I would suggest you continue to taper as you have, since you have apparently been successful thus far in doing so. If you're down to 8mg, that's tremendous progress, so celebrate it! I'm down to 25mg. I know I have a long way to go, but I want to get there, so I am doing it slowly as recommended by Mark Horowitz, who has done it himself.

I have been weaning at 3 mg every 30 days I tried to stop it at 18mg and had horrible panic attacks. It really needs to be a slow process to give your receptors in your brain time to adjust. I think even with that it will be a rough few days/weeks when I actually quit Don’t plan to do it until I am as low as possible without symptoms. That attack scared me to death!!!
Be patient and do the exercises for relaxation now so they are second nature when or IF you are in a bit of trouble when you quit

I would love to wean off it , the only reason I still take it is because I tried once and the brain zaps wow, if you have gotten down this far think about that , and the risks u take if you come off it to quick even at that dose, better to be safe than sorry.

I remember a doc saying if you have been on a med ( not effexor ) for a year it could take 18 months to 2 years to get off.

I had a different experience. I was on 150 mg of Effexor and tapered by 50 mg/month with no problems. Obviously, that’s not everyone’s experience! I was on it for a severe depression—not so much anxiety. What resolved that depression was 2 weeks of SAINT (Stanford Accelerated Intermittent Neuromodular Therapy)—which is a variation of TMS treatment. Even tho’ the depression was completely resolved with SAINT, I was afraid of going off the Effexor—but eventually, after a year or so, I started the above taper. In May, it will be 4 years post SAINT with no recurrence. I understand that in some people there is a recurrence, which just goes to show that there is individual variation in response to treatments.
Perhaps try tapering by 1 mg/month? You can always go back up if you start having anxiety or “zaps.” If that happens, then try a 0.5 mg/month taper. You’ll get there!!

I was on Effexor many years ago. Trying to discontinue this medicine was traumatic. I cut my tablets down to quarters and then when I couldn't go any lower took them every other day, but still suffered withdrawal. Missed a week of work with vertigo, vomiting, etc. I will never take Effexor again. It was brutal.

I have just finished weaning myself of Effexor. I was on 150 mg, then switched to 75 mg for about a month, then 37.5 mg for another month while taking a starting dose of Mirtazapine for sleep. Of course I had the usual brain zaps and still do from time to time, but it is wonderful to have feelings in my sexual organs again. I am more subject to frustration and anger but my partner tolerates it. I haven't experienced anxiety like before and I took CBD oil daily while reducing Effexor. I meditate daily and practice living in the present moment, which is so very important.

I am weaning myself off of Effexorxr. I was on 75 mg +37.5 mg. I switched to 75mg for 2 weeks and am now on 37.5 mg for a week. It’s my intention to do this for another 2 weeks and then stop. I too am on Mirtazapine for sleep and hanging in there. I take benedryl in the middle of the day to soften the effects . So far so good.

I have been on it for a year and I feel that now it’s contributing to my neurological symptoms. I have Parkinson’s and the doctor feels that it’s adding to my tremors.

Go down at about 3mg every 30 days Use Benadryl for breakthrough symptoms
Those symptoms will get better but you will have to use other drugs to treat them.
Just go slow. And easy