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Community AnchorEffexor

Hi @BrettW and welcome! I'm sorry you're having protracted withdrawal from the Gabapentin. You could try and wait a bit longer before trying to come off the Trazodone, but it's up to you. It's always best to taper from a stable place. What symptoms have you been dealing with? Glad to have you here, and please let us know how we can help! Catina ❤️

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.

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BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

You’re right I was thinking that may be a better option. Definitely not in a stable place right now. I have the opportunity to do a certain medical procedure that may help me out but I need to be off the Trazodone first. My plan is I’ve weighed the pill with a pocket scale that measures to .001. The Trazadone pill is roughly .295 with sand paper I shave off a bit and will just go down by .01 every 10-14 days. What do you think about that?

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"I have the opportunity to do a certain medical procedure that may help me out but I need to be off the Trazodone first."

I see. Unfortunately, the process of psychiatric drug withdrawal can't be rushed. If you're already destabilized from the Gabapentin withdrawal, tapering Trazodone could very well upset the apple cart even more, if you know what I mean.

"What do you think about that?"

I think anything is possible if it can be tolerated. It all depends on how your body reacts. We can't tell you not to do it, but if you try and you feel worse then that might a sign that you'll need to slow down.

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.

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BasedStaff4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hey Brett congrats on the success thus far. What would you share to others starting off? And please keep us in the loop with check ins

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

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BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

Share to others- low and slow is the name of the game. Yes I will see how I tolerate these drops and go from there. If I can’t handle it I will continue to wait. I hear Trazadone is supposed to be easier to get off of than other Anti depressants?

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"I hear Trazadone is supposed to be easier to get off of than other Anti depressants?" — @BrettW

They all have potential issues, but Trazodone isn't generally known for causing as severe withdrawal as some others. Hopefully it will go smoothly for you!

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.

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

So it’s been about 7 days at around a 7% reduction and I definitely feel it. Not as anxious but at night I feel it, can’t sleep as well, some zaps. I can try going up 3%? If I feel it at all does that mean I’m going too fast? The thing is I want off the Trazodone because I am experiencing genital numbness. But is it still too soon being shocked from the Gabapentin?

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

Hi Brett, you may want to look over this article that Based Psychiatrist wrote about Hyperbolic Tapering: https://taper.community/resources/blog/hyperbolic-tapering-explained Normally it's best to wait a minimum of two to four weeks between reductions. Increasing symptoms can mean we're tapering too fast or by too large an amount. Plus, you're still dealing with protracted withdrawal from Gabapentin. It's best to taper at a rate we can tolerate while still being able to function in our daily life. You know your body best. Normally, it's best to taper from a stable place because further tapering will cause further disruption to our nervous system. Unfortunately, the process can't be rushed.

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.

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

Yes I am familiar with hyperbolic tapering. That is why I thought my 6-7% reduction would be very reasonable. However, I think I will have to wait until I stabilize from the Gabapentin withdrawal. My system just can’t take it. Today I was experiencing Akathisia so I’m gonna fight this battle when I’m more stable

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"I think I will have to wait until I stabilize from the Gabapentin withdrawal. My system just can’t take it." — @BrettW

I'm sorry you're getting akathisia....it's the worst. Giving yourself time to stabilize is so important for any future tapers you do. It'll make things much smoother for you.

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.

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

What I do is take 50mg before bed and 12.5mg when I awake. Do you think this double dosing is ok?

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"What I do is take 50mg before bed and 12.5mg when I awake. Do you think this double dosing is ok?" — @BrettW

How is it affecting you? Do you have any side effects?

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.

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SteveStaff4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor · active

Hello BrettW, i would also strongly suggest to stabilize, i have heard of many patients having a hard time getting of drugs like pregabalin and gabapentin (pretty much any longtime drug having effect on Gaba) and you shouldn‘t have this withdrawl when you start tapering Trazodone 😁 The genital numbness will mostly resolve with tapering of Trazodone, might take some time to fully resolve, it’s different from person to person. I do really understand your struggle and urgency of getting off both of them but please be careful 😊

off Stimulants (2000-2013)
off Fluoxetine (2010-2013)
off Lamotrigine (2013-2016)
off Quetiapain (2016-2020)

currently Effexor — 33mg — 13 years (from 300mg) — actively tapering | with clinician

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BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

I mean since the Gabapentin withdrawal it’s been giving me some morbid thoughts. My system is just so sensitive to it now. For example before the Gabapentin it took me 75 to fall asleep and I was able to fall asleep with just 37.5 a month ago. I played around with it for a bit but always taking the 62.5 (roughly). I’m just wondering for the purposes of stability of it would be better to take it all at once

