Wildcat, in my experience when I went off meds abruptly (because I no longer had a job, or health care and could not afford them) The withdrawal was immense with multiple symptoms. I do not recommend ending meds abruptly. I got very sick, memory loss, flu like symptoms (nausea/body aches) , confusion, dizziness, light headed, no appetite, and many more. I thought something was severely wrong with me, and I went to urgent care, they ran all the tests and couldn't find a thing. Then I was like well a month ago I stopped taking effexor after being on it for over a year, could that be it?. And they assured me that was the reason for all of my symptoms and that it can take a very long time for your body to recover. I got a new job and health care, and my new doc. said that going back on meds would take care of my symptoms, and sure enough, it did.