Does this approach make sense? A. Venlafaxine (Effexor) is a short-acting antidepressant, which can make it challenging to discontinue. A three-day “taper” might not be long enough.

Cymbalta is the brand name for duloxetine, and Effexor XR contains the active drug venlafaxine. These are prescription drugs called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).