murfeeslaw: Effexor XR 37.5mg capsule taper?

[murfeeslaw]

I am new here and very grateful for the person that created this forum and the volunteers that manage it!!  After being on Effexor XR (Venlafaxine, actually)150 mg over 10+ years, I have gotten myself down to 37.5mg XR a day and now it seems I'm going to have trouble getting past that drop!  Brain Zaps, agitation, rage, malaise, you all know the story.  I tried to do the 'counting the beads' thing to continue but I had a lot of trouble (beads, velvet, knife).......maybe my MS just is not letting me be very coordinated.  Anyway, if anyone here has been able to find an easier way of tapering, i.e. suspension, applesauce, PLEASE share with this old woman!!  I have put myself on Omega-3 Fish Oil (1000 mg) a day and it has helped but I suspect you all have better ideas.  I don't feel I can get much info from my Internist as he told me he's never had ANYONE have a withdrawal problem from Effexor.  So, I'm turning to you, the people who either lived through this or are going through this at present.  Any 37.5mg XR taper advice to share? Thank you all, in advance.  Ree

Edited March 5, 2017 by scallywag
tags

[Altostrata]

Welcome, murfees.

 

When was the last time you decreased Effexor? How often did you reduce your dosage?

 

Yes, people do hit bumps in tapering. Often, a nice long hold will help you stabilize for the next leg of the journey, and then you can continue tapering.

 

Since fish oil is helping, you may wish to take enough to amount to about 3,000mg EPA+DHA per day. This often amounts to 6 softgels or more.

 

Magnesium can also be helpful, see Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

What is your vitamin B12 status? The test is serum B12, methylmalonic acid (MMA), and homocysteine, see https://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/mma/tab/test/

 

[murfeeslaw]

Thank you so much for responding!  I reduced to Venlafaxine 37.5mg XR about a month ago.  I had planned today, in fact, to open up a capsule and count the little beads so that I can calculate what a 10% reduction might be and try that for a month.  My thought is to up the fish oil (1000mg) to 2 softgels a day for a day or two before I start the taper.  I'm a little concerned about the fish oil because I think it can thin blood and I'm already on warfarin (I am getting my INR checked this morning.)  Your suggestion regarding the magnesium citrate is interesting......I think I will give it a try!  I just started on B12 this morning, so was pleasantly surprised by your information, as well.  

 

This website is such a plethora of wonderful information.......I am so grateful to you all!  

 

Ree