About to reduce my dosage of venlafaxine and nervous!

Hi Lana,

Like you I've been on Venlafaxine for many years, I started on 150mg then 4 years ago it was increased to 225mg as I was experiencing worsening anxiety. I was also taking Mirtazapine 45mg, the "California Rocket Fuel". My anxiety didn't improve. Anyway, to cut a long story short, this year I decided to try a different approach, the anxiety was becoming unbearable, I took up the chance to have counselling and it was a revelation. I realised that the meds were making me worse. I'm nearly finished the Mirtazapine which I've reduced very slowly.

Are you able to get Venlafaxine capsules prescribed? I have "Vensir XL" 150mg and 75mg. They contain small tablet shaped pellets, 14 in the 150mg and 6 in the 75mg. I'm reducing by 1 pellet every 2 weeks. I'm now on 200mg. I notice a little bit of irritability in the first couple of days after reducing but so far so good.

My experience is that GPS and Pharmacists are not much help when reducing, and I've had to dig my heels in about keeping this preparation on my prescription. The tablets are cheer.

I hope this helps.

Hi Lana mike here.  I'm in the same boat as you. I'm on 150 now I was on 185 sr cap per day in the morning. I'm staying on 150 over Christmas then I'm going down to. 125 or 75 mg in January  like you I've been on these things for years please read my earlier post !!! Like you dizzy ringing in my ears and many more symptoms. Can't wait to get my life back .. please look at my post and Lana keep in touch god bless Michael 

Hi.

Yes you will notice a difference. The right way to go about it after having steady doses for 8 years would be 75mg extended release caps and 37.5mg extended release caps for the first reductions. I am not sure if these are available where you are. Wyeth produces them in these doses (Effexor XR). Reductions must be by 37.5 mg and ideally spaced by about 2-3 months and longer if any disturbances surface during weaning. Ideally you should only make the next cut once you are symptom free (evened out) for about 3 months. That makes for minimum brain jerks. And helps minimize danger of relapses after discontinuation.

If you are moving to tabs and there is no way for you to get the XR caps in the abovementioned dosages then the best thing would be to take 75mg in the morning and 37.5 in the afternoon (about 6 hrs after the first pop). To try maintain a little more even release.

When I was first weaning, my doctor used tabs to helped prep me for the ensuing changes. So first I was given my normal dosage on them to get used to highs and lows that come with regular release as I too was on 150 extended release for 8 years. So i was taking 75mg extended release in the morning and 75mg regular release in afternoon for a couple of weeks before dropping the second one to 37.5 regular.... This was how my psychiatrist chose to prepare me based on the length of my treatment. It really worked out nicely. The benefit there of immediate release second dose was the mid-day spike and gentle reduction after peak levels getting th ebrain kick-started to follow the down and be prepared for it without panicking.

Let us know how it goes once you start, whichever way you opt to do it.

Iana, this is information to a facebook page specifically for people who are trying to wean off of venlafaxine/Effexor. It was a huge help to me when I was tapering off of this medication. I have been off of it now for a year and three months. I wish you well.

EFFEXOR (Venlafaxine) Side Effects, Withdrawal and Discontinuation Syndrome