Weaning off of Effexor

[lavenderblue]

Has anyone done this without feeling like total ass for weeks on end? 

I really want to wean off of my Effexor. I have an appointment with my doctor on the 23rd, but I really want to go in to it with a full understanding of what the process can look like. If I'm even half a day late on my current dose I start to feel off, and 24hrs after a missed dose I feel like absolute crap, and I really don't want to feel like that for any extended period of time. The whole reason I started taking it was because my divorce was really effecting me physically and mentally and now that that is finally over, I want to try and see how I feel off of it. 

[starburst604]

I take a low dose of Effexor and have tried to wean off it in the past but the brain zaps really got to me. I really think that once my divorce is over I can probably do without it because I started taking it basically because of my useless husband so maybe I'll give it another go then.

[1confused1]

I would wait for a plan that you make with your doctor. I did a ton of research before starting Effexor and everything I read said getting off of it is horrible. I resigned myself to the fact that I will likely take it forever because of this.

[dove]

I also had the brain zaps. It’s been a few years since I stopped it, but I recall also having Ativan on hand if things got too bad. For me it wasn’t incredibly terrible, but I also didn’t have kids, a job or other major responsibilities when I stopped it.

[livinitup]

I am on a different med and at my last annual appointment had a conversation about not taking it any more. My doc has me on a tiny bit lower dose for the next six months.

Maybe give yourself a year or longer to go lower slowly?

Or wait? Just because you hit a breaking point with the divorce and the divorce is past you doesn’t mean you don’t benefit from the meds. That’s okay.

[jobae1234]

The bead method worked for me. Annoying but no withdrawl. I had to slow down to 3 per day towards the end, but it was fine.

www.reddit.com/r/Effexor/s/nE0Kc2Cav2

[sometimesrunner]

May 9, 2024 15:23:11 GMT -5 jobae1234 said:

The bead method worked for me. Annoying but no withdrawl. I had to slow down to 3 per day towards the end, but it was fine.

www.reddit.com/r/Effexor/s/nE0Kc2Cav2

This is also what I did. I was only on it a month, realized I didn't like it, and immediately started to taper, so maybe that made coming off it easy, as well. This was really annoying, but I took out 20 balls week 1, 40 balls week 2x, etc. until I was off it. Looks like it took me 5 weeks. (per my spreadsheet I still have )

[starburst604]

May 9, 2024 15:23:11 GMT -5 jobae1234 said:

The bead method worked for me. Annoying but no withdrawl. I had to slow down to 3 per day towards the end, but it was fine.

www.reddit.com/r/Effexor/s/nE0Kc2Cav2

This is so interesting! I will try this once I decide to stop taking it. 

[basilosaurus]

It only took a week, but it was a bitch. I suffered if I was only a few hours late. But, it can be done. I do not regret any of it because the medication was necessary.

Honestly, I'd treat it like any any medical issue. Take a few days, take care of yourself.

[sproctopus]

Definitely wait for and work out a plan with your doctor. There are other drugs you can go on temporarily to wean off Effexor and help alleviate withdrawal symptoms.

[lavenderblue]

Thank you everyone for the responses. I'm definitely going to wait to meet with my doctor, but I wanted to be able to go in to that appointment with a couple of options as well. I appreciate the input.