Coming off low dose venlafaxine

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I was on citalopram 20 or 30mg for about 7 years initially for depression and anxiety then continued it for anxiety and because I didn't do well when I tried to reduce the dose a few times. Even though I'd feel OK mentally so thought I was maybe 'better'

However I got bad indigestion /reflux from it and have to take lansoprazol at a high dose. This was just keeping it in check so I made the decision with my GP to move to venlafaxine. He started me at the lowest does 37.5mg for a week. Then advised to take a second tablet per day doubling the dose after a week. For reference you can take up to around 300mg for mental health issue so my dose is very low.

I was concerned this might go terribly as 30mg citalopram is a higher dose even though per mg they aren't directly comparable. I had a few wobbled emotionally and felt a bit wiped physically but managed ok. To the point where I wanted to see what would happen if I kept on the very low dose venlafaxine. And I've actually been ok emotionally. So I've been on 37.5 mg for 6 ish weeks.

So I'm thinking a few things: the citalopram actually made my anxiety worse(I know this can happen) , I'm on a super low dose of venlafaxine could I just stop taking it and I've gone through the worst of the withdrawal in my change from 30mg citalopram to the venlafaxine.

Anyway I'll talk to my GP about this so I'm not going to just stop taking it. But in the meantime I'd love to hear people's experiences of reducing or coming off venlafaxine. Particularly what was your lowest dose tablet before you stopped and how you felt. Thanks

Anyone? Sorry op is long.

Basically tell me about coming off venlafaxine.

Hi OP. I've been on venlafaxine for year. It's a fantastic drug for sorting depression/anxiety, but it's an absolute bugger to come off. I've tried several times and been utterly swamped by both misery and horrible physical symptoms. My GP told me they are reluctant to prescribe it unless other drugs aren't suitable, because of the withdrawal problems.
So not much help to you, 😞

Sorry not a year, years! Since 2010.

@DearTeddyRobinson

Hi OP. I've been on venlafaxine for year. It's a fantastic drug for sorting depression/anxiety, but it's an absolute bugger to come off. I've tried several times and been utterly swamped by both misery and horrible physical symptoms. My GP told me they are reluctant to prescribe it unless other drugs aren't suitable, because of the withdrawal problems. So not much help to you, 😞

Thanks for sharing.

What dose are you on if you don't mind me asking? And what dose did you get down to when trying to come off it?

Previously when I tried to come off citalopram I was just really irritable!

I was on venlafaxine for 6 years. It is notoriously grim to come off. I was on 300mg Venlafaxine and reduced incredibly slowly over many many months. I did have the occasional ‘brain zaps’ you here of, it feels like when you are almost asleep and then wake suddenly with a jerk. But it wasn’t horrific, I was expecting a lot worse. I cross tapered with another anti anxiety/depressant so for a while took low doses of both.
Are you just under your gp or do you have a consultant psychiatrist who could advise?

Hi OP, sorry I didn't check back sooner. I was down to 37.5mg per day but couldn't get to zero