Effexor Taper Withdrawals ??

[Amandag78]

Hi i posted a while back.
Ive been doing a taper from 225mg daily XR.
I tapered to 37.5mg in 2 weeks.
Ive also been on this mg now about 17 days.
In total its been 31 days since i stopped 225mg.
All my brain zaps stopped about 10 days or so ago.
However, every 2 days, i experience aching and brittle feeling bones. This is very painful. I feel when i walk, if im not careful, i will break a bone because of the weakness feeling.
This lasts, also for 2 days in a row.
Almost like i have a severe body flu, but 100 times worse.
I also just feel plain unwell and quite tired.
These are the only symptoms im experiencing and would like to know if aching bones ( not muscles ) is comman in effexor w/d as i havent heard anyone say this. Its not RLS, my bones just feel brittle.
Also, when should this subside ??
I would really like a guestimate if anyone knows pls, the other 2 days in a row, im very energetic and feel very normal.
So im not sure why this is a 2 day thing instead of daily and this is the reason im unsure if its w/d's.
I am almost 8 months clean from maintenance Subutex and was bedridden for 5 months.
I only started getting my energy back 3 months ago because Subutex has a 72 hour half life and it drained the life out of me.
I was almost 100% me again, till i started my effexor taper, and do feel ok every couple days.
So you can see why im desperate to see how long this w/d lasts.
Any help much appreciated, thanks.
Yes, my taper is under doctor sup now...

[Amandag78]

Hey Maddie, thanks again. Ok, thats a bummer i dont have the pills like you guys. Its strange we were both prescribed Effexor for anxiety and now the med stopped working. Mine came back quite strong for a while too. Now mine seems under control but who knows. I only get anxiety when i think about anxiety lol, the burning butterflys in my stomach and heart pulpitations. But when i go out i dony get it, or when im worried about something, i dont get it. It just happens whrn im laying down watching tv. I think thats really unusual. I went back up to 75mg for 2 days and had to come back down again. I was playing with my dose but 37.5 seems to be where i should stay, at least for a while. I have gone from 58kilos to 85kg since effexor and ive never been over weight till now. I want to be off all meds too to see how i go. Good luck to you and thanks again : )

[4Maddie44]

I was on capsules for higher doses, but here in UK the dosage at 37.5mg and under is in pill form and is generic, and although I did not like what generic did to me before, I had no choice.  As it was I did all right on the generic this time.  So that is why I was able to cut the pills.  I have read of people opening the capsules, but that is a bit more difficult as you do not know what dosage you are taking.

Well done, as you are doing well, with little withdrawal symptoms.  

I found the Effexor did take away the anxiety, but unfortunately, is has now come back, but quite mild.  I do not want to take any medication for it, and am coping OK on my own.  

I do hope you stay anxiety free, as that would be wonderful.  I find the anxiety hard to deal with, and now I have a bad tummy and nausea which I think could be a result of anxiety.  

Take care, and keep in touch, and let us know how you are doing.  

[Amandag78]

Maddie thanks for your response. Unfortunantly im not on the quick release pills. Im on the Extended Release, so i cant cut them. But i can open them up and seperate the little balls and put the capsule back together and take it. Im not too bad today, but i still get the aching bones all over, and as this is pretty much the only symptom, i should be grateful, and am, but after the sub detox and recovery time, i was just over the whole sick thing. My partner doesnt understand. My anxiety has almost disappeared which is fantastic. I believe when i started reducing my effexor, this is when the anxiety started lifting. This is what i was originally prescribed effexor for. Thanks again : )

[4Maddie44]

Well done.  It took me 10 months to withdraw from 150mg Effexor.  That was 9 months ago.  As I did it very slowly I had no withdrawal symptoms.

I think you are wise to stay on 37.5mg for a few months.  This will ease the withdrawals.  They will gradually lessen, and perhaps you could do what I did.  I bought a pill cutter and cut up the tablets, taking smaller and smaller doses for quite a few months, until I was taking just a tiny amount on a finger tip.  I hope that helps.

Yes the withdrawals can be bad, but you seem to be doing quite well.  It was a high dosage you were on,and to taper so quickly, like you did, unfortunately gave you withdrawal symptoms.  I know it is too late now, but you should have done it a great deal slower.  But here you are coping well.  

I wish you luck on the rest of your withdrawal but it is not easy to say how long things will last, as different for each person.  

Take care

[Amandag78]

Its ok, i realised you already answered best you could.

[Amandag78]

Ive been staying on 37.5mg for the past few weeks and intend to  stay on this dose for some months. I realised as you have said, i need to slow it down so i would be foolish to jump now like i was previously going to do.
Do u think aching bones are a w/d symptom ? Thanks.

[Amandag78]

Ok thanks.

[Paxiled]

Nobody can answer your question, because people react differently.  Some have an easy time, some hard, some impossible.  You're already withdrawing quite quickly, faster than I would, so maybe slow it down and see if the symptoms dissipate.  This is a drug to go very very slowly on, just to play it safe.  But again, no one can predict how long anything will last for you, we can just hope along with you it goes easily.