Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 14 of 140}

I aggree with you totally Melissa the medicine did get me through a really hard time but surely there is another medicine that can do the same and will be monitored so that you can get off it with less traumatic side effects.

Jami

Hello everyone.
I had quite a bit of reading to do to catch up! I am really glad that this forum is here to help us, and those who have just discovered it.

Kim I read your post, and I can relate to those
"coversations" that you mentioned. I feel as though at some points I have so much going on in my mind that I can't stop it, and I feel really overwhelmed. And I don't know where it's coming from! I hope there is a way to control that. I'm still weaning off but I hope to gain some control. It is comforting that someday I will be free of this.

Melissa14, good job on being off this garbage! You're doing great! Keep it up!

Wondering, as for your daughters "sharp tone" that is all part of what's happening to her right now. She doesn't mean it towards you, which I am sure you know. I have had those moments too. When i feel that I am being harsh with someone and I can't help it. You are truly supporting her in this and I have to tell you how much of a wonderful mother you are!

Endless, I think that I am going to have to up my sit ups as well, because it's so true that this puffiness just doesnt want to go away1 I hope it does soon. How long did you say it took you?

Hi Alicat. Sorry to hear that you're having a rough time. But as others have said, it will get better. Just having this place to go and vent is also good therapy. I find it helps me alot to be able to talk with people who are going through similar things.

I had kind of a rough Saturday, as I had anxiety and really awful images when I was trying to go to sleep! I couldn't shake it! I had to lie there and calm myself down for a while before I could fall asleep. Not pleasant. But I am excited to start my all herbal cleanseing pills tomorrow. Get all of this toxic junk out of my system!
Have a good day all: )

P.S I hope you are having a good week Regent!
And Cat I hope you have a great time in St. Louis!

hello again everyone!
Steph's afternoon wasn't good,she was having extreme sweats, some zaps of lesser intensity than last week, but over all she was feeling lousy & very "drugged"....by 8pm she was feeling much better, i could tell because she started to talk on the phone & do a load of laundry & just be more herself. As i shared, she has this "internship" & last week, struggled lots to keep "her head above water" so to speak....this morning i took her to the train on my way to work (6:15am)...she wasn't complaining ...i am learning to "read" her moods, & feelings...i know she gets tired of my frequently asking the "20 questions" about how she's feeling.

I have a comment for alicat871...you mentioned seeing your Dr & possibly starting on lexapro...please do all you can to research this drug...steph was initially on this for 1 week ... it was what caused her to have to pee constantly, Dr. ran all the tests to rule out bladder infection, std, diabetes, etc....from what i have read, it is no better than effexor, just another poison, w/d symptoms are the same...

endlessnight, hope your day will be better

Kudos to melissa14...
~dawn

thanks to everyone...today is a bit better.

Elena, i noticed my stomach reducing about the beginning of May, pretty much around the time I took up walking. So even though I had been doing the crunches since last year, I hadnt noticed a difference until May this year. I dont know if its the walking or if the meds had started to leave my system thereby allowing the excercise to be effective as when I was running last year, my tummy didnt budge.

again thanks to you all for your kind words.

Day 1 with no Effexor.

I took Lexapro before Effexor, too. Neither drug worked for me. I'm not saying that would be anyone else's experience. I concur with Dawn: Lexapro does elicit similar w/d symptoms to Effexor.

I have also heard and read that Effexor makes people exercise-resistant. (This is probably not true for everyone.)I'm hoping to show some improvement in muscle tone and strength as the weeks off this drug continue. Especially eager to see my bloated tummy go away. :-)

Good to see that we are all relatively well this morning.

Go, Cyclones! I happen to be a University of Nebraska alumna myself, but I have several friends who went to Iowa State, and I drive through Ames whenever I go to Omaha. Iowa in a very under-rated state, very beautiful farmlands and other natural wonders.

L.

