I have been on various antidepressants over the past 10 years and recently I was put on 2 capsules of venlafaxine each day for just under a year. Stupidly I never queried the side effects or withdrawal effects. After experiencing some horrible side effects I have decided that I no longer wish to be on this awful drug. I have put on about 2 stone in weight, I am permanently tired as in I wake up more tired than when I was sleeping!!! It took me all my time to make lunch/supper for the kids, I have no desire at all for sex (very difficult for my husband....who is extremely understanding) and I basically became a ball of anxious paranoiathat was ready to just hibernate away from everything. I live in Spain and over here the doctors are not very understanding nor caring for mental health issues, so I feel I am fighting this alone. I have managed to ween myself down to one 75mg capsule a day and intend to do the same to get down to a 37.5mg capsule per day. However, I have read some awful horror stories about withdrawal ...I wish I could say the same for the good stories but there doesn't seem to be any out there. I know if I miss a tablet by night time I feel not there and get what I call 'the judders'.....severe flu like symptoms and also get brain zaps....all with just missing one dose. Please can anyone help me with coming off this. I have read that you need to cut tablets etc but mine are capsules with little balls in them so I can't do this. Please help! xxx
Don't go off it to fast it takes a very long time. I was on 150 and I'm currently down to 37.5 but can't say it's been easy. No one understands the side effects. I have done this pretty much alone since the drs don't really know me. I have heard the many side effects and what I can't figure out is why the drs continue to give it. I've never had anyother drug besides Zoloft and I must write I will never be put on another drugs for coping again. If I need to calm down I'll have a glass of wine. Good luck it's been a month now and I'm still on the 37.5 but hope to be off it soon. Just keep positive and fight what your mind is saying. You need to keep moving forward. Only you can do this. Good luck
Good morning, Sarah, I'm writing you from Canada. I can only make suggestions of course as I am not a physician and I understand deeply that everyone's body reacts it many different ways to the poisons fed us by Big Pharma via medications prescribed.
I was on 75mg as well, and with the capsules. I slowly (very slowly) decreased the amounts in the capsules by opening them up and taking out the beads; every week a little more. Then closing up the capsule again and swallowing that.
When I was down to about 1/10th of a capsule I decided it was now or never, spoke with my hubby about the side effects of getting OFF the meds completely, and explained to the children what may be happening. May 17th, 2014 was my very last dose.... I haven't gone back, even once to "relieve the symptoms" because I felt it was a terrible step backward.
The recovery from the Ven is horrific. 
Especially Days 5, 6, & 7.
BUT, most of the symptoms had eased off by week 5 or 6. I am still struggling, though. I have mild paranoia and at times my relationship with my hubby was at a tipping point (we are relatively new to this relationship and still have lots to learn about each other besides the crap the withdrawal symptoms have created. It hasn't been easy on either one of us). 
I think if we can survive this, the rest of our lives will be a breeze.
I did not want the assistance of a medical professional for this either, I know they would just prescribe other forms of "numbness" by way of medications. Instead I am following a regiment of chiropractic care with Calcium/Magnesium, Pottasium, Omega 3-6-9, and a multivitamin. I can notice a huge difference in how I feel when I stopped taking these! I have since gone back on the minerals and vitamins at quite high doses. The other thing I used was Benadryl, this helped control the brain zaps, and allowed me to sleep (sort of) allbeit a "fake" sleep. Since the zaps are gone now, I no longer take them.
My dear, it will take patience, a LOT of patience to remove yourself from this poison forever remembering that you are in control of it, not the other way around. I am looking at using meditation techniques as well to help me get through the rest of the recovery.
I can only help you here by telling you you can overcome this, step by step and although it seems like you are going through hell, it's only that... going through it; not being a permanent resident there!! (HUGS))
I wish you all the strength you need!
~Hilda
Just to add, I used the same method as hiphi and it worked wonders for me too. If I got symptoms I would take out fewer beads. Once totally off, I would take the occasional bead or two if symptoms came back.
The more gradual the taper off the more likely you will get to zero and be ok, that was my experience anyways.
