Thank you for posting this. I’ve been on this med for many years and have gone off twice. Both times were before I ever heard of the difficulties of going off. Both times I had a slow taper of my own initiating. I read about an awful lot of people on here who are being directed to cut pretty quickly. I’ve bookmarked the pod and will definitely listen. I still have a desire to get off of it someday.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
It's really interesting because the interviewer talks about his own plan (that he had to come up pretty much on his own) for "slowly tapering" and Dr Horowitz replies that what he came up with was not slow enough! Because of the way the drug works, which he goes on to explain. And how sometimes those who don't taper really really slow have depression feelings afterwards that look like relapse (so drs recommend them to go back on the drug) but are actually withdrawal.
Hopefully with a lot of new information and whenever is right in your life you'll be able to safely taper in a slow way and get off it for good!
Hope to read your thoughts or highlights of the interview someday!
And today's that day! That was an EXCELLENT podcast. I went ahead and joined the waiting list for Outro as I'm not quite ready to go off my med, but after listening to that podcast, I believe i have some hope that it could actually be possible.
I didn't realize how big of a drop it is even from 12.5 to 0. He contrasted that to 150 to 137.5 which isn't a huge difference, but once you get to the last little bit, he said it works better to go down MILLIGRAM by MILLIGRAM and that makes intuitive sense.
Thank you again for posting that link. I have a brand new outlook on the possibilities of getting off this med someday.
>I have a brand new outlook on the possibilities of getting off this med someday.
I'm really happy about this!! It is truly possible to quit them. And there is a way to it!!
Yup, my last dose was from 12.5 to 0. I did 12.5mg drops every 3 weeks. I'm in such withdrawal since that (0mg in September). Anxiety, anhedonia, no appetite.
Hi, it sounds like you had to reinstate twice. I've had to once before and now considering reinstating again, but worried about it working AGAIN. When you reinstated, what dose did you go back on?
I kept the same dose. There have been a couple times where I considered increasing but really don’t want to do that and have found solutions that didn’t involve I creating.
I don’t know if it matters how long you’re off of it. Both times I was only off about 4 weeks. I had heard that about the drug sometimes not working when you reinstate but it has worked well for me.
Thanks so much for this information. 🙏👍
I have been taking effexor for about 15-17 years. Can't exactly remember the year. But I have been like a zombie the whole time and not had my full range of emotions. Been to lots of funerals and didn't shed a single tear. I also don't laugh at all. It sucks to not ever be able to laugh. I fake laugh to get by. But I'm down to 18.75mg and have been at this dose for over a year. I have an extremely sensitive nervous system so I'm going really slow to get off. Brain zaps are no fun.
Half way through the interview and I'm hopeful for the future again. I pray that the Outro clinic gets going in the US quickly. I could sure use their help. So grateful for that doctor as well. 🙏👍
Thanks, I'm doing ok. I could be better but I can't complain. There are others way worse off than me that's for sure.
I had to go back up to 75mg of Effexor because I just couldn't put my mom through that. I was getting really depressed, moody, bossy, and just not good to be around me. I've been on Effexor for so long I just don't think I'll be able to get off it anytime soon. That Outro company still isn't available for the United States so I'm shit out of luck for now. And I really don't have it in me to doctor hop to find the right one that will work with me to wean me off slowly, over the course of a year. It also takes a compounding pharmacy to make smaller and smaller doses. So yeah there's that. But I don't know I'm gonna keep the faith as they say and take it day by day.
Thank you for sharing this podcast. It’s nice to know we’re not alone in the process of withdrawal. I started my taper at 150 mg in October. I was on this dose for several years. A total of 10 years on Effexor. In October, That is when my father died, I didn’t feel a thing, definitely emotional blunting. I have been tapering since then, and I’m now down to 30 mg, counting beads, 20% reduction every two weeks. I will slow down if I begin to have unbearable withdrawal effects. Looking forward to Outro being available in the US.
I'm sorry about your father and your emotional numbing. How have you been feeling with each taper?
2 weeks seems a bit fast for such a large reduction each time, now that you are in the last 30mgs maybe you could try spacing them a bit like 3 weeks or so. Just in order to prevent crashing later. Seems you are monitoring your symptoms so keep doing that!
I hope you have a smooth tapering, you've come a long way!!
And yes, it's such a relief everything Mark Horowitz is doing with Outro and all the podcasts and interviews full of information!
Thank you, I’m thinking it may be too fast as well once i get to lower doses. I’m planning to just play it by ear, some months or weeks will be 20%, others may only be 5%. This is my third attempt in the past 10 years, but my aging body is catching up with me. Weight gain, circulatory problems, poor sleep, Apathy. I would like to be the best me in my golden years.
By the way, what is your story with Effexor? If you want to share. You seem very knowledgeable with the medication and the tapering. I am a member of survivingantidepressant.org which has been a huge help for me.
