Pfizer is aware that to wean off their drug Effexor (venlafaxine) the dose needs to be decreased by 5mg every 2 weeks. They choose to make the drug increments 37.5mg. Patients cannot get smaller doses than that. So how are they to come off this drug? They have to endure debilitating side effects because the drug company refuses to make the simple change of providing people with weaning doses of 5mg. More people on the drug equals more money. People go through horrific side effects when trying to wean off of Effexor. Side effects of lowering your dose by more than 5mg include "brain zaps" where patients feel like their brain is being electrocuted, suicidal thoughts, agitation, anorexia, anxiety, confusion, impaired coordination and balance, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, dysphoric mood, fasciculation, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, headaches, hypomania, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, nightmares, sensory disturbances, somnolence, sweating, tremor, vertigo, and vomiting. These withdrawal symptoms are debilitating and so easily avoidable if smaller dose changes were available.