Good luck 
I am planning to take it VERY slow as all the write ups explain how bad it is. I'm going to start with every third day taking a 37.5 and gradually over a month try and up the lower dose. I'm so angry that this drug was given to me so easily and with no explanation at all about side effects and withdrawal. How do you plan to get down from 37.5?
Thanks for your reply Hilda. I did read about opening up the capsules and reducing the amount of beads. I am so determined to be free of this, as in this is the first time I can safely say 'I want off the medication' , I am going to take it very very slow and no doubt will experience some of the hell. Interesting about Benadryl...might go and look into that more and get some for when the time comes. Thanks again x
Ok....this is definitely the way I'm going to go as it sounds the most effective and least side effects. I intend to be very patient about this as I need to come off. Thanks for your reply x
I came off these before and the effects are at their worst when having taken the final pill.
Fortunately, i read elsewhere that if you take final pill then a course of low dose prozac for a week, then you will come off them with minimal effects. This actually did work for me, and because the long half-life of the prozac, there were no start up or withdrawl effects when i stopped them.
Ask your doctor about it, luckily mine knew about that method also
Hello Spanishsarah,
I can identify with all everything you have written. I came off Venlafaxine 15 days ago after being so tired of the side effects and wanting to start a family.
I can't say stopping was easy but I found a post written by someone else really useful.
Here is the post that got me through
_____
- I didn't manage the exercise each day but did and still am taking the vitamins and I feel this helped a lot (even if it was psychosomatic I felt a lot more in control). I couldn't stand caffeine or sugar when feeling at my worst anyway so I 've steered clear of any stimulants in foods and tried to eat naturally.
I started taking vitamins to help the withdrawal symptoms on Day 4 of withdrawal and I can't say 100% that it was the vitamins that improved how I felt but I'm really sure it did help. I was so close to taking my Ven tablets again that I had to flush them away so I had no option to start taking them again and I won't take them ever again.
I think stocking up and taking the vitamins and completely de-toxing my body really gave me a postive attitude to quitting and I felt more in control.
My doctor said there were no withdrawal symptoms and recommended I come off 225mg all at once ( I think this is madness and he is a fool) consequently I had to gradually reduce the tablets myself and went from 37.5mg to zero as like you I couldn't reduce the capsules anymore.
I can say that even though it was so hard, it is really worth it - I feel more like myself again, no more permanent drowsines and I feel like I have proper sleep without the awful night sweats.
These forums also helped so much as you can feel completely alone if you do not have supportive doctors, but keep that end goal in mind and the reasons you want it out of your body and you'll do it,
I wish you all the good luck in the world with this and don't hesitate to get in touch if you need to
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Keep us posted on how you are feeling, Sarah. Its so important to have support, especially from people who have gone through it all. And yes patience patience patience. xx
For myself I have many things to overcome, this med was given only to cope, but I swear it did far more damage I'm my life than it did any good. .... The damage there is too much to wrote in a forum, I'll be writing a book on that when I get closer to my happy self. I'm still under a heavy cloud presently.
I just know it will get better, I have no doubt. Xoxo
LOL!! I wrote my last reply from my cell phone! Gotta love auto correct!!
I have been working my way off Effexor. Not good! Down to about 10 beads and still have withdrawal issues. A lot of fatigue and weird feelings.
You are doing the right thing!!! And continue to have faith. It will get better. Follow the suggestions on this blog as you see fit. The Fish oil, exercise, and benedryl totally helped me. I've been completely off since February 21, this year. There is light and life at the end of the tunnel!!! Best Wishes
Vicki, are you still having withdrawal effects?
I have no idea. I currently working with a dr since I went to the one a day, not he was happy about me doing that but I'm determined to get off this stuff ASAP if not sooner.
As I wasn't allowed to put the link in my post here it is copy and pasted - some of it didn't make sense, the Vitamin D3 drops seem really high dosage so didn't follow this. I hope it helps. Aby x
This is a Success Story and Instructions on Beating Effexor Withdrawal. I spent hours reading these forums and found that there were many, many posts asking for help but precious few with any answers. I believe that this was largely because when people finally beat Effexor withdrawal, they simply didn't have reason to come back to the forums and therefore never reported their success and how they achieved it. I promised myself that if I found it, I would come back and share it with you.
