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Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (6363)Comment receiving replies
I'm tapering too and I need help!! Been on Effexor for 15 years or more. Was on 37.5 for most of the time then got upped to 150mg. Tried weaning but couldn't stand the withdrawal symptoms. I was at 150mg for the last 6 years or so. I started weaning a few months ago. I was able to go from 150mg to 112.5mg (take a 75 and a 37.5mg). Did that for several weeks then went to 75mg only (did every other day 112.5 then 75 then 112.5 etc.). I'm now down to 37.5 but can't get past that without feeling terrible. This has been rough - dizzy, can't concentrate, diahrrhea, crazy mood swings from tears to irritability in a second, headaches, etc! Going with out anything (37.5 one day, nothing the next, 37.5 one day, nothing the next) felt awful. Tried that for 6 days. Then I tried taking the pill every 36 hours instead of going every 48 hours. Still very bad side effects. QUESTION: How do I taper from 37.5 with the capsule? Do you actually open it and take out the little beads? How many at a time? @texasduchess how do you reduce by 10%? Anyone - does the every other day without anything work? I would really appreciate any help you can offer. Thank you!
Replies to "I'm tapering too and I need help!! Been on Effexor for 15 years or more. Was..."
The 37.5 Venlafaxine capsule contains approximately 37 “balls” ...37 times .1= 3.7. Subtract this amount from 37 for your next dose.
If you dropped from 150 to 37.5 over some weeks, you are tapering too fast--feeling like cr*p is the big tip off. Ping-ponging on/off from one day to the next is just putting you into withdrawal over and over. The recommendation is to go back to the level where you felt good (that may be 75mg, or even 112.5mg), stabilize there for weeks, or even months before tapering (only 5-10%, or even less) again. Going slooowww is your friend! There's no point rushing the process if you ultimately can't get off Effexor because the withdrawals are too awful.
Is your doctor on board? He can help you taper off Effexor by prescribing a different formulation–changing from extended-release to regular release, or from capsules to tablets (I was on 25mg tablets that could be cut), or specifying a certain brand (@farm_mom found Teva had the most consistent size and number of beads within a capsule–helpful to those counting and throwing out beads to taper). Or your doctor can write a prescription for a compounding pharmacy to make tapered doses for you (the extra cost may well be worth it because you can glide down in incremental amounts, rather than make rather large jagged drops).
Yes, other people opened the capsules and removed beads. @sandij and @doorman just commented on how to do this.
Hello. First of all you WILL eventually ween off. Secondly, I believe you’re going too fast still, so give yourself some normalcy and take the 37.5 everyday. When you’re ready, yes. Take out some of those small beads.
I took out 5 beads each time I went down a level. I had zero side effects but it took about 18 months. What’s the hurry?
I did ok but after six months completely clean, I went on Zoloft and seroquel. (Both generic). I was too sick of not being happy and well, truth be told, I was buying and selling too much. My family was suffering and my doctor pointedly told me it is highly likely I am bipolar. And so now I take meds for it. And they’re working 🙂
Good luck and go easy on yourself.
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Also, I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone on this post. I was beginning to think I was over-reacting or psycho-somatic. Surely it couldn't be this bad! You have all affirmed that my experience is real! I really want to get off this drug!