zapot7 - There is another method for weaning off of Effexor XR™ (venlafaxine), or weaning from any SSRI, that you could talk to your doctor about. After weaning the Effexor XR™ dose down to 37.5mg, add 10mg of Prozac™ (fluoxetine) once daily and take both (or one in the morning and one at night, it doesn't really matter) for about a week. After that week stop the Effexor XR™ and continue to take the Prozac™ for another week. Then take one Prozac™ 10mg every other day for about a week, then stop.

Prozac™ has a long half-life, so it keeps the concentration of serotonin at a constant level. The "brain zaps" that you are experiencing can be due to the therapeutic effects of Effexor XR™ wearing off before you take your next dose. In other words, the concentration of Effexor XR™ in your bloodstream drops below the minimum effective concentration that your brain requires in order to maintain the amount of serotonin that your brain is used to.

When weaning off of an antidepressant you are trying to train your brain to produce sufficient serotonin without the help of the antidepressant. By using the Prozac™ for a couple or three weeks the conversion of your brain to a non-drug state is accomplished much more smoothly.

I hope that this is of some help. - Cam