I had some rough Effexor withdrawel and like each of you, I was in a very bad place. After having been on 150mg per day of Effexor XR for the better part of 12 years, I finally decided it was high time to stop. I weaned off as per my MD's instructions, over a period of about 6 weeks. Sure enough, after the final 37.5 mg, the withdrawal started.
I had daily "brain shivers." That is, when I turned my head, it felt like my head was turning in delayed waves, even after I completed the motion of the turn. This was, for me, the worst of the symptoms. I also had the "crying for no reason" symptoms and the "quick to anger" symptoms as well. I really feared that this would go on for months or even years.
Now I don't mean to be preachy, but I really believe that without the careful nutrition and exercise that I am about to outline, my success may not have happened, period. So I cannot say whether you will have success at all if you choose a different diet and exercise plan.
As a point of reference for the quantities that I am outlining, I am a male, 48 years old, about 5'8, 165lbs. I did the following and within about three weeks, I began to feel normal again. It has been two months now and I am feeling fine.
First, NO sugar, period. I love sweets and I love sugar. No sugar. That means no soda as well - drink water, a lot of water. You are flushing serious toxins out of your body, you don't need to add more crap like sugar to the problem.
Exercise every day, at least until you beat this withdrawal. I did a lot of elliptical exercise to get my heart rate up. It made me feel better and it lessened the "brain shivers"--my worst symptom. So walk fast, or run, or do whatever you can to get your heart rate up. At least 20 minutes worth.
Nutrition:
Every morning - Take a daily Detox supplement from a quality health food or supplement store. They will help you select it. This will pull the residual Effexor from your cells and allow you to excrete it.
Take strong Omega 3 capsules (fish oil), I used 1200 mg gel caps. I took four in the morning (and three more in the afternoon). Buy quality supplements from a quality health food store, again, they will help you select.
I also took 20,000 ml. Vitamin D3 drops. Again, get a quality product (in olive oil if possible).
Take a quality mulit-vitamin.
VERY IMPORTANT: This next step is what I personally believe was the main ingredient that made the withdrawal symptoms start to fade, and then completely fade: Fresh Ginger.
Put fresh Ginger root in a smoothie. That is, in a blender add 8 oz Almond or Coconut Milk (find it next to regular milk at the grocery store). Add fresh strawberries and blueberries or whatever HEALTHY ingredients you like so that it tastes good. Next, grate about two tablespoons (yes, a lot) of fresh ginger and add this to the blender. I truly believe that it is the Ginger which is the secret! It really made the "Brain Shivers" fade and then stop.
Afternoon - I took three more capsules of fish oil and three capsules of Ginger Root (you find this in the vitamin section). Eat healthy for lunch, period.
Dinner - Primarily, Eat Salmon, it is VERY high in Omega 3s, which you need a ton of right now. For sides, eat fresh vegetables. No junk food!
This worked for me and I am thankfully feeling fine now. But make no mistake, your body and mind are at war right now, so you MUST bite the bullet and do the hard work to beat your Effexor withdrawal.
Best of luck and God bless!
Rob P.
The reason you hear only horror stories about venlafaxine is because those who are fine on it and being helped by it are busy getting on with their lives and don't need to go on a forum. It's the same with any drugs, they suit some people but not others. I've been greatly helped by venlafaxine and I'm in no hurry to come off it. In combination with mirtazapine it has enabled me to get my life back on track and take advantage of non-drug therapies including CBT. So I do sympathise with your plight because I've had similar reactions to other antidepressants. But I wouldn't want to demonize a drug that can help some people.
I think you'll find that's why I'm asking for information on a forum and as you can see, those who have responded have also had extremely bad withdrawal and can give constructive advice as to how I go about it. I have been on 5 different antidepressants and NEVER have I had these horrible withdrawals nor have I heard of others having them either. Maybe when you are at a point in your life and ready to come off you will revert back to the advice given here.
No more withdrawal effects, but i'm having a hard time loosing the weight i gained. and the anxiety has come back. But i refuse to go back on any medicaition ever again. I feel like i lost years off my life being on this medication. Things are slowley starting to come back to memory and I have a little bit more motivation to do the things that i let slide for the last years.
Happy to hear you are better. I can feel a lot of anxiety too.