Choluk: how to reduce the intake of Effexor XP 150 mg

[Choluk]

Hola, perdón mi inglés pero soy argentino y vivo en este país.

Necesito ayuda para reducir la dosis de este antidepresivo (EFFEXOR XP 150).

I do not want to go back to my psychiatrist, en lugar de reducir quiere medicarme más, 300 mg ¿Puedo pasar de 150 mg de venlafaxina a 75 mg?

En Argentina, las cápsulas de XP solo vienen en 37.5 mg - 75 mg y 150 mg. ¿Como lo puedo hacer?

 

Gracias

 

Google translation:

 

Hello, I'm sorry for my English but I'm Argentine and I live in this country.

I need help to reduce the dose of this antidepressant (EFFEXOR XP 150).

I do not want to go back to my psychiatrist, instead of reducing I want to medicate myself more, 300 mg Can I go from 150 mg of venlafaxine to 75 mg?

In Argentina, XP capsules only come in 37.5 mg - 75 mg and 150 mg. How can I do it?

 

Thank you

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by ChessieCat
unbolded, resized and added translation

[Gridley]

Hola, Choluk.  Necesita escribir en ingles.  ?Puede usar Google translate/Google traducir?  (You need to write in English.  Can you use Google Translate?)

 

(For members and other moderators, Choluk needs help tapering Effexor XP150mg.  He wants to know if he can reduce from 150mg to 75mg.  In Argentina capsules come only 37.5mg, 75 and 150.)

 

Welcome to SurvivingAntidepressants, Choluk.  No, we don't recommend tapering from 150mg to 75 mg.  That is too fast. We recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks. 

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

You do this by opening the capsules and counting the beads, then reducing by taking out 10% of the beads.   The information is contained in the following link:

 

Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine)

 

Here is the specific information from the previous link about how to taper by counting beads

 

Extended-release (Effexor XR) capsules: Open and count out beads
 

Opening the Effexor XR capsule and taking out the beads to gradually reduce the dosage is an established tapering method: You take out a certain number of beads every day for 4 weeks.   Then for the next four weeks you increase the number of beads subtracted.  

(Generally, it's a good idea to save the beads you take out in a clean capped pill bottle, to use later in the taper. Mark it with the drug manufacturer, dosage, and expiration date. Do not mix beads coming from different dosages or manufacturers.)

 

Capsules are filled by weight. There is variation in the size and number of beads, between brands and dosages and maybe even lots within a brand and dosage.

You have to count the beads in the capsules of the type you have, and go by your own average. Someone else's bead count might be of a different brand or dosage.

• The size of beads in a capsule varies slightly from bead to bead.
• The number of beads in a capsule of a specific dosage varies among manufacturers, e.g., not all 150mg venlafaxine XL capsules from different manufacturers contain the same number of beads. If your prescription gets filled with venlafaxine ER capsules from a different manufacturer, counting out the same number of beads may give you a different dosage.
• Even from the same manufacturer, the number of beads in a capsule of a specific dosage varies, e.g. not all 150mg Effexor XR capsules from Pfizer contain the same number of beads.
• The number of beads in a capsule varies from dosage to dosage, e.g. the number of beads in 75mg Effexor XR capsules from Pfizer is NOT half the number of beads in 150mg Effexor XR capsules from Pfizer.

The number of beads in capsules may vary because the manufacturer, particularly generic manufacturers, have sloppy quality control and the capsules vary in weight (this may be illegal and worthy of a complaint to the government drug regulatory agency).

 

Use the same dosage and same manufacturer of Effexor XR throughout your taper.

 

 

Your other choice is to use a compounding pharmacy.  Here's how this works:

Compounding pharmacies can do the weighing for you and repackage capsules into smaller doses.

 

For example, if you are taking 150mg Effexor XR and wish to reduce to 135mg, rather than counting out beads or weighing them yourself, you can ask your doctor to write a prescription for the compounding pharmacy to follow to make enough 135mg capsules for a month.

 

The compounding pharmacy will open up Effexor XR capsules, weigh out 135mg doses, and put them in new gelatin (or vegetarian, by request) capsules.

