Ymom55: New Member Trying to Taper off Venlafaxine and not doing well

[Ymom55]

Hi. Been on the SSRI/SNRI merry-go-round for 12 years straight without a break. Been on Venlefaxine ER (Effexor) for over 5 years. My psych NP did not know about "slow taper" and so I tried make one on my own.

 

Turns out I tapered too fast and am now in Withdrawal. No psych symptoms but severe electric zaps and bad paresthesia in both arms down to finger tips.

 

Am trying to get an appointment with a new psychiatrist who can maybe put me back on a dose that will stabilize me and then do a very slow taper from there.

 

But the almost constant zaps are driving me crazy!!

[getofflex]

Hello, and welcome to SA.  We are a peer owned and run forum of people who have been or are getting off of psychiatric drugs.  I totally understand what you mean when you say 

17 hours ago, Ymom55 said:

My psych NP did not know about "slow taper" and so I tried make one on my own.

My doctors did the very same thing, and I ended up trying to taper too fast, and reinstating a few times before I found this forum, and found out how to taper properly.  I feel so much better since then.  Just a heads up, very few psychiatrists know how to properly taper people off these drugs, and most will simply throw more drugs at people, and often this makes the person's situation worse.  

 

First of all, can you please give us specific information about your drug history for all drugs you are on and have been on, especially for the past 18-24 months?  It would be especially helpful to have the details of your drugs in a concise list (no symptoms), only drug names, specific dates (as best you can say for example early March if you don't recall the day) and dosages of each medication decrease or increase.  Please read the link below for instructions.  This will allow us to give you the best guidance.  

 

How to List Drug History in Signature

 

When we see more about your drug and tapering history, we can suggest a course of action for your tapering. In the meantime, we suggest you do not change anything about your drugs.  

 

Here is some information about how these drugs actually work.  

 

How Psychiatric Drugs Remodel Your Brain

 

This helps you understand what withdrawal syndrome is: 

 

What is Withdrawal Syndrome?

 

Tapering is best done extremely slowly, and we taper by 10% of the current dose, so that the taper becomes exponentially smaller.  How are you tapering this?  Is it in tablet or capsule form? 

 

 Why Taper by 10% of my Dosage  

 

 

Tips for Tapering Venlafaxine

 

 

 

Also, as we are recovering, we suggest keeping things slow, simple, and stable. 

 

Keep it Simple, Slow, and Stable

 

 

When we recover, there are times of feeling OK mixed in with times of feeling bad.  This is called windows and waves.

 

Windows and Waves Pattern of Stabilization

 

Here are some techniques to cope with symptoms: 

 

Non Drug Ways to Cope with Withdrawal Symptoms

 

What other symptoms are you having besides brain zaps and paresthesia?  

 

We don't suggest many supplements, but 2 that many of us find helpful are magnesium and omega-3 fish oil. Here are the links for info about those. It is suggested to add one at a time, and start with a low dose to see how it affects you. 

 

Magnesium

 

Omega 3 Fish Oil

 

I've given you quite a bit of information here.  Please read through it, and mull it over, and we will take it from there. In the meantime, take care of yourself, and take heart.  We in this forum have been through this, and we understand first hand the pain and discomfort you are going through.  Please know that the brain is amazing in it's healing abilities.  It takes time, but healing can and will happen. 

[Ymom55]

Hi. I uploaded my current meds as a document. I changed my signature to explain everything about my Venlafaxine use and taper.

 

Would love suggestion on a reinstatement dose that makes sense, and a taper schedule. I have 37.5mg capsules, and I have kept all pearls I took out as I was tapering. They are "loose" in a separate bottle.

[getofflex]

Hello, can you please make your drug signature more concise, and eliminate symptoms, and explanations?  This is just an example: 

 

Venlafaxine ER:  May 2018, 150 mg,  July 18, 2028 75 mg. 

Cymbalta:  Jan 30 2020, 30 mg,  Feb 15, 15 mg,  

 

Thank you.