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Effexorb: My story asking for advice


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Hi 

I am on Effexor and tried to stop multiple times and decided to finally stay on it after a horrible long lasting withdrawal mess that lasted at least 5 months and had the doctors upped my dosage to maximum 

over the course of two years though I reduced my dosage to 75 which was okay 

i wanted to get to 37,5 and did it in 2 months and a half 

but I had a huge protracted withdrawal which doctors won’t recognise as such 

I reinstated 75 for a month without much improvement some ebb and flows and my doctor upped to 112 

it s not looking better at all 

I take sometimes a neuroleptic to calm my nervous system as I suffer so much 

please send me help and hopes and tell me what to do and how long 

I have spasms and a sort of diarrhea and the other symptoms classic 

Edited by Emonda
Name to title

Quietapine 2014 2015 

sertealine 2015 2016 

Effexor 2017 - 2020-2021-2022 

75 and stopped each year until this year I decided to stay on it but wanted to reduce 2022 I had what I think now was withdrawal but was not seen as such 

went up to 225 for stuff to stabilize 

lowered in the course of 2 years to 75 in November started lowering again way slowly than what I usually do (beads method) from 75 to 37,5 in 2 months and a half

protratced withdrawal since 10th of June reinstated a week later to 75th 

no improvement some moments of breaks GP upped dosage to 112 which might have been a bad move on 24th of July 

 

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  • Emonda changed the title to Effexorb: My story asking for advice

As you will see in signature 

I tried to lower my med (not stop it!) from 75 to 37,5 with beads method over 2 month and a half 

it went to hell with protracted withdrawal 

I reinstated to 75 for a month and my gp upped to 112 

i have all the symptoms diarrhea burning sensation you name it 

please help me 

I take also sometimes when too bad some neuroleptics to ease the pain 

Quietapine 2014 2015 

sertealine 2015 2016 

Effexor 2017 - 2020-2021-2022 

75 and stopped each year until this year I decided to stay on it but wanted to reduce 2022 I had what I think now was withdrawal but was not seen as such 

went up to 225 for stuff to stabilize 

lowered in the course of 2 years to 75 in November started lowering again way slowly than what I usually do (beads method) from 75 to 37,5 in 2 months and a half

protratced withdrawal since 10th of June reinstated a week later to 75th 

no improvement some moments of breaks GP upped dosage to 112 which might have been a bad move on 24th of July 

 

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  • Moderator

Hello, and welcome to Surviving Antidepressants. We are a peer support forum to assist in tapering off psychiatric drugs safely, or recovering from psychiatric drug withdrawal.

 

This topic is for anything relating to you, and any questions you have. Please do not start another topic.

 

We recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your CURRENT dose each month, to limit withdrawal symptoms. E.g. 10mg --> 9mg --> 8.1mg --> 7.29mg

 

All the answers you are looking for regarding tapering and antidepressant withdrawal are on this site. Please search around and continue to read as much as you can manage. Use the site search function to search for specific words or phrases, such as drugs or symptoms.

 

 

You need to choose a dose and stay on it for the foreseeable future, at minimum 3 months and ideally 6 months or more. This will allow your nervous system to stabilise. Your brain is dependent on the drug, and it's very short half-life means any large changes can cause severe symptoms and suffering. When you are stable again I suggest you follow the guides here for micro-tapering, this involves reducing your dose by around 2.5-5% per month.

 

Micro tapering

 

Tips for tapering off venlafaxine (Effexor)

 

 

 

 

Here are a few of the most useful links:

 

--------Important topics in the Tapering forum and FAQ--------

 

Micro tapering

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Taking multiple psych drugs? Which drug to taper first?

 

How to make a liquid from tablets or capsules

 

Using a scale to weigh and measure doses

 

--------From the Symptoms and Self-Care Forums--------
 
What is withdrawal syndrome?
 
About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms
 
The Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Hypersensitivity and Kindling

 

We only recommend two supplements. Omega 3 Fish Oil and Magnesium. Both should be introduced separately and increased slowly.

