Coming off Effexor

[Shakti]

It was MISERABLE for my trying to get ON Effexor. I felt like shit when I started taking it, but after about 2 months, the side effects subsided and I evened out (aka became pretty numb). I have been on it for about 6 months and I'm trying to get off. Its my second day weaning down and I feel like garbage. I'm very light headed, but at the same time the numb feeling is going away, which kinda feels good, because I can FEEL again, but feeling so intensely was what I was trying to get away from to begin with....
Anyway, how much worse is this going to get? Is there anything I can do to get rid of the dizzy/light headed feeling? When will that go away? Will this get worse before it gets better?

[gypsylee]

Hi and welcome :)

Effexor is actually the worst of those meds to come off. I've done it and I was pretty shocked by how severe it was (I've been on and off a LOT of meds). So you really have to cut back slowly.. I think it took me a couple of months.

The dizzy feeling is completely normal - people call it "brain zaps" - you can get the feeling even when you just move your eyes! That's pretty much the worst of the effects though. I can't really say if it will get worse for you but it does go away eventually.

All the best,
Gypsy x

[tiredoffeelinganxious]

I agree with Gypsy...I've been on a fair amount of antidepressants and Effexor was by far the worst to come off of. The brain zaps were horrible and took quite awhile to subside. Just rest assured it is temporary, totally normal, and eventually will pass.

[Shakti]

Hi and welcome :)

Effexor is actually the worst of those meds to come off. I've done it and I was pretty shocked by how severe it was (I've been on and off a LOT of meds). So you really have to cut back slowly.. I think it took me a couple of months.

The dizzy feeling is completely normal - people call it "brain zaps" - you can get the feeling even when you just move your eyes! That's pretty much the worst of the effects though. I can't really say if it will get worse for you but it does go away eventually.

All the best,
Gypsy x


I keep reading about "brain zaps"... Is that what people call this dizzy feeling? I was expecting something more abrupt like a shock or a pain or something.

[gypsylee]

I think I've read or been told Effexor is the worst as well.

There's no real pain with the brain zaps, it's just very uncomfortable and can be quite distressing if you don't know what's causing it. I remember coming off Prozac for the first time and didn't know about brain zaps, and thought I was having a stroke or something. It's just your brain adjusting to less of the drug. I actually just stay on 20mg Prozac now because going on and coming off those things is awful, so I stay on a minimal dose.

Yeah it's this dizzy feeling when you move or as I say, even just move your eyes. It comes and goes so people call it "zaps".

I just googled it and Wikipedia says Paxil and Effexor are the worst. I haven't been on Paxil though.