Weaning off Effexor with CBD Oil

Marijuana is legal in Arkansas.
My friend with soooooo many medical problems, heart, diabetes, kidney, I could go on and on.
He has developed his own CBD/THC recipe.
2 tsp ground weed
2 tsp vodka
6 Tbsp coconut oil
6 Tbsp olive oil.
Mix together, store in glass jar with lid.
It is ready in 8 hours.
He uses 1 tsp to cook 2 scrambled eggs in the morning.
The cooking is the last step on creating the CBD/THC process.
Our dispensaries open soon in Missouri.
PS.
You need the vodka to activate the thc and cbd. Do not leave it out.

See your physician. CBD is touted as an elixir for everything without much scientific support. I use a CBD ointment for an arthritic finger and it helps, but that is a topical application. Why are you trying to get off Effexor? Surely your physician/psychiatrist can and will work with you to change medications or convince you to continue with Effexor. I would be very wary of the CBD vendors showing up on every corner. Wishing you the best.

I am not sure who you are addressing @elwooodsdad so I will jump in.
Ok so you used it as an ointment and it works. Those were your words or something to that effect.
I used cbd internally as directed on the packaging.
I had tension and anxiety while getting off the Effexor. I still do.
I am living a triumphant life being off 16 medicines that kept me dopped up.
I am now an Elder in my tribe and help folks heal.
I am doing what God intended me to do and if that means I use CBD then so be it.
Bright Wings

Just a general response to be cautious. Not all products are the same, concern about interaction with other drugs, etc. Seems to be working for you, and I’m pleased for you.

If you google what’s in your CBD you find a great link.

Hello everyone,

I see that this is an older thread, but I hope someone can provide insight into Effexor and CBD or Hemp oils. I have been on Effexor for about a year (3 time since starting anti-depressants 5 years ago). I want to get off this medication and have tried in the past. The withdraws have been so bad that I went up going back on it. We hope to get pregnant within the year and I do not want to be on this while with child. My doctor has suggested switching to Celexa (also have been on) but I am wondering if I will still experience withdraws when immediately stopping Effexor and starting Celexa. Ideally, I would like to be on no medication and go a more natural route. I have been looking into CBD/Hemp oils. Does anyone have experience with this? Thank you.

Lindey

@pankaj: @LLndeyt01, I have taken Effexor [and several other anti-depreaasants] in the past and then discontinued it, so I understand your concern about withdrawal symptoms. In case you suddenly stop Effexor [as I did] and immediately start Celexa, there is a high probability that you will experience severe withdrawal symptoms. You haven't written what dose of Effexor you are taking. CBD/Hemp oil is not an anti-depressant but an anti-anxiety substance, so it may be advisable not to substitute it for an anti-depressant.

@lindeyt01- Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You came to the right place. When I withdrew from Effexor I did it over a long period of time. antidepressants change your brain's chemistry and when you suddenly stop taking them your brain goes nuts.

By withdrawing Effexor (I took it for postmenopausal depression and it had helped with hot flashes and worked for quite a few years for me.) many people go to another antidepressant immediately. I'd like to ask @jakedduck1 to help here.

Why do you want to withdraw? Has your doctor given you any advice on how to withdraw? Or even a pharmacist?

@lindeyt01 May I add my welcome to Mayo Connect. As @pankaj mentioned, you need to be careful of anything but a slooow withdrawal of anti-depressants. Here is a link showing the difference between Effexor and Celexa https://www.rxlist.com/effexor_xr_vs_celexa/drugs-condition.htm You will see they are two different types of anti-depressants, so caution is always advisable.

When I was withdrawing from Celexa the last time in 2010 or so [I am on it again since last July 2020], I took a calendar and marked out my days, and titrated off it very slowly, to not go through withdrawal. To abruptly change like you are considering, may indeed be a nasty experience for you.

While I am on a low dose of Celexa now, at 10mg daily, I also frequently use CBD [30 mg] to supplement, for anxiety and pain.
Ginger

@lindeyt01
Hi!
I certainly understand your concerns and coming off Effexor suddenly is VERY DANGEROUS.
There are people in this group who have wound up in the hospital.
I don't say this to scare you, just to warn you!
I've been on Effexor for more years I can count.
Without going into a lot of details, I tried coming off a low dosage after one year (my PCP suggestion) and my anxiety came back worse!
I tried to go back on, but it didn't work.
I went to see a psychiatrist to help me with meds (I always suggest that).
She told me that I'd have to wait several months to try it again.
She put me on several other meds but nothing helped like the Effexor.
After several months, I went back on the Effexor.
It didn't work as well as when I started, but it worked better than anything else.
Forward many years.
I went through a VERY rough period and my psychiatrist kept upping the dosage.
My head was always in a cloud and my memory wat totally shot.
Problem was, my psychiatrist left the practice and I couldn't get an appointment with another one for months so I decided to try it on my own.
I got involved with this group so I knew slow was the way to go.
I was on 300 mg.
2-75 mg in the morning and 2-75 mg at night.
I knew I wanted to reduce the dosage but I also knew I didn't want to be totally off.
I am now down 50%, 75 mg in the morning and 75 mg at night.
My head is no longer in the clouds and my memory has improved, but I still feel like I have some memory deficits.
I see a new psychiatrist now and he didn't seem pleased with my method and told me if I want to reduce any further to do it with him.
I asked him HOW he would do it and I felt that it was way too quick.
It took me several months to reduce, almost a year.
Here was my plan and I had ZERO side effects.
I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. THIS WORKED FOR ME AND OF COURSE I CANNOT GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK FOR OTHERS!

I decided to start by leaving my AM meds alone and work in the PM first (although the method was identical):
I did each reduction for 2 weeks (14 days).
I decided to take another 7 to 14 days IF I felt I had side-effects in order for my body to get used to the new dosage.

Week 1 and Week 2:
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
MONDAY: 1 whole pill plus 1 whole pill
TUESDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
WEDNESDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
THURSDAY: 1 whole pill plus 1 whole pill
FRIDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
SATURDAY: 1 whole pill plus 1 whole pill

Weeks 3 and 4
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: 1 whole pill and 3/4 other pill

Weeks 5 and 6:
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: Same schedule as weeks 1 and 2 only this time alternate between 1 whole pill and 3/4 other pill with 1 whole pill and 1/2 other pill.

Weeks 7 and 8:
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: 1 whole pill and 1/2 other pill

And so on.
You are reducing 1/4 of one pill at a time every other day with the previous dosage and and new reduced dosage. Do this for 2 weeks.
Then, take the new reduced dosage for 2 weeks.

Continue until to get your PM dosage in half.
Once you do that, start on your AM dosage and follow the same pattern.
When you get your AM dosage in half, STOP!!!
Stay on these reduced dosages for a while.
I stayed on these reduced dosages for 3 months.
When I was sure I was OK, I started the reduction again to reduce my total dosage 50%.

REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS AFTER ANY OF THE 2 WEEKS, STAY WITH THE SAME DOSAGES FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR 2 OR UNTIL YOU FEEL OK.

AGAIN, I AM NOT IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND THIS PROCESS IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS!

Good luck!
If I can help, let me know!!!!!!
Ronnie