gerrib Posted February 7, 2022 Share Posted February 7, 2022 I am 71 year old female. I've been on ADs since I was 40. They seemed to help me with social phobia and depression. For the last 8 years or so I have been on Effexor. I have been tapering off. The main reason for doing so is that I have read so many bad stories about SNRI discontinuation syndrome. I decided I wanted to do the taper when I could control it rather than go into withdrawals in an emergency situation. I was on 75 mg. Tapered down to 37.5 for 4weeks without any side effects. Today it is over 24 hours since I stopped taking Effexor and to date no ill effects. I am doing the Prozac bridge. I started 5 mg Prozac a few days ago and am now taking 10mg. I have been on fluoxetine before and may stay on 10 mg. I didn't find any difficulties when I stopped fluoxetine a number of years ago so am not worried about using it as a bridge to help me get off Effexor. Jus wondering if it is possible to come off SNRIs without withdrawals. I have been so dreading the experience and so far it s not bad. Fluoxetine 20 mg 1990 -2010 Major depression, social anxiety. Dothiepin 2010 - 2011Mirtazapine 2011-2012Venlafaxine 75 mg 2012 - January 20223/2/22Tapering off with Venlafaxine 37.5 since beginning January 2022Prozac Bridge Venlafaxine 37.5 + Fluoxetine 5mg for 4 days. 5/2/22 Ceased Venlafaxine continuing 10 mg Fluoxetine. Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted February 7, 2022 Moderator Share Posted February 7, 2022 (edited) Dear @gerrib, welcome to SA. It is good news that you are not feeling withdrawal effects but it is important to still keep vigilant. Venlafaxine is an evil drug to come off of. Here is our thread of the Prozac bridge. Please read it very carefully: The Prozac switch or "bridging" with fluoxetine - Tapering - Surviving Antidepressants Note that the equivalent dose of prozac for you would be around 20mg rather than just 10 based on this study. Dose equivalents of antidepressants: Evidence-based recommendations from randomized controlled trials - PubMed (nih.gov) Please keep us updated on how you are feeling. I have also asked other moderators for help with the prozac bridge as I don't have experience with it. Hope you continue feeling well. OMW Edited February 7, 2022 by Onmyway "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
gerrib Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 (edited) Thanks for your advice @Onmyway. I can't work out how to post in the other forum topics. Could i post my introductory post in the tapering forum? You are in Turkey. I visited in about 2014. Absolutely loved it. Edited February 7, 2022 by gerrib typo Fluoxetine 20 mg 1990 -2010 Major depression, social anxiety. Dothiepin 2010 - 2011Mirtazapine 2011-2012Venlafaxine 75 mg 2012 - January 20223/2/22Tapering off with Venlafaxine 37.5 since beginning January 2022Prozac Bridge Venlafaxine 37.5 + Fluoxetine 5mg for 4 days. 5/2/22 Ceased Venlafaxine continuing 10 mg Fluoxetine. Link to comment
gerrib Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 How can I make my history of antidepressant use visible when I post please? Fluoxetine 20 mg 1990 -2010 Major depression, social anxiety. Dothiepin 2010 - 2011Mirtazapine 2011-2012Venlafaxine 75 mg 2012 - January 20223/2/22Tapering off with Venlafaxine 37.5 since beginning January 2022Prozac Bridge Venlafaxine 37.5 + Fluoxetine 5mg for 4 days. 5/2/22 Ceased Venlafaxine continuing 10 mg Fluoxetine. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 7, 2022 Administrator Share Posted February 7, 2022 Welcome, @gerrib To show your drug history, follow these instructions Please summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this. Some can go off antidepressants rather quickly and not suffer withdrawal symptoms. However, I would be cautious about increasing Prozac. You may find that 5mg or 10mg is plenty. It will take several weeks to ramp up to full strength, so I would wait and see about increasing it. Why did you decide to go off Effexor? Do you intend to go off Prozac or do you intend to stay on it permanently? This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
