I am about to start tapering ADs and I am extremely nervous

Mental health
1

After 6 years on Citalopram, I switched to Efexor XR and been taking that for 2 years.  I have tried and tried to come off them both in the past but unsuccessfully.  I thought I was relapsing into depression 100 worse than before I started taking them.  I have been doing some research on the net and now know I need to taper.  I am on 225mg Efexor XR per day, and I want to be free of it.  I am going to start tapering as per advised method but I am very nervous.  The main symptons I get are: I am teary, get unbearable brain zaps, and it feels like a relapse of depression, as I go a bit crazy and find I cant cope with every day life.  Last time I tried to come off them, i was on 150mg effexor XR and reduced to 112.5mg 3 days a week, and 150mg for the remaining 4 days.  I felt I was relapsing into a terrible depression and so I increased up to 225mg per day and have been taking this for a year now.  Please can someone tell me that tapering will be easier to go through than what I have done in the past?

2

I have found that meds drs put us on for depression and PTSD which I have PTSD from being sexually abused as a child. They make us worse. Please taper off slowly it will get better. Effexor is the devil. I tapered off of it and thought I would die of being sick. I hope it gets easier for you.

3

what i did, was gradula taper of 75mg/week down to 75.5mg, then combined with 20mg prozac for a week, stop the ven altogether then the prozac after another week, and it seemed to work well. Came off it another time without the prozac and wasreally feeling physically ill for a week after it.

Why are you coming off?

4

Thanks for your advice, i have read some other reports about combining it wth prozac to come off ven.

I am coming off it because my mood is very flat, and I dont seem to care about anything.  I read this refers to 'deactivation' which is an effect of ADs.  Also it affects my libido (I am married)

5

Sounds like you have had an awful time in the past.

Thanks for your support

6

That's why i came off them also. How are you feeling now? Are you going to go on another?

7

I haven't started tapering yet, I need to go to docs and get some 37.5's so I can spilit them up.  

Its so good to hear that you have had success coming off them

I am not sure about prozac - i have been on it in the past and had they made me do crazy things.... so I will see how I am when I start tapering