 

Contact your compounding pharmacy to see how they would want such instructions written in a prescription.

 

Check with the compounding pharmacy to see how you will be charged for this.

 

Please let us know if this is clear to you.  We have several members who don't speak English whom we help.

 

Please add a signature.  Include drugs, doses, dates, and discontinuations & reinstatements in the last 12-24 months. Also include supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can. 

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• Spell out months, e.g. "October" or "Oct."; 9/1/2016 can be interpreted as Jan. 9, 2016 or Sept. 1, 2016. 
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I have visited your beautiful city many times. 

 

This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.

Edited June 30, 2019 by Gridley

[Choluk]

👍 Muchas gracias 👍 , ha sido muy amable, no esperaba una respuesta tan rápida.
Seguiré los consejos que me gustan.

 Estoy muy contento de que hayas visitado y me haya gustado mi país.
Saludos🖐️

 

Google translation:

 

👍 Thank you very much 👍, you have been very kind, I did not expect such a quick response.

I will follow the advice that I like.

 I am very happy that you visited and I liked my country.
Greetings  ️

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by ChessieCat
added translation

[Choluk]

RESPONSE DEL SR. GRIDLEY TO MY CONSULTATION

SPANISH

 

Hola choluk
Gridley ha publicado un comentario sobre un tema, Cómo reducir la ingesta de Effexor XP 150 mg.
 
Publicado en Cómo reducir la ingesta de Effexor XP 150 mg.

Hola, Choluk. Necesito escribir en ingles. ¿Se puede usar el traductor de Google? (Necesitas escribir en inglés. ¿Puedes usar Google Translate?)
  
(Para los miembros y otros moderadores, Choluk necesita ayuda para reducir Effexor XP150mg. Quiere saber si puede reducir de 150 mg a 75 mg. En Argentina, las cápsulas solo contienen 37.5 mg, 75 y 150. ¿Cómo puede afilarse?)
  
Bienvenido a SurvivingAntidepressants, Choluk. No, no recomendamos disminuir de 150 mg a 75 mg. Eso es demasiado rápido. Recomendamos que disminuya en no más del 10% de su dosis actual cada cuatro semanas.
  
¿Por qué disminuir un 10% de mi dosis?

Para ello, abra las cápsulas y cuente las cuentas, luego redúyalas sacando el 10% de las cuentas. La información está contenida en el siguiente enlace:
  
Consejos para disminuir Effexor (venlafaxina)
  
Aquí está la información específica del enlace anterior acerca de cómo reducir gradualmente al contar cuentas
  
Cápsulas de liberación prolongada (Effexor XR): abrir y contar las cuentas
  
La apertura de la cápsula Effexor XR y la extracción de las perlas para reducir gradualmente la dosis es un método establecido: se eliminan varias cuentas todos los días durante 4 semanas. Luego, durante las próximas cuatro semanas, aumentará el número de perlas restadas.

(En general, es una buena idea guardar las cuentas que saca en un frasco de pastillas con tapón limpio, para usarlas más adelante en la forma cónica. Marcarlo con el fabricante del medicamento, la dosis y la fecha de caducidad. No mezclar las cuentas procedentes de diferentes dosis fabricantes)
  
Las cápsulas se llenan por peso. Existe una variación en el tamaño y la cantidad de perlas, entre marcas y dosis, e incluso en lotes dentro de una marca y dosificación.

Tienes que contar las perlas en las cápsulas del tipo que tienes e ir por tu propio promedio. El recuento de cuentas de otra persona puede ser de una marca o dosificación diferente.
• El tamaño de las cuentas en una cápsula varía ligeramente de una cuenta a otra.
• El número de perlas en una cápsula de una dosis específica varía entre los fabricantes, por ejemplo, no todas las cápsulas de 150 mg de venlafaxina XL de diferentes fabricantes contienen la misma cantidad de perlas. Si su receta se llena con cápsulas de venlafaxina ER de un fabricante diferente, contar la misma cantidad de perlas puede darle una dosis diferente.

