Also chocolate has some cafiene I think. If you make your own cocoa you can control the amount of sugar.

Hello @cwaudio,

Welcome to Connect. Thanks so much for sharing your insights. May I ask why your doctor prescribed Effexor, and your reasons for weaning off now? How long have you been on this drug?

Hi - I’ve been on for like 2.5 years for severe depression and anxiety & im trying to get off because I started to get anxious about how physically addicted I am to this drug. I just want to be in control of my body and I can’t be on this drug

I’ve been on this drug since 2003. I am now 70 yrs old. I’ve decided that enough is enough. I did consult with my doctor and have started to slowly get off this drug. In 3 weeks, I’ve gone from 150mg to 75mg. I did this by opening the capsule and removing approx 10-15 pellets per day. When I reached enough to decrease a total of 37.5 mg (60 pellets), I stayed on that dosage (112.5mg) for one week. When I was confident that my symptoms from withdrawal were minimal, I started the process again. I’m now on my 2nd day on 75 mg. So far, so good. I’ll stay on 75mg until Saturday and begin the process again. If all goes well, I should be Effexor free in another month.

How is that going? I’m only reducing by 12.5mg at a time and I feel rough. My head is pounding and I feel like I’m getting the flu.
I really don’t want to replace on with another drug.

I do make sure I eat well also. I take multi vitamin and omega 3 fish oil. I have not decreased caffeine (I have 2 cups of coffee in the a.m.). I also continue to have a glass of wine with dinner. In the last 3 weeks I've reduced my dosage from 150mg to 75mg by removing a number of pellets from the capsule every day. I've experienced a few bouts of dizziness and occasional headache, but nothing I can't live with. It hasn't interrupted my life. I plan to be completely off of Effexor in another 4 weeks. I'll certainly be keeping my fingers crossed that it goes well.

I would recommend that if your withdrawals symptoms become to much try reducing the amount to every other day . I finally come through the other side I can't tell you it was a breeze because that would be unfair . Firstly remember we're individual so what work for me may not work for you try reducing every other day or every two days mix it around for your system to adapt but please please try to push through to The Dawn literally ... eventually when your nearing a low low dose I suggest you decide your next move for me I have to take medication for life but I Happy to say I am on a low dose of Prozac and I feel me again after 15 long years x

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@arachel I hope you do manage to get off of this miserable pharmaceutical. I would never have believed how many people are basically trapped by it. At least the wine with dinner gives you something to look forward to also. I always enjoyed that before my liver problems, I still wish I could have a glass with dinner.
JK

@cwaudio

Have you thought about how you would treat the depression and anxiety without medication? I take Wellbutrin, and recently added Mirtazapine because I was becoming more depressed. I'm pleased with how much better I feel now. I'm not sure I'd want to stop taking Antidepressants - I really don't want to go back to the dark hole of depression.

Jim

Through diet, environment and circumstance. Yoga and meditation has helped loads with my anxiety which I think is at the same level as it was pre drugs at the moment. Honestly, I think a lot of people, myself included have been put on drugs without doctors trying to find the root of the problem.
I read a book called ‘Lost Connections’ by Johann Hari and that was really insightful. I just don’t want to be on medication anymore so will do anything I can to help curb it @jimhd