Effexor Withdrawal Last Resource

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Top Questions and Answers

How long does the severe depression of Effexor withdrawal last? After a 2 week tapering off program (by my doctor) I was able to stop taking Effexor. I have been off of it fully for about 10 days now. I have taken antidepressants for 8 years and am finally taking nothing. While I am glad to be finished with them, the depression is killing me. I hope that this is just a withdrawal effect that is going to get better. Has anyone else gone through this. If so, how long does it last? Thanks so much for any information!

Simon W replied: "Effexor is one of the most difficult drugs to come off, things will slowly get better."

River Euphrates replied: "You need to be careful. Anti-depressant withdrawals are very dangerous. If you have thoughts about hurting yourself - you need to talk to your doctor right away. Most of the things you are depressed about are probably not as bad as you think - try to focus on the good things in your life."

sparrow replied: "It's incredibly difficult to come off of these kinds of drugs. Your poor brain is going to suck up the serotonin for quite awhile. Remember when you first started taking it, it took awhile to kick in- about a month. Make sure you are eating/sleeping right and drinking lots of water. Exercise to keep your metabolism moving. Take vit B,C, D with calcium citrate. And prop up your outlook- remember, it might seem hard, but being happy is a choice you make. Good luck!"

How long do Effexor withdrawal symptoms last? I am coming off of Effexor after 2 years, following my doctor's program to come off of it over the course of several weeks. The withdrawal wasn't too bad - the occasional "brain shivers" thing but not too often. Last week I was down to less than 20 mg (half of a 37.5 mg pill). For the past three days, I have been totally off of it, and suddenly the withdrawal, especially the brain shiver thing, has been terrible. It's like a shock running head to toe for a split second, pretty much every time I move. I'm at the point where I can barely stand it. How long does this side effect last? I have been totally off it for abt 48 hours now - will the brain shivers keep happening for weeks, or can I expect that they'll end soon?

gurlieak replied: "You can really get into long term withdrawl problems if you are not careful. Severe withdrawal symptoms can develop from patients on any level of dosage, so if you're taking a low dose don't think you're necessarily safe. Effexor withdrawal symptoms can easily last two months or more, and some people don't feel back to normal even after a year of discontinuation. Because effexor has a 'half-life' of about five hours, withdrawal symptoms can develop from missing only one dose. (The half-life refers to the amount of time it takes the body to metabolize one-half of the drug.) Five hours is a frighteningly short half-life for a drug of this nature. It almost guarantees problems. One Harvard study found 78% of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing effexor xr making it the only drug worse than paxil in this regard.... ... Edit for your update on question: As withdrawal time increases, so does the frequency of the shocks, before they wane completely. At their peak, "brain shivers" have been associated with severe headaches. They may last for a period of several weeks after the last dose, but usually resolve completely within a month. However, the effect may only last a few days. There is hypothetical and anecdotal evidence that Omega 3 supplementation can be very helpful to alleviate the symptoms of brains shivers. Best of Luck!"

Penny from Heaven replied: "Call your physician and report the symptoms. I have gone off Effexor twice and it took nearly half of year, however we all react differently. Your experience is exactly the same symptom wise as I had. PENNIE"

How long will Effexor withdrawal symptoms last? I've been taking 75 Mg of Effexor for about 7 weeks now. The past two weeks, I've been it taking it every other day. The last week, I took a 35 mg, just to hold me over, its been 3 days since I've taken any of it. But I'm getting the "brain shivers". Any estimate on how much longer they should last?

gurlieak replied: "You can really get into long term withdrawl problems if you are not careful. Severe withdrawal symptoms can develop from patients on any level of dosage, so if you're taking a low dose don't think you're necessarily safe. Effexor withdrawal symptoms can easily last two months or more, and some people don't feel back to normal even after a year of discontinuation. Because effexor has a 'half-life' of about five hours, withdrawal symptoms can develop from missing only one dose. (The half-life refers to the amount of time it takes the body to metabolize one-half of the drug.) Five hours is a frighteningly short half-life for a drug of this nature. It almost guarantees problems. One Harvard study found 78% of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing effexor xr making it the only drug worse than paxil in this regard.... ... As withdrawal time increases, so does the frequency of the shocks, before they wane completely. At their peak, "brain shivers" have been associated with severe headaches. They may last for a period of several weeks after the last dose, but usually resolve completely within a month. However, the effect may only last a few days. There is hypothetical and anecdotal evidence that Omega 3 supplementation can be very helpful to alleviate the symptoms of brains shivers."

