdrawal effects after more than 6 weeks of use. On discontinuing the drug you should taper its use over a period of two weeks. For a previous discussion on the effects and outcome of effexor withdrawal please check this page!

For more info on effexor click here!

**Posts:** 1 · by **john frey** » Sat Nov 06, 2004 3:18 am

Dr. Fouad's advice is directly off the manufacturers web page and is very wrong.

My experience and the experience of everyone I know personally as well as that of many people posting to various web sites suggests that a much longer tapering off is needed.

I tried to taper off by my doctors recommendation and ended up in the psych ward. This time I tapered off over a 3 month period and although I experienced side effects throughout that time they were manageable. When I finally stopped taking it altogether the withdrawal effects were still more severe than during the tapering off process but remained manageable.

I wish doctors would have available more research and more independent research to advise patients with. Also a doctor might want to advise patients to use their own judgement when tapering off. The withdrawal symptoms are so severe that sticking blindly to a prescribed regime of withdrawal can be very harmful, to the point of being life threatening.

My advice to anyone is take it slow and remember you know your body and how the withdrawal is affecting you better than anyone else and you need to make your own decisions about how fast or slow you can cut back

**Posts:** 5 · by **Taylynn** » Wed Nov 17, 2004 12:52 pm

Hi,
I too had a horrible time getting off of the effexor xr :shock:
I took me around 10 weeks to finally get off them. I ended up taking 2-3 "beads" out of each capsule every day or so, till I finally was down to around 15 beads in a pill!! NEVER NEVER AGAIN
I was not told either about the withdrawal side effects.
When I first tapered down, I was fine until around 5-6 days without them. Then the vomiting, lightheadedness, dizzy, etc. hit me like a brick. It dawned on me it might be the effexor, so I took a 1/2 a capsule, and sure enough felt better within around 6 hours. That is when I started taking a bead or 2 out of each pill.
I think there is around 180 "beads" in each capsule....
That rx should be banned.
Nasty stuff.

**Posts:** 1 · by **kam_lem** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:09 am

I agree with all of the above (except the Doctor)! I actually had a doctor tell me there were no side effects whatsoever from this medication. What a load of CRAP! I have been opening up each 37.5 mg capsule and then taking 1/3 of that every other day for three weeks. Now I'm on day 3 of not taking any of the medication and feeling rotten as hell. I'm dizzy and can hardly keep my head upright. I'm having trouble functioning at work. I'm nauseous and woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat sick as a dog the other night. I'm having trouble seeing straight. I feel like a herion addict trying to kick a nasty drug habit.

Sure the medication helped me get over a tough time, but I gained weight and now I'm suffering withdrawal sickness like a regular street drug addict. To me, that's not worth it. There are plenty of other medications that can do the same thing without these debilitating side effects. It's a crime that the FDA approved this medication and that physicians actually perscribe it without telling patients the HORRIBLE withdrawal problems it has.

I will never take another anti-depressant again no matter how suicidal or depressed I get again. It's a shame that I can't even trust the medical community to be honest and upright about what the drugs they perscribe actualy do to my body. And I believe the side effects are a way of keeping people hooked on the medication so the drug company can make a bundle of us. Why would they want us to get any better when they can have a bunch of addicted crazies on their medication who can't get of it?

**Posts:** 2 · by **ericpete** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 1:45 pm

I have been on Effexor 150mg for 5 months and I thought it was great. Only problem was I couldn't cum when I was having sex. Doc recommended I tapor my dose for the weekend and I decided to just stop for the weekend. I started to feel the brain shivers on Saturday afternoon and it was a bit uncomfortable but nothing to write home about. Saturday night when I had sex with my girlfriend it was great so I decided to just quit taking effexor. It's only been 3 days since I stopped but it isn't that bad for me. I feel the brain shiffers constantly, but it's not THAT bad. When I was reading about how bad it was from everyone on the internet I was assuming it would be like coming down from a weekend binge of coke or something. Nothing like that at all. I mean the brain shivers are a bit strange, but not that bad. I am curious how long the brain shivers last, but honestly all you people who are complaining about how bad this is really should try coming down from a party drug. Effexor come down is easy in comparison. Can someone tell me how long these electrical shocks through my brain are going to last?

