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Effexor tapering question

Posted by trenxt @trenxt, Jul 12 9:14am

I was on 112.5mg of XR for chronic pain. I started to taper from it over 20 weeks ago by cutting every 2 weeks. It was changed to IR in liquid form and I split it into 3 doses a day. Problem is I never did the math on how much the psychiatrist was cutting every time. I wasn't having issues at first as soon as I came down to around 60mg I'm getting stomach pain constantly, lost weight because can't eat due to pain, insomnia is horrible 3 4 days no sleep. I'm at 31mg and I can't keep going like this. I did the math and if I ask for an adjustment to cut 10% of the last dose every 2 weeks will take me another year or so to get off this horrendous drug. Is there a way I can ask to be given another medication that can cover effexor so I don't have to take it anymore and taper off that other one then. This is too painful.

Will I face withdrawal if I cross to another antidepressant? Please inform me.

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depressedbutnotdead | @depressedbutnotdead | Jul 24 12:19am
In reply to @david707 "I have never had a problem lowering or replacing Venlafaxine for another antidepressant. My only complaint..." + (show)
Profile picture for david707 @david707

I have never had a problem lowering or replacing Venlafaxine for another antidepressant. My only complaint with 150 mg is I can't feel anything sexual. There are natural medicines like CBD oils that should be able to aid you in lowering the side effects of going off this medicine. CBD + CBG oil is available by many companies.

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I quit cold turkey and have been off of it for a year-and-a-half now. For me the withdrawal symptoms took about six weeks to fully go away. From what I've read, some people spend years tapering off, and every reduction brings the side effects raging back. So I feel pretty fortunate. But it seems from various forums that it's not uncommon for people to be handed a prescription but not be told that for some, withdrawing from the drug could be a terrible experience. To my mind, this should not be happening.

I quit because it was making me suicidal, which is a rare but documented thing with some patients taking it. It's why it carries a black box warning. But again, no warning from the doctor to be alert to that. I discovered it on my own pouring through NIH and BMJ articles looking to see if there might be a connection. I found two papers that had concluded that there is. Both described what had been going on with me so accurately that they could have been biographies of my recent life. I had to tell my doctor what was going on. Within weeks of quitting, all the nastiness in my head cleared out.

I didn't have sex drive issues, but I was warned about that one. Weird to me that they'd tell me that but none of the rest.

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david707 | @david707 | Jul 24 1:07am
In reply to @depressedbutnotdead "I quit cold turkey and have been off of it for a year-and-a-half now. For me..." + (show)
Profile picture for depressedbutnotdead @depressedbutnotdead

I quit cold turkey and have been off of it for a year-and-a-half now. For me the withdrawal symptoms took about six weeks to fully go away. From what I've read, some people spend years tapering off, and every reduction brings the side effects raging back. So I feel pretty fortunate. But it seems from various forums that it's not uncommon for people to be handed a prescription but not be told that for some, withdrawing from the drug could be a terrible experience. To my mind, this should not be happening.

I quit because it was making me suicidal, which is a rare but documented thing with some patients taking it. It's why it carries a black box warning. But again, no warning from the doctor to be alert to that. I discovered it on my own pouring through NIH and BMJ articles looking to see if there might be a connection. I found two papers that had concluded that there is. Both described what had been going on with me so accurately that they could have been biographies of my recent life. I had to tell my doctor what was going on. Within weeks of quitting, all the nastiness in my head cleared out.

I didn't have sex drive issues, but I was warned about that one. Weird to me that they'd tell me that but none of the rest.

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To Depressed But Not Dead....Thanks for responding. So you are winging it now w/o meds? I'm about ready to lower the dose. There as so many natural potions available to help one feel better including CBD oil that I hope can replace Effexor. I would like to at least get some feeling back in my penis. Had prostate surgery a year ago which I am sure has a lot to do with the loss of feeling.

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njoys | @njoys | Jul 27 8:42am
In reply to @depressedbutnotdead "Again, why are so many patients not informed at the outset about how hard this drug..." + (show)
Profile picture for depressedbutnotdead @depressedbutnotdead

Again, why are so many patients not informed at the outset about how hard this drug can be to stop taking? I wasn't.

What have others experienced?

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When I was prescribed Effexor, umpteen years ago, the drug was still relatively new and I don't think physicians in general were aware of the dangers. The UK now requires "informed consent" before prescribing this drug; the US still does not.

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cistus | @cistus | Jul 28 9:04am
In reply to @njoys "When I was prescribed Effexor, umpteen years ago, the drug was still relatively new and I..." + (show)
Profile picture for njoys @njoys

When I was prescribed Effexor, umpteen years ago, the drug was still relatively new and I don't think physicians in general were aware of the dangers. The UK now requires "informed consent" before prescribing this drug; the US still does not.

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Hello again njoys
I have never been asked for my consent. I live in UK. When did this become a requirement here?
Many thanks.

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njoys | @njoys | Jul 28 11:42am
In reply to @cistus "Thank you so much for your helpful reply. I do have the book. I am currently..." + (show)
Profile picture for cistus @cistus

Thank you so much for your helpful reply.
I do have the book.
I am currently on 212.5.
That was on efexor for months, a very difficult 3 months.

I've tried to taper with efexor 3 more times since summer last year. I have to build in the 12.5 reduction nowadays and it seems a non starter.

I have also tried shaving a near invisible sliver off a venlablue minitablet but no way does that work as a taper.
I need to regain hope!

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If this link does not work, then look up Outro for information on their webinars.
https://lu.ma/outrohealth?k=c

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