In the past I took myself off 150mg daily Effexor XR and had bad withdrawals for 2 weeks. After that I was fine. I lost all the weight I had gained whilst on Effexor, which was why I stopped it.

After a year I got very depressed again and was put back on 150mg daily Effexor XR.

A few days ago I saw a doctor to review my medication, which I have to do yearly. I have been doing very well on Effexor, but all the weight came back.

My doctor said because I have never in the 20 years I have been taking anti-depressants, come off them slowly, I always got depressed again.

I was told that I must very slowly come off this medication, and I should be OK. It does not matter how long it takes, so long as I do it slowly.

I am now taking 150mg one day and 75mg the next, and so on. I can do this for as long as I like, until I feel confident to reduce more. This has really made me feel that I can at last do without anti-depressants (of which I have been on many different ones) and cope with my life without medication.

I am 72 years of age, so it is a challenge after all these years.

How have others coped with withdrawing from Effexor?