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Monsta68: Tapering off Effexor


Monsta68

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Hi everyone I came across this site when I was researching reducing antidepressants.  Thanks to you I have learnt about tapering.  Over the last 2 years I have come off 10mg Olanzapine, 10mg Clopixol, 400mg Quietapine and hardest of the lot was 4mg diazepam.  This is the second time I have come off diazepam and I found it a bit more difficult.  Usually around day 4 or 5 I felt the withdrawal symptoms - tiredness, feeling off, more anxiety.  But I knew that it would pass in a few days which it did.  Unfortunately I did not use the 10% reduction method and was reducing 0.5mg per month until I got down to 1.5mg which was hard then we reduced by 0.25mg which I found easier.  Lots of exercise and meditation helped.
 

I have just started tapering off 375mg Effexor.  I started with a 10% reduction as recommended.  It was ok - day 6 or 7 felt nauseous and headaches but to be honest I think the side effects from being on it are worse.  Weight gain, fatigue, and potential urinary incontinence.  I would be interested to know if anyone else on this site has experienced the last side effect on Effexor.  My psychiatrist did a search but could not find any cases.  

I am about to drop by 20mg to 317.5 mg as it has been over a month since the last reduction and I have not experienced any more discontinuation symptoms.  Thankfully my psychiatrist is very supportive and agreed I should reduce by a smaller proportion this time around.  I am having the capsules compounded as I want to be accurate in the dosage and in Australia you can get money back on compounded prescriptions if you have private health insurance which I do.

 

Would be grateful for any advice from people who have successfully reduced Effexor.

 

Edited by Gridley

Lexapro - 10mg since 2004 tapered off 10% dosage over last 12 months.  Current dosage nil

Mirtazapine - 45mg since 2004

Valium - 5mg 2004 tapered off over 2 years 2006 - 2007, 4mg 2018 - tapered 0.5mg per month over 2022. Current dosage nil

Lorazepam - 5mg 2018

Effexor - 375mg 2018 tapered off 37.5mg January 2023. Current dosage 300mg

Olanzapine - 10mg 2018 tapered off 5mg per month 2021.  Current dosage nil

Clopixol - 10mg 2018 tapered off 5mg per month over 2021.  Current dosage nil

Quietapine - 400mg 2018 tapered off 12.5mg per fortnight over 2021 & 2022.  Current dosage nil

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Welcome to SA, Monsta68.  It sounds like you're doing everything right.  It's great you're having your doses compounded and that your psychiatrist is supportive.

 

I just happened to read a post by member Cass today about her successful taper off Effexor.  If you type Cass in the "search" function upper right in this page you can read it.

 

To give members the best information, we ask them to summarize their medication history in a signature -- drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements, in the last 12-24 months particularly.  A list format is best.

 

Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

As you've learned, we recommend tapering by no more than 10% of current dose every four weeks.  

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

This link is specifically about tapering Effexor.

 

Tips for tapering off venlafaxine (Effexor)

 

We don't recommend a lot of supplements on SA, as many members report being sensitive to them due to our over-reactive nervous systems, but two supplements that we do recommend are magnesium (glycinate is a good form) and omega 3 (fish oil). Many people find these to be calming to the nervous system. 

 

 

 

Add in one at a time and at a low dose in case you do experience problems.
 
This is your introduction topic -- the place for you to ask questions, record symptoms, share your progress, and connect with other members of the SA community.  I hope you’ll find the information in the SA forums helpful for your situation.  I'm sorry that you are in the position that you need the information, but I am glad that you found us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Oct 15: 3.2mg

Taper is 96% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotic, zinc, melatonin .3mg, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase, L-Glutamine, milk thistle, choline


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice. It is information based on my own experience as well as that of other members who have survived these drugs.

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  • Gridley changed the title to Monsta68: Tapering off Effexor

Hello Monsta68. I, too, am withdrawing from Effexor. Urinary incontinence is one of my many WD symptoms, but certainly not the worst. On days when I am really struggling or in a wave, I often cannot make it to the bathroom when I feel the urge. I simply can't "hold it." This is probably related to the hyper-anxiety we are experiencing. I don't have any other bladder or kidney issues, so I chalk it up to WD. 

