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@grandmar

@cmedoverload
Good Morning,
You have certainly been through the ringer with these drugs!
Was it the same doc who prescribed all these different meds or different docs prescribing meds for different symptoms and ailments?
I ask this question because if it were the same person, they evidently didn't check the interactions of these drugs.
Speaking of that, if you use the same pharmacy chain, isn't there some sort of a popup that warns the pharmacist of the pending interaction among drugs you are taking? Just wondering?

As far as withdrawing from Effexor?
If you did not have the opportunity to read previous posts, the conclusion is an OVERWHELMING......GO SLOW! GO AS SLOW AS YOU CAN!
We've had members who have wound up in the hospital due to a quick withdrawal.
What quick means?
That is different with each person and his/her doctor.
For some it is a rather large % jump down or a 'too soon' jump down, or both.

I am currently reducing without any intention of total withdrawal.
For me, Effexor is the only drug that has worked on my anxiety.
I was up to 300mg for the last 3 years or so.
Obviously, the lower dosage stopped working and I was upped.

I am going SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I started this reduction with 2-75 mg in the morning and at night.
Starting mid-November 2018, I reduced my evening meds first:
1/4 of one 75 mg tablet.
I took the reduced amount every other night for 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks, I took the reduced amount every night for 3 weeks.
Other than sleeping issues (it might not even be from the withdrawal), my body handled it fine.

When the 3 weeks were up, I reduced another 1/4 of a pill.
I continued the same pattern as above.
I always left time to remain on a dosage for another 3 weeks or longer, IF IHAD CONCERNING SYMPTOMS OR AN INCIDENT THAT I KNEW WOULD CHANGE THE OTHER MEDS I AM TAKING.
For example, I got sick and needed antibiotics.
Not to confuse anything, I remained of the Effexor dosage for a total of 4 weeks even though I felt fine.
I did not want to take a chance of the drugs interacting.

I am currently taking 1-75 mg tablet in the evening.
My intention is to stay on this dosage for at least a month before I attack my morning pills.
Again, I want my body to adjust.
Ultimately, I am not yet sure is I want to be at 1-75mg in the monring and afternoon.

Hope this helps!
Ronnie (GRANDMAr)

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Replies to "@cmedoverload Good Morning, You have certainly been through the ringer with these drugs! Was it the..."

Hello, A Psychiatric nurse practitioner prescribed Effexor and a hospital Resident physician with access to my current medication list put me on ultram (toradol). The interaction between the drugs, according to the FDA, is not major enough to warrant a flag. Day 4 of no Effexor an unpleasant jerking is mild. The issue is, I have been experiencing Effexor type withdrawal symptoms for the last 3.5 months. While taking my normal dose of Effexor with Ultram. Odd the interaction with ultram and Effexor produced like a “withdrawal syndrome” in my body. I literally thought I was dying this whole time. I will never put another Effexor in my body, my chemistry is against it I think. Told my husband this morning I have never felt so alive. After thinking all this time I had some type of cancer. Side note, In the middle of all this, my family watched me fade away. On day one, just 24 hours, I stopped shaking. I think 🤔....I might be opposite in some areas due to my allergy of the drug.