Anyone tapered off Effexor and used Prozac, cymbalta, gaba as bridge?

So sorry that you are going through such a difficult journey. Yes, there can be days of pure, dark hell. Such torture to deal with, while at the same time trying to balance a family (3 children), a husband, a house (with no outside help, just me as housekeeper, cook, shopper, etc., childrearing, an aging mother who was going through medical and personal crisis of her own and came to live with us....) AND working full time. WAY too much, so everything was just constantly being juggled, with horrid effects on me. I just focused on day by day, hour by hour...
It was not until AFTER I had finally reached the end of the tapering journey that the thought hit me that the Effexor had never made me feel any better, had not ameliorated my depression. If anythinging, it had compounded it.
You are taking topiramate (Topomax)...I was prescribed that for the severe migraines that would deck me out for HOURS and sometimes DAYS. I lost significant weight while on that drug (went from an 8/10 to size 2 --- I looked anorexic), but it did nothing for my migraines. Aggravated all the horrid experiences that I lived daily/nightly, so that drug was also tapered and dropped. I did not do any drug tapering solo, I sought and obtained excellent guidance but from a different neurologist, not the one who had prescribed Topomax, since she actually had prescribed Depakote also, which had created another level of hell for me. I dropped that doctor altogether, and was eternally grateful to the neurologist who guided me through the tapering journeys. I don't understand the rationale behind taking Prozac as an antidote. I've read several posts on this site of people who have been advised that...and also about the advise to RESTART the Effexor at 37.5. Why return to it at all, when with the right medical professional, it is possible to even get a pharmacy to fill a prescription for lower doses, possibly even tinctures, as part of finally eliminating the drug?
It's been a while since your post (the one to which I am responding), and I hope that you were able to get the help and reach the goal that you set for yourself. Effexor (I had the extended release) is in my opinion (and that of many posters on this site) a dangerous drug, and it insinuates itself into every fiber of the body, creating a twilight zone dimension that is extraordinarily difficult to escape.

With the tragic loss of my only sibling, a brother who lost a battle with lung cancer, I sank into a black chasm. I sought cognitive therapy, and accepted Zoloft to help with the crushing emotional and psychological pains. THAT drug also complicated daily (and nightly) life so I got the health professional to help me get off that as well. Effexor had been a hellish tapering experience, but Zoloft was worse on several levels, including the "whoosh" sounds in my ears, the brain fog and squeezes, the inability to concentrate, and the fact that even on the lowest dose I still had those problems. Required a tincture of that drug, mere drops over a period of time, to finally one day realize that there was no more blowing in my ear, no more sense of imploding. But it was accomplished with guidance, help, and not done on my own...I can't see how anyone can just undergo that path alone.
By the way, I am not on any antidepressants of any kind, and several life events and medical issues have made it increasingly difficult to cope with major depressive and anxiety disorders but the choice to not take medication is a decision borne from all that I experienced with various medications, with Effexor and Zoloft having been the ones that concretized my decisions. Personal choice.

I pray that you'll succeed and find a plateau of peace. 💖

I would urge those of us in the US to file a report with the FDA about Effexor. If enough of us file reports with MedWatch (FDA's Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program), we could make a difference. According to the response I received from the FDA: "Voluntary reports are essential for ensuring the continued safety of FDA-regulated products. One or two well documented case reports may provide an early signal of unexpected problems and lead to additional evaluation."
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/index.cfm

It seems to be working for you so that’s great. Do you think it has something to do with sleep apnea? I would ask the doc who suggested you lower your dose.

Hi, My doctor and I have come up with a plan to taper off 75mg Effexor which I have been on for 15 years. She gave me the choice to bridge during the last dose change with either gabapentin, cymbalta or prozac. I have researched all and am leaning toward prozac. I do have chronic pain as well so wondering if either of the others may be more helpful.

I have read that Prozac is good for helping with avoiding withdrawal because it has a longer half life. I don't know if that is what is meant as a "bridge." And that may be true of Cymbalta. Does your doctor have a preference?

Personally I would prioritize minimizing withdrawal (having seen the effects in a family member) vs pain relief. Then dealing with pain after fully off. SSRI"s are supposed to help with pain receptors but not sure if that is true of Prozac (or Cymbalta) so maybe that is something to ask.

Gabapentin, in our experience, is good for neurological pain (if tolerated) and helps with anxiety.

Your doctor sounds like a good one !

@julishka
I'd be curious why the doctor wants to add medication when your trying to get off it unless he's trying to stop your effexor to quickly. I'm wondering if your doctor is not taking into account the length of time you've been on this medication. This isn’t a medication you should expect to get off of quickly. Although bridging may be necessary for some people personally I would never do it since I've always gone off medications extremely slowly. It's been my experience that doctors often try to reduce your medication at two quickly thereby causing withdrawal effects. I stopped some powerful medications and all without any withdrawals and and I credit doing it slowly. as the reason.
Take care,
Jake

@julishka and @jakeduck1 I assumed a long taper. @jakeduck1 you are right about what doctors tend to suggest: "Cut in half for a week and stop.'!

Even when on an SSRI for a much shorter time, my family member needed to taper down over months, using small dose reductions and then, when at the lowest amount (I think the lowest was using liquid) doing longer time intervals between doses.

I have read that switching from a short acting SSRI to a longer acting one like Prozac can help with this but I do not remember at one point that is suggested.

@ julishka I may be misunderstanding your use of the term "bridge." I am using it as a term for concurrent meds at one point, with Prozac intersecting with the med being withdrawn, and then the Prozac being tapered. Prozac is easier to taper due to its long half life. Just wanted to be clear.

Doctors use a "bridge" blood thinner while going off and on Coumadin for surgery. I used Pepcid as a "bridge" for getting off omeprazole. In the latter case, I slowly replaced omeprazole with Pepcid and then tapered the Pepcid because it is shorter acting.

Thank you for your reply. I am hesitant to do the Cymbalta because as an SNRI I feel it is more of the same and I agree prioritizing withdrawal is more important.

Yes and she has done this the previous two times I tried unsuccessfully so I insisted on slow this time (I will be reducing beads by 10% per month), but I think she wants to have something in our back pocket .

Yes the bridge being when I get down to the lower dose (by reducing by 10% by counting beads) having something that will overlap and then tapering off that.