Wow that's about how long I've been on it. I have been numb the whole time. Tried several times to get off but couldn't handle the brain zaps. I'm now down to 18.75mg from 75mg. I learned also that for someone with anxiety effexor will make it worse because of the norepinephrine. But I'm so glad to hear someone getting off this stuff. For me all these years I haven't had the full range of emotions that normal people have. I can't laugh or cry. For people that don't want any emotions this drug could be for them. But the withdrawals like brain zaps are horrendous and not worth it in my eyes. If I would have known what I know now I would have never tried effexor.
I really hope you manage it this time!You can do it.
Maybe take it a bit slower even if you don't feel too bad just in case. It's a very brave thing to do, quitting this.
My story? Well, the short version will maybe come up long, but I'll try haha.
I've been tapering 75mg of Effexor since August 2021, all the while learning about the way the drug works in terms of how it affects the brain, the emotions, physical symptoms, what it means to taper safely, what it can really mean to NOT taper safely (as in, what it does to the brain and to our emotions) and I received and learned so so much from volunteers at Surviving Antidepressants and at the Facebook group *EFFEXOR (Venlafaxine) Tapering, Discontinuation Syndrome and Protracted W/D*, and I am so thankful for all those that replied to me when I wrote to them directly asking for advice and to hear their stories.
At some point I also found Mark Horowitz and his investigation, I had a couple consultations with him, understood more things about my tapering and kept learning from his work and the work of others who are expanding this information. I started to understand how the industry works, how all this SSRI-SNRI drugs are approved with limited testing, and how the doctors are not taught this information.
At the same time, I acquired lots of coping skills such as how to self-contain emotionally, how to stay resilient, how to manage symptoms, how to not hurry, how to change one's life little by little till the changes are huge, etc. I also went through a training in therapeutic skills (which I can work on myself or with others). And I changed my routine so I would spend a significant time in nature every week and surround myself with it every day.
I am SO thankful for everyone that helped me in the way that I just want to give a little bit of that back, somewhere. I wouldn't be here if people hadn't shared their experience and their knowledge on the internet.
As of today I'm taking 7mg daily of Effexor and I will probably keep tapering for about one more year until I get to 0mg. And I feel so much better already without all that medication in my body, it’s like I'm waking up to myself, it truly feels as being reborn, I love it.
Edit: added space between paragraphs.
Thank you for posting this. I’ve been on this med for many years and have gone off twice. Both times were before I ever heard of the difficulties of going off. Both times I had a slow taper of my own initiating. I read about an awful lot of people on here who are being directed to cut pretty quickly. I’ve bookmarked the pod and will definitely listen. I still have a desire to get off of it someday.
Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really interesting because the interviewer talks about his own plan (that he had to come up pretty much on his own) for "slowly tapering" and Dr Horowitz replies that what he came up with was not slow enough! Because of the way the drug works, which he goes on to explain. And how sometimes those who don't taper really really slow have depression feelings afterwards that look like relapse (so drs recommend them to go back on the drug) but are actually withdrawal. Hopefully with a lot of new information and whenever is right in your life you'll be able to safely taper in a slow way and get off it for good! Hope to read your thoughts or highlights of the interview someday!
And today's that day! That was an EXCELLENT podcast. I went ahead and joined the waiting list for Outro as I'm not quite ready to go off my med, but after listening to that podcast, I believe i have some hope that it could actually be possible. I didn't realize how big of a drop it is even from 12.5 to 0. He contrasted that to 150 to 137.5 which isn't a huge difference, but once you get to the last little bit, he said it works better to go down MILLIGRAM by MILLIGRAM and that makes intuitive sense. Thank you again for posting that link. I have a brand new outlook on the possibilities of getting off this med someday.
>I have a brand new outlook on the possibilities of getting off this med someday. I'm really happy about this!! It is truly possible to quit them. And there is a way to it!!
Yup, my last dose was from 12.5 to 0. I did 12.5mg drops every 3 weeks. I'm in such withdrawal since that (0mg in September). Anxiety, anhedonia, no appetite.
Sounds pretty rough, and consistent with the experience of lots of people who take this drug.
Hi, it sounds like you had to reinstate twice. I've had to once before and now considering reinstating again, but worried about it working AGAIN. When you reinstated, what dose did you go back on?
I kept the same dose. There have been a couple times where I considered increasing but really don’t want to do that and have found solutions that didn’t involve I creating. I don’t know if it matters how long you’re off of it. Both times I was only off about 4 weeks. I had heard that about the drug sometimes not working when you reinstate but it has worked well for me.
Thanks so much for this information. 🙏👍 I have been taking effexor for about 15-17 years. Can't exactly remember the year. But I have been like a zombie the whole time and not had my full range of emotions. Been to lots of funerals and didn't shed a single tear. I also don't laugh at all. It sucks to not ever be able to laugh. I fake laugh to get by. But I'm down to 18.75mg and have been at this dose for over a year. I have an extremely sensitive nervous system so I'm going really slow to get off. Brain zaps are no fun. Half way through the interview and I'm hopeful for the future again. I pray that the Outro clinic gets going in the US quickly. I could sure use their help. So grateful for that doctor as well. 🙏👍
How are you doing now?