**Posts:** 5 · by **Taylynn** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 1:43 am

ericpete,
It's been over a week since you posted.
Did your brains shivers end yet? Also, how about other symptoms?
If you got off the effexor without them, consider yourself lucky! :)

**Posts:** 2 · by **ericpete** » Mon Mar 28, 2005 2:49 pm

So on Thursday I went back to see my Doc and he was a bit concerned that I just decided to stop Effexor cold turkey. He said I had a chance of getting depressed again so he said I should continue taking it, but taper off gradually. He said to just slow down, but do it over a few weeks so I don't get the shivers. Also he upped my dose of Wellbutrin to the regular dose for depression. So now I am taking 150mg Wellbutrin XL twice a day. I took 75mg (half my usual dose) of Effexor on friday. Skipped saturday, took 75mg on Sunday, and today I took 75mg. I feel totally normal, in fact I feel pretty freaking good today. My sex drive is definitely up because I had sex with my girlfriend this morning. I plan on stepping down to ~ 37.5mg tomorrow and trying that for the rest of the week. I might increase it if I get the shivers, but will only increase it to stop the shivers (per my doc's recommendations). I will give and update next week. I can't wait to get off Effextor so my sex drive is normal again and I get horney every time I see a girl.

**Posts:** 1 · by **rivers9** » Mon May 23, 2005 4:27 am

I would first like to say that everyone is an individual and medication effects people differently, so there is no one way to wean off of antidepressants. I know, personally, that effexor can take longer than a few weeks to get out of your system. The problem with these doctors replying is that most of them have never been on an anti depressant and have never experienced withdrawal side effects, and thus have no idea of what others are going through. My best advice is to taper off SLOWLY and if you start having withdrawal effects, then go back to the next highest dose and stay another week on it before going down to the next lowest dose again.

prayers to all who fight depression,

:lol:

**Posts:** 1 · by **bevan_9** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 12:23 pm

I have been on effexor xr for about 10 years. I was takeing 150 mg daily. 75mg in am and in pm. I was put on this for stess due to my wifes depression. My Dr. said I was depressed but I never thought I was. Anyway this is my 3rd attempt to get off effexor. First time just couldnt take the withdrawel side effects so wemt back up just to feel better. The second time my Dr. took me off all at once and gave me wellbuterin to take in its place. That was the wosrt experience I have ever gone through. I cried at the drop off a dime. Did I mention that I am a 49 year old male ? This time I tapered by reducing my dose by 37.5mg every 2 weeks and it didnt seem to bad until I was on my final 37.5 that is when i started noticing the headaches, dizziness, tremors and so forth but they were managable. Now it has been 3 days with no effexor and I am really feeling the above mentioned effects plus the slightest head movement sends my head spinningand I and smapping at my wife and 12year old daughter for the stupidest things. I really want to be off this drug because of the sexual side effects and the weight gain plus I am not bepressed and don't feel I need to be on unnessecary medication.

Are there thing we can do to help eleviate some of the withdrawl effects? I am desperate because I do not want to have to go back on this nasty drug just to eleviate the side effects :(

**Posts:** 1 · by **colouredmind** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 4:42 am

hi.. i've been on effexor 75mg for a year now, my doctor prescribed me to it when i was 15. he failed to warn me about the side effects i would be suffering from when he started me on them, and now i'm suffering more than i was before. the withdrawal is something i never would want anyone to suffer from and i'm sure you guys would agree. i've wanted to come off them for around four months now and i'm now taking them every third day, and i'm suffering from 80% of the syptoms i've read. it's messing with my entire body and mind, i want it to end. i'm sixteen! i just want an actual way to come completely free of my medication without these side effects :(

**Posts:** 1 · by **skipper** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:53 pm

Withdrawal from Effexor is the worst feeling I have ever experienced. I have tried tapering off of it from 150mg down to 75mg then to 37.5mg but got too many nerve shocks/tremors and nausea so went back on it but now I am pregnant and must go off of it and the withdrawal is so bad I ended up in the hospital two days ago. I am seriously thinking of suing my two doctors and the makers of effexor because NO ONE told me that the withdrawal would be this bad. If they did I would have never started taking it. My doctor said there would be "flu-like symptoms"...obviously he has never tried to stop taking effexor. This is a nightmare and these people should be better informed and tell their patients THE TRUTH. I would like to know if there has been any negative effects on my unborn child from this horrible withdrawal.

**Posts:** 1 · by **warning to all** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 7:51 pm

I took my husband to see a neurologist today for headaches of unknown orign. Note my husband a former baseball nut in highschool has had numerous concusions from ball to head type injury. Also work related injuries to side of head. This is also where he develops his headache. With all of this information before him and an unremarkable CT scan of the brain I was full of hope. The doctor gave him orders for MRI with and without contrast, EEG, and Effexor XR. I questioned the prescription because I am not only a nurse but know people who have taken this med for depression/anxiety. He pretty much told us side effects were rare and that effexor has been NOTED to help with chronic headaches. :evil: :twisted: :!: People beware the drug companies are screwing you... Thank God I have some background because if not I would have let him take the DRUG!!!!

