Posted by SLS on March 11, 2005, at 9:50:21
In reply to Short half-life = multiple doses per day, posted by SLS on March 11, 2005, at 7:35:51
> Regarding SRI antidepressants and withdrawal:
>
> Short half-life = multiple doses per day
My first post must have been confusing.I was attempting to account for why some drugs do not produce a withdrawal syndrome, despite having short half-lives (e.g. Buspar). I should not have tried to address two issues in the same post. So, never mind. :-)
The bottom line is that for those drugs that do have short half-lives, it is necessary to compensate for this by dosing several time a day. This becomes increasingly important once one reaches the lower dosages.
Instead of taking 75mg of Effexor once a day, try taking 25mg three times a day. It would be easier to work with the 25mg tablets of the regular immediate release version of Effexor. If you can split it into quarters, that would be ideal. One can work down to 6.5 three times a day; then twice a day; then 0mg. I don't think it is worth reducing the dosage to 6.5 once a day. It probably sets up for an unnecessary period of withdrawal syndrome for which this dosage will no longer prevent. Of course, if you want, you can try 3.25 twice a day before discontinuing it entirely. I don't know if there is any advantage to this yet, since no one else here has followed this protocol but for me. Once one goes down to 0mg, there is likely to be a short and mild withdrawal that is very tolerable. It might not be necessary to remain at each dosage for more than a week.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:469601
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050228/msgs/469639.html