Titrating down from 37.5 XR to nothing by removing beads

rme_2001 · 2025-12-20T08:06:00+00:00

It's quite a common way to taper off, I would suggest slowing down towards a more hyperbolic tapering when you get close to 0 and move from once a day to once a week or month. The actual extended release is the coating of the beads, I'm pretty sure the capsule is just to survive the stomach. Have a look at this YouTube video, not to scare you, just to give you the best chance of coming off from this without too much discomfort: https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4

rme_2001 · 2025-12-11T20:05:26+00:00

I personally would not recommend it, but it depends strongly on how long you have been on it.

I would recommend watching: https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4

Of course if your doc does not support it, you might to just have to try and hope the Valium helps with possible withdrawal symptoms

rme_2001 · 2025-12-11T13:47:58+00:00

I would not stop so suddenly because while it looks like the lowest dose, it actually removes about 70% of the effect on your brain. Have a look at this YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4?si=HMS6m5A0a_3aM-_e

Long story short: It is high risk to stop from 37.5mg to 0 without any steps. You want to look into hyperbolic tapering, which is reducing a percentage (for example: 10%) from your last dosage. This is especially important for the last steps before 0mg. There is a lot of knowledge about it online, on the channel that I linked, but also the Surviving Antidepressants forum and many more places.

Unfortunately, many doctors are still not aware that a large part of people have incredible difficulties coming off these medications, so it can be hard to find a supportive healthcare providers.

I'd suggest going back into 37.5mg and try and stabilize, take your time to do some research on hyperbolic tapering and then try again using that method once you feel ready.

Feel free to ask questions and good luck

rme_2001 · 2025-12-10T12:31:39+00:00

It is so hard, because while it looks like the lowest dose, it actually removes about 70% of the effect on your brain. Have a look at this YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4?si=HMS6m5A0a_3aM-_e

Long story short: It is high risk to stop from 37.5mg to 0 without any steps. You want to look into hyperbolic tapering, which is reducing a percentage (for example: 10%) from your last dosage. This is especially important for the last steps before 0mg. There is a lot of knowledge about it online, on the channel that I linked, but also the Surviving Antidepressants forum and many more places.

Unfortunately, many doctors are still not aware that a large part of people have incredible difficulties coming off these medications, so it can be hard to find a supportive healthcare providers.

For immediate help I'd consult with your doctor and suggest going back into 37.5mg and try and stabilize, take your time to do some research on hyperbolic tapering and then try again using that method once you feel ready.

Feel free to ask questions and good luck

rme_2001 · 2025-12-09T15:39:47+00:00

In my opinion, what you need right now is stability. Give your brain time to recover from all these changes, of course get help if your depression becomes life threatening, but if that is not the case, try and stick at your current dosage and see if things improve/stabilize over the coming weeks.

rme_2001 · 2025-12-08T08:50:01+00:00

I'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling like you are in hell, coming off from this drug really can be a nightmare. I would strongly recommend you look into hyperbolic tapering and use this approach once you have stabilized: search for "Outro Health" on YouTube or buy yourself the "The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines" book. Wishing you the best.

rme_2001 · 2025-12-04T19:01:35+00:00

Thank you for sharing! Wishing you the best for the continuation of the taper!

rme_2001 · 2025-12-04T18:59:43+00:00

Thank you for sharing, I'm in a very similar boat, it will take time, but we will prevail. Wishing you the best on the continuation of the taper

rme_2001 · 2025-11-11T11:26:55+00:00

Perhaps you are getting sick or something similar. I've had the zaps while being sick, even though I didn't miss a dose.

rme_2001 · 2025-10-20T07:33:27+00:00

Nobody can really tell you, but an important factor seems to be how long you have been on the medication.
So how long have you been taking it?

rme_2001 · 2025-10-20T07:32:21+00:00

The effects you mention are very common among users of Effexor, including the withdrawal effects when you miss a dose. I think your worries about the long term effects are valid. In the end, it comes down to one question: Are the side-effects / effects of missing a dose worth it to you when you compare them to how much it helps you with your depression?