xytus3 replied: "MANY MENTAL HEALTH DRUGS HAVE LONG EFFECTS, THE WORST OF WHICH IS VALIUM, WHICH TAKES 28 DAYS TO CLEAR YOUR SYSTEM. IN YOUR CASE COMING DOWN IN A CONTROLED FASHION , IT WILL STILL TAKE ABOUT 14 DAYS TO BE "FLUSHED" OF IT, BUT YOU SHOULD FEEL ABOUT RIGHT IN 3 TO 5 DAYS!"

searching_please replied: "I went off it cold turkey (long story) and went through two days of hell. But after two days I was ok. It shouldn't last much longer. Good luck! :)"

happylobster replied: "AKA "Side-Effexor"... I remember it taking a week for me before I was clear of side effects. I applaud you for moving to something else. Have you reported your symptoms to a psychiatrist or are you self-medicating the withdrawl? Hopefully, it's being professionally managed. Good luck to you."

kristi replied: "I was on effexor so I know what ur going thru. I think after I was done tapering off completely I think the symptoms went away after about a week. If you feel really terrible, talk to your doctor. There's no reason you should walk around feeling crummy all day. Hope you feel better soon."

Marcjc replied: "I recently tapered (although too quickly) and discontinued Lexapro, 20 mg. The withdrawl symptoms were "moderate" in severity -brain shivers, headache, dizziness, night sweats and an overall achy feeling (simliar to a bad hangover). The moderate stage lasted about two weeks. It was never so bad that I needed to take off from work, but I certainly was miserable. I did the bare minimum at work and home. Now, about three weeks out, I still have all the symptoms, but they are improving. I actually feel rather good today - no Advil so far! I wish you the best of luck. If you really start to feel worse, please consult your doctor. Hang in there!!"

How long does Effexor withdrawal last? Personal experience preferred

Schnurrbart replied: "I had flashes for more than a month, and was down to opening the capsules and taking a few grains a day in the last weeks of it."

here2help replied: "not personal experience- but im in a very good health class. usually lasts a few days - a week. you may see allusions, haulucinations, shake, etc. weird thigs happen to you. thats why in rehab they go in a white padded room, so they cant hurt themselves."

I know, I know!!!! replied: "I know you are asking for experience with Effexor, but I took Zoloft for 5 years and it is very similar. I have been withdrawing from it for literally almost a year! It's alot better now than at first but I am still not completely over it. At first I honestly thought I would die or something, it was horrible. I didn't stop taking it all at once either, I weaned off it very very slowly. Good Luck coming off it. Hopefully it's not as bad as what I have been through."

Alllrriiiight replied: "personal experience. I was on depression meds for 3 years and effexor was the last one I was on when I made my final decision to stop the meds altogether. It was cold turkey with barely any withdrawal. The only real "withdrawal" were the challenges of having had deferred my issues to medications."

KARA replied: "I am on effexor and have been on it for 11yrs I am on the extended release now .....you just cannot stop you need to be taken off graduallyby the Doctor who prescribed them ...just call and he will tell you kara"

Dyan replied: "I have been taking Effexor for many years and I tried coming off all at once and that was a trip. What I did was cut back one a week for about a month, the one every other day, then one every two day, so on, so forth. Your Dr. can tell you how to do it, but different things for different people."

Poetgirl76 replied: "For me, with the regular release tablets (I don't even know if it still is sold this way) it was a couple of weeks. With the extended released form, I didn't have any noticeable/memorable withdrawal symptoms."

plasticmd2b replied: "It is best to go off of effexor with the help of your physician. He/She will help minimize the possibility of withdrawal from the medication. Withdrawal does not occur in all cases but does happen about 75% of the time. Even though you may be going against your doctors advice by going off of the medication it is still best to include him/her. Your physician is not there to force medication on you but to be your partner in improving your health. The withdrawal process can be as short as a few days to about a month depending on dependency and other factors."

Evil Ameba replied: "I didnt have any bad effects. But you shouldnt just stop it abruptly. Your doctor can tell you how to wean off of it. Like you take a little less each day till you are off it. That way if you do have any effects they wont be as bad."

