Any advice/experience on tapering off medication

Chai · Post by **Chai** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:23 am

I've been on effexor for about 3 months and Xanax for about 4 months. Effexor is the 3rd medication that I have tried and doesn't work. I tapered off of it but having withdrawal effects-dizziness, hot flashes, etc. I'm planning to taper off Xanax next under my doctor's care in the next couple of months.

Does anyone have any similar experiences or advice for dealing with withdrawal symptoms. The program has been helping but now I feel I have a new problem.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:33 am

yess i could also use some advice about this!! I have been on Effexor for almost 3 months, it worked great for me, but the side effects were pretty bad when i started it. will they be similar when i start to taper off?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:46 am

Hello, I was on Effexor for 2 years roughly and had terrible side affects for first 6 weeks. I really havn't had luck with it or any of the other anti depressants I've been on. I went off Paxil a couple of moths ago (cold turkey) and yes I had strange feelings in my head and body. Very hard to describe. I wasn't dizzy or lightheaded just felt wierd. This went on for about 6 weeks and has subsided now. So far I feel much better off the drugs....knock on wood. I have worked hard on how I let myself think...it's hard some days but I just want to be free of drugs that I feel robbed me of all emotions...I wasn't feeling any happiness or joy, had no drive for anything at all. That is not how I want to live the rest of my life.
Sorry kind of got carried away!!!
Hope I was some help. Hang in there. Those wierd feelings will stop.

RodH · Post by **RodH** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 7:57 am

Thank you-It helped. It helps when others share their experiences.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:10 am

They always had me stop the anti-depressants cold turkey. I tried so many with little luck or side effects. The only side effect coming off that I remember was this weird feeling like when you moved your hand it took a split second to feel it. It's like what you felt was slightly lagging behind the movement. It was gone in a few days but scared me.
The benzo's like Xanax were a little hard but I just came off 2 mg at bedtime. I cut it by .25 mg each Sunday. I was a little (ok a lot) grouchy and irritable the first few days of the week. I took a step back here and there- taking a .25 in the day probably once a week in the process. BUT, it's been 3 weeks since I came off and it's going to be ok. I have in my head that I don't want them, but I do get in a tizzy and think how easy it'd be to have one. So I happily and proudly gave what I had left to my husband to get rid of.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Sep 09, 2008 8:18 am

I am currently trying to taper down my dose of Paxil, and my psychiatrist said that Paxil and Effexor are the most difficult to get off of. My best advice is just to ride out the withdrawal symptoms...they may last for two months...and don't make the mistake (like I did perhaps) of getting scared and going back up in dosage. I am tapering off again, but I only make a tiny change every 3 months (SO much slower than I want! I want to be off this stuff! but it really is best for me to go slow). Even going from 7.5 to 6 mg causes me to feel weird for 6-8 weeks. It is a long process. Good luck.