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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SteveStaff4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor · active

Trazodone has a quite short half-life for an Antidepressant. I was wondering how it was initially prescribed by your doctor, full dosage in the evening? Generally speaking, every move you make needs time afterwards to stabilize. After cessation of the Gabapentin, i understand you want better sleep and take the complete 62,5 Trazodone in the evening, right?

off Stimulants (2000-2013)
off Fluoxetine (2010-2013)
off Lamotrigine (2013-2016)
off Quetiapain (2016-2020)

currently Effexor — 33mg — 13 years (from 300mg) — actively tapering | with clinician

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

Yes just like that all at once initially, I spoke with another doctor and he said was fine to take the 1/4 when I wake. However they don’t seem to know much about these meds. I got a 12.5mg/mo liquid solution made and I’m honestly feeling it!!? Is it a difference between how the solid and liquid are absorbed? I can’t believe I’m this sensitive

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"I got a 12.5mg/mo liquid solution made and I’m honestly feeling it!!? Is it a difference between how the solid and liquid are absorbed? I can’t believe I’m this sensitive" — @BrettW

I don't know about the absorption rates, but I do know that some people have trouble when switching to liquid.

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.

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SteveStaff4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor · active

"I got a 12.5mg/mo liquid solution made and I’m honestly feeling it!!" — @BrettW

When i switched from pills to beads in capsules i also felt it and my doc didn‘t believe me, i guess with liquid it‘s the same. I think the absorption is faster and you get a faster spike, so you feel it more initially. Just an assumption.

off Stimulants (2000-2013)
off Fluoxetine (2010-2013)
off Lamotrigine (2013-2016)
off Quetiapain (2016-2020)

currently Effexor — 33mg — 13 years (from 300mg) — actively tapering | with clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"When i switched from pills to beads in capsules i also felt it and my doc didn‘t believe me, i guess with liquid it‘s the same. I think the absorption is faster and you get a faster spike, so you feel it more initially. Just an assumption." — @Steve

Yeah, that's a very common issue it seems, especially with doctors not believing their patients! That makes sense that the absorption would be faster with a liquid. Thanks for sharing this!

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.

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

So should I just wait for things to settle? I that what you did with your beads? I take the 50mg in pill/tablet and when I awake the 1ml liquid which is 12.5mg. I did this so I could get the same dose every day as opposed to splitting pills. What a nightmare. So when people have issues with the liquid is it just initially, do they just wait as well? How else could you taper down?

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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SteveStaff4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor · active

Yes i did wait and it got quite normal to have a little more of the „uphigh“ after taking the beads. I also did not change the brand, stayed with the beads and started tapering a few years later. Sadly i‘m not familiar with that combination of pills + liquid. But i guess i would start tapering with the liquid, when you are ready, as it‘s easier to measure the correct amount every day. We need to see if you‘ll experience too harsh mood drops in the evening. In your position, i guess i would start tapering with the liquid for some time, then reducing some of the pills, so you slowly reduce overall exposure. But first you should stabilize from Gabapentin, it‘s no use if you experience a crash and need lots of time to reregulate again 😊

off Stimulants (2000-2013)
off Fluoxetine (2010-2013)
off Lamotrigine (2013-2016)
off Quetiapain (2016-2020)

currently Effexor — 33mg — 13 years (from 300mg) — actively tapering | with clinician

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

Ok thank you for the reply. Yes that’s the plan now just steady eddy for a year or whatever for the Gabapentin issues stabilize then taper the liquid Trazodone and go from there. Again I can’t find anyone online who has this much trouble with Trazodone at this dosage so I’m obviously still destabilized over sensitized by the Gabapentin. Thank you again

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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Catina4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"just steady eddy for a year or whatever for the Gabapentin issues stabilize then taper the liquid Trazodone and go from there."

I'm relieved to hear that this is your plan! Your body will thank you because you certainly don't want to taper from a place of instability. 👍

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.

B

BrettW4mo ago

WelcomerTrazodone · active

Yes my buck is broken. I will wait. I’m kinda freaked out how much this switching to the liquid is affecting me. It’s the exact same dose just in liquid. 5 days now

Trazodone — ~59mg — 10 Months — actively tapering | without clinician

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BasedStaff4mo ago

Community AnchorEffexor

There in theory shouldnt be a difference to the liquid. Let us know how it goes with a check in! The liquid will allow you to taper a lot more smoothly so i think its an overall good. Wishing you the best!

Creator of Taper Community, here to help you.

Hi, I'm BrettW

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