u/No-Glove5955

Hi everyone. I’ve been on Effexor (37.5mg) for 8 years, but it hasn’t touched my anxiety. My doctor recently prescribed Prozac, but I’ve been hesitant to start because I’m so nervous about Effexor withdrawal.

I’m currently using the bead counting method to taper and it’s been really difficult. I’ve seen people approach the switch differently and I’m not sure which is better:

1. Stop Effexor and start Prozac on the same day.
2. Take both medications together for 2 weeks, then cut the Effexor dose in half for another 2 weeks, then stop Effexor completely while continuing Prozac.

If anyone switched from Effexor to Prozac can you tell me which approach worked best for you?

Hey everyone. I’ve been on Effexor for about 8 years now but unfortunately it just isn’t helping my anxiety anymore. My doctor discussed switching me over to Prozac. I’m currently on 37.5mg but it feels impossible to wean off especially with how intense my anxiety can get. Feeling a little nervous about it given how long I’ve been on Effexor and how notorious it is for discontinuation symptoms. I’ve tried so many methods of slow weaning without success. Has anyone here made this switch? I’d love to know:

- How did your doctor handle the taper? Did they cross-taper, or stop Effexor first?
- How long did the transition take?
- How bad were the withdrawal symptoms and what helped?
- Any tips on how I can do this successfully?