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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (6299)Comment receiving replies
Yes the “bead” protocol had been used successfully by some. I found it a very frustrating and difficult way to titrate off this medication. In addition, as soon as you pop open the capsule and you have just the beads separately, you lose the extended release nature of Effexor XL, which is the form of the medication that most people are on. I know it seems counterintuitive to use one medication to get off of another, but as I have mentioned before on this post, I strongly recommend you speak to your physician about doing a Prozac bridge, which in my opinion is the best way to get off this very difficult medication.
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I'm wondering where you found the information on the "change the extended nature" of the XR when the capsule is opened. In capsule forms the extended release is usually built into the bead coating -- the capsule disintegrates quickly. In tablets, where the extended release is built as a combination of coating and/or structures to the tablet (laser drilled holes or a gel matrix) - then one definitely changes the absorption rate if the tablet is broken in half or crushed. It's one of the reasons why there has been such a push to make opioids "tamper proof" - can't crush em and smoke/snort or inject them.
It's a minor point - and I agree that a bridge is an option for people...and bead counting is tedious - and difficult to do correctly every time.