Venlafaxine, a powerful anti-depressant sold with the brand name Effexor belongs to the class of antidepressants called serotonin and nor-epinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), which relieve the Depression symptoms by directly influencing the neurotransmitters serotonin and nor-epinephrine in brain.
Why Venlafaxine Is Used?
As a mood elevator and pain reliever, Venlafaxine is prescribed to treat
- Depression
- Social phobia
- Anxiety
- Panic disorders
- Hot Flashes (menopause and breast Cancer therapy related)
- Diabetic neuropathy pain
- Post-traumatic Stress disorder
- Tension type Headaches and Migraines
- Bipolar depression
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (Adhd)
Venlafaxine Withdrawal Symptoms
Venlafaxine undoubtedly works wonders by assuaging depression and pain, but one can be addicted to it. Its severe symptoms make it one of the toughest drugs to withdraw from. How? Let's see some of the main Venlafaxine withdrawal symptoms:
Except the abovementioned symptoms, you may also experience:
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Electric shocks
- Headaches
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Nightmares
- Dry mouth
- Nausea and vomiting
What Affects Your Venlafaxine Withdrawal Course?
While it's must to be mentally prepared for the withdrawal symptoms that you may have to go through, it's also very important to know the factors that determine the course of withdrawal:
1. Dosage
The recommended dosage for Venlafaxine is between 75 mg and 150mg and your dosage may or may not be higher than this. Generally speaking, the higher the dose, the severe the withdrawal symptoms.
2. Time span
The longer you've been on Venlafaxine, the higher the degree of dependency. Since your body has been relying on it to function normally for some time, it will now take some time to readjust.
3. Individual Factors
Everyone reacts to the withdrawal of antidepressant drugs differently. For example, people sensitive to medicines may have a tougher withdrawal and experience severe Venlafaxine withdrawal symptoms.
4. Way of Stopping It
While gradually reducing the intake of drug can get your brain prepared and adjust gradually, going cold turkey doesn't and this is why it's always the tougher path to choose and follow.
How to Deal With Venlafaxine Withdrawal
With an antidepressant as powerful as Venlafaxine, withdrawal could pose a great challenge and cannot be done on one's own. Let's shed some light on few ways of dealing with Venlafaxine withdrawal:
1. Taper It
When a drug is tapered, its dose is gradually reduced, which not only gives your brain time to adjust to the chemical changes, but also keeps sudden discontinuation symptoms at bay. Furthermore, tapering allows restoring the normal dosage if depression symptoms recur. Never do this on your own because whether it's a relapse or withdrawal effect, only a doctor can tell.
2. Seek Medical Help
Medical support could be of immense help as doctors can prescribe long-acting anti-depressants to ease this transition phase or better yet prescribe drugs to relieve the withdrawal symptoms. Besides, you need your doctor's assistance in make a suitable tapering plan, or you may mess things up.