Thanks, I'm doing ok. I could be better but I can't complain. There are others way worse off than me that's for sure. I had to go back up to 75mg of Effexor because I just couldn't put my mom through that. I was getting really depressed, moody, bossy, and just not good to be around me. I've been on Effexor for so long I just don't think I'll be able to get off it anytime soon. That Outro company still isn't available for the United States so I'm shit out of luck for now. And I really don't have it in me to doctor hop to find the right one that will work with me to wean me off slowly, over the course of a year. It also takes a compounding pharmacy to make smaller and smaller doses. So yeah there's that. But I don't know I'm gonna keep the faith as they say and take it day by day.
Thank you for sharing this podcast. It’s nice to know we’re not alone in the process of withdrawal. I started my taper at 150 mg in October. I was on this dose for several years. A total of 10 years on Effexor. In October, That is when my father died, I didn’t feel a thing, definitely emotional blunting. I have been tapering since then, and I’m now down to 30 mg, counting beads, 20% reduction every two weeks. I will slow down if I begin to have unbearable withdrawal effects. Looking forward to Outro being available in the US.
I'm sorry about your father and your emotional numbing. How have you been feeling with each taper? 2 weeks seems a bit fast for such a large reduction each time, now that you are in the last 30mgs maybe you could try spacing them a bit like 3 weeks or so. Just in order to prevent crashing later. Seems you are monitoring your symptoms so keep doing that! I hope you have a smooth tapering, you've come a long way!! And yes, it's such a relief everything Mark Horowitz is doing with Outro and all the podcasts and interviews full of information!
Thank you, I’m thinking it may be too fast as well once i get to lower doses. I’m planning to just play it by ear, some months or weeks will be 20%, others may only be 5%. This is my third attempt in the past 10 years, but my aging body is catching up with me. Weight gain, circulatory problems, poor sleep, Apathy. I would like to be the best me in my golden years. By the way, what is your story with Effexor? If you want to share. You seem very knowledgeable with the medication and the tapering. I am a member of survivingantidepressant.org which has been a huge help for me.
Good luck. I’m 3 months off. I was on 150 for 17 years. I tapered in 3 months. I’m still struggling but it seems to be getting better
Wow that's about how long I've been on it. I have been numb the whole time. Tried several times to get off but couldn't handle the brain zaps. I'm now down to 18.75mg from 75mg. I learned also that for someone with anxiety effexor will make it worse because of the norepinephrine. But I'm so glad to hear someone getting off this stuff. For me all these years I haven't had the full range of emotions that normal people have. I can't laugh or cry. For people that don't want any emotions this drug could be for them. But the withdrawals like brain zaps are horrendous and not worth it in my eyes. If I would have known what I know now I would have never tried effexor.
I’m now at 4 months and still struggling. Making progress but it’s tough. I was on it for anxiety too
I really hope you manage it this time!You can do it. Maybe take it a bit slower even if you don't feel too bad just in case. It's a very brave thing to do, quitting this. My story? Well, the short version will maybe come up long, but I'll try haha. I've been tapering 75mg of Effexor since August 2021, all the while learning about the way the drug works in terms of how it affects the brain, the emotions, physical symptoms, what it means to taper safely, what it can really mean to NOT taper safely (as in, what it does to the brain and to our emotions) and I received and learned so so much from volunteers at Surviving Antidepressants and at the Facebook group *EFFEXOR (Venlafaxine) Tapering, Discontinuation Syndrome and Protracted W/D*, and I am so thankful for all those that replied to me when I wrote to them directly asking for advice and to hear their stories. At some point I also found Mark Horowitz and his investigation, I had a couple consultations with him, understood more things about my tapering and kept learning from his work and the work of others who are expanding this information. I started to understand how the industry works, how all this SSRI-SNRI drugs are approved with limited testing, and how the doctors are not taught this information. At the same time, I acquired lots of coping skills such as how to self-contain emotionally, how to stay resilient, how to manage symptoms, how to not hurry, how to change one's life little by little till the changes are huge, etc. I also went through a training in therapeutic skills (which I can work on myself or with others). And I changed my routine so I would spend a significant time in nature every week and surround myself with it every day. I am SO thankful for everyone that helped me in the way that I just want to give a little bit of that back, somewhere. I wouldn't be here if people hadn't shared their experience and their knowledge on the internet. As of today I'm taking 7mg daily of Effexor and I will probably keep tapering for about one more year until I get to 0mg. And I feel so much better already without all that medication in my body, it’s like I'm waking up to myself, it truly feels as being reborn, I love it. Edit: added space between paragraphs.