I am just about at the end of my effexor withdrawal and this is how I did it (according to the pharmacist): She said to taper down for 3 weeks to a month. I was taking 37.5 ER every day, then switched to 37.5mg (not extended relief). Then cut one pill in half and took it every other day for a week, then every third day for 2 weeks, and now after a month I feel its safe to say that I took my last pill finally - yippee!!! Unless the brain zaps and nauseau get unbearable again. What I took to ease the pain of the brain zaps, nauseau and mood swings is this: Clonezepam .05 mg, B12 and Fish Oil supplements, and dark chocolate always heps me with mood swings. I saw on another post that an RX for Promethazine gel to rub on my wrists will help the nauseau. Certainly worth a shot since I am also taking a weekly dose of Methotrexate because I also have System Lupus.
So my question is this: Is Citalopram a safe anti-depressant to start after the effexor withdrawal nightmare and when?