• Incluso del mismo fabricante, el número de perlas en una cápsula de una dosis específica varía, por ejemplo. no todas las cápsulas de Effexor XR de 150 mg de Pfizer contienen el mismo número de perlas.
• El número de cuentas en una cápsula varía de una dosis a otra, por ej. el número de perlas en cápsulas de Effexor XR de 75 mg de Pfizer NO es la mitad del número de perlas en cápsulas de Effexor XR de 150 mg de Pfizer.
El número de perlas en cápsulas puede variar debido a que el fabricante, particularmente los fabricantes de genéricos, tienen un control de calidad descuidado y el peso de las cápsulas (esto puede ser ilegal y digno de una queja ante la agencia reguladora de medicamentos del gobierno).
  
Use la misma dosis y el mismo fabricante de Effexor XR en todo su estrechamiento.
  
  
Su otra opción es utilizar una farmacia de composición. Así es como funciona esto:
Las farmacias de compuestos pueden hacer el pesaje por usted y volver a empaquetar las cápsulas en dosis más pequeñas.
  
Por ejemplo, si está tomando 150 mg de Effexor XR y desea reducirlo a 135 mg, en lugar de contar las perlas o pesarlas usted mismo, puede pedirle a su médico que escriba una receta para la farmacia de compuestos a seguir para producir suficientes cápsulas de 135 mg durante un mes. .
  
La farmacia de composición abrirá las cápsulas Effexor XR, pesará 135 mg, y las colocará en nuevas cápsulas de gelatina (o vegetariana, a pedido).
  
Comuníquese con su farmacia de compuestos para ver cómo querrían que dichas instrucciones se escribieran en una receta.
  
Consulte con la farmacia de compuestos para ver cómo se le cobrará por esto.

Por favor, háganos saber si esto es claro para usted. Tenemos varios miembros que no hablan inglés a quienes ayudamos.
  
Por favor agregue una firma. Incluya medicamentos, dosis, fechas y discontinuaciones y reincorporaciones en los últimos 12 a 24 meses. También incluye suplementos. Esto nos ayudará a darle el consejo más preciso que podamos.
• Todos los medicamentos y suplementos anteriores a los 24 meses anteriores pueden ser listados con los años de inicio y finalización.
• Deletrea meses, por ejemplo. "Octubre" o "octubre"; 01/09/2016 puede interpretarse como el 9 de enero de 2016 o el 1 de septiembre de 2016.
• Una lista es más fácil de entender que uno o varios párrafos.
• Este es un enlace directo a su firma: Configuración de la cuenta: cree o edite una firma.
He visitado tu hermosa ciudad muchas veces.
  
Este es su tema de Introducción, donde puede hacer preguntas y conectarse con otros miembros.
Ir a este post

- Antidepresivos sobrevivientes

 

Google translation:

 

Hello choluk
Gridley has posted a comment on a topic, How to reduce the intake of Effexor XP 150 mg.
 
Published in How to reduce the intake of Effexor XP 150 mg.

Hi, Choluk. I need to write in English. Can the Google translator be used? (You need to write in English, can you use Google Translate?)
 
(For members and other moderators, Choluk needs help to reduce Effexor XP150mg.) Do you want to know if you can reduce from 150 mg to 75 mg In Argentina, capsules only contain 37.5 mg, 75 and 150. How can you sharpen?
 
Welcome to SurvivingAntidepressants, Choluk. No, we do not recommend decreasing from 150 mg to 75 mg. That is too fast. We recommend that you decrease by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.
 
Why decrease 10% of my dose?

 

To do this, open the capsules and count the accounts, then reduce them by taking 10% of the accounts. The information is contained in the following link:
 
Tips to decrease Effexor (venlafaxine)
 
Here is the specific information from the previous link about how to gradually reduce when counting accounts
 
Extended-release capsules (Effexor XR): open and count the accounts
 
The opening of the capsule Effexor XR and the extraction of the pearls to gradually reduce the dose is an established method: several accounts are eliminated every day for 4 weeks. Then, during the next four weeks, the number of pearls subtracted will increase.

