Hello, please would you be kind enough to read my reply to ‘babyskyann123’ as this is also applicable to you. Also, I tried taking a 75mg tablet on alternate days, and found that it had an horrific effect - the last symptom I am gradually getting rid of almost one year later. My doctor stated that she had no experience in dealing with this, and that I knew more about it than she did! I bought a book called:

‘The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines - Antidepressants, Benzodiazepines, Gabarpentinoids, and Z-drugs’

by Mark Horowitz and David Taylor. Both men are extremely well qualified, with David Taylor being professor of Psychopharmacology, King’s College University, London. He is also Director of Pharmacy and Pathology, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust.

It’s not cheap, I paid
£ 40.00, but it’s worth every penny. The book covers everything about this subject, and includes tapering guidance for specific drugs - including venlafaxine (effexor). EVERY PERSON SHOULD BUY THIS BOOK if they are going through this, or plan to. I think all GP surgeries should have it too, if they prescribe any of these drugs. There is so much advice and information given, including example tables of how much one should reduce by, going from 300mgs per day to nothing. (By the way, I have nothing whatever to do with either the authors or the Maudsley Hospital. I get nothing by recommending people to buy it)! To give you an idea, I have been taking venlafaxine for many years; it will apparently take me at least 20 - 40 months, possibly more, for me to come off this drug whilst keeping withdrawal symptoms to a bearable minimum. Having had an awful year trying to cope with these horrible withdrawals, I shall be following what they say, to the letter. Please don’t take giving up this drug lightly. Good luck!