Prozac 10mg 1990-1999    -1999-2018 Effexor XR 75 mg capsules

-2018 Dr direct switched me from Effexor 75XR to Cymbalta 20mg XR and 20 mg Metoprolol following irregular heartbeat incident  -Late 2019 began worsening anxiety/ depression symptoms     -2020 Dr direct switched  back to 75 mg Effex XR   Symptoms worsened   -2021 Changed Dr and began therapy for GAD and worsening physical symptoms   -2022 Found this forum and began slow taper by removing beads -    6/7 - 6/10 Effexor 73.2mg  6/11-6/14  Effexor 72.9mg   nightmares, tinnitus, anxiety;  6/15- Effexor XR 72.6mg  6/16 - 6/20 Effexor XR 72.8   nausea, heart palpitations, anxiety, tinnitus 6/22-7/4 hold Effexor XR 72.9-73.1     7/5-7/11  Effexor XR 72.62  7/12 - 7/15  Effexor 72.6  bad symptoms 

7/16-7/17 Effexor XR upped to 72.9  7/18 Effexor XR 72.9  most symptoms gone  hold at 72.9 - 73.0   8/26 - 9/6  Trying to keep dosage under 73. Holding around 72.9 sometime 72.86 due to bead count  Having symptoms most days.

9/6-9/23    Holding at about 72.9-73. Still very ill. No improvement.

9/23 - 11/23  Still keeping dose around 72.9-73

11-23-Jan 14   Held until one week ago. Dropped to 72.75-72.81  terrible WD

1/14- present   Worse WD symptoms. Back to 73.10. Cannot seem to stabilize. 

2/2 - present Holding at about 73 hoping to stabilize  

3/19 - present Dropped to aprox 92.9-92.88. (vary from day to day.) Holding 

Take only Clarinex 5mg for allergies and the Effexor 73 XR. I cannot take any supplements. No caffeine, sugar, soy, gluten, dairy.

 

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Thanks so much Gridley for your response I have added my drug history in.  I will definitely look into those supplements.  For how long should I stay on one supplement before adding in the other?
 

Hi rmce72a - I read your signature - wow it does not sound easy, hang in there and maybe slow it down even more? It is comforting for me to hear of someone else having the incontinence issue except mine started before withdrawal so I think it is related to the dosage of Effexor I am on (quite high).  As I mentioned in my post my psychiatrist did a search of the literature for me but could not find much information on other cases.  Same as you I often don’t make it to the bathroom when I have the urge.  I saw a bladder specialist - she did ultrasounds and tested my pelvic floor but couldn’t really find anything wrong.  Wondering if it maybe a combination of menopause and drugs? Just have to be ultra responsive to bladder urges these days. 
 

I am about to reduce to 320mg for a month from 337.5mg.  Will keep you updated on progress.

Lexapro - 10mg since 2004 tapered off 10% dosage over last 12 months.  Current dosage nil

Mirtazapine - 45mg since 2004

Valium - 5mg 2004 tapered off over 2 years 2006 - 2007, 4mg 2018 - tapered 0.5mg per month over 2022. Current dosage nil

Lorazepam - 5mg 2018

Effexor - 375mg 2018 tapered off 37.5mg January 2023. Current dosage 300mg

Olanzapine - 10mg 2018 tapered off 5mg per month 2021.  Current dosage nil

Clopixol - 10mg 2018 tapered off 5mg per month over 2021.  Current dosage nil

Quietapine - 400mg 2018 tapered off 12.5mg per fortnight over 2021 & 2022.  Current dosage nil

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  • Moderator Emeritus
20 minutes ago, Monsta68 said:

I will definitely look into those supplements.  For how long should I stay on one supplement before adding in the other?
 

A few days would be fine.

Gridley Introduction

 

Lexapro 20 mg since 2004.  Begin Brassmonkey Slide Taper Jan. 2017.   

End 2017 year 1 of taper at 9.25mg 

End 2018 year 2 of taper at 4.1mg

End 2019 year 3 of taper at 1.0mg  

Oct. 30, 2020  Jump to zero from 0.025mg.  Current dose: 0.000mg

3 year, 10 month taper is 100% complete.

 

Ativan 1 mg to 1.875mg 1986-2020, two CT's and reinstatements

Nov. 2020, 7-week Ativan-Valium crossover to 18.75mg Valium

Feb. 2021, begin 10%/4 week taper of 18.75mg Valium 

End 2021  year 1 of Valium taper at 6mg

End 2022 year 2 of Valium taper at 2.75mg 

End 2023 year 3 of Valium taper at 1mg

Jan. 24, 2024: Hold at 1mg and shift to Imipramine taper.

Taper is 95% complete.

 

Imipramine 75 mg daily since 1986.  Jan.-Sept. 2016 tapered to 14.4mg  

March 22, 2022: Begin 10%/4 week taper

Aug. 5, 2022: hold at 9.5mg and shift to Valium taper

Jan. 24, 2024: Resume Imipramine taper.  Current dose as of Oct 15: 3.2mg

Taper is 96% complete.  

  

Supplements: multiple, quercetin, omega-3, vitamins C, E and D3, magnesium glycinate, probiotic, zinc, melatonin .3mg, iron, serrapeptase, nattokinase, L-Glutamine, milk thistle, choline


I am not a medical professional and this is not medical advice. It is information based on my own experience as well as that of other members who have survived these drugs.

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