Whatever you do, don't stop taking your meds all at once, these meds have to be tapered off slow. I quit my Effexor altogether when I got down to 371/2. Very bad mistake. I ended up in the hospital. Anxiety is very rough, I am with you. I had been on Ativan for along time for anxiety. And it really helped. But with all the hype of Ativan mixing with pain medicine I was taken off of it. Now they are trying 10 mgs of busbar twice a day and neuroton. it has helped some, but it isn't so great either. I know these meds like Ativan are addictive, but sometimes when quality of life is so little, the danger of being addicted beats not having any life worth living. The health system in our country is broken. And, who suffers? us, the patients. We all suffer because people that are drug seekers go to the extremes to get drugs. And also I think it hurts the doctors also,they are scared of loosing their license. Sorry, I got off track, I understand wanting to just quit everything. It is so hard to try one, it not work then have to wait up to six weeks to see if another one will work. Very unfair. I understand you very scared. I've been there and am there again. I keep praying things will change for people with our condition. Too many people still see a mental disease as something hush,hush. They like to ignore the fact that when you are diagnosed with a physical disease it is treated and they do whatever they can most of the time, to give us some quality of life.Just, be sure and see your doctor before going off anything. I was depressed and decided to quit my medicine, so I quit it all and ended up in a psychiatric hospital. Very bad. sorry myanswer was so long.

I've tried Effexor. It was terrible for me. I got electrical feeling shocks in my head and body. I had to stop taking it.

one thing I do know is, do not quit cold turkey. You will be really sick if you do, taper off

I am on Effexor 225 mg daily. I have also tried Zoloft and Cypralex. Zoloft worked but the side effects were terrible. I felt numb and no sex drive. Cypralex made me worse and eventually suicidal. Effexor has been great for me. On it for about 6 years now. Few side effects. Every med hits people different though. It’s what works for you.

That drug made me hear voices in my head. Scared me so much i quit cold turkey.