@texasduchess
I want to thank you for your posts on here. I have been reading in this forum for 2 months now & flagged you because of your good advice, nutrition & diet suggestions & links.
Brief history: I started 300mgs of effexor & 1800mg of Gabapentin 10 months ago when I began having anxiety attacks that worked into panic attacks. Those attacks started after I weaned off oxycodone that I was on for 6 months after major spine surgery to correct my severe scoliosis. In February, I foolishly started to taper on my own slowly. Mistake that ended me up in the ER.
Got online & Googled "effexor withdrawals" which brought me to this group. Needless to say, I'm following my PCP's advice these days.
Two weeks ago I finished the taper & am off the 1800mg Gabapentin now. PCP wants me to wait a month before starting effexor taper again. I'm nervous about that as I have already tapered to 150mg from the original 300mg. This time i plan to do it very slowly as recommended in here.
I just want to share with you what I have done to help w my anxiety this past 5 wks now. My nextdoor neighbor & I (she's 72 & I'm 65) started using cbd oil products. She takes it for pain from neuropathy & fibromyalgia; I take it for anxiety. We are both having good outcomes. I don't think I'd have finished tapering from the Gabapentin near as easily if I hadn't started the cbd oil.
From your posts on here, it sounds like you do a lot of research. That's what you'll need to do w cbd because there are so many out there that are better for different ailments. I also joined a Facebook group called "CBD oil users group" (no spaces) & have learned a lot from those posts. This past week, they started a new group for "CBD oil users for anxiety". I joined it too. I read in these posts mostly for product recommendations. But since everyone's metabolism is different, the same product may not work for all. You have to be willing to experiment a bit even after researching. I'm on my 2nd bottle of oil now & find it better than the 1st 1 I tried. I'm also taking the same brand gummies at night for sleep. They work great & I haven't had to take but 1 1mg ativan at night since starting the cbd stuff. I'm sold on it. Others may not be or are "offed" by the stigma of it. That's ok too but for me it has completely changed my demeanor. I haven't felt this good mentally in years! More energy, more clarity & even happy again! My sense of humor is even coming back.
I didn't mean to drag on so long here. I want to thank you again for your posts on here & I can only hope that I can be a smidgen if that hope to you & others. And if I can answer any questions on cbd oils, I'll try. I am surely no expert either but have & will continue to do a lot of reading up on cbd.
Have a good week!

@edziner
Thank you for letting me know that CBD oil is working for you and your friend. At the start of my symptoms back in June, I visited a couple of local head shops and bought a 500 mg bottle of Green Garden Gold Hemp Oil Supplement (Med Pac MCT Coconut Oil with naturally occurring CBD; hemp extract 16 mg). (Anyone know if this particular brand is any good?) Brightwings AKA Cute Susie was using CBD oil very successfully. Only tried it once as supplements, particularly L-tryptophan, were working for me.

It's just this Friday, Saturday and today that I am resorting to the Valium more than I want to--I have such a small supply and don't want to use it up if a worse episode occurs later and I have nothing. Not sure what's different about this weekend and why the akathisia/anxiety is so bad. I've pulled the Hemp Oil out and put two drops under my tongue (I believe Cute Susie said less was better and start slow although the bottle instructions say to use 1 to 2 droppers full twice daily).

@texasduchess
You might want to Google "what is the difference between hemp oil extract and cbd oil". I'm pretty sure I read that hemp oil (although it comes from the same plant species) is different from cbd oil. Think I remember that the hemp oil is a lighter version of the more medicinal type cbd. Not sure how well that would work w anxiety. My Hemp Bombs 1000mg cbd oil says "100% CBD oil" w other ingredients listed below that as "hemp oil, grape seed oil & mct oil" (whatever that is...). I will also check w my neighbor; she's gotten both her kids on cbd for anxiety & I think her son ordered hemp oil from Amazon.
I'm definitely not trying to sell HB products here but I have given several gummies to friends, hairdresser & pedicurist. It's an inexpensive way to see if it works for you. I 1st got HB gummies in a little 5 pack at the smoke store for $10. Took 1/2, then 1, then 1 1/2 on consecutive nights for sleep. I'm told they also sell the little packs in gas stations & convenience stores but I haven't seen them here in Tennessee.
During the day, i take 1/3 dropper x 3/day. Feels like it's working good right there for me. So that is about 30mgs per day.
Let me know if you have any questions. Hope the above helped. Just keep in mind it'll take several weeks usually to fully kick in but you should feel a little something right away.

@edziner
Hi!
OMG, you sound so much like my twin!
I am just a couple of years younger than you, but we are taking (or were taking) the same meds with he same dosages.
I had no idea that coming off Gabapentin was a big deal.
I started to come off it several months ago, basically, because I am just tired of taking so many meds and I am not sure it is working for me.
I know my brother takes it and it works wonders for him.
I want to come off of the Effexor, but I guess I'll continue with the Gabapentin, first.
I suppose it is easier than trying to come off of too many, too soon.
Congratulations of your success of coming off the Effexor!!!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

Never come off multiple meds at once. I ended up in bed for months. Can’t believe I was such an idiot.
I was on 3,600mg (max dose) of gabapentin and had no problems at all getting off it.
Good luck.
Jake