1st Effexor Update - Feeling Okay

Hi AnnaJane, I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling worse again. Have you been keeping a tapering journal? I found that tapering much more slowly and keeping a detailed record makes the process much easier. Instead of focusing on individual bad days, you can see the overall trend more clearly. It's also very helpful if you ever need to make a small dose increase. I'm sure things will start getting better again soon. ❤️

Thank you so much for your message I have not been keeping a tapering journal, but am going to start. I can see that it will be helpful in noticing any trends. It has been a shock to see how much harder the reduction has been since i have tried to reduce from 37.5mg. I feel better now that i have found some supportive tools and community. Thank you 💚

That sounds like a good plan @AnnaJane. And what @Duloxi84 suggested about keeping a tapering journal should help you. I'm tapering Effexor too, and I've been through so much with it. I'm at the point now where I'm removing one tiny bead per month and that seems to be the best way for me. I know how frustrating it is when you realize how long it can take, but acceptance goes a long way. Reach out anytime, we're in this together! 🩷

Yes, definitely do it—whatever method is easiest for you. Checking in every day here on Taper Community has helped me tremendously. I also use ChatGPT to log my symptoms every day (with the date and time) on a scale from 0–10:

• Anxiety
• Derealization
• Irritability
• Rumination
• Sleep
• Anger
• Nausea
• Concentration
• Digestive symptoms

Over time, you'll start to see how your symptoms fluctuate and how they sometimes influence one another. That insight is incredibly helpful. Be kind and compassionate with yourself when things don't go well. The next attempt will be better. You're learning with every step until you find the approach that works best for you. What I've learned is that it's really important to make only small dose changes and to hold your dose longer whenever symptoms appear. Stay calm, take another look at what's happening, and be patient. Stability before speed. 🫶 After just a few weeks of tracking, I can finally see what changes I've made and how my mood has evolved over time. It makes it so much easier to decide whether I should increase, decrease, or simply continue holding—and to see how much time has passed between changes. On bad days, we tend to convince ourselves that we've never felt better and never will. But when you look back at your records, you'll often be surprised by how much progress you've actually made. 🎉

Thank you both for your advice and support. So glad to have found this community💕

"Thank you both for your advice and support. So glad to have found this community💕"

You're so welcome! It's a great community. There are a lot of people tapering Effexor here. We're happy to have you with us as we embark on this crazy journey!