Any tips for getting off of Effexor XR. 300mg/day for 5 years?!


Question: Any tips for getting off of Effexor XR!. 300mg/day for 5 years!?
Tried to quit once by titration!.over about 4-6 weeks!. But when I finally got down to that last week, wierd **** started happening!. Felt terrible!. When i finally quit, i ended up at the pharmacy begging for just 1 effexor!. they gave me one, and ive been back on it since!. Would like to explore quitting again!. I really think I'm addicted to it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com


Answers:
To come off 300mg Effexor after 5 years, in 4-6 weeks, is pretty much cold turkey!.!.!. so don't be discouraged! What happened to you was pretty predictable and has been experienced by umpteen other folk!.

Most people can get off, but need to do some reading homework first!.!.!. that gets them armed with the facts and knowledge that is required to logically approach the problem, sort out a sensible withdrawal timetable, and amend it as appropriate throughout the process - that bit's vital, because it likely WILL have to change and be flexible to accommodate your own individual response(s) to each dose drop!.

300mg is a high dose, and you have been on it for a considerable period of time - as have many others!. The key point to initially understand is that your body is now adapted to function with 300mg of Effexor in it!.!.!. it is balanced and working, the various systems and reactions, with the presence of that concentration of the drug!. Take the drug away swiftly, and the systems can go haywire, physiological chaos!.

Slow and steady is a solid approach!. Allows the body time to adapt!.!.!.

Reading homework:

Glenmullen's book on antidepressant withdrawal 'The Antidepressant Solution' - bookshop or library!. Please read, it will explain the rationale behind slow withdrawal, the critical concept of half-life (vital, since Effexor's is only 5hrs), withdrawal effects, stabilising out for a few weeks at each drop in dose etc!. The sample tapers in the book are relatively swift!.!.!. the grapevine suggests slower ones are being used now (but don't quote me)!.!.!. however all the principles & guidelines are descibed within the pages for devising and following slower tapers!.

David Healy's Halting SSRIs - good info on withdrawal, however many people stay on the original drug (and don't switch to Prozac) to avoid the possible drawbacks of switchover reactions and adverse reactions to a new drug (Glenmullen's book will go through the pros and cons)!. It is quite easy to reduce accurately on Effexor despite the lack of a liquid version of the drug e!.g!. bead counting, weighing!.

MIND booklet

Icarus booklet (note timescales in relation to time-on-drug, & % drops)

The 10% drop in current dose approach does seem to be quite successful, however you must bear in mind that this is anecdotal i!.e!. from individual reports!. The slower tapers also seem to provide an individual with a better quality of life throughout the process, and a smoother post-drug ride!.!.!. again, anecdotal!. One for you to research and consider!.

Effexor tablets/capsules are available in a variety of doses (ref!. Glenmullen, drug sheets etc)!. It can be helpful to use different dose capsules!. e!.g!. From 300mg, it would be possible, with different dose capsules, to drop the equivalent of a 37!.5mg capsule, a touch over 10%, and that might allow someone a first step down in dose, without capsule splitting/weighing!.

Be sure to understand the possibility that withdrawal may worsen at the lower doses, and that tapers may need to be slowed accordingly!.

You will find the tapering speed varies from document to document, which can be initially confusing!.!.!. however the information (in Glenmullen) about staying at a particular dose level until the withdrawal symptoms for that drop have peaked and faded might be helpful (usually 3-6 weeks)!.!.!. since getting hit with cumulative withdrawal effects from multiple swift drops can be unpleasant!.

It is a form of 'addiction'!.!.!. more usually called dependence (ref!. Glenmullen, explanation in the book)!.!.!. however the definitions in the DSM have been mucked about with, and the official bottom line is now that 'dependence' is actually no longer dependence!.!.!.

"The new definition of dependence specified that the presence of withdrawal symptoms - in the absence of at least two other distinctive features of a drug problem - was not 'dependence' at all!.!.!.!. !.!.!.this time, the new definition both radically changed the meaning and defied common sense!. To compound the problem, the authorities then failed to explain, or even to acknowledge, that this enormous shift of meaning had taken place!. The Pharmas zealously promoted the new definition!.!.!." (ref!. Medawar)

So, as many individuals have found when they approached their physicians for help with their antidepressant drug dependence!.!.!. they are flatly told the drug is not 'addictive' and neither are they dependent upon it!.

Oops!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

am currently experiencing terrible withdrawal symptoms from Effexor XR!. Starting a family has been a dream of mine / Effexor XR!. It is important to state I was never told nor could I have discovered the facts regarding this drug and it's withdrawal effects!. I am currently experiencing dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, major headaches, nervousness, tremors, vertigo, vomiting, agitation, abdominal pain, confusion and various other effects including suicidal thoughts/ After it was apparent to me that these were in direct response to my discontinuing taking the Effexor XR!. It is impossible to me to work at this time due to the withdrawal symptoms!. There are thousands upon thousands of people suffering from these effects to the point of remaining on the drug to avoid them!. This to me seems more like a systematic way to keep people on this drug to increase profits than a drug to help people who are ill!.

Effexor or venlafaxine is known to have disturbing withdrawal effects after more than 6 weeks of use!. On discontinuing the drug you should taper its use over a period of two weeks

My experience and the experience of everyone I know personally as well as that of many people posting to various web sites suggests that a much longer tapering off is needed!.

I tried to taper off by my doctors recommendation and ended up in the psych ward!. This time I tapered off over a 3 month period and although I experienced side effects throughout that time they were manageable!. When I finally stopped taking it altogether the withdrawal effects were still more severe than during the tapering off process but remained manageable!.

I wish doctors would have available more research and more independent research to advise patients with!. Also a doctor might want to advise patients to use their own judgement when tapering off!. The withdrawal symptoms are so severe that sticking blindly to a prescribed regime of withdrawal can be very harmful, to the point of being life threatening!.

My advice to anyone is take it slow and remember you know your body and how the withdrawal is affecting you better than anyone else and you need to make your own decisions about how fast or slow you can cut backWww@Answer-Health@Com

300mg is a high dose!. Were you so extremely depressed!? how do you feel now with the depression!?

I really think that in 6 weeks going from 300mg to 0 is too fast!. You have to withdraw progressively!. I would recommend you to cut your dose by 37!.5mg every 4 weeks!. It may take a long time but you give your body a better chance to adjust to it!. Also you may even have to take it for the rest of your life if you continue feeling depressed!.
good luckWww@Answer-Health@Com

I've heard that 10mg of Prozac for a few weeks after stopping can help, theory being to continue slightly supplementing serotonin!. Prozac is a pretty easy antidepressant to discontinue!.Www@Answer-Health@Com

First, 300 mg is not an *extremely* high dose as suggested above!. IMO you should be medically supervised during your withdrawl - speak to your doctor!.Www@Answer-Health@Com





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