Naria....forgot to mention, i'm glad to hear you are effexor free beginning your day #2...take it one day at a time, believing that no matter how bad w/d's get on any given day, the alternative (regressing back to meds)is far worse...with each day that goes by you all are 1 day closer to being chemical free....

nice to hear you are a "cornhusker"... my husband & i love to visit ames, we go to at least 2 football games / season... the campus is so gorgeous, you'd never guess you are in the heart of corn country!!Steph is graduating after this fall'05 semester...we're going to miss it, but not paying tuition!! got to run, we trade commodities at my office & the markets are trading up a bit again, phones are getting busy...

Goodmorning all, Glad to hear everyone is feeling pretty good these days. I guess I am too. It sort of comes and goes. I think I am getting used to 18.75. I will stay on it another week and drop it again. I am sure the drop is what makes me feel so bad. It is not bad for about 2 days and then the 3rd and 4th day it is. The next day it is like nothing happened. Or really it can be on the same day (Later in the day.) Crazy.
Anyway, my doctor told me that paxil and effexor are the two bad ones to get off of. I think most antidepressants are but to to the same extent. I, for one, will probably always have to take something as I have gotten older. My depression is not due to any one thing. I am lacking that chemical and when my brain is depleted of it, I go down, way down.
I just want to say, that antidepressants have saved my life. Don't know where I would be to this day without them. So, please don't let this scare anyone away from taking them. It is like chemo to cancer. It is bad either starting or getting off of them, but they do there job in between. I am taking zoloft now and have been on it before. In fact, was on it for 7 years. It worked great and then stopped working for me. That is why I was put on effexor. I will not take effexor again, because it didn't help me the way zoloft did, but it did help me. I know I am rambling again, but I think I am getting the message across. I don't know whether the herbal remedies would help, but when you are depressed you have to do something. As for me, I would have eaten dirt to feel better.LOL
Hope this helps someone decide what to do. Please don't let yourself go, if you are feeling so bad. Get help whatever that may be for you.

Thanks for letting me ramble
Bonnie

I totally agree Bonnie.
When I was first put on effexor, I really did need it, and it helped me. I couldn't function. I couldn't eat, sleep or relax- basically I couldnt live. It helped me at that time, but now I need to move on. I learned how to handle my anxiety and I need to get off this. I don't like what it is doing to my body and mind.
I just personally think this particular drug is no good, it shouldn't be like this to get off a medication. I'm sure there are others that are way better than effexor. I just wish that this one, had never been put on the market.
Oh and Bonnie, you can ramble all you like! LOL We all do.
Hugs

Well it has been officially one month for me without the drug. YEEEHAW..I havent felt this alive in 3 years it is amazing! Still on the moody side and sometimes I just snap at lil things that set me off. But my dizziness is gone and the zaps thus far. I have gotten a few headaches and the muscle soreness is still there. I am eating like a starved animal only I eat and get full. I don't really snack like I was constantly doing before, but suddenly I will feel hungry now and I MEAN HUNGRY. I also really havent been craving the sweets that I had to have around before. I have pretty much gone from almost a 2 liter bottle of pespi a day to a glass. My husband finds that a good side effect. He stopped drinking sodas a few months ago and I just was a PEPSIHOLIC. Now if its not with a meal I drink tea or juice or lotsa water where before Pepsi was what I sat and drank. Even at my mother-in-laws the other day she asked if I wanted a Pepsi and I said no I would take a glass of water, she looked really surprised lol thats bad huh? Everyone knows your a Pepsi freak.

So anyways I am in the middle of packing thought I would sit and read and here I am glad everyone is doing as well as they can and keeping faith in themselves.

Take Care,

Jami

Hi everyone!
It's been awhile since I have posted, but I do visit the forum to read everyones posts. I have been effexor free for about 9 months now, but still do have some w/d issues. I was put back onto another medication called Celexa. has anyone heard of this one before? Is it "evil" like the effexor?
I live in Washington state and today it is beautiful! It's a nice change when all we really have is rain here in Seattle. We live about an hour away (north). I just noticed that everyone was telling where they lived, so I thought I'd jump on the wagon as well! lol
I have my good days and bad, but for the most part I'm getting through life w/ the help and support from my husband and family. They are the reason why I belive i'm still here today. I would never dream of commiting suicide, but wished many times that I just wouldn't wake up the next morning. My 4 boys sure do make it worth it though! :)
I wish that I could be completely med free, but I realize now that I more than likely will need them for the rest of my life. I have problems w/ anxiety and depression and don't think those problems will ever just go away!? I just wish I knew of a "safe" medication for my issues!
I feel for you all here in this little "family", we just have to stick together and be eachothers support system. I think of you all often and your all in my prayers! Take care everyone and I'll post again soon, I promise! :)
Talk to you all later!
Love, April

