My doctor told me I could just stop taking Lexapro cold turkey as I was 'on such a small dose'.(10 mgs) YIKES...horrible withdrawals. After doing my own research I found that the typical schedule for tapering is cutting 10% every two weeks. This sounds like it will take forever and it does but allows the brain to recalibrate without the shock of stopping the drug in huge doses. Effexor, I believe, has tiny beads in the capsule so you can't just cut it in half...I have a friend who actually had to count the beads. Skipping days, IMO, is not a good way to wean as there is never a consistant amount of drug in your system.
You will be hard pressed to find a doctor who understands the agony of withdrawal or knows how to taper. They know what the pharma reps tell them. I personally got more sound, informative info from my pharmacist. I hope you are able to connect with a medical professional that will help you wean with the least amount of problems.
Donna