(In general, it is a good idea to keep the accounts that you take in a bottle of pills with a clean cap, for later use in the conical shape, mark it with the manufacturer of the medication, the dosage and the expiration date. from different dosage manufacturers)
 
The capsules are filled by weight. There is a variation in the size and number of beads, between brands and doses, and even in batches within a brand and dosage.

You have to count the pearls in the capsules of the type you have and go by your own average. The account count of another person may be of a different brand or dosage.
• The size of the accounts in a capsule varies slightly from one account to another.
• The number of beads in a capsule of a specific dose varies among manufacturers, for example, not all capsules of 150 mg of venlafaxine XL from different manufacturers contain the same amount of beads. If your prescription is filled with venlafaxine ER capsules from a different manufacturer, counting the same amount of pearls may give you a different dose.

• Even from the same manufacturer, the number of beads in a capsule of a specific dose varies, for example. not all Pfizer 150 mg Effexor XR capsules contain the same number of beads.
• The number of beads in a capsule varies from one dose to another, eg. the number of pearls in capsules of Effexor XR of 75 mg of Pfizer is NOT half the number of beads in capsules of Effexor XR of 150 mg of Pfizer.
The number of pearls in capsules may vary because the manufacturer, particularly the generic manufacturers, have careless quality control and the weight of the capsules (this may be illegal and worthy of a complaint to the government's drug regulatory agency). ).
 
Use the same dose and the same manufacturer of Effexor XR throughout its narrowing.
 
 
Your other option is to use a composition pharmacy. This is how this works:
Compound pharmacies can do the weighing for you and repack the capsules in smaller doses.
 
For example, if you are taking 150 mg of Effexor XR and want to reduce it to 135 mg, instead of counting the beads or weighing them yourself, you can ask your doctor to write a prescription for the compounding pharmacy to produce enough capsules of 135 mg for one month. .
 
The composition pharmacy will open the capsules Effexor XR, weigh 135 mg, and place them in new gelatin capsules (or vegetarian, on request).
 
Contact your compounding pharmacy to see how they would like those instructions to be written in a prescription.
 
Check with the compounding pharmacy to see how you will be charged for this.

 

Please let us know if this is clear to you. We have several members who do not speak English who we help.
 
Please add a signature. Include medications, doses, dates and discontinuations and reincorporations in the last 12 to 24 months. It also includes supplements. This will help us give you the most accurate advice we can.
• All medications and supplements prior to the previous 24 months can be listed with the years of beginning and ending.
• Spell months, for example. "October" or "October"; 01/09/2016 can be interpreted as January 9, 2016 or September 1, 2016.
• A list is easier to understand than one or more paragraphs.
• This is a direct link to your signature: Account settings: create or edit a signature.
I have visited your beautiful city many times.
 
This is your Introduction topic, where you can ask questions and connect with other members.
Go to this post

- Survivors antidepressants

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2019 by ChessieCat
added translation

[Gridley]

1 hour ago, Choluk said:

  
Seguiré los consejos que me gustan.
  
 

 

 

Choluk,

 

I am glad you liked the advice and will follow it.

 

Please post in English.  I am one of the few people on the site who understands Spanish, and the other moderators and members need to be able to read your posts.  You can use GoogleTranslate or SpanishDict.

 

We are happy to help you.

 

Gridley

 

 

[Choluk]

Hello Gridley, you are very attentive, I will bother you again.

I'm thinking about another alternative. I now take 150 mg of Effexor.

With a capsule of 75 mg and another of 37.5 mg, (Buy two Effexor of different mg) summary 112.5 mg.

Can I lower 150 mg to 112.5 mg?

Later I want to ask you how to leave the benzodiazepine.

My life is a before and after (For worse) of this malefic drug,

It's easy to prescribe it, how difficult it is to let go of it. No psychiatrist warns you of this punishment.
regards

 

Edited September 25, 2019 by ChessieCat
unbolded

[Gridley]

Hello, Choluk.