 

Regards

Erimus

Active Monday-Friday UK time

 

Taper calculator spreadsheet

 

MEDICATION:

1) Sertraline:

50mg - Oct 2020, 100mg - Dec 2020, 50mg - Apr 2021, 75mg - May 2021, 50mg - Sep 2021, 2 year 5 month hold, 55mg - 23 Feb 2024, 60mg - 20 Mar 2024, Start tapering - 24 Apr 2024, reached 52.5mg before crashing hard 13 Aug 2024 - reinstate back to 58mg and hold - tapered too fast.

Current dose: 58mg  (1 Sep 2024)

2) Mirtazapine:

15mg - Nov 2020

SUPPLEMENTS:

Vitamin C

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Hi 

do you think all brains can rev’cover? I am scared of having permanently damaged my nervous system 

I had a serotoninergique syndrome after upping to 112 so we settled at 75 

I am praying and I am scared 

Quietapine 2014 2015 

sertealine 2015 2016 

Effexor 2017 - 2020-2021-2022 

75 and stopped each year until this year I decided to stay on it but wanted to reduce 2022 I had what I think now was withdrawal but was not seen as such 

went up to 225 for stuff to stabilize 

lowered in the course of 2 years to 75 in November started lowering again way slowly than what I usually do (beads method) from 75 to 37,5 in 2 months and a half

protratced withdrawal since 10th of June reinstated a week later to 75th 

no improvement some moments of breaks GP upped dosage to 112 which might have been a bad move on 24th of July 

 

Link to comment

My doctor listens a lot and is really concerned and wants to understand but I don’t trust her 

Quietapine 2014 2015 

sertealine 2015 2016 

Effexor 2017 - 2020-2021-2022 

75 and stopped each year until this year I decided to stay on it but wanted to reduce 2022 I had what I think now was withdrawal but was not seen as such 

went up to 225 for stuff to stabilize 

lowered in the course of 2 years to 75 in November started lowering again way slowly than what I usually do (beads method) from 75 to 37,5 in 2 months and a half

protratced withdrawal since 10th of June reinstated a week later to 75th 

no improvement some moments of breaks GP upped dosage to 112 which might have been a bad move on 24th of July 

 

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  • Moderator
5 hours ago, Effexorb said:

Hi 

do you think all brains can rev’cover? I am scared of having permanently damaged my nervous system 

I had a serotoninergique syndrome after upping to 112 so we settled at 75 

I am praying and I am scared 

You will stabilise in time, you are just in the acute phase at the moment.

 

5 hours ago, Effexorb said:

My doctor listens a lot and is really concerned and wants to understand but I don’t trust her 

You don't have to tell your doctor how you are feeling, so long as they continue to prescribe the medication.

Active Monday-Friday UK time

 

Taper calculator spreadsheet

 

MEDICATION:

1) Sertraline:

50mg - Oct 2020, 100mg - Dec 2020, 50mg - Apr 2021, 75mg - May 2021, 50mg - Sep 2021, 2 year 5 month hold, 55mg - 23 Feb 2024, 60mg - 20 Mar 2024, Start tapering - 24 Apr 2024, reached 52.5mg before crashing hard 13 Aug 2024 - reinstate back to 58mg and hold - tapered too fast.

Current dose: 58mg  (1 Sep 2024)

2) Mirtazapine:

15mg - Nov 2020

SUPPLEMENTS:

Vitamin C

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Thanks for the answer 

do you think I. Oils develop yet again PAWS from those two  weeks of upping dosage? 

Quietapine 2014 2015 

sertealine 2015 2016 

Effexor 2017 - 2020-2021-2022 

75 and stopped each year until this year I decided to stay on it but wanted to reduce 2022 I had what I think now was withdrawal but was not seen as such 

went up to 225 for stuff to stabilize 

lowered in the course of 2 years to 75 in November started lowering again way slowly than what I usually do (beads method) from 75 to 37,5 in 2 months and a half

protratced withdrawal since 10th of June reinstated a week later to 75th 

no improvement some moments of breaks GP upped dosage to 112 which might have been a bad move on 24th of July 

 

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