I have been tapering off Effexor rather quickly from 225 mg. I am getting off the drug as quickly as I
can because it caused liver damage, so i cannot follow the recommended slow hyperbolic taper. Experiencing horrible withdrawal the entire way, which has been 5 weeks so far, with one trip to the ER. I'm so worried about protracted withdrawal later, but I didn't have a choice.
My husband and I just finished preparing my capsules for this week. We bought a pharmacy scale and empty capsules. We weighed the beads from 75 mg capsules and took the average (since they are not all the same, they are, on average, 227 mg, because they contain medication and filler. This week, I'm going from 75 to 64 mg starting tonight. By weighing the little beads, I am able to remain at a steadier XR dose, rather than switching to an immediate release and going up and down during the day.
My husband has a physics degree, and I trust that he knows what he is doing. I just feel bad putting the onus on him, but I don't see another option. I will switch to a liquid when I get to lower dosages, if necessary.
Always something to stress about!
Has anyone had success with this bead-weighing method? My pharmacist is supporting me, but I wish there was another way.