What to Expect with Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms
Effexor withdrawal symptoms can be some of the most uncomfortable types of withdrawal to experience. Can withdrawal from Effexor kill you? Most likely no. However, it can cause painful side effects that can lead to lasting health damage if not treated properly. Effexor is a popular antidepressant used to treat depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder.
Antidepressants are not typically known to cause addiction. However, they can cause physical dependence. Physical dependence is different from addiction. Addiction is characterized by compulsive drug-seeking behaviors and drug cravings. In contrast, physical dependence is characterized by the body’s adaptation to the drug to continue normal functioning.
When the body has become adjusted to the drug and the user suddenly stops use, withdrawal can occur. Withdrawal from antidepressants is also referred to as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. It is a well-known phenomenon that occurs in people who stop taking antidepressant medications abruptly.
Antidepressant Discontinuation Syndrome
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome can happen with all types of antidepressant medications and occurs when users abruptly stop taking their antidepressant medication. It can occur when a dosage has been significantly changed or lowered. This is usually the case when tapering too quickly off the medication. It can occur if the user accidentally misses a dose or two. Because it has such a short lifespan in the body, missing a dose can quickly lead to withdrawal.
It can also occur when the type of antidepressant medication has been suddenly switched. Antidepressant medications work differently in the brain and switching from one to another can cause the body to go into withdrawal.
So what happens during drug withdrawal? When the medication is being used, it begins to adapt to the increase in neurotransmitters artificially produced by the drug. The drug reduces the brain’s natural ability to produce neurotransmitters by reducing the sensitivity of receptors for serotonin and norepinephrine and decreasing natural production.
When this occurs, the brain easily adapts to this new norm making the drug’s influence on the central nervous system as the new baseline in the brain. When there is a quick elimination of drugs from the body, antidepressant discontinuation syndrome can occur. This is especially prominent in antidepressants with shorter half-lives and drugs that impact the central nervous system.
Effexor Withdrawal
Effexor is an antidepressant well known for producing severe withdrawal symptoms compared to other SSRI drugs. Studies have found that Effexor has the highest rate of reported withdrawal symptoms.
Research has found that an estimated 31% of people who quit using antidepressants like Effexor experience at least one withdrawal side effect. An estimated 3% of people can experience severe withdrawal symptoms. Another study found that an estimated 78% of patients on Effexor experienced the development of new withdrawal symptoms within 3 days of stopping drug use.
Effexor acts on both serotonin and norepinephrine so it can act more quickly compared to other antidepressants. Suddenly stopping use or drastically lowering dosage can destabilize the balance in the central nervous system and trigger the body to go into withdrawal.
Effexor has a relatively short half-life compared to other antidepressants. Drugs with a shorter half-life tend to leave the system more quickly and therefore are able to trigger the onset of withdrawal symptoms. Immediate-release formulations have a half-life of about 5 hours. Extended-release formulations have a half-life of about 11 hours. It takes about 4-5 half-lives for the drug to be fully eliminated from the system.
Withdrawal symptoms can typically appear within 24-48 hours after drug use has stopped. The duration of withdrawal is dependent on many factors, but generally, it can last up to 3 weeks.
Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms
- Agitation and mood swings – emotional ups and downs making it more difficult to feel emotionally stable
- Increased and heightened anxiety that can lead to panic attacks or brief psychotic or manic episodes
- Depression – can cause rebound depression and temporarily worsen symptoms
- Changes in appetite
- Confusion
- Dizziness and vertigo
- Headaches – can range from dull tension headaches to more intense migraine-like painful headaches
- Nausea and vomiting – the earliest symptoms of withdrawal
- Sleep disturbances such as nightmares, insomnia and frequently waking up in the middle of the night
- Flu-like symptoms
- Gastrointestinal issues such as stomach cramps and diarrhea
- Cognitive difficulties such as trouble concentrating, memory loss and overall brain fog
- Paresthesia – tingling or prickling needle sensations primarily in the hands and feet
- Ataxia – a condition of severe imbalance and lead to falls, extreme fatigue and intense electrical shock sensations in the body
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Brain Zaps
One of the most perplexing withdrawal symptoms of Effexor withdrawal is the development of brain zaps. In fact, brain zaps can occur in withdrawal of any antidepressant drug. Brain zaps are characterized by brain shivers that feel like sensations of brief but repetitive shocks in the brain. They are usually felt in the head and neck area. There is still very little known about brain zaps and how and why they occur.
Some users say the brain zaps have also spread to other parts of their body and can even be triggered by sudden eye movements. When this happens, it is often accompanied by feelings of disorientation, vertigo and dizziness. There are no current studies or research that suggest brain zaps are dangerous or harmful to the brain. However, they can be very uncomfortable and if they are frequent enough, can begin to disrupt daily life.
How to manage Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms
Most Effexor withdrawal symptoms typically peak within a week or so. But, there are ways to make the process more tolerable.
Speak to your healthcare provider. They may recommend a gradual taper under medical supervision. Tapering slowly off an antidepressant medication can help lessen the severity and intensity of withdrawal. They may also be able to prescribe other medications to help ease certain withdrawal symptoms. In other cases, providers may suggest a wide variety of over-the-counter medications, vitamins or supplements to help manage less severe symptoms.
Stay hydrated and maintain a diet that provides nutritional support. A healthy diet produces a physically healthy body that will be able to better manage withdrawal symptoms. This also includes engaging in physical activity.
Seek out professional support. Psychotherapy or counseling can be extremely beneficial to treat behavioral or cognitive withdrawal symptoms. Seek out support from friends and family. Patients who have a solid support network tend to have better outcomes when withdrawing from a powerful and potent substance.
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Treatment for Substance Use Disorder
Antidepressants such as Effexor are not known to be addictive. However, it is still a powerful drug that can cause tolerance and physical dependence. In some cases, dependence can slowly begin to lead to addiction.
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome can be very uncomfortable and can develop if you miss a dose, suddenly stop taking your medication or switch over to a different medication. The best way to manage withdrawal is through a professional detox program.
Hotel California by the Sea provides detox treatments as well as treatment for substance addiction. We off treatment at all levels of care including detox, residential, PHP and IOP. We utilize evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT and EMDR therapy. Our behavioral health program is dedicated to helping clients achieve their goals and overcome their addiction.
References:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1681629
https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/long-venlafaxine-withdrawal-symptoms-3573466
https://recovered.org/antidepressants/venlafaxine-effexor/withdrawal
https://www.talkspace.com/blog/effexor-withdrawal/