Thanks U guys for the support I appreciate it.. I am thinkin about starting a class action law suit if that makes sense.. I swear since i been off those meds I am not the same and hate it.. ANyways knoe how I can do that.,.. ANyone be willing to help me and maybe write letters to get thsi drug banned.. I have a case with effexor company cause I told them how their products were.. Also Dawn I tried lexapro and I was jittery but I dont know what to do to help the dizziness and the moodiness... I am never a happy person.. anyone heard of Ampyphitiline or somtinn like thast.. I think I too will need somthin for my moods..Elena thanks for responding I am glad u can empathize.. Well hope all are doing better.. take care.. alison

Guys I got a email from "HOPE" here it is ....


:::::::Sorry for not replying to your email sooner ( I haven't had access to a computer). I appreciate the concern. Wish I could tell you that things have improved with me. The physical effects of withdrawl have lessened a bit with the combination of three granules from an Effexor capsule every two or three days, plus quite a few other "unapproved" substances. Not the best idea, but it has offered some relief.

My ordeal with this drug is the most recent in a very long history of being chewed up and spit out by the co-op of mental health practitioners and drug companies. And everything that surrounds this story sounds so unbelievable and insane, I don't bother even telling it anymore. I wish it was untrue.

The incident before Effexor was in the early days of Zoloft. After getting me hooked, the price of my script went from $7.00 a month to over $80.00. My doctor gave me the "no side effects" speech, and I stopped cold turkey. A week of severe, "imaginary" ills, and I was back at the office asking if he was certain about his earlier statement. The reply: " Are you telling me how to do my job?" He then slammed his clipboard down and stormed out. I was subsequently dropped from this assisted program.

My continuous struggle with depression brought me to a desperate decision to try medication again. Certainly everything had progressed in this area since I last tried. Wrong. Similar situation, with much worse consequences.

The only way anything is going to get better is to address the bottom line. Money is the only solution, whether it's an individual problem or thousands. On this earth, Money is God. Just the way everyone wants it to be, or it would change.

So I'll get back to dealing with this tangled, mixed up mess. I'm not going to be looking for any light at the end of the tunnel. I need to find a way to accept the dark. (No)hope:::::::

I have the email address please let me know if you want it I will email it to you I dont want to put it up on the site though.

Pleease help me respond to him/her I really wana say the right thing.

Jami

Hello Everyone!
Just found this forum..Oh my feel like I am just dying here. I have been on effexor and xr for about 10months now. Got to the point where I just didnt seem to feel good anymore sure it was great in the begining I felt like I could MOVE MOUNTAINS> till I realised what happens when you miss a dose. So I stopped cold turkey!?? What am I thinking>
It's day 11 for me now and the withdrawl is absolutely the worst expereince I have ever gone through in my entire life. I felt like I had a really bad FLU along with Food poisoning .. It's all I can compare it too. That's the only sickness I've had. But it's even worse than that. Am I ever going to feel better. Tried to go out side today. It was rainy and dark and cold. But the grey sky was just too much for my eyes. WHY?? If I move my eyes quick oh my.. Really hurts the head and the brain. I cant take loud noises, have two little ones, I feel like I'm such a misserable Mommy right now. I'm starving so I eat, But my head is so dizzy after I eat something I vomit. I have been taking a shower around 6 x's a day. Praying when I get out I'll feel better but I don't. When will this stop. My heart races so fast in some points of my day. I just have to lay down but I cant sleep. On the drug geesh I could sleep for hours naps and still get to bed early. Now I cant nap I cant even get to bed before 2 am. And my alarm goes off at 6am to get the kids ready for school.. I tried to drive them the other day .. Boy was that a bad idea. Why am I freaking out. I have never been this sad in my life all I do cry at everything started reading forums here its so depressing. This Drug is horrible I feel it should be illeagal. My body sweats profusely, but my hands and feet are frozen to the core. But the rest of my body is feels hotter than the damn sun., Sorry to sound so awful I know that I do but will this ever go away, Does anyone have any home remedies. ANY ADVISE ILL TAKE IT>> IT's free..At this point I'm hanging on a limb debating if i should just take the stupid meds. agian. Well I do have one positive, my body stopped shaking and I can atleast get out of bed now. ON day 11..

