How long for withdrawl symptoms to level out

Hi James, 

IsXL the extended release?  You have already made a cut down to 75 mg then? How long have you been at that dosage?  Is your version of Effexor the one with little beads inside a capsule or a few larger tablets inside a capsule?

Your question is a loaded one!  It truly depends on the individual.  Some seem to be able to taper off rather quickly without too much drama while others crash, burn and reinstate.  Your response to this first cut may be telling as to which one you are.

It takes four plus days for the system to register the change.  This and other psych meds cause the nervous system to push back with modifications opposing the artificial elevation of neurotransmitters, and when you cut too much and too often you may end up with those changes unopposed which means withdrawal.  With a 33% cut, I'd wait 4-6 weeks to let your system digest that cut and modify in response, before moving forward.

If you begin to have symptoms that are unbearable, reinstate a portion of your cut.  This depends on the form you are taking, though, as to how convenient doing so might be.  Little beads in capsules are easier because you can count the number of beads inside three capsules, total, divide by three to get the average, and then take a consistent number of beads every day that reflects the percentage cut you'd like to make.  It's ok to do that so long as you don't chew the beads.  I've been doing it that way for quite a long time, since I'm one of the sensitive ones.

 

I’m just reducing from 150mg to 112.5.  I’m a mental health nurse myself - the consultant I work with says to reduce by 37.5mg every 2 weeks.  However, I think different people have different levels of withdrawal effects.  At the moment mine is headaches, bit nauseous and some brain fog.  At the moment- it’s tolerable.  I have tried to reduce quicker and over a shorter period but had to go increase the dose as I felt so awful!! 

What I’m saying, is that I think it’s individual...and you might have to take it as slow as I need to.

I shall keep checking in to see responses, as i’m hating the whole process

Thanks for your reply’s both, I take XL which is extended release and I take whole tablets not beads. I’m currently

On week 6 of withdrawl and the brain fog is ridiculous and my mind is drifting all over the place, I can’t waot for it to start to level outs. I was advised to wait 6-8 weeks before reducing each time and give the brain time to adjust after each decrease. 

Hello james

I am also letting go of this medication, at the moment reducing from 75 to 37.5 and feeling quite dizzy. From my understanding it is totally individually different how people go with their withdrawal symptoms. If you want to get an in depth appreciation of the whole thing go to the Facebook page Venlafaxine. It is full of information but don´t allow yourself to be scared as the experience of most people there is rather negative. Kelly Brogan is also a good psychiatrist - excellent in my view! She has a website full of information as well.

Goodness it's taken me several if not more months to taper down from 150mg to just less than 37.5mg 😥 it takes a very long time I'm afraid, and the lowest dose is the hardest and, worst to get of from if I'm honest with you. The withdrawal is just crazy bat poop LOL. The brain zaps are a withdrawal but they do settle down after a while so just bare with that dude ok. I'm trying to get of the last dosage with no help from my GP and I get as itchy all over as hell!! To top it all of I've recently found out why no antidepressants have been working for me by my phyciatrist...it's not depression I've got it's post traumatic stress disorder and anxiety