Books, Schedules and Checklists

I am reading a book called "The Antidepressant Solution." It has great detail on how to successfully taper off a wide variety of drugs. I have also found some good links today on people going through similiar withdrawals:
http://www.topix.com/forum/drug/effexor/T5BFCFPKBBB0625NP

I am going to use the bead method for tapering off Effexor. I cannot decide how to do it yet, whether it be 3 beads a day or 10 per week. I do know that I have an amazing husband who is willing to stand by my side even if I "go crazy" as I told him. Without him I fear I would have been on this addictive drug forever.

I have decided that I will be doing a check list every day of withdrawal symptoms to monitor how I feel. I will also be allowing my body to taper correctly, meaning I will not go down to a lower dose unless I feel stable enough to do so. I have read that many times you will feel the effects of tapering happening too quickly. Which makes me think I will be doing the 10 beads per week. I have counted the beads in my generic effexor XR 150mg and there are 150 beads. They are all around the same size. I noticed about 5 which are smaller, but I don't think that matters that much. So apparently there is 1mg in each bead. So on the first week I will be at 140mg, then 130mg and so on. If I feel significant symptoms of withdrawal during any week, I will wait antoher week to taper it down. This is not a race and it took 6 years of my life being on this drug, I don't expect to feel wonderful too quickly without it.

Oh, I am also going on a new schedule routine. I am infamously bad with schedules. I go to sleep late, I wake up late and I don't eat at proper times. I want to change these things. I decided to make a schedule that includes eating, working out, working on my business and relaxing, etc. I believe that following a structure will make the withdrawal effects less noticable. I will be focusing more on my new schedule than only on how I feel. That is what I am hoping for. Plus, the exercising/eating better will help me shed some pounds that I have definately gained in the last few years.

All and all I am exicted for this new change.