Hoping Tomorrow Brings Us All A Better Day,
CHRISSY

Wow Jami,
I am so glad that you heard from Hope. What he/she is going through is just awful. I can't believe how cold hearted the doctor is being. This is so frustratiing and wrong. And I bet the reason the doctor is freaking out is because he is aware that he wrong to give these prescriptions out that cause such terrible w/d. I wonder if his big cash settlement makes him feel any better, or does the guilt still naw at his insides? I really am so appalled I don't know what to say. What were you thinking of doing? Can we help?

And Chrissy,
I understand that you are going through some very rough w/d right now. It is not the most pleasant thing to deal with to say the least. Here are some suggestions, have you tried Sea Bands? It is for motion sickness and really helps the dizziness, which would be good to get your equalibrium back. There is also ginger tea that helps nausea. And if you are finding it hard to sleep at night maybe you could take some benadryl. I also find that drinking alot of water helps get rid of the sweats. I know it's hard, but you can do it! We all can. But what dose were you at when you stopped cold turkey? If you were at a very high dose maybe you should concider going down in dose's before you go cold turkey. That's what I am doing, weaning down so that the w/d isn't so bad.
Well, that's it for now, my phone is ringing an awful lot today, better get some calls taken care of!
Bye for now,
hugs
Elena

I am moving today so I wont have much time here but I had to respond to Chrissy, as Elena said the bands have worked for some for the vertigo etc. also a natural remedie called chaser (hangover elixir) that helps your body with the nausea etc. Make sure your getting good sleep the benadryl will work wonders at night to get you down and your body will feel MUCH better with some good rest. I was at 350 mg and pretty much stopped cold turkey after 4 days of weaning down (im not so patient) but it really isnt reccomended by healthcare professional so just go cold turkey but hell your 10 days in so I wouldnt turn back now.:)

Good luck I will write more later and welcome to our forum sorry you had to be here but glad you found us!

Hugs
Jami

Hi Chrissy, Part of me says to just keep going since you have come this far, but really I think you should call you doctor. You are having some bad withdrawls and maybe he or she can help you. I had the eyes thing, where if I would turn my head, if felt like my eyes were not following. I told my doctor and he said this is common. It is transition something. LOL. Whatever! You do sound like you are getting somewhat better. I don't think it will get worse, but I am not a doctor just another person trying to get through withdrawl. I was on 150 mg. and am now down to 18.75 a day. I still get dizzy and feel funny. Hope you are feeling much better soon as I do not envy you with having little children around to take care of. My heart goes out to you. Keep us posted and it does help to talk with each other and maybe we can help.
Take care and Hugs,
Bonnie

I woke up from a terrrible dream this morning, the worst Effexor-mare I've had: I was depressed and trying to make my friends in the dream understand how it felt. What a horror! The feelings were so real. Sucy a relief to wake up to a much pleasanter reality.

Chrissy, if you have a good and supportive doctor, you could ask for prozac (fluoxetine) to ease you through the w/d. It works very well for some people, and then you can stop taking the prozac much sooner and more easily when you're finished with Effexor. Or stay on the prozac if it is an effective a/d for you.

I didn't do the hangover remedy myself, but it seems many had good results with it here. Meclizine (a motion sickness med) worked for me the times I felt the world spinning one direction and my head and guts the other. I also think sublingual vitamin B12 was a lifeline for me.

good morning everyone!

