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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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Hi @effexcausinganxiety, welcome. I'd like to tag @texasduchess who also is a breast cancer survivor and successfully tapered off Effexor.
It will take time to get to 75 mg. You are wise to take the taper very slowly, as members here will advise. Do you have the help of a knowledgeable doctor to guide you through the taper?
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2 ReactionsHi, can I ask how you tapered from 150mg to 75 mg? Did you just start with the 75mg pill? Or did you do it gradually?
I was on Effexor for several years. I tried to get off it but began to think it was impossible due to the brain zaps etc. Eventually I counted the number of granules in a capsule and reduced the number by one each day or each couple of days until I got down to zero. It was quite a few years ago and I’ve forgotten how many granules there were in my tablets. I’ve also forgotten the dose. I think the granule number was in the 200’s. It took several months but it did work for me.
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3 ReactionsHello
sheffieldsmith (@sheffieldsmith)
I know this is for informational purposes only… but I saw ur article how to get off 75mg of Effexor…my question is how do I go from 150mg to 75 mg first? I saw u took 150mg. I’ve tried weaning off 6 times over 20 years and have been unsuccessful but I haven’t tried what ur article suggested at staying at a lower dosage for some years. What is ur suggestion because that is great myself now any other doctors have thought to stay on a lower dose for maintenance and the. Wean off that. Please let me know. Thank you
Laura
This is for kumarsingh23.
I wrote this to another member. I didn’t see your post. Ok u went from 225 to 150 mg in a year of Effexor. That’s different. I tried in 6 Months but a year is a tad more. I couldn’t do it tho. And now I see u were on 75 mg for 10 years after u weaned off from 225 and 150. Sorry. Ok. I can go slowly. I thought this was one person. Talking about going from 150 to off in a couple of years. I was wrong. I don’t care taking my prescription heart meds for the rest of my life!!! I DO mind taking something I don’t need anymore. And I’m only taking it because I’ve tried so many times to get off of it and I get very very anxious. But now,,, I’ve been through the worst things I feared and didn’t die and it happened in a hospital.:.I had the worst panic attack after some surgery I was
Throwing water on my face and telling them I’m going to faint they said let
Me know when u feel
Like ur going to pass out. Lol. I never did. I was hallucinating in the hospital my worst fear ever came to life. So I know if I can’t breathe like in the hospital freaking out!!! ima call them. They saw me freaking out sweating throwing ice on my face body and I guess and I’m hoping that they purposely said let us know when ur about to pass out to idk: I was just thinking that they cared? No? Or that they knew I wasn’t going to…I was just overreacting? Wow food for thought.
Here is what I wrote to other Mayo article: I know this is for informational purposes only… but I saw ur article how to get off 75mg of Effexor…my question is how do I go from 150mg to 75 mg first? I saw u took 150mg. I’ve tried weaning off 6 times over 20 years and have been unsuccessful but I haven’t tried what ur article suggested at staying at a lower dosage for some years. What is ur suggestion because other doctors have not thought to stay on a lower dose for maintenance and then Wean off of that dosage later. Please let me know. Thank you (150 to 75mg)
Laura
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2 ReactionsNew to forum. Has anyone tried CBD. It has helped me from Lexapro 20 to 5 mg daily. My shrink thinks I could go off completely, but says that I’m anxious about doing it. Go figure!!!
I take CBC 100mg in AM and then maybe a 30 mg gummy in the afternoon. 100 mg at bedtime with CBN to sleep THRU the night
I am relaxed through the day and nice to be around. My husband had ADD and is on Ritalin but takes CBD gummies twice a day.
We both are in a much better place that before
Hi! Thank you so very much!! Yes, enough is enough!! In 2006 I was diagnosed with sere depressive disorder. I've been on antidepressants ever since. I quite drinking 2/1/2007. My primary physician switched me from Cymbalta to Effexor (Venlafaxine) about 8 years ago. I started with 75 mg. After a few years I went down to 37,5 mg. I had minor withdrawal symptoms so did 75 mg every other day until I slowly stopped having withdrawals. In May of 2022 I had a seizure out of the blue. My husband took me to ER. They did a CT scan that showed no brain issues. I had my driver's license suspended for 90 days. They did EEG and other tests with no conclusive evidence as to why I had the seizure. I had another about 6 months later. And a third last night. I am so disappointed in my docs and pharmacy as I've now been doing research only to learn seizure is a side effect of the migraine med I take (Rizatriptan Benzoate 10 mg.) and Venlafaxine. I also take Excederine Migraine (acedomediphine, Aspirin and caffeine.) I clearly need to be OFF Venlafacine and I'm stopping migraine med too. Exercise, eating healthy and staying OFF social media and the news clearly help. I seriously cannot believe a neurologist is prescribing these two meds together and the pharmacy didn't catch the interaction. Stress from marital issues and life in general plus all the dangerous chemicals are clear triggers seizures. Chocolate / sugar addiction doesn't help. But the drugs and interactions are most likely contributors as well. I am on a long RV road trip and am gong to try to schedule online appts with both docs. I appreciate your detailed weaning plan and will send it to my docs.
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3 ReactionsFound it
I don’t think Effexor should be prescribed anymore. I’m not looking forward to these side effects again from tapering off. I’m down from 150 mg to 112.5 mg a Day. And added Wellbutrin because I am depressed. And it really helped the last time I had took it. I hope everyone is still out there that has gotten off of this terrible script cuz I’m hoping for support. I’m staying in the 112 but if I’m ok…I wanna drop to 75 mg. And raise the Wellbutrin. Which I’m not sure my doctor wants to do anything except for passing the buck. I think I’m doing pretty well going down to 112 knock on wood. Without her.
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1 ReactionMy physchiatrist no longer prescribes Effexor or Paxil. He says he finds other AD’s just as effective.