First off, let me just say that if you are currently trying to get off of Effexor, you're doing the right thing and I sympathize with what you're going through. I have been on Effexor XR for 6 months now, and have been having some side effects which my psychiatrist has deemed are due to the Effexor. I just started tapering off yesterday and am worried the tapering regimen. I have been tapering off Effexor for the past 3 months, after being on 150mg for 15 years. 10 days ago I took my last capsule, and yes, it’s been hell. I thought I was losing my mind till I found this site and read all your comments. In the past I took myself off 150mg daily Effexor XR and had bad withdrawals for 2 weeks. After that I was fine. I lost all the weight I had gained whilst on Effexor, which was why I stopped it. Hi I’ve been taking Effexor XR for 13 yrs. I tried getting off this medicine and the withdrawls were so bad. I was on 37.5. So i went to see my Dr and he put me on Venlaflaxine hcl 25mg tablet.Take 1/2 morning 1/2 night for 3 months. This method. Update: after eight months of slow progress, I'm down to 16% of my initial dose. I've had some inevitable discomforts but all in all, manageable. Throughout the process of tapering off your Effexor, it’s important to keep your doctor informed about your progress. Let your doctor know if you have setbacks or experience withdrawal. Your doctor may suggest a new plan or alternative treatments to deal any setbacks you may experience when stopping Effexor.