effexor withdrawal
 

ok so i was told to stop my effexor, as it was doing more harm than good, but i feel absolutely crap. My brain feels like it jolts when i close my eyes and its making me feel really bad.

Has anyone had any experience coming off this?
how long will this last?

thanks!

Yes, but I did it veeeeerrrrry gradually. Over about 5 months.
Brain zaps and nausea etc are no fun.
Did you do it all in one go? Ick!

i wasnt on that high amount as my body never tolerated it well, but a reasonable amount, but yeah in one go. i feel very ill and very very irritable and restless. not good

I came off it really slowly so i was ok.....im sorry you are suffering but it shouldnt last too long i wouldnt have thought xx

it's awful to come off all at once, i'm surprised a doctor told you to stop it like that to be honest. how long since you took the last dose? maybe you could take a smaller amount and wean yourself off it instead. dividing the dose down gradually instead. i'm sorry you're going through this, a couple of friends of mine went through hell stopping it so i have a second hand idea of how bad it can be.

I found it hard as well coming off Effexor but don't worry, it won't last forever. Just be gentle on yourself x

i came off efexor cold turkey and it was horrid. i think it lasted about 2 weeks before i got back to normal but dont worry normality will return!

wow....everytime i have stopped a medicine I have had no choice but to do it gradually and even then it took me a month or more for me to stop feeling horrible....I really hope everything works out for you and it won't last that long...just don't give up because those feelings will go away....

^^same. Worst thing ever.
Maybe ctc your doc, and ask if a gradual slow down would not be better. I, too, am very surprised he said cold.
Good luck, it does pass.

I struggled with it when i was on it so i did cold turkey like the others not a good time but it will pass and things will get better - do you know what your starting next?

I hated coming off this. I did it gradually over a couple of weeks or so but still had the withdrawal you describe. I hope it gets better soon.
xxx

Can't get off Effexor Xl
 

Hi all, I've been on Effexor on and off for about the past 10 years. I was doing well last year on 37.5 mg and about to come off when the GP gave me a generic brand. It was like stopping cold turkey and my symptoms returned with a vengence, I could not stop crying it was awful.
After going back to the doc he put me on 75mg Effexor XL. When that didn't work he upped it to 150mg. That still didn't work so I began self-medicating and increased my dose to 225mg. This seems to work great for me but every time I try to reduce, no matter how slowly, my symptoms return. The last time I tried I was taking 2 of the beads out of the capsule every day. I was almost down to 150 mg when m symptoms returned again, not just tearfulness, I mean major depression. I'm back up to 225mg but am so scared that I'll never be off this drug and will always have depression.
Sorry for rambling on but can anyone help?