Weening off Effexor - have any of you tried this technique?

This post is directed mainly to Effexor users, as this is going to be my medication. I have social anxiety disorder, and I feel I need this to function. I have only worked a few times within the last 5 months and quit a few days after due to this disorder. I have read Effexor helps with my condition, and I have also read of the MANY negative withdrawal symptoms many people experience.

But, I found a technique to ween off of anti-depressants which minimizes withdrawal symptoms to the point where it is not so bad. This technique sais to reduce the dosage by 5% every week until you are down to your last 10 mg. After that reduce the dose by 1 mg every day, drinking with orange juice.

The link to this technique can be found here - http://antidepressantsfacts.com/taper.htm

I am wondering if any of you have tried this. Specifically effexor users.

Cheers!


ps. i posted this thread in the anxiety section as well in hope to get more responses.

Hey onlynow, I am wondering why if you state that effexor helps you so much that you are posting this link about how to go off of it?  You dont state that your weening off of effexor so what is up with this??

Also, there is not a way to decrease the dosage of effexor by 5% unless you break the cap apart which your not supposed to do...there is a specific warning on the bottle stating not to.  The link you posted here has no basis facts to back up what the put on their site nor is it posted by a doctor.  I strongly suggest to anyone who is going to go off of Effexor XR or even thinking of going off of to follow their doctor's recommendations or consult their doctor before hand as this is always the best way to go about weening off of any of your medications.  Period.

And yes, I am cross posting this in the anxiety forum.

I'm curious to... You say you're not on Effexor yet, right? If you feel you need it to function, why are you already planning on how you will ween off of it?

I must say though, I too worry about the withdrawal and possible dependancy... I don't want to be on anti-depressants my entire life and I wonder what it will be like when I decide I want to stop taking them, if I can.

It doesn't sound like a good idea to be breaking up capsules that are intended for extended/slow release... That would be defeating the purpose and possibly causing some bad side effects. I would talk to your doctor about how to stop taking the medication when the time comes, take anything you read on the internet with a grain of salt.

Hi onlynow

I am on Effexor and have been up to 300mg.  My understanding is you should never break capsules apart.

I have just started weaning off them in the last couple of weeks.  I am reducing at 37.5mg per time - the lowest dose.  I am doing it very, very gradually, and if it takes me 12 months to get off them, I don't care - my mental health is much more important to me than being off meds in a hurry, if that's the way it needs to be.

I am concerned you are putting faith into a medication that you haven't even tried yet.  I tried 4 anti-depressants before I got put on Effexor, and yes I knew there was issues with side effects and withdrawals, but I wanted the problem fixed before I worried about somewhere down the track.

Please, follow your doctor's advice, not what you read or hear - we all here have our own experiences and issues, and while that can give you information and raise questions, the person you need to discuss those with for definitive answers is your doc.

Best wishes

Deb