Posted by KimberlyDi on December 1, 2003, at 10:37:21
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - my approach, posted by John2222 on November 26, 2003, at 17:56:44
Great advice John
Amazing how the staggering approach (or what I called 2 steps forward, 1 back) works! It really helps with the withdrawal symptoms. I no longer get sick and the dizziness lowered to a level I could tolerate and still work. I agree with the 37.5 limit decreases but I was more impatient with the length of time to stay on each level. I went 1 week. 2 weeks would definately make it easier.
Try it people!!! Why go through that agony?
Happy Late Turkey Day EVERYONE!!!
KDi in TX :)> I was taking Effexor XR 112.5 each day for about a year. My approach to reducing with minimized agony was SLOW.
>
> 1. Reduce no more than 37.5 each time and stay at any new level for 2 weeks.
> 2. Or alternate 112.5 and 75 every other day for a week or two and then go to 75.
> 3. Then stay at 75 for a week or two.
> 4. Then reduce to 37.5 for two weeks (again alternating 75 and 37.5 if necessary)
> 5. Then go to heal food store and buy a bag of empty gel caps (they are cheap).
> 6. Put one half of the 37.5 in one gel cap and one half in the other.
> 7. Then reduce to 18.75 (approx) for two weeks.
> 8. Then alternate 18.75 one day and nothing the next day for two weeks.
> 9. Then either stop or alternate one day on and two days off for awhile.
>
> Seems like a long process, but the staggering really helped me.
>
> The reason I stopped taking Effexor was that I felt much better and the higher levels of Effexor just made me want to sleep/nap all the time, although I must say it really really helped with anxiety and depression together.
>
> Good luck. I personally think it is/was a good drug for me, but it is definately hard to tape off without discomfort.
>
> John
>
poster:KimberlyDi
thread:1016
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031126/msgs/285515.html