by Tina in Effexor, Effexor Withdrawal, The Journey, Truth about Effexor Tags: antidepressant, detox, drug, Effexor, effexor withdrawal, homeopathic remedies, medicine, truth, venlafaxine, withdrawal

Effexor (venlafaxine) is the sixth most common prescribed antidepressant in the United States. Aside from depression it is commonly prescribed for anxiety, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and headaches. I am not debating its efficacy. For many people it has worked wonders. The problem is that when you no longer need it, it is almost impossible to get off of. The horror of trying to escape this drug is debilitating. This is not exaggeration, it is reality. Anyone undertaking removing this medication from their life deserves to know the truth of what they are undertaking. Unfortunately, that is not likely something you will get from your physician. Here is the reality of detoxing from Effexor. Effexor withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks or even months, and most people experience not one or two of these symptoms, but rather the vast majority of them; I am no exception.

The Following is a list of common Effexor (Venlafaxine) withdrawal symptoms: agitation, anorexia, anxiety, ‘brain zaps’ (shock-like electrical sensations),confusion, impaired coordination, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, dysphoric mood, fasciculation, fatigue, headaches, hearing loss or unexplained noises in the ear, hypomania, hyperventilation, insomnia, irritability, loss of bladder control, loss of coordination, muscle twitches, nausea, nervousness, nightmares, rapidly changing moods, intense sadness, seizures, sweating, tremor, vertigo, and vomiting….Venlafaxine withdrawal symptoms can be severe. Even a relatively short delay in taking the daily dose can severely impair motor skills. Severe withdrawal symptoms, such as confusion, impaired coordination, sensory disturbances, vertigo, delirium, stroke-like symptoms, and depersonalization, may occur only hours after reducing or missing a dose.

…but your doctor won’t tell you this. As a matter of fact it is far more likely that your physician will do exactly what mine did and tell you that what you are experiencing is a actually a return of your anxiety (depression, chronic pain, fibromyalgia – whatever it is it was originally prescribed for.)

The pharmaceutical industry will tell you adamantly that Effexor is not addictive. That is a lie, as anyone who has ever tried to stop taking it will tell you. Many doctors avoid this debate by simply telling their patients, (as mine did) that to remain stabilized they will need to be on this medication forever. This conveniently insures that the patient isn’t faced with the reality that getting off Effexor is much worse than what you took it for in the first place in most cases.

Still not convinced? Let’s compare Effexor withdrawal to the worst of the worst – heroin withdrawal.

The initial comedown of heroin withdrawal can vary in time and intensity. Typically withdrawal symptoms will begin 6 to 12 hours after the last dose, peaking within 1 to 3 days, and gradually subsiding over 5 to 7 days. Some users can experience weeks or months of minor withdrawal symptoms, known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS).

Common heroin withdrawal symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, a runny nose, goose bumps, sweating, tears, insomnia, aches and pains in the muscles and joints, extreme restlessness, yawning, abdominal cramps, and dilated pupils. Many patients also experience psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression, with severe cravings for the drug. They can also develop muscle spasms in the legs which cause them to kick. Striking similarities, no? One woman stated she would rather re-experience getting clean from heroin 10x over than ever go through getting off of Effexor again. Still Wyeth pharmaceuticals insists it is not addictive.

Medical professionals have developed their own term to describe what patients experience coming off of this medication: ‘Discontinuation Syndrome’. This is just one more way to minimalize the experience of the patient. The hell with that. Let’s call this what it is – withdrawal. Dope Sick. Don’t give me a polite term. There is nothing polite about this experience.

Quitting this drug cold turkey is a violent and dangerous process for your body, and many who have gone this route state that they are still experiencing negative effects years later. DO NOT JUST STOP TAKING EFFEXOR.

Your physician will probably suggest that you follow their ‘taper off’ method. This consists of taking a pill every other day for a week, then every third day etc…until you are off. I am here to tell you that this route is torturous and unbearable and feels like futility. Because of the short half-life of this drug, your body is on a ceaseless rollercoaster…again, not good.

I have chosen, after a great deal of research, to go with the ‘grains’ method. This consists of opening the individual capsules and slowly reducing the individual grains inside on a gradual schedule starting with a 25% reduction and then going down in increments of 10%.

Over a three month period I will reduce my intake to zero. Is it tedious? Yes…but ultimately it is the least violent way to go through this process.