If you stopped cold turkey (not recommended), it would take 5-6 days for the drug to be cleared from your system. Gradual tapering is generally recommended, though, to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

Withdrawal effects can generally be separated into two groups, acute and delayed. Acute effects are those associated with the absence of exposure to the drug to which your body has been accustomed.

To understand the delayed effects, you have to think about the delay it takes when you're first taking the drug before you can expect to feel the benefits. The drug is already there, doing its transporter and receptor blocking, but the effect is not immediate. There must be some regulatory effects that take time to appear. Well, the reverse is also true. To readjust during withdrawal, will also take some time.

By undergoing a dose tapering process, your body has a better chance of initiating the delayed readjustments before the drug is completely gone. Most people find it's better that way. Gentler.

Good luck.

Lar