Mixters Effexor HELL taper thread

[jule1]

Keep it up Mixter and before you knonw it you'll be free! And you won't have to suffer as much as some of us CTer's. I had to deal a lot with the lack of motivation thing. It's slowly getting better but there are still days where I just chalk it up to a day in bed. I dealt with a lot of foggy headed stuff for the longest time as well. Thought it was my Tryptophan but was really the withdrawal since it has cleared up significantly.

Let me know what other Effexor w/d symptoms you get and hopefully I can help. So far, a lot of what you mention is a lot of what I experienced during E w/d.

[Songbird]

You're doing great, just rest when you need to rest, you are so right about sleep and rest being very important.

[Mixter]

After my episode with severe migraines, nausea, stopped moving bowels 2 days ago I decided to drop because I have been on the same dose for 4 weeks and feel worse. 7 pellets down but will do a 5 percent drop today. But noticed improvements yes the head symptoms is gone but also this morning was rough, moderate akathisia and rls, think the drop was too small.

[Mixter]

Well after my drop to 318.8 mg i noticed instant relief from migraines and stomach symptoms and feel more normal again, but I feel weird in my head. Feels like something in brain is pouring down through a strainer, and I mean it. I have mild headaches tho but I think it is common after a drop so I hope it will not be something intense like the last time.

[Mixter]

I am doing better now this morning there was no akathisia and so and I feel a bit up it is a bit hypomania and I am doing well I cant believe this... so I try to enjoy it now than to think what will happen later, I have energy and are going to vacuum the apartment from dust. I am taking less coffee now and focus on teas instead, red teas or black, it works. My stomach works again and I have small zaps kind of reconnecting in prefrontal cortex, it is a bit funny lol.. always just there when I reconnect or recollect something and feeling after it.. it is progress! also noted I got back many memories.. Sleeping is more difficult. I think too much, recollecting everything. But I managed to get least 5 hr sleep and hope I get more tonight. Also cried a bit today about some issues... feeling good after. Peace folks

EDIT: also I met my doc again, Stefan. he's very good and trust me alot. and could understand about the tapering issues with effexor, poop out - tolerance, side effects, for the dose of 318.8 mg is a half of 37.5 mg capsule contents - and I showed him how I did count out pellets. 68 pellets is 18.75 mg. plus 300mg. We will do blood draws to check blood levels of venlafaxine, also blood pressure, and discuss compounding pharmacy so I dont have to do for myself - GREAT!, also disability papers will be written, and sent in this last in this month. We got a new Led 40" TV and love full hd movies, ex blade runner 1080p so nice to see again! =) I hope also you all get encouraged by this!

I dont take extra meds besides Effexor, and take omega-3/magnesium/calcium/chrome.
If I have sleep issues. I have thought of taking Baclofen low dose or something mild.

[Mixter]

A bit rough morning with akathisia, and back pain (burning sensation) in middle of spine. Also, I think ginkgo biloba does interfere badly with Efexor, so I wont use it anymore and thrown off it.

Ibuprofen I use 1-2 200mg each day with no problem. I think stress can contribute to the symptoms and also after eating. I have stayed for 16 days on 318.8 and there is min.

5 days to go, I have wondered if I should slow down after 300mg or speed up, I think I will do 6% cuts to try if it works, in poop out tapering rate can play a role because I know dropping too slowly does not work so well (one sphere or half a day felt kind of bad) but I think I will do ok at 6% and to max 10% just to speed down until I get to maybe 75-37.5 mg I can drop to 2,5-5% cut rate.

It's important to be careful and watch if symptoms become too intense.
I am still doing well. No anxiety or depression.

[Mixter]

The body vibrations is alot less, I believe it is cannabis withdrawal. When I was off it, I had very intense vibrations in body and head. Now it is alot improved. It is the glutamatergic system. Sleep is improved as well. I feel kind of more normal now, but the demons and strange thoughts is still there, it will take very long time to go away, still "fear sensitive" to say.

The walk today 1 hours felt great, I had no problem with that, no zaps, strange body sensations or something, and was relaxing. I had some pains in my heart area in the day though. The visual snow has gone down a bit, but it is only a percent down from maybe 15 percent of the intensity I had when it was as worst in CT, still I have hope of course it will go away because I have seen improvements in this area.

Eye symptoms is better, stomach is ok, no pain in body besides the minor in middle of spine, only sometimes stabbing/aching hands/legs very rarely. Face crawling is a bit less, but not that much. So to summarize I feel ok, I can chill in front of my computer. A tad akathisia in morning though and sometimes I can feel very little of it in evening, espically after eating but it is nothing compared to the torture it was before.

[rain]

Sounds like you are improving daily, Mixter. Huge progress!

[Songbird]

Good to hear you are still doing okay. 'Fear sensitive' is a good term!

[Mixter]

Thanks everyone! After my drop to 300mg, I now notice the symptoms. It has hit me a bit "stronger", akathisia is noticeable during the day, but so far tolerable, I would been worse with 10%. The drop from 318.8 was 6-7% so next time will be 5%, more comfortable for me. The "inverse" head pressure is one symptom that differ from the other, feels like it is constricted up there in a other way. My sleep has been a bit broken up but so far I managed to sleep again after 20-30 minutes. Minor akathisia/agitation and uneasiness. Nothing major.

[Songbird]

Sounds like 5% is the way to go!

[jule1]

You're dong great Mixter keep it up. I agree 5% with a nasty drug like Effexor I believe is the way to go!

