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As promised, my successful tapering off Effexor (Venlafaxine)
Below you will find the tapering plan that I used to successfully wean myself off Effexor (Venlafaxine). Feel free to share this with your doctor If you would like. I researched and came up with this plan, which was approved by my doctor, although she thought I could probably have weaned myself off sooner. But the reality is that we all have differing tolerance levels for tapering and weaning off this powerful drug from our bodies. Some people can taper faster, but usually not those who have been on this drug for years (like myself, since October 2002). I tapered off EffexorXR 150mg capsules about 5 years ago down to 75mg, and was on that maintenance dosage for a couple of years until I started weaning off the 75mg a year ago in April 2019. As of October, 2029, I’ve been withdrawal symptom free, but I still have occasional periods of anxiety when triggered. But I realize these waves of anxiety will soon pass, and I cope by deep breathing, taking a walk, having a cup of chamomile tea, etc. Cutting my exposure to watching upsetting news has really helped a lot as well. These days I seek things that bring joy and peace in such a turbulent world. Wishing you all a successful weaning off this powerful drug.
Weaning off Venlafaxine XR 75mg (Effexor-(extended release)capsules:
Weaning plan off plan that worked for BSS:
1. Inform your doctor you are tapering down from 75 mg Venlafaxine and ask them to prescribe 37.50 tabs to help with tapering doses (1/2 dosage down from 75 mg Venlafaxine capsules). The tabs are easier to cut into halves and quarter dosages than counting out beads from the capsules.
2. Begin your taper only after you are on a non-withdrawal symptomatic dosage level. If you were having w/d symptoms at 75 mg, you’ll need to go back to the level at which you were symptomless and stay there for 2-3 weeks before deceasing to a slow taper. NOTE: after successfully tapering from 150mg Venlafaxine down to 75mg for a month, I was unable to tolerate a drop cold turkey from a daily dosage of 75mg down to 37.50mg (50%) without having bothersome withdrawal symptoms of dizziness, brain fog, brain zaps, and nausea. So after researching various tapering plans, I came up with a slower tapering schedule my body could tolerate to finish the tapering from 75mg to 37.50mg, and then on to complete the tapering. Your body may even need slower tapering, so adjust according.
3. Week 1-2: Take 75mg caps MWFSu; take 37.50mg tab on alternate days Tu,Th, Sa. At the end of week 2, if you only have relatively mild to no withdrawal symptoms, proceed to week 3. IMPORTANT: If you have intolerable symptoms, adjust to a slower tapering schedule by adding an additional 1/2 tab on the alternate days (or take a total of one and a half 37.50 tabs on alternate days). You’ll then have to tweak the rest of your tapering schedule. If all goes well, proceed with week 3.
4. Week 3-4: Cut a few 37.50 tabs in half with a pill cutter or exacto knife blade to create quarter pieces. Take 37.50mg tab on MWFSu and take 3/4 tab on alternate days Tu, Th, Sa.
5. Week 5-6: Take 3/4 of a tab MWFSu, and take 1/2 tab on alternate days Tu, Th, Sa. If only mild symptoms, proceed to week 5.
6. Week 7-8: Take 1/2 tab on MWFSu; and take 1/4 tab on alternate days Tu, Th, Sa. If no symptoms, continue to week 7.
7. Week 9-10: Take 1/4 tab on MWFSu; and take 1/8 tab (cut 1/4 tabs in half) on alternate days Tu, Th, Sa. *Notice the quartering of doses into crumbs now...very important to keep small dosage tapering to remain withdrawal symptom free.
8. Week 11-12: Take 1/8 tab crumb on MWFSu; take none on alternate days Tu, Th, Sa. *If skipping alternate days produces symptoms, stay on 1/8 tab crumbs for a couple of weeks before alternating skip days for a couple of weeks.
You’ll find that this schedule may have to be tweaked for you by extending the time you stay on a taper...possibly up to 3-4 weeks before beginning a new tapering down. It all depends on how you tolerate the first two weeks.
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@michelle73 I used liquid Valium when tapering off of Xanax. Made the process much easier. Was it Josef Witt-Doering?
My apologies for the error regarding October 2029 when I was symptom free from tapering off Venlafaxine (Effexor). The time period should have been October 2019.
@sears Not good advice, she's probably feeling good because of the medications. Unfortunately, that's why many stop their meds, they feel good and think they don't need them, to their detriment.
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1 Reaction@derinda getting off meds , Hello, my name is randy and trust me when i say you definitely need help from someone in the medical field with knowledge of your conditions before stopping them cold turkey. certain medications can have negative effects on you internally and out if not monitored correctly. i hope for your sake you have help in this undertaking . i am no doctor but have been around enough to see side effects first hand and lucky enough to get to a hospital close by and cared for, just because of an old medication i took the wrong medication and had a reaction to it.
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2 Reactions@sears yes it was Dr. JOSEF.
Were you successful in staying off Venlaflaxine? I’ll be starting my taper , following your plan, tomorrow.
Thanks
@jeffc16 have you managed to stay off Venlaflaxine? I’m starting my taper tomorrow. I want to come off because I feel flat and sedated
how can you be sure about how many beads your getting if you just cut the capsules in half.? not enough can be risky
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1 Reaction@derinda thank you for your remark. guess it really boils down to the meds, for a few years mine was alcohol and drugs of various kind. cost me a couple of hospital trips, too much or wrong kind of experimenting. getting brought back from the brink of life being done is a scary note to sober you up. A hard look at what the medications and withdrawals that almost again took my life from anaphylactic shock and had to be jumpstarted once again. life's challenges and up and down tests. took a good wakeup call from those around me that worried over my survival and a very hard wake up pill and i changed my life, lost a wife from my faults and another wife that lasted 26 years to a hemorrhagic stroke and some friends and family for a while. I moved on. After two war zones, 4 marriages and starting from scratch 5 times i can say i have tested the waters to their splash point. Now i am single and starting all over again, this time from brain surgery twice and a keester load of meds that i don't want to take but told because of seizures i have too or face again deaths doors. instead of sit back and let life lead again, i exercise two different plans and ride stationary bike 10 miles every day except Sunday that is a rest day. my caregiver that is with me 5 days a week recently started taking me places to meet people that are in my age bracket and were starting to do things, long walks and eating right. I turn 70 this year and i feel like i am just getting wound up for new adventures and i don't give up, i have overcome severe anxiety, depression and loneliness that were all challenges and still take a part of me at least once a week but i am not letting that beat me down, even being sick 72 hours with a stomach bug did not make me stop my programs. Slowed me down but back at it again this day. today i did my routine and then stopped to pray for family and friends, had a few deaths this month and friends that needed my prayer chains started for them or just a personal prayer so that they could face their demons and carry on. one last thing on this subject. I have an angel hie name is Richard and i asked him this morning to send a couple angels with gods permission to protect those in my family traveling this weekend to services for a couple family members that recently passed and a personal friend also that i just found out through a friend. So yes life goes on and i am thankful not only for family and friends and caregivers but this link to Mayo clinic connect and its family of thousands needing an answer or a place to turn to when needed or to ask for just prayers from a stranger. A gathering of those in need or just looking for answers its a great site for every kind of group you could think of for support or put out a message for others to read. Ok i am done with my book today, sorry if i bounced around to much, it has been a long month already. Have a blessed day today for you and your families and friends alike. Amen
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1 ReactionAppreciate the hug, I responded earlier to others thoughts on what I put
out that was quite the book. Haven't heard back from them yet, probably
still reading.