Lexy: tapering off Effexor

[Lexy]

Can you still get waves in a slow Effexor micro taper ?

Or are withdrawal symptoms coming from a slight decrease 3%?

[Altostrata]

Yes, you can still get waves. You may want to hold for a time to let your nervous system settle down.

[Newbeginning]

Seems to me we can get withdrawal from a cut, no matter how small. Or bodies may tolerate a 3% cut at the beginning of the taper, but then not tolerate it at lower doses.

 

Also, you said in my topic that you have kept cutting before you went back to your baseline. In my experience, if I'm not at my baseline for 1 month before I cut, I get withdrawal no matter how little I cut. So what you're experiencing may be the result of previous cuts that are catching up on you. This is because your body never completely "stabilized".

 

I know in your case the challenge is that you've never been 100% stable, so you need to figure out your "withdrawal baseline" and make sure you're there for a month before you cut more.

 

It sounds to me that you would benefit from a longer hold. You have nothing to lose. You feel bad cutting so give your body a break and see if that helps. 

 

It's taken me 3 months to get better from the anxiety after my last cut.  I still have the depression. It's not worth the suffering. I would have been able to cut more by now if I had waited longer before doing my last cut. We pay the price if we keep cutting and destabilizing our bodies more. I actually slows the taper because we need to wait longer to stabilize.

 

I feel for you Lexy. I'm in the same boat, suffering for months after a minimal cut with no way to stabilize but to hold, wait and suffer through it. 

 

I'm starting an intensive outpatient therapy program to try to cope with anxiety, depression and apathy. Are you in therapy?

[Lexy]

Thank you Alto and newbeginning I will put a hold on my taper and wait until I stabilize. I was starting to feel better for almost 2 weeks; I jumped too quick.

Lately I have been thinking of searching for a therapist but one who at least has heard of withdrawals, which where I live is hard to come by. The one I found is not accepting new patients. I will try to expand my search.

[Lexy]

My pdoc just told me to see a rheaumatologist dr as he is concerned I might have some kind of lupus.  

I had just finished telling him my physical Symptoms had been getting better:  low grade fevers off and on fast heartbeat, knee pain;Come and go.  He noticed some rash in my leg told me I should be checked out for lupus.  I'm freaking out because after 5 years he's telling me this now?? 

I am microtapering and for the last couple months I have been holding for  longer period and seems to have given me a respite on the symptoms. 

[Memphisto]

hello Lexy, how do you feel these days and have you been able to stop using the effexor completely?