@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