Making plans for reducing, then coming off Venlafaxine

From experience (not only my own) and based on what my psychiatrist explained, that sounds a bit too choppy. You could safely drop by 37.5 mg per round provided you stick with each reduced dose for approximately 3 months after the initial withdrawal symptoms are experienced. That is to say you need to be even for about 3 months for the brain to reboot and recallibrate. Then the next 37.5 drop. If at any point you worsen you have to hold the dose until you stabilize and then maintain for around 3 months before next cut. Dropping bit by bit every 2 weeks sounds like you will force your brain into a nasty pattern. If you want to do smaller drops like what you are suggesting, I would rather space them at least 3-4 weeks. But I still think the first method mentioned is kinder to the brain. Good luck. Let us know how it goes!

I posted a few weeks ago that I had been on the drug

Since you've been on for 14 years I think the 5%reduction of each new dose sounds fine but I'd definitely wait more than 2 weeks before another drop. I'd say at least 4-6 weeks.

I was on for about 5 years [37.5mg] before I started a year long taper only to get bit in the butt towards the end. So I had to reinstate and once I stabilize I'll do an even longer safer taper.

I was on it for 12 years. I found withdrawal impossible. Why did I try to withdraw? Its a complicated story which I won't go into. As a medical science worker I have extra knowledge to bring perhaps.

Medics tend to doubt the Venlafaxine difficilt withdrawal problem (my own GP experience).

On other hand there seem to be an awful lot of people having a terrible time coming off it (but not everyone).

So where's the things we can hypothesise about it. Possible some individuals' pharmacology ( the effect drugs have on us and that we have on how drugs are handled) is different to other individuals. So some people may react far worse than others to withdrawal.

It's also possible that the longer uv been on venlafaxine the harder it is to give up (something I've not seen talked much about), but which applies to me and you.

I could go on...

All I'd say is, don't buy in to everything that is said here online. Just note it and try not to imagine every statement represents the truth.

Venlafaxine for me has been a life saver, but it has had its problems, the worst being the withdrawal (but even that has a complicated story making it hard to be objective)

Good luck

Oh yes, I was on 150 per day. Same as u.

I think it makes sense to follow these v gradual withdrawals. A year tho? Well, that may well be a good idea (advice from health services tend to say a month and will laugh at this, but I don't laugh after my withdrawal difficulties).