@elaine0 you are in the right place! Welcome to the group that nobody wants to be part of, like @brightwings said in an earlier post.

I was on effexor 225 for many years and decided to taper off in September 2018. I tapered relatively fast, going from 225 to 150, and then from 150 to 75. After starting to count beads when tapering from the 75 capsules that I have, I got sick and tired of being on this drug and feeling like it was controlling me. So at the dose of 67 mg I jumped off. My last dose was on April 17. I had the dizziness, nausea, and anxiety for several days and I took benadryl to help. I've also been on CBD oil for a long time, and continued my regimen of vitamin D, omega 3, and other unrelated supplements. Things have been well since then.

May I suggest you take a look at this website which is the best explanation of protracted withdrawals:
https://npanth.wordpress.com/2013/01/31/waves-and-windows-in-ssri-withdrawal/
With that being said, I am stepping back from this forum for a bit. I am doing really well and although I know exactly what MAY be expected from conducting my taper the way that I did, I am not going to live my life in fear of the next wave, IF it comes, I am confident that I am equipped to deal with it. I can look back at the experience that I had when I cold turkeyed neurontin (not really by choice) and that, by far, was worse.
There will be those that say I haven't experienced the worst, that the worst is coming, that withdrawal may not hit me until the drug leaves my fat stores, it may be six months later, etc etc. While that may be true....guess what? It might NOT happen.
I appreciate all of the reminders and advice on this forum to take it slow, to decrease by very small amounts, etc. But at this moment I have to move on from that...not that it is negative, as I said, they are all good reminders, but I'm choosing to place all my focus on the positive aspects in my life and have gratitude for the place I am in. I'll continue to check in from time to time, but I need to be surrounded by success stories right now in order to level up.
See you all on the other side!