[Mixter]

I noticed a pattern here.

First week I sleep so-so, am a bit anxious. Second week, I have entered the 8th day today (noticed a sense of well-being yesterday) with the body feeling "warm" and good, stress levels dropped and less anxiety. I have more persistent headaches now, maybe could be the healing, I hope it will leave in some days, as I had this every day it seems. The headaches is fluctuating. Often when I rest they disappear, but when I do/work/focus they return. I just try to ignore it and take Ibuprofen when it is "too disabling" for me. Using magnesium, omegas, l-glutamine, chromium piconilate and calcium. I decided to stop take coffee and instead go for black tea. The vibrations is much lower now, I feel it is not a problem for me. No forbidden substances more, as cb induced it for me and created more problems for me after withdrawal like heightened vibrations, insomnia, etc. Glutamate system I believe. And I still go to work and meet friends. I hope the headaches disappear later or improve. 8 th day, 13 days to go min to next drop.

EDIT: seems the omegas reduce the headaches a bit, what more can help?

[Mixter]

Update: Headaches seems better today, they have been straight 8 days for me. Feeling more normal again, still have a bit to go. I think it will be easier now for one week, so I am enjoying it. The drop from 318.8 was a 6% one, and I felt it was a bit too much for me, 5% will do better. Hope next time I will get less headaches. Ibuprofen save my day!

[Mixter]

Headaches GONE for now.

Bowels move slow, but drinking juice (high GI before eating) seems to help.

Minor morning akathisia and "crampy feelings". It's just better to get up,
they go away in one sec and never returns.

I am feeling ok, now I am between the begin and end of the drops - the feel good phase, before I start feeling worse.

10 days, 11 left or more - we'll see.

[rain]

Originally Posted by Mixter

I am feeling ok, now I am between the begin and end of the drops - the feel good phase, before I start feeling worse.

Mixter... if you think you're going to start feeling worse, you probably will! Stop saying that to yourself!

Headaches... roll your pillow so that it looks like a rolling pin. Support your neck and part of your head with it. That seems to help me a lot.... some of the time anyway.

[Mixter]

It is entirely in prefrontal cortex. Then it shifts at the 6,7 and 8 days to tension headaches (muscles on the sides). Ibuprofen 200 helps alot. I dont know what to expect. But am doing well.

Thanks for your advice rain!

I will go try that!

[Mixter]

On the second week, I noticed the head pressure shifted to the other way. Before it was kind of inwards, a constricted ribbon around up the eyes, now it feels like a inflated ribbon balloon around up the eyes. 15th day now. 6 to go min.

[Mixter]

Noticed head pressure seems to be more uniform during the day, no more headaches, even on evenings (that was a case before, with alot of head pressure) Seems something has happened, good things did happen. Maybe this time, the "reinstatement" and re-taper to 300mg from 450 did guide in some things, and all my supplements I have taken which is omega-3 liquid 2-7g a day, magnesium chelate >1000mg a day, chromium GTF 200 µg, calcium 800/200 2 x a day. Varying with different levels of dose each day, not same dose, etc. Sometimes less calcium, or magnesium. If I sleep alot, I need less omega-3. Following my stomach. It is quite a bit constipated so I need more magnesium and omega-3 I believe. There is no oils left, which is a good sign - my body absorbs it. I have noticed that I seem to get past the strange thoughts (which I believe are from the disrupted inhibitory/excitatory circuits in the brain, gaba/nmda mediated) and to face them makes them less - a real paradox. Just trying to re-memorize and get past the demons. I had a nice halloween yesterday! The corridorrs at the party entrance was scary! It was filled with ghosts, bloodstained butchers, a strange lit graveyard with lightning, ultraviolet spiderwebs and scary moments, but I enjoyed it LOL. Hope you all had a great halloween too!

Noticed, also, the warm body feelings is less, sleep is a bit so-so but I sleep least 8 hrs or more.
I am affected by stressors, but magnesium seems to calm alot and support my body.

Virtually nil anxiety or depression as for now.

[LCrawford67]

You're doing great, Mix! Glad you had a good Halloween!

[Mixter]

Now it's the 3th week, 21 days on the dose. I feel ok, not worse hmm. Going to stay min 1-2 week allowing more stabilization.

[rain]

Mixter... someday you're going to write a book on getting off ADs the RIGHT way! You are doing so well!

[Songbird]

It's great to see you doing well, Mixter!

[Mixter]

Yesterday night a strange phenomen happened me, the brain vibrated, tingled, but not in the sugardrink&melting manner it was before (the hard part around augusti) but various areas felt like neurons twisting and then I borderlined between calmness and anxiety. Felt like something paradoxical and was afraid of something happening me, but then it was over - i slept very long, 12+ hours. It was a exhausting day, work, café with a pretty girl, and cbt therapy. I was nearly going to sleep in therapy but I wanted to wait to the right time! I dont have any headaches or too much head pressure now, which I consider me lucky, and into over 3 weeks now. See how long I can push it. I feel my body is neutral, not warm or too cold. Minor symptoms, nothing that I feel bothered of.

[Mixter]

I decided to drop the dose to 285 mg. Counted out 55 tiny pellets out from the red brown 150mg capsule and swallowed the two. I am only feeling "very minor worse" to say, I could have waited more, but decided to step down.

I was feeling stable, aside from the strange thoughts.

I feel glad my high dose is falling, faster.

Already from 450mg to 285mg - that's more than a third!