75th Effexor Update - Feeling Very bad

August 4, 2026··

Posted in:Effexor (Venlafaxine)Support

taper update

I had trouble sleeping last night due to severe anxiety and heart palpitations. Today I feel a lot of anxiety, stress, and exhaustion. I'm going to take it easy and rest.

Catina’s taper progress

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Dose (mg)

Mood (/10)

Venlafaxine (tapering) - Current dose 17.92 mg
Trazodone - 50 mg
Levothyroxine - 25 mcg

“Your brain and body know how to heal. Trust the process and keep going.”

Please Note: I am not a healthcare professional. Any advice given is based on personal experience and that of others in the lay withdrawal community.

4 Replies

Duloxi8413d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

Hi Catina, Try giving yourself permission to truly rest for the next 2–3 days. Don't do anything demanding—no scrolling on your phone, no negative news, just things that help you feel calm and safe. Keep stimulation to a minimum. In my experience, that often helps. Looking at your tapering journey, I wonder if you're still deep in withdrawal. Give yourself time, and if necessary, consider whether your tapering speed might need to be slowed down. Wishing you all the best. 🫶

Cymbalta — 13mg — 17 Jahre — holding -with clinician - 90 mg – 2021: First tapering attempt.
60 mg – 2023: Second tapering attempt.
With a doctor's supervision—but unfortunately, a doctor who doesn't know how to properly taper off an antidepressant.

⭐

CatinaStaff13d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Thanks Duloxi84, I really appreciate your support. It means the world to me. I plan on taking it easy for the rest of the week. I'm only reducing by one tiny bead per month. I forgot to add that I heard back from my GP, and she said she thinks she could write my Effexor and Trazodone prescriptions for me as long as I'm "stable." She probably said that because of what happened back in 2021 when I had a horrible crash. We will talk about it more at our next visit, which is on September 22nd.

Cat12d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · active

Hi Catina. Sorry to hear you are having such a hard time. I agree that resting is a good plan.

Cymbalta — 60mg — (right before starting with TaperCommunity I was on 90mg and tapered down to 60mg) 3 years — Holding

Zyprexa 12.50mg (tapered down from 22.50 March 25, 2026.) Holding

Lithium 600mg (tapered down from 900mg) Holding

Quetiapine tapered OFF May 2026

⭐

CatinaStaff12d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Thank you @Cat, I appreciate you saying that. I'm pretty non-functional right now, so resting is about all I can do.

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