Tips on minimizing withdrawal symptoms from Effexor (aka Venlafaxine)

I saw somewhere online that Benadryl helps with the withdrawals (I think so you just sleep through them) but I’ve been taking Benadryl every night and it puts me out. I DoorDashed it due to stores being closed so maybe you could do the same if you don’t want to wait:)

Gravol was my friend through this, my stomach still isn't great, it does come in waves and just trying to ride through it is all you can do. Please no that its completely normal what your going through, its a terrible drug to get off of, pretty sure as bad as heroin. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out, if i can help at all i would be glad to.

After a month on 37.5 mg. Eff my anxiety and trembling were so bad that my doc and I decided to go back up to 75mg
She said I should start feeling better within a week. A week is over and I’m still anxious, trembling and now have headache and backache. I decided to would raise it again today and see if this helps. I don’t want to raise it but I am thinking that I may have to raise it until I feel better, stay at that level long enough until I feel ready to taper it much more slowly. Although I waited 2 months before lowering it from 75mg to 37.5 I don’t think I was ready to do that because I was still having withdrawal symptoms but I figured 2 months was long enough to wait. This was before I heard about doctor Horowitz and read his book.
Has anyone else had this experience with having to raise it back up and then tapered it much more slowly ?

I hope this postscript of mine can be added to the piece I've just this minute posted on this topic.
I am in UK.
I want to add that the mirtazapine tablets just crumble if I attempt a more gradual reduction than one half a 15mg tablet.
The capsules of Efexor spheroids made in UK are not reliable the way the Pfizer spheroids were. I tapered off those without any withdrawal effects some years ago. (225mg venlafaxine tapered at a steady rate over about 9 months.)
The Royal College of Physchiatrists says the best way to taper is by weight.
The psychiatrist who visited me told other doctors in her transfer report that tapering is up to me.
I have the Maudsley Deprescribing book coming later this week and an appointment with a neurologist because of all the shaking on Jan 8th. I'm afraid of getting no help bec they don't know the person full of vitality and joy I used to be, before "the nasty virus" in early 2023.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

I hope this postscript of mine can be added to the piece I've just this minute posted on this topic.
I am in UK.
I want to add that the mirtazapine tablets just crumble if I attempt a more gradual reduction than one half a 15mg tablet.
The capsules of Efexor spheroids made in UK are not reliable the way the Pfizer spheroids were. I tapered off those without any withdrawal effects some years ago. (225mg venlafaxine tapered at a steady rate over about 9 months.)
The Royal College of Physchiatrists says the best way to taper is by weight.
The psychiatrist who visited me told other doctors in her transfer report that tapering is up to me.
I have the Maudsley Deprescribing book coming later this week and an appointment with a neurologist because of all the shaking on Jan 8th. I'm afraid of getting no help bec they don't know the person full of vitality and joy I used to be, before "the nasty virus" in early 2023.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

The Maudsley Deprescribing book arrived today. It's a hefty volume but simply says to taper very gradually.
The advice is to count or weigh efexor spheroids and to mix crushed mirtazapine with water , throwing away the surplus.
And of course pause if withdrawal effects are not resolved.
For me the horrid side effects of venlafaxine & mirtazapine themselves have never resolved so there's no way to tell what is making me terribly dizzy, shakey, nauseous etc.
I'd put so much hope in this book (£45) but I'll send it back.
How did others use it, what did you do differently please?

I hope this postscript of mine can be added to the piece I've just this minute posted on this topic.
I am in UK.
I want to add that the mirtazapine tablets just crumble if I attempt a more gradual reduction than one half a 15mg tablet.
The capsules of Efexor spheroids made in UK are not reliable the way the Pfizer spheroids were. I tapered off those without any withdrawal effects some years ago. (225mg venlafaxine tapered at a steady rate over about 9 months.)
The Royal College of Physchiatrists says the best way to taper is by weight.
The psychiatrist who visited me told other doctors in her transfer report that tapering is up to me.
I have the Maudsley Deprescribing book coming later this week and an appointment with a neurologist because of all the shaking on Jan 8th. I'm afraid of getting no help bec they don't know the person full of vitality and joy I used to be, before "the nasty virus" in early 2023.
Any thoughts would be very much appreciated.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the book before I started tapering on my own. If I had this book I wouldn’t have made the mistake of lowering it to 37.5 mg from 75mg . I was 2 months on 75mg and even though I was still having withdrawal symptoms I decided to lower it anyway.
It’s been hell on 37.5mg and I had to start increasing it. I’m now on 112.5mg the last 4 days and seeing a bit of improvement. I will try to go no higher if possible.
Main problem is the trembling and weak legs . Has anyone else had the terribly weak trembly legs?