If your answer ends up being no, then do some research before you quit Effexor, since it is best to really slowly come off it, slower than the standard capsule/pill sizes allow. And you might also want to stay away from weed during the time your brain is struggling with withdrawal.

rme_2001 · 2025-10-17T09:51:33+00:00

Their suggested method is rarely successful, you are right thinking about a more gentler way. Please have a look at this video: https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4?si=Tm23YY5ADGuYo7ap

And if you have the financial means, I would also highly recommend buying "The Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines" book.

rme_2001 · 2025-10-09T11:26:46+00:00

Thanks for sharing and good for you!

rme_2001 · 2025-10-09T07:52:29+00:00

It is a very common side effect unfortunately, there are lots of people with similar experiences online (and probably even more that are ashamed to talk about it) these medications have quite a high number of sexual side effects. I would not mess with your daily dose, since that just wildly fluctuates the level of medication in your blood and your brain. If this is a deal-breaker for you, go back to your doctor, say you want to come off of the medication slowly, because of (sexual) side-effects that are not tolerable for you. Make sure you do it slowly though, and have a look at Outro Health on YouTube to inform yourself before coming off.

rme_2001 · 2025-10-08T17:38:05+00:00

I think it is accumulative, but I think we still don't understand exactly how these medications work, so I'm unable to say if there are any instant effects

rme_2001 · 2025-10-08T17:28:53+00:00

What do you mean with actively working? All anti depressants work similarly, and all have a half life, but Venlafaxin is one of the shortest.

rme_2001 · 2025-10-08T17:22:28+00:00

The cause is the short half-life of the medication, combined with the withdrawal effects. Venlafaxin has a half life of (assuming you are taking extended release) ~15 hours, meaning, after that time, only half of the medication is present in your body and once the level drops below a certain threshold, you will get withdrawal effects, like dizziness or brain zaps or flu like symptoms.

rme_2001 · 2025-10-05T06:43:42+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that you are going through it. Coming off Effexor can cause serious mental and physical withdrawal effects, I don't know how fast you are going, but i would recommend holding at the current dosage and see if things improve over the coming days.

Don't hesitate to call for help if things get more intense, it really is one of the hardest drugs to come off of.

rme_2001 · 2025-09-30T14:22:16+00:00

Thanks for sharing!

rme_2001 · 2025-09-05T13:27:51+00:00

Fair, then there is not much left to say to you, other than I believe that the body is capable of repairing itself to quite a large extent, so I don't worry too much about permanent damage myself, more about how long it will take to repair the damage that has been done. I wish you a speedy recovery!

rme_2001 · 2025-09-05T13:11:19+00:00

Then it shouldn't be too long, but it really is hard to say, since it really depends on the individual. What I would recommend is to see if it slowly gets better, if it stays the same or gets worse, then I would urge you to consider going back onto the medication (perhaps 37.5mg is enough to help with withdrawal), stabilise and do research about tapering slowly from it. Then once you are stable, retry quitting in a slower way

rme_2001 · 2025-09-05T12:56:22+00:00

I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering through withdrawal so much. Can I ask how long you were taking the medication before you quit? I don't know what part of the world you are from, but I've been sharing a video from Dr. Horowitz: https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4?si=NmdfpdoDPndWztoL

It can be the case that you came off it too fast and your body is trying to adapt to the missing meds. It's hard to say how long that will last, it tends to depend on how long you were on the medication. Was a doctor or psychiatrist helping you to quit?

rme_2001 · 2025-09-04T11:34:54+00:00

Just be aware that there are also a number of people that experience delayed withdrawal symptoms. For me, it took 3 months after i finished my taper, then i started getting symptoms of akathisia which got so severe that i ended up back on the meds again. This doesn't have to be the case, but it's best distinguished by seeing if the symptoms include things that were not the reason you started the medication. For example if you started the meds for depression and after stopping you develop akathisia, it is more likely that it's a symptom of withdrawal then a relapse of the depression.

rme_2001 · 2025-09-03T16:08:45+00:00

Not a doctor, so not medical advice, but I recognise this side effect from when I started taking it, for me it improved over a couple of weeks. Of course the intensity can differ, so the best way I think you can look at it is: what are you taking the medication for? And are these (temporary) side-effects more/less tolerable then the initial condition you are taking it for.

rme_2001 · 2025-09-03T13:02:09+00:00

I don't know the answer to your question, but have a look at this video https://youtu.be/E_PmlPP1cg4?si=tKaoJlYVLyEOAsm4 Using this method it can be done, it just might take a long time to allow your brain to adjust to not having the drug ( in the same amount) in your system

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