Congrats to jami...1 month effexor free...featherstone..9 months effexor free...naria....is this your day 3 effexor free?...today is my daughter's 10th day effexor free.....she is not sleeping too soundly & experiences the night sweats, but felt pretty good yesterday....she has not used benedryl, or any other things to aid in her w/d's

though each & everyone of you have your own "stories" regarding the w/d's of effexor...you are all successes & i (on the outside looking in) are so proud of you all! to the new readers, the support you will find here is a blessing because unlike the Dr's, each of you can relate.....

what i can surmize by your postings is that which ever way you choose to stop effexor, THERE WILL BE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS & THERE WILL BE DAYS THAT WILL BE A LIVING HELL, but those too, shall pass!

You each have your own reasons, whether it be depression, G.A.D. etc. that got you to the point where you needed meds. to make a difference.... now, you each have your own reasons for wanting off the effexor....you all have learned or are beginning to learn lots about yourselves, & what makes you "tick" & what is acceptable for your quality of life!

To those who are still suffering through the beginnings of w/d...please be strong....

But know who you are & what you can get away with on your own....if you are "pushing the envelope" & need to be on meds. for your own good, be in touch with a professional, contact a hospital in your area for the names of those on staff that would be trained in the mental health field....educate yourself as much as you can about meds. that your doctor wants to prescribe for you...do your homework, so none of you have to go through anything like this again.

For those without insurance, etc. no hospital will refuse treatment to you....with access to a computer and the internet as we all have these days, resources are at our fingertips....if you have the "will", there is a "way"!

Chrissy, welcome...i wish you all a good day....be positive, be safe!
~dawn

hi everyone.
i just discovered this forum today and have spent the last few hours reading through all of the posts.
it's amazing to feel understood and to have my crazy symptoms validated.
today is my third effexor-free day and it's been pretty hellish. about 2 years ago, i had what i think in retrospect was a nervous breakdown. i've always been sensitive and anxious and i think everything just came to a head. i have a wonderfully supportive family and friends and i was able to talk it out and try to find things that worked for me. i am all about the natural stuff, but i got to the point where i needed more help. i tried lexapro at my doctor's recommendation but it did nothing for me so i stopped taking it on my own, with no problems. a few months later, i was feeling 'bottom of the barrel' again so i went back to the doctor and she prescribed paxil. i have to say, paxil made all the difference and i don't regret going on it because i feel that it saved my life at a time when i needed it.
HOWEVER (*smile*) a few months into it i was going crazy about the fact that it was making me gain weight, which is truthfully the last thing i need. so i again went to my doctor and she switched me to evil effexor.
that was about 3 months ago. i've never felt great on effexor and i swear it's made me more depressed. (i'm 29, by the way) i was also really concerned the first time i forgot to take my meds because i was extremely dizzy for the entire day. yuck. i've been feeling progressively worse and last week i had this bizarre evening episode of intense itching all over my body. i thought i was going crazy! it wasn't fleas (i have a cat) because she'd been flea-dipped and my roommate was not experiencing any problems. i googled 'effexor' and 'itching' and wow, did that open a can of worms.
i found a number of sites of people's stories about the adverse effects of effexor, and even worse, the horror stories of withdrawal.
i made the decision to quit cold turkey because it seemed that tapering off didn't do much more good.
i've only been taking it for roughly 3 months now, 75 dosage, so i was hoping that my symptoms might not be that bad. ha!
first day, i felt like i had food poisoning. i had severe diarrhea and nausea all day and night.
second day, the dizziness came back mid-morning and i felt like i had the flu. i ached all over and felt feverish and mentally drained and out of it. i was barely functional. then last night i was making a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner and accidentally spilled the cheese on my stove. i felt this overwhelming despair and anger and i burst into tears and it took me an hour to calm down. over spilled cheese! it's ridiculous... i don't even know why i was so upset.
today, 3rd day in, i feel even worse of course. dizzy all day, brain zaps, flu-like feeling. i again burst into tears when a friend just looked at me and asked how i was and it took an hour to stop, and in the meantime i got a nasty migraine.
i've been researching everything people have said, and my dear mom was nice enough to run out and buy me some 'chaser' and some dramamine. i also have gathered together my omega-3 pills, my b-complex, etc. in the hopes of helping this along. and i'm trying to drink lots of water.
i just feel so overwhelmed by it all and not entirely sure that i have enough fight in me to make it through this.
and i'm angry. i am so angry at the nasty drug industry that does this to people who are only trying to find help for anxiety/depression. and i'm angry that it's having this affect on my body and i have no control of it. and i'm angry that i can't just stop taking this without it wreaking havoc on me.
basically, i'm angry. :-)
but i'm very happy to have found this forum and i am open to any help and suggestions.