How long does EFFEXOR withdrawal last? (after discontinuation)? I discontinued my effexor from 75mg to 0mg on Monday 4th Feb (at my doctor's advice - i'm manic) - I've been feeling really agitated, brain zaps, getting no sleep and getting headaches. I know the drug has a short half-life, but how long until these symptoms go?

Marriedgirl replied: "Did your Doctor wean you off them? I take effexor xr I have been on it for a while now. You cannot just stop taking it. Good Luck"

How long does Withdrawal effects from Effexor XR last? I was on 300 Mg of Effexor XR for a while and than I was raped last week and I stopped taking it. The rape has just shattered me to pieces and I am going through hell withthe withdrawal symptoms. I am just about ready to kill myself, the symptoms are making me feel like I am dying. How long does it last and how can I deal with it ? The withdrawal effects are so bad .. I am on the verge of overdosing on every single pill I have around me

Corvidae replied: "Why have you stopped taking it? I don't think it's a good time for you to be dealing with withdrawal, and to avoid the severe symptoms you need to slowly wean off the medication with the help of a doctor. If you're going to go through with it, try to distract yourself as much as possible. Focus on things outside of yourself. Exercise, eat, talk with a friend, etc. Good luck and please go to the doctor if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts."

how long do symptoms of withdrawal from effexor last? i have been taking effexor 150mg, for about 2 years, i have been out of them for about 4 days and have been having some bad side effects. i went to the doctor and got some samples until my refills come in. But i feel awfull, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, indigestion, no appetiete, crying spells, and the shakes. does anyone know how long it takes to get it back in my system to where i will feel better again.?

DEE replied: "10-15 days. You may also find this site of interest."

gangadharan_nair replied: "Venlafaxine controls depression but does not cure it. It may take 68 weeks or longer for you to feel the full benefit of this medication. Continue to take venlafaxine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking venlafaxine without talking to your doctor. Your doctor will probably decrease your dose gradually. If you suddenly stop taking venlafaxine, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as agitation; anxiety; confusion; sad mood; irritability; frenzied or abnormal excitement; lack of coordination; trouble falling asleep or staying asleep; nightmares; nausea; vomiting; loss of appetite; diarrhea; dry mouth; sweating; ringing in the ears; seizures; or burning, tingling, numbness, or electric shock-like feelings in any part of the body. Tell your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms while you are decreasing your dose of venlafaxine or soon after you stop taking venlafaxine. (MedlinePlus) There is no specific antidote for venlafaxine and management is generally supportive, providing treatment for the immediate symptoms. Administration of activated charcoal can prevent absorption of the drug. Monitoring of cardiac rhythm and vital signs is indicated. Seizures are managed with benzodiazepines or other anti-convulsants. Forced diuresis, hemodialysis, exchange transfusion, or hemoperfusion are unlikely to be of benefit in hastening the removal of venlafaxine, due to the drug's high volume of distribution. (Wikipedia) Please see the web pages for more details on Venlafaxine (generic name) Effexor (brand name)"

how long does effexor 75mg withdrawal last when you come off cold turkey??? ive been on 75mg for a few months. the first few days i stopped i took st johns wort and it really helped. now its day4 and im feeling those little shocks. does any one know when this stops???? is there an end in sight???

Elizabeth W replied: "you should never ever go off of any medicine but especially anti depressant medication cold turkey it can be very dangerous."

MOMOFIAN replied: "i was on effexor to treat my migrains it did not help so i too got off the meds i was a total bitch i am sure every one wanted to kill me. it made me mean and crazy. please contact your dr."

rebecca1 replied: "Oh my God, you should know better than to go off of medication like that. Talk to your doctor about how to go about getting off the medication."