Moderator Onmyway Posted February 7, 2022 Moderator Share Posted February 7, 2022 Dear @gerrib thank you It really is beautiful here. Here is the link to create your signature: How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature - Introductions and updates - Surviving Antidepressants You can post in any of the forums that are not locked. However, we keep your individual history and questions in this topic. It helps us have all the information in one place so we can easily refer to it when we need to advise you. Otherwise things can get easily lost. This is the forum that will be most useful to you right now: Tapering - Surviving Antidepressants and if you do get WD symptoms Symptoms and self-care - Surviving Antidepressants You can post on other people's threads to offer support and make friends. Introductions and updates - Surviving Antidepressants You can also search for people who are/have tapered from venlafaxine. Welcome again and do keep us updated! OMW "Nothing so small as a moment is insurmountable, and moments are all that we have. You have survived every trial and tribulation that life has thrown at you up until this very instant. When future troubles come—and they will come—a version of you will be born into that moment that can conquer them, too." - Kevin Koenig I am not a doctor and this should not be considered medical advice. You can use the information and recommendations provided in whatever way you want and all decisions on your treatment are yours. In the next few weeks I do not have a lot of capacity to respond to questions. If you need a quick answer pls tag or ask other moderators who may want to be tagged. Aug 2000 - July 2003 (ct, 4-6 wk wd) , citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn, wellbutrin for a few months, trazodone prn Dec 2004 - July 2018 citalopram 20 mg, xanax prn (rarely used) Aug 2018 - citalopram 40 mg (self titrated up) September 2018 - January 2019 tapered citalopram - 40/30/20/10/5 no issues until a week after reaching 0 Feb 2019 0.25 xanax - 0.5/day (3 weeks) over to klonopin 0.25 once a day to manage severe wd March 6, reinstated citalopram 2.5 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 mg for sleep 2-3 times a week Apr 1st citalopram 2.0 mg (liquid), klonopin 0.25 once a week (off by 4/14/19- no tapering) citalopram (liquid) 4/14/19 -1.8 mg, 5/8/19 - 1.6 mg, 7/27/19 -1.5 mg, 8/15/19 - 1.35, 2/21/21 - 1.1 (smaller drops in between), 6/20/21 - 1.03 mg, 8/7/21- 1.025, 8/11/21 - 1.02, 8/15/21 - 1.015, 9/3/21 - 0.925 (fingers crossed!), 10/8/21 - 0.9, 10/18/21 - 0.875, 12/31/21 - 0.85, 1/7/22 - 0.825, 1/14/22 - 0.8, 1/22/22 - 0.785, 8/18/22 - 0.59, 12/15/2022 - 0.48, 2/15/22 - 0.43, 25/07/23 - 0.25 (mistake), 6/08/23 - 0.33mg Supplements: magnesium citrate and bi-glycinate Link to comment
gerrib Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 @AltostrataI decided to cease Effexor when I can do it on my own terms. At 71 years of age one never know what what's around the corner. I feared being admitted to hospital in an emergency and having to withdraw or doses being missed. I don't know if Effexor was continuing to assist my mental health. As one grows older, one mellows, although I still experience ups and downs. I am not anti psych meds and wonder if this forum has a place for people that feel ADs helped them. When I commenced fluoxetine at 40 years of age I know it definitely helped me. I had to go off fluoxetine because it didn't mix with a non psych med I had to take. It wasn't long before i was back on a variety of ADs and as I said above for about the last 8 years have been on Effexor. I have read about the difficulty coming off effexor and have been petrified of tapering. I seem to be going Ok. 36 hours since last tablet( 37.5 mg) and I feel fine. I am taking 10 mg of fluoxetine which I may stay on as I have a tendency to be obsessional. Fluoxetine 20 mg 1990 -2010 Major depression, social anxiety. Dothiepin 2010 - 2011Mirtazapine 2011-2012Venlafaxine 75 mg 2012 - January 20223/2/22Tapering off with Venlafaxine 37.5 since beginning January 2022Prozac Bridge Venlafaxine 37.5 + Fluoxetine 5mg for 4 days. 5/2/22 Ceased Venlafaxine continuing 10 mg Fluoxetine. Link to comment
Administrator Altostrata Posted February 8, 2022 Administrator Share Posted February 8, 2022 If you're switching drugs and under the care of a doctor for this, please confer with your doctor about any problems from the switch -- that's their job. This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner. "It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has surpassed our humanity." -- Albert Einstein All postings © copyrighted. Link to comment
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