**Posts:** 3 · by **susieque129** » Tue Aug 02, 2005 8:18 pm

I have been taking Effexor XR since 1999, that's six years. I was up to 225 mg per day but for the past year I've been taking 150 mg. I have attempted to get off it under my Drs direction by tapering off gradually twice previous. I always ended up taking it full time again because the withdrawal symptoms were so bad, or should I use Wyeth's terminology - discontinuation symptoms, HORSE PUCKY!!!

This is my third attempt and this time - COLD TURKEY. I am on day 4 with no effexor having been consumed. The electric shocks started as soon as my next dose was due. They have increased in occurence as well as severity. I have no appetite, feel sick and dizzy. This I could handle, it is the uncontrollable crying, the wild whirling thoughts in my head, the anger, did I say anger, I mean rage at times is overwhelming. This morning at 8:00 am, I was out mowing my lawn, that by the way i had just mowed 2 days ago, trying to burn off the hostile energy. I was crying the whole time. It was how you would cry if you were just told your father has died or something. I cried, bawled & sobbed for about five hours and 2 boxes of kleenex. Tonight, I am not too bad, but I have had a couple of small crying jags this afternoon. The zings - electric shocks go from my head to my chest and arms sometimes, and often from the tips of my toes up into my abodomen. I hope I can make it once and for all.

This drug and others like it should not be allowed to be sold. I called Wyeth Canada today @1-800-268-1946, ext 3662 and spoke to a nurse. I told her of my attempts in the past to stop this drug and my withdrawal. I gavve her an ear full. She said "a small number of patients do get adverse effects or discontinuation symptoms." I let her have it, I said a few, bulls&#t. I have been on the internet all morning looking for information on Effexor withdrawal and there are THOUSANDS of people and the worst of it is that our Doctors are not even fully informed of what kind of drug they are working with. This is CRIMINAL. We are living, breathing human beings, not test animals and there are real repercussions because of this drug. Even in the insert from Wyeth that came with my first few sample packs from my Doctor, there was absolutely no mention of the side effects of withdrawal from this drug. For heaven's sake, I knew as soon as I missed my dose because the electric shocks would start whizzing through my body. I told her that I had contacted Health Canada and the Fifth Estate (CBC TV news show) and that I was going to take my soap box and tell anyone that will listen that this drug should not be allowed to be sold in all the world. If I had known then what I know now, I would never have taken it in the first place. I also said to the Wyeth Nurse, you say it is not addictive, well I am going through hell right now, I may not be on the corner selling my body to get a fix, but i am suffering severely due to something that is NOT ADDICTIVE
Thanks, I needed to vent. But, if you feel lead to, contact Health Canada adverse drug reactions department, or in the states the FDA and any other governing body you can think of. This drug has to be stopped.
thanks, 6 year Effexor Addcit, in rehab, lol

**Posts:** 3 · by **susieque129** » Wed Aug 03, 2005 8:50 pm

I posted yesterday, very determined that I would never take another effexor. Well, I'm sorry to say, I have taken another effexor. I had a terrible episode this morning. I cried and howled all morning off and on. We had to drive 50 miles on a 4 lane highway, so I got my sister-in-law to drive as I was too dizzy and mournful. I was so dizzy and naseous during the drive. I had to have the radio turned off as it was getting on my nerves. The further we drove, the more agitated I felt, I was sobbing uncontrollably, I just had to get out of the vehicle. My sister-in-law pulled over on the 401 highway, one of the busiest in Ontario, I stumbled and bolted from the vehicle staggering, I was so dizzy. I threw myself in the tall grass on the side of the highway with tractor trrailers whizzing by and was screaming, crying, praying and begging to God to pleaase help me. when I got home, I called and went to the Doctor who insisted that I take 3/4 at least of the 150 dosage I was taking, get myself under control and then try tapering off again, GET THIS over a 2 week period. I laughed and explained that I had tried tapering for 2 months once about 3 years ago, unsuccessfully.
My son was upset this morning, he had never seen his mom so manic and out of control. I took the effexor for his sake. I will try to taper off AGAIN, beginning next week. The point of this, cold turkey is not the answer. I will admit, the withdrawal was much worse than when I tapered off. The electric shocks , I can handle, nausea, OK. But the manic episodes were increasing with severity each day, what would have happend tomorrow if I did not take Effexor today. I have a little boy and a husband and it was killing them to see me in such agony. Just thought someone might want to know. Good luck everyone.