Isthisnametaken2 replied: "I stopped effexor and experienced vertigo that got worse and worse. When I went to the doctor for that, I was prescribed something for it. I expect it would have treated those symptoms enough over time, but for me, I needed other meds. The vertigo this last time was off and on for a week (more on as the time wore on). Since it's supposed to take a few weeks to get the medication built up in the system, I would say it would take the same to get it out. I gotta add to what the other person said, yes, I was pretty ugly, too, and that wasn't fair to those around me, especially my young son."

hotmama replied: "I was on effexor xr 150 mg for about 4 months, I decided I didnt like it because i was still tired all the time and had no sex drive...i decided to go on wellbutrin xl....okay, I tapered off of the effexor and I felt like crap for over a month AFTER finally stopping, I felt dizzy all the time, whenever I turned around it was like the whole room moved with me and I had constant headaches....I guess that medication is pretty hard on you and hard to get off of without feeling like total s^*#. Everyone is different, you may get over it quickly. You should also never go off of any medication without doctors orders, you should taper down.You were only on 75mg so you only have one more strength to taper down to, If you are on plain effexor tablets then you could take your 75mg tabs for 1 week,then cut them in 1/2 and take 1/2 (37.5mg) tab for 1 week,then stop. Thats what a doctor would do anyway,effexor is only made in 37.5mg,75mg,and 150mg..and if you have the tablets then you dont need to pay for 37.5mg you can just cut yours in half to make it....tapering off may help,but like i said,everyone is different..."

Becky H replied: "You should never go off your meds without first talking to you dr. or a psychatrist. It can cause to to have bad side effects. Please I advise you to go to the emergency room or call your dr."

gun 4 replied: "it will stop, but what you did is not good for you, weening youself would have been more prudent. did your doctor advise you to do this? i am on effexor (225 mg) and have been on many different kinds for the last 20 yrs and i know how it feels! but the only thing i would be more concerned with is, what will be the side effects after it is out of your system?"

Miss Diddy replied: "I tried coming off of effexor by just completely stopping, lets say it only lasted 2 days because the headaches were so severe I thought I was dying. I read a couple of message boards and someone said they were able to come off effexor by opening the capsules and just taking a small dose out of it. I did that for like a week with no side effects whatsoever. Finally after my week was up I stopped taking it all together and voila here I am, I had no problems."

Shannon V replied: "first of all you should have checked with your doctor before stopping off the effexor with most of the antidepressants out there you need to wean off gradually or you will have withdrawal symptoms i would check with your doctor."

Amy Renee replied: "The reason that you are feeling shocks is because it is dangeous to take St Johns Wort within 1 week of taking Effexor. It can cause a syndrome called Serotonin Syndrome. Serotonin constricts your viens it is secreted by the small intestine and absorbed by blood platelets and circulated in the blood. When the amount of serotonin is either decreased or increased it will result in an adverse reaction to your body. You need to discuss with your doctor that you stopped effexor cold turkey-which should not have been done-and that you are now taking St johns wort-which should not have been done so quickly after stopping the effexor."

valleyviolet replied: "Why are you discontinuing your medication? Please discuss this with your doctor."

Kimberly T replied: "For me, and I forgot to take mine today, oh well, I do not have any reaction, but that's me. I do not know what the shocks are from, I do get some nasty headaches, feels like water moving around thru my head. WEIRD I know."

How long do these horrible Effexor XR withdrawals last? The dizziness, sweats, dreams. Trying to ween myself off 150mg. I'm also 6 weeks preg. Trying to look after my 8yr old son. I feel crippled and bed ridden. My hubby works away. How long does it last for???

VP replied: "You need to wean off very slowly. It sounds as though you are going too quickly. See your doc and do it slowly especially since you are pregnant."

Alan's Goddess replied: "You should NEVER stop taking an anti-depressant drug cold-turkey!!! You have got to see an addictionologist right away. It's only going to get worse if you don't."

Pico replied: "How exactly are you trying to ween yourself off Effexor? I'm currently doing the same and it's a 7 week process. I'm coming down off 300mg and I'm now down to 225mg without any problems yet. I'm going down by 37.5mg each week. Once I get down to 150mg, a week later I will be down to 112.5mg, then 75mg then 37.5mg. My psych said this plan of action was used by many of his patients and none of them had any problems getting off Effexor."