 

We would not recommend reducing from 150mg to 112.5mg, which is a 25% reduction.  As I wrote earlier, we recommend tapering by no more than 10% of your current dose every four weeks.  Everyone is different, but It will probably be difficult for your central nervous system to adapt to getting 25% less of the drug, and you could suffer unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that could take a long time to resolve.  

 

What is withdrawal syndrome.

 

The drug companies do not make it easy for us to taper.   I agree, it is easy to prescribe these drugs and not easy to stop them.

 

I know the Effexor bead counting sounds difficult, but it can be done and is a standard method of tapering Effexor.  

 

Another option, as I said earlier, is to have your doses compounded by a compounding pharmacy.  However, you would need the cooperation of a psychiatrist to prescribe the doses you need.  For example, for your first reduction you would need a prescription for a compounded dose of 135mg for four weeks.  The next dose would be 10% of 135mg (13.5mg), giving you your next dose of 135 - 13.5 = 121.5mg. and etcetera.  I need to prepare you for the reality that psychiatrists know nothing about the necessity of a slow taper and do not believe that protracted withdrawal exists.  In the U.S. any medical doctor can prescribe an antidepressant, not just psychiatrists.  I don't know if this is the case in Argentina, but if it is, perhaps you could find a regular doctor who would be cooperative.

 

We will be happy to help you with tapering your benzodiazepine, but let's wait.  We recommend tapering only only drug at a time. Otherwise, if problems appear, you won't know which drug is causing the problem.   We recommend tapering the activating (stimulating) drug first, which includes most antidepressants including Effexor, while leaving the sedating drug such as the benzodiazepine to act as a buffer to be tapered later. 

Please complete the drug signature.  It is very helpful to the moderators.  Account Settings – Create or Edit a signature.

 

Edited September 25, 2019 by ChessieCat
removed quote

[Choluk]

Hello, Gridley:
Okay, I'm going to follow your instructions, I already go through withdrawal syndromes and it has gone horribly wrong, I do not want to repeat that experience. I am going to look for a "Compounding pharmacies", here in Argentina they are called "Pharmacy of masterful recipes"

As for the benzodiazepine, you're right in what you say, that's why I wrote you to leave it for later, I want to see what happens with the EFFEXOR. Everything step by step.
The benzodiazepine I take is clonazepan 2 mg, marked "RIVOTRIL" laboratories "ROCHE". I take 1 mg in the morning and another mg in the evening.

 

When I have results with the EFFEXOR, I communicate.

 

Thanks for everything, you have been very kind to me, and your answers were clear and immediate👍👍

 

A hug🖐️

[Choluk]

Reducing dose Effexor 150 mg

I was reducing the dose from 150 mg to 75 mg, using the digital scale, I did it by reducing 10 mg every four weeks.

Now I am at 75 mg three weeks ago. As you indicated. But it happens that I do not feel very well, what helps me and much to move forward is the 2mg Rivotril (Clonazepan), sometimes I have to take a larger dose to face my daily life. I ask: is it not paradoxical that Rivotril lifts my spirits when I am supposed to be an anxiolytic? It would be unbearable. So if I continue on my own doing what keeps me going, I continue with Effexor and Rivotril.

That I have to do? Return to 150 mg or continue on 75mg?

I tell you that with 150 or 75 of Effexor I don't notice great changes, I just feel better accompanied by the Rivotril,

I don't know if what helps me is Effexor or Rivotril

 

The Effexor without the Rivotril does not help me in ANYTHING

 

I went through all the categories of antidepressants, none did absolutely anything to me, and I repeat again the only thing that helped me was to take it along with Rivotril (Terribly addictive drug, I don't know how I'm going to do it to get her out of my orgenism)

I hope you understand me, I don't know English, I write with the Google translator, I'm from Argentina

 

Edited September 25, 2019 by ChessieCat
unbolded, added topic title

[Choluk]

Clonazepam reduction - Professor C Heather Ashton

 

"The Ashton Manual" and the clonazepam reduction table using diazepam are reliable?

 

 https://benzo.org.uk/espman/bzsched.htm#s6

 

Edited September 25, 2019 by ChessieCat
added topic title