When It's Time to Stop, Coming off Effexor Can Be Difficult

Yes, you CAN get off of this poison drug but you have to go extremely slow (5 - 10% tapers per month). You have to remove beads or use a digital scale. There is a Facebook Support Group for people who are trying to get off of it.

Today is September 2, 2018 and I was 1st put on Effexor 75mcg 1x daily in February of this year. It has been horrid! I have gained over twenty lbs; it causes staggering, severe memory loss, daily nausea, daily headaches, severe irritability, and is the VERY worst antidepressant I have ever been on since my first being placed on an antidepressant, "Prozac 75mg" 1x daily in May of 1988. Since then I have pretty much been on every antidepressant on the market for my major depressive disorder. However! This Effexor is the very FIRST and WORST antidepressant I have ever developed what I would liken to getting an addiction to. My Psychiatric Nurse decreased my dose a few months ago from 75mcg to 50 mcg. The weight didn't budge. Then after about 2 or 3 more weeks, she weaned dosage to 37.5 mcg. After around the second or third day I began to experience frightening and varying side affects such as: very rapid heart beating, what felt like lightning bolts flashing throughout my head. I was like, "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" I've continued to experience awful daily headaches, nausea, terrible memory loss which is so embarrassing, because many times I will be in the process of a conversation and my subject in mind will just disappear, "POOF!" and will not return. I fear I may be developing dementia from the Effexor. As I already explained some side affects above from the dosage being dropped to 37.5 mcg, to the best of my memory, only two days after taking the new lower dose, I developed racing heart beats, difficulty walking, my muscles all through out body shaking uncontrollably, excessive anger/raging, and a strong sense of fear. This was over the weekend on a Sunday night (I think), so the next day I called my Psych nurses office, and she called me back, telling me to go back to the 50mcg dose. I know what being weaned off of medicine feels like, because in July of 2014 I went into voluntary detox unit to be completely taken off of alprazolam (demon medicine!) and zolpidem 15 mg (Ambien) both of those has been prescribed to me by a different Psychiatrist, DO that is no longer in TN, but moved his practice to VA. The reason I had to be put on alprazolam to begin with was due to him putting me on Latuda, which caused me symptoms of SEVERE PANIC ATTACKS, rapid heart palpatations, feeling of outside self, and felt as if being drowned, could not breathe, but would not die. He said, "Oh your experiencing Anxiety." My thought: You think? That is when he started me out on 0.25 mg Alprazolam and eventually my anxiety increased to such a horrid level I was taking his prescribed 4 mg dosage of Alprazolam. He wanted to increase to 6 mg because my body became adjusted to the drug and the more he increased it, the more my body needed. By the Grace of God, and the help of the detox staff I got off both Alprazolam and Zolpidem. However the rest of that entire year was pure hell on earth. Now I feel like I am in the same type situation trying to get off of this medicine, Effexor, and wasn't even told that it was a difficult antidepressant to take when the Doctor the hospital assigned my care of put me on it while I was inpatient, and then sent me home with a prescription. My biggest question and concern is: "Am I going to be able to be SUCCESSFULLY weaned completely off of this "demon of an antidepressant medication" eventually? Will I need to be hospitalized in order for the coming completely off the Effexor to be a safe success. I wonder, am I going to have to be on this monster medication for the rest of my life? I am 55 years old. I do have a scheduled appointment the 17th? of September to discuss this terrible negative affect to the Quality of my life with my Psych Nurse. HPLEASE respond to me with any help or information you can give me. I would be sincerely thankful. Peggy Rittenberry

I have been on Effexor for 14 years now, would like to get off but do not see that happening any time soon, I am on the lowest dose I have taken so far 37.5XR taken once daily. At one point I could not afford my medication and had to go without it for 5 days, by the 5th day had the same experience as Nicole. The brain zaps are the worst, it is like being electrocuted. I don't remember being informed of these side effects when I first started taking this in 2001. My opinion is the drug co. making this drug should be responsible to pay for a withdrawal clinic for those who want to go off. I know that is the only way I will be able to finally be rid of this drug, through a doctors care and under supervision. :(

Im 2wks pregnant and My doc wants me to quit my effexor cold turkey. Can My baby get My withdrawls and can it be dangers long term? I also took it the 2wks before I knew I was pregnant. Does anyone think that can be harrmful? Just need help putting my mind at ease.

Hi all I was on effexor for 8 years. It did work realy well for me but the last two years I was getting sideffects it the drug was no longer working. So like everyone els my doc uped my dose, in turn uped my sideffects, I had enough. So did some reading, and what I found was the best way to get off was to deal with the zaps and all the other bad stuff for the first week, bit of hell, I was tacking omega 3 fish oils, and vitE , it did realy help with withdraws, I took 3 omega three pills a day, 1000mil. And one vitE. The E is cause the omega flushes E from your body along with the Effexor. I also had trouble sleeping, so I went to the organic pill and herb shop ang picked up some organic sleep pills (I only needed them 4 nights) I m on week three now and I'm telling ya. I feel great, I'm doing things that befor where just put off,
If you can make it throu the 1st few days the rest gets better and better. Hope this helps just one person get off Effexor.

I weaned off of Effexor a year ago and it was not a pleasant experience. I have continued to experiencie mood swings, nauseau, forgetfullness, dizziness and temper flares that I never had prior to taking this medication. I now rely on ambience at night to sleep. Am scared I will never get back to being me.

I hear you,,,,I went off Effexor a year ago and it was the most awful experience of my life. I am now on Pristiq and wanted to go off of it and am having the same trouble with withdrawal. Sadly, the effexor destroyed my life. It should be banned. God bless you!!

I have been on Effexor XR 150mg for less than a year. I have had two incidences where there was miscommunication between my doctor's office and the pharmacy and I had to go without my medication for 3-5 days.
The first day is bad enough... by the 4th and 5th day of cold turkey, I was experiencing such horrible "antidepressant discontinuation syndrome" that I couldn't get out of bed. Dizziness, nausea, severe depression, hopelessness, vertigo, brain zaps that would happen no matter what I did to the point that it was throwing off my sense of balance and I couldn't hardly walk straight. I couldn't take care of my children, who are 4 and 9. I am absolutely terrified of having to come off of this drug, although I want off of it badly.