John76 replied: "Hi it took me about 4 long weeks to get off them. I really did feel like a struggle I had shortness of breath at times. Also had weird feeling in my eyes like electric pulses going down into my chest. I have to say these things really did help but coming off of them was horrible"

J G replied: "Everyone is different. Sounds like you have it bad. I know i didn't have any withdraw from it....and i was forced to flat out stop, not taper(long story). I'm assuming you are going off of it under your Drs supervision and suggestion as to how much to taper off at a time? If not you may be going off of it a bit too fast, so slowing down would help(and talking to your dr). If you are, then you may just be one of the people that get it really bad. I'm not sure how long bad withdraws last for......most people i have heard talk about it last for a few weeks. But talk to your Dr and make sure they know how bad you are doing coming off of it. They may suggest a different rate to taper off of it, or may even know of something else that you could take...like maybe a different release would be easier to taper off of, to not go through the withdraw so bad."

fred w replied: "you should break in half for awhile and then a quarter then you should be alright i could tolerate 150 but 75 seemed better see doctor for maybe lesser dose"

Abby Normal replied: "When I got off it, I cold turkey'd it. It was horrible. Felt like I just stepped off a roller coaster after riding it for an hour straight. I'd get 'brain shocks' and I would be paranoid about everything. It took about a week to start feeling better... then gradually it got better and better. Maybe you are weening yourself off too fast. I hope you talked to your ob/gyn about it. Did he say you should come off? Talk to your doctor. I hope you feel better soon."

Effexor withdrawal - how long does it last? I discontinued my effexor from 75mg to 0mg on Monday 4th Feb (at my doctor's advice - i'm manic) - I've been feeling really agitated and getting pumping headaches. When will these symptoms go? No dosage advice plz, I'm OFF the drug at the request of 2 psychiatrists.

VoicesOffCamera replied: "Have been on it, I did not have any bad side effects after quitting. I think a lot of times people get it in their head that their body is going to fall apart after stopping medication and almost talk themselves in to worse side effects than they really have. Have a positive attitude, excersize, stay busy you should be fine in a few weeks."

Samara H replied: "i disagree with voices. Everyone's body has a differant chemical make up which is why we have the probelms in the 1st place. my mom was on it for about a year and stopped due to her doctors orders. she stopped and within 2days she was shaking uncontrolably, stuttering, and couldnt think straight. She lost what she was trying to say, and just didnt have her mind right. she went to the doctor and he said give it about a month. it took 2!!!!! but it calmed down and everything is fine. Everyone's differant, as long as you cna still function. If not, he might need to prescribe something esle to help the headaches"

babyrost replied: "There are side effects to not taking it that has been proven in many studies. I currently take it and if I miss my dose of 300mg by more than 2 hours I get these crazy brain zap among other things anyway to answer your question, it takes about two weeks. They usually give you something to help the edginess like xanax or Klonopin maybe you could ask for it. Good luck"

redmartin83 replied: "Maybe the could of gave you a 37mg dose. I find it hard moving from 225mg to 150mg so good luck. For agitation maybe xanax? Its addictave though"

neofish42 replied: "I'd like to know that myself if i miss the dosage for mine- i feel horrible- strong fatigue, light headed, emotional, and headaches my doctor's have told me that because my body is really sensitive to medication that it could take months for my body to adjust to it. the way i see it- it took 6 months for me to take the dosage that i am on now- so, it should take 6 months for me to get off the medication."

Gard23 replied: "Possibly a few weeks, with symptoms abating over time, give or take surges of withdrawal symptoms coming and going (e.g. you might find you have a noticeable one at the three-month point). But there's no fixed period, it can depend upon the time on-drug, the way your body reacts to the reduction. Some people come off with no/few problems, others have severe withdrawal after a short time on-drug and are still experiencing problems months after the fact. Otherwise? Anecdotally? Very individual. Best to take it as it comes, armed with the knowledge which will allow you to recognise and deal with the withdrawal effects, rather than fix a time period on it. Mood swings, hypomania, and manic-like reactions are all possible withdrawal effects, so do be very aware of this. If you've been cold turkeyed off, and had it replaced with another SSRI/SNRI antidepressant, then you may find the new serotonin booster 'replaces' the old one, and after a switchover period, that things settle down. Here is a list of withdrawal symptoms, prepared as a daily checklist. It has been designed so that individuals may follow and monitor their antidepressant withdrawal. You rate each withdrawal effect that you encounter on a daily basis, so you can see what is happening and note the progression over time. Some symptoms crop up swiftly - headache is a usual one, so is agitation/anxiety/irritation, and nausea - others can pop up later, or come and go. If you wish to read a book on the subject, so you can understand the various withdrawal symptoms and their presentation, and read others' experiences, then I've linked to it below. It is clear, factual, easy-to-read, and comforting to be able to understand the withdrawal process."