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Portugal

Symptoms

September 2, 2026··

Almost 5 months after and a lot of symptoms after, mainly I’ve minor internal vibration and helmet head sensation. Still trying to manage my sleeping, with some difficulties in getting a good night sleep, but is improving. I’m also experiencing some weird thinking process in the morning, as if feels like there some hipervigilancy in the morning, so my actions don’t feel really natural… like if I’m thinking about my own thinking process… and feels very weird. Is this normal?

44 Replies

Masha15d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

It sounds like healing only comes with time.

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

⭐

Catina15d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"It sounds like healing only comes with time." — @Masha

Time truly is the biggest healer.

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.

Masha14d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

Any tips on patience would be most welcome!

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

Azul14d ago

NavigatorKlonopin · active

@Masha unfortunately bad stories exist and we can't dismiss them. But successful stories exist too. In YT you can find both. In the harsh days listen to the stories of hope and don't stick to the horror stories if you are having a symptomatic day or days. Tip for patience? Have you heard about radical acceptance? The methaphor of the bison going through the storm instead of running away from it? We are the bisons, we are not the cows that ruk away (or at least we have to try to be the bison). In wave days think about symptoms as temporary. Some people make vissualizations, but I haven't tried it. Radical acceptance worked for me. Hold on the windows days, save those memories like a lifesaver for bad days. And don't let the fear hit you. It's hard, but there are many fighting this battle. You can make it.

Klonopin — 1,75mg — 6 months — actively tapering

Duloxi14d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

@Laura I’m really happy to hear that the saffron is helping with your anxiety. But please be careful! I’d really encourage you to think this through again. I know that when we suddenly start feeling better, we can become euphoric because we’re naturally so relieved and happy. But even so, I would advise you not to make any major changes right now and to keep things as they are for the time being. Why? Because from my own experience, withdrawal symptoms at lower doses can sometimes appear weeks or even a few months later. Unfortunately, I’ve had to learn this lesson several times myself. What would be the downside of holding your current dose and simply giving yourself six months to see how things develop? Or, if you notice after a few weeks that you’re truly stable, you could consider tapering very slowly according to the hyperbolic approach. A 50% reduction is extremely large at the lower doses. Four days isn’t very long, and you’re still experiencing brain fog, which suggests that your nervous system may still be adjusting. There may still be waves and windows along the way. Give yourself time. Observe your symptoms for a few weeks and document them regularly so that you can recognize patterns and see the overall trend. Stability before speed! 🐢

Cymbalta — 15mg(12mg) — 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.

Laura14d ago

NavigatorEffexor · active

Yes, @Duloxi, I am the turtle. Your advice is spot on. I have been counting beads to taper off 37.5 mg of venlafaxine for one year and 9 months. This certainly has not been a race. I never move on to the next drop until I feel “stable.” My plan is one month. But when I get there, I will reassess to make sure my brain is ready. If the fog is still there, I will wait. I am very optimistic because today is day 5 of no anxiety. It’s just incredible after the abject terror I’ve been experiencing. Thank you so much for your words. They mean so much.

Effexor — 37.5 — 4 years — actively tapering | Prozac — 10mg — 2 weeks — holding | without clinician

Masha14d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

So slowing your taper is helping?

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

Duloxi14d ago

Community AnchorCymbalta · holding

@masha Who is the question directed at?

Masha14d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

Anyone! I guess I’m looking for advice on how to recover from a rapid taper that went wrong

