Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

@jakedduck1
Thanks for replying. To clarify, I am not going back to the doc. That's why I want to taper off everything. The DEA should not dictate to physicians what they can and cannot prescribe for their patients. They can pull up my records right there in the doc's office and see that I have not been doc hopping for drugs! It's ridiculous! Plus the nurse said that now they will require patients to pay for a drug pee test every visit, even though they know that the benzodiazepine is in my system! It's all about the profit they can make from unnecessary tests.

@jakedduck1
I only have capsules. 75 mg of the extended release.

That creates a bit of a problem. Some people here have counted out all the beads and took so many out a day of or week etc. hopefully someone smarter than me will be along to help.
Jake

@jakedduck1
Thank you!

You can count the beads that are in 3 capsules and divide by 3 to get the average number, then take enough beads out to equal a 5 to 10 percent decrease in the dosage. I've heard the lower the dosage, the higher the possibility of withdrawal symptoms are. I'm at 75 mg (XR capsules) now and contemplating how much to decrease. Keep us posted and good luck, you can do it!

@sandij
Hi Sandi,
Where did you.read “The lower the doseage the higher the possibility of withdrawal symptoms.”
I disagree with that statement. I know even if a person has an extremely slow taper the possibility of withdrawal symptoms sometimes do occur. There is no guarantee that going slow will get you off a drug symptom free but it greatly reduces the chance of withdrawal. There have been studies that show no withdrawal symptoms at all then nearly a year later they appear. I don’t know how that is possible and not sure I believe it.
Take care,
Jake

@jakedduck1 @sandij
The doc started me at 75 mg/day for 10 days, then doubled that dosage. I didn't count grains when starting. I know there are withdrawal symptoms, and as long as I can recognize them, I'm not expecting to be withdrawal symptom free. I just don't want to drop over dead from stopping this med.
It seems to me that the longer I stretch out the taper, that keeps the chemical in my system longer, and might intensify the withdrawals. What do you think of my reasoning?
With my shakiness, I don't think I could take a capsule apart and count grains without spilling it.

@brightcloud
The main problem I see with your reasoning is if I agreed, it would mean my advice would be wrong. Now we can’t have people thinking that can we, lol
Are you currently on 150mg. Maybe reduce it by 25mg every couple weeks. I had forgotten it also comes in 50, 37.5, & 25mg and sense you haven’t been on it long titrating down by those amounts my work out fine. (If your at 75mg) I wouldn’t be overly concerned about being on it awhile. The question is how long to stay on each dose. I think what’s important is that your consistently decreasing the dose letting your brain adjust. Also I wouldn’t take this drug every other day because of it’s short half life, approximately 5 hours. If I was reducing a drug like Phenobarbital with a half life of 80-100+ hours I might consider it. I’m curious why the pharmacist suggested it. He is the expert though.
Decisions decisions
Health and happiness & best of luck,
Jake

@jakedduck1
Smooth answer. LOL.
Your explanation makes sense to me. BUT...
I'm currently on (1) 75 mg ER capsule /day. I've been taking that dose for 10 days. (I talked to pharmacist b4 decreasing.) For about 3 months prior to that, I was taking (2) 75 mg ER caps. = 150 mg/day.
Since I have severed my relationship with the doc, because of his nurse, I do not have an Rx for anything other than the 75 mg extended release capsules.
Your reasoning for not taking 1 cap of 75 mg every other day makes sense. I won't do that. Thanks.
We have a Nurse Practitioner in our little town. I will go see her on Monday. She will probably help me finish tapering off.
Thanks for talking me through this @jakedduck1 .
Best wishes for your health!
Bright Cloud

There is a facebook group that I'm in where this is always a huge topic of discussion. But who knows what information is actually correct. Some people swear they can't get off one last bead for years and I think that's a bit extreme.