Hi, I'm Martin

Hi @Martin, welcome to Taper Community! I'm tapering Effexor too, as are many other members, so you're in good company. Since you've been on this drug a long time and have had multiple attempts to come off, take your taper very slowly. We recommend Hyperbolic tapering here at Taper Community - monthly reductions of no more than 10% of the previous month's dose. The reductions will therefore get smaller and smaller as time goes on. The greatest changes in receptor occupancy happen at very low doses, so tapering this way is safer and easier on the brain. Some members can only taper by 5% or even less. Everyone is different in what their own body can handle. They key is to listen to your body and adjust your taper accordingly. Slower is faster! If you go to the Tapering Protocols, Symptoms & Self-Care, and I Need Support sections of the forum and click on the Guides tab, you'll find lots of helpful advice and tips. The Resources section also has lots of helpful information. We look forward to supporting you on your tapering and healing journey! Catina 💜 https://taper.community/drugs/effexor https://taper.community/resources/blog/how-to-taper-off-effexor-xr

Hi Catina, Thank you for your reply and advice. I own the Maudsley Deprescribing Guidelines and was following the 5% hyperbolic taper schedule. Unfortunately, i think it was too fast for me and I'm currently holding since end of august on 20mg and in have been in a lot of anxiety and panic. Which also let me to the taper.community. The urge to go back up on my dosage in the hope of resolving these issues is big. I currently feel quite overwhelmed by my physical symptoms and anxiety feelings, my therapist suspects it's a relapse of anxiety, and I'm not so sure if it's delayed withdrawal reaction or anxiety/panic returning. I just know i'm quite destabilized at the moment and looking for some peer support and better times.

You're very welcome Martin. I'm holding my dose for the time being too. You're in good company. I'm at 16.64 mg. I did a couple two-bead reductions these past couple months and it has been too much. I think I'm going to hold until January 1st and then continue reducing by only 1 bead per month. It's a tough journey, but going extremely slow is what some of us need to do!