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As promised, my successful tapering off Effexor (Venlafaxine)
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: 5 days ago | Replies (209)Comment receiving replies
I appreciate so much your willingness to share your experience and knowledge. I am looking forward to further investigation of the Buspiron being that it is not addicting.
My experience with Venlafaxine is from 1/2 yrs of being on it daily at the 37.5 mg ER.
I was first prescribed antidepressants when my late husband was diagnosed with brain cancer and after I had 'lost of lot of sleep and extremely tired' for the purpose of getting me some sleep. Well, a little sleep anyways.
I had no clue on prescription use so listened to the doc.
For some time, about 1 1/2 years I stayed on those drugs. The time is a blur so can't remember which ones exactly. I just did what the doc prescribed.
After his passing I weaned myself off of those meds. (7yrs ago)
Then about 1 1/2 yrs ago, (after being forced into retirement and not ready) I started on Venlafaxine at 37.5 mg ER. I did lose 50 lbs in 2 months, slept a great deal so I guess there was a reason the doc felt I should be on something.
As of 2 1/2 weeks ago, I decided, that since I never felt any type of 'betterment' from it, I would wean myself off of it and reading about its side effects and addictiveness.
I am now in my 3rd week of 'every other day' at the 37.5 mgs.
I read here that one shouldn't do the every other day but didn't know that when I started.
As of now, I am having really bad hot flashes that I didn't have before, some tiredness but that has been for a much longer time that the tapering off and some dizziness. No brain zaps. I don't even know what that is and no nausea, thank God.
I am wondering if I should continue with the every other day and for how long before stopping. These are capsules with the beads so more difficult to taper lower but would do that if important.
Blessings to you as well,
Gail51
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@gail51 Personally, when it comes to tapering off meds I advise do it VERY slowly and carefully. You will get there...took me three months to get off of oxycodone doing 1/2 pill a week!! But I suffered no side effects and did it safely. Had to go back on but I WAS able to do it. We have no clue what these meds have done to us both physically and mentally. I am now tapering off of alprazolam. I was on 2 mg 3x/day. For almost ten years. Doctor decided to drop me to .25 mg 3x/day!!!! Yup!! I almost went hysterical. I would have died from seizures and withdrawal. I was physically shaking - it was terrible. I finally got in touch with her on a Friday afternoon and she had no clue what she had done to me and how dropping the dose so drastically could have killed me. Someone on another chat attached a copy of a CDC pamphlet about tapering off drugs and I sent it to her. I am currently on 1.75 mg 3x/day and when I feel ready I will drop to 1.5 3x/day. Etc etc. As it is I am currently in the middle of a lupus flare and my hair is falling out in clumps. I can't sleep. I'm not hungry but I eat 3 meals/day. My sense of smell is not great. My lab numbers of my blood sodium levels became toxic in July and I had a car accident which took me to the hospital where they found that my blood sodium levels were critical 😳😳. There was a trend. I send all of my doctors my labs and no one saw the downward spiral! And what did they do in the hospital ? Took me off ALL OF MY MEDS inc leukemia, blood pressure alprazolam and oxycodone!!!! Lucky me I keep meds in my handbag because I would have died there as well. My blood pressure which was finally normalized, zoomed back up. Did it force my flare? I had started hydroxychloroquine for my lupus (with no symptoms) for one month and had to stop because of side effects. And suddenly my kidney numbers are bad. I keep a journal and I can see my labs changed in June/July which was the beginning/end of my taking it. No other doctor sees it even tho I print out individual lab history showing numbers going down from that point.
Sorry I got off track but if you are experiencing issues with the every other day cut back 1/2 pill on that "other" day for a week or two. Then 1/4 pill. Then just every other day. Don't hurt yourself to get off a drug when you can do it safely.
Best to you. 🌻