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

Laura13d ago

NavigatorEffexor · active

Masha, For me, slowing my taper helped very much. The goal is to make every drop very very small so that it doesn’t shock your brain/nervous system. So that the symptoms are as minimal as possible and to wait until you feel “stable” or symptom free before you drop again. My taper for the first year and 6 months was going very smoothly until I started alternating doses. Unfortunately, I can’t get a liquid version of venlafaxine to continue a hyperbolic taper when I got down to single digit beads. For example, I did 4 beads one day and 3 beads the next. Alternating back and forth to get an average of 3.5. I read that somewhere. It turned out to be the absolute worse thing you can do to your nervous system. I spiraled to a very dark place. Horrible anxiety and panic like I’ve never experienced in my life. It took many weeks to be able to function. But I still wasn’t right and continued to experience severe anxiety until I started the Saffron. If you are experiencing very bad symptoms, my research found that one should increase their dose back to the last dose where they felt stable. Maintain that until you’re symptom free and step down 10% or less from the current dose (not the original dose). For some people, 10% is too much. In that case, you might try a 5% decrease. The point is to go as slow as you possibly can to minimize the symptoms. It’s not a race. My average time on a dose was 4 weeks. Sometimes 6 and other times 8 weeks before I’d move on to the next step down.

Effexor — 37.5 — 4 years — actively tapering | Prozac — 10mg — 2 weeks — holding | without clinician

Masha13d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

If I told you how I was tapered off Paxil and put on Lexapro just to have crashing withdrawal you would be shocked!

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

Laura13d ago

NavigatorEffexor · active

I should be shocked but I wouldn’t be. The doctor who prescribed the venlafaxine told me to skip every other day for a week then skip every two days for a week then stop. 🤬I told her yeah, it doesn’t work that way. She looked at me like I had two heads. I was on Paxil for seven years about 20 years ago. I tried to taper off and experienced severe depression and suicidal ideation. But eventually I switched to Zoloft with no issues. I never tried lexapro. I wonder why a provider chooses one SSRI over another. Are they throwing darts? Are they being compensated? It’s baffling that providers are not given training on deprescribing. It’s probably one of the most egregious practices of the medical industry. When you think about WHY they wouldn’t want doctors to know how to help patients get off antidepressants, it’s pretty sinister, it’s evil. It all comes down to money. I’m so sorry you are going through this. 😔

Effexor — 37.5 — 4 years — actively tapering | Prozac — 10mg — 2 weeks — holding | without clinician

Masha13d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

@Laura I was on Paxil for 20 years. Felt less effective so I raised the dosing. I did Genesight which said low doses only but did go back down right away. Then I crashed from that. So I started a taper from 50 mg to 0 in FIVE WEEKS. going onto Lexapro for six weeks. I had the same severe depression and feared suicide. I went back on Paxil and added Buspar about a month ago. Recovery is rough and slow. I don’t know if I’ll ever taper again because I’m so traumatized. For now I just have to stabilize. My DNA test marked Lexapro as a good metabolized for me but it could not handle the rapid taper. I’m on this forum to share my experiences. Please find someone who knows what they’re doing!

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

Laura13d ago

NavigatorEffexor · active

What you described is malpractice! I’m so so sorry. Your CNS is reeling after that taper. You will stabilize. It is traumatic. Those feelings are devastating to experience. And when it’s at the direction of medical professionals, it’s soul crushing. Don’t give up. It is possible to be free of these drugs. Give yourself time to settle and find a deprescriber who truly understands. I pray you find peace soon, Masha. 🙏

Effexor — 37.5 — 4 years — actively tapering | Prozac — 10mg — 2 weeks — holding | without clinician

Masha13d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

Thank you Laura. It helps when people understand what happened to me. Healing is slow but I remain hopeful. My world has gotten very small but I hope and pray it returns. I’m so glad I have a place to share.

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

⭐

Catina12d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"The doctor who prescribed the venlafaxine told me to skip every other day for a week then skip every two days for a week then stop. 🤬I told her yeah, it doesn’t work that way. She looked at me like I had two heads." — @Laura

Ha - no surprise there! They're clueless and then get defensive when you try and correct them. 🤪

Masha12d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

I told my prescriber about her mistake and she told me she followed a standard cross and taper. I think they follow the book instead of the person.

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

⭐

Catina12d ago

Community AnchorEffexor

"I think they follow the book instead of the person." — @Masha

Unfortunately, this is true. Tapers should be patient-led, not doctor-led.

Masha12d ago

LighthousePaxil · holding

Which seems obvious……

Paxil — 20 mg — 20 years. Went off now back on — holding
Trazadone 37.5 mg
Buspar 5 mg two times a day

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