oh, by the way i noticed someone a while back mentioned the homeopathic remedy nux vomica. i had my mom look it up in her 'homeopathic bible' book and it sounded like a great one for any sort of chemical dependency withdrawal stuff. has anyone tried it? i think i will try it and see if it helps.

Hi Bee,
Welcome to the forum! I have to say, it is wonderful to have people to talk to that know exactly what you're going through. I love it here. Everyone is supportive and will help as much as they can.
You have done the right thing by getting the 'chaser' and dramamine. I hear it's very good for this. And good for you for stopping this cold turkey. You WILL get through this, as will we all. It is just terrible that we have to go through it in the first place. You are already on the 3rd day, keep your chin up, you are stronger than you think you are. You are doing the right thing by drinking lots of water and taking the proper stuff to help the nausea and dizziness. Just try and relax as much as possible, and do some things for you that comfort you. Even if it's taking a bath or watching one of your favorite movies. Also I find that exercise is a great way to get your mind off this. Even if it's just a 30 min walk outside.
Good luck Bee!
And Chrissy, hope you're doing well, keep it up girl! You're doing great! You've already made it 11 days! You can do this!
Hey Jami, any news on Hope? Have you sent an email back to Him/Her yet?
Hope everyone is doing well,
Elena

thank you so much, elena. :-)
today is day four and i am at work - barely. this is the first day i've had the brain zaps so severely and it's driving me crazy. i'm trying hard not to let them get me down, but i'm usually very 'sharp' mentally and i feel like a sludge today. everything's off: my typing, my thinking etc. arggghhh.
you are so right in that it helps tremendously to have access to other people's help and advice and support, like in this forum. thanks for your tips! i also agree about exercise - it always helps me feel better even if it's the last thing i feel like doing. (which is usually the case, haha) i belong to curves gym and i am trying to make myself go throughout the burnoff even though it's not easy.
i'm also going to my chiropractor this evening and hopefully she will help a little, too.
today, my biggest symptom is the brain zaps and dizziness.
last night, i hit an emotional low like i haven't had in a very long time and that was hard. but i made myself read something soothing and i took a dramamine and went to bed, and for once i didn't have vivid awful effexor dreams! for that i am thankful.

i hope everyone is doing well today, in whatever stage of going off this nasty stuff they are in.

Hi Everyone,
Thankyou so much for welcoming me to your forum here, I feel that there's hope for me yet.
I didnt reply to anyone yesturday, couldnt really get out of bed. The previous day I didnt get to sleep till 4am.geesh. I wish I had good news to share with you and support,
But I dont feel any better. Still verry irritable, Such little things set me off. My poor husband trying to do everything, take the kids to school, my daughter to her puppet show, getting him self to work, Then after his 2 hour commute home had to take care of the kids cause i just cany seem to with out getting so upset at myself and the crying out of control. He then had to do bath time. He's helping me so much, but when he tries to tell me wha i should do , I cant handle it i get so upset so in other words big explossion for me last nite. Did that epsom salt bath 1lb of it. It didnt help, WHY??
This is just the worst thing I have ever gone through in my entire life. Didnt throw up yest, but also didnt eat much have no appetite at all. Just wish I could sleep for 20 days and awake feeling like me agian. I know I'm inside of this body but I cant find myself. I also have a parrot, His area is in my kitchen which my bedroom is off of. I almost choked the thing yest. All day he squaks so loud it lingers in my brain for so long. Now today he's quiet and I just cant stop crying about how upset i was with the birds.. Good GOD he's my bird he doesnt understand, but i cant help but feel so bad about everything, I missed my daughters puppet show. (It kills me) I dont have enough energy to go out to my backyard with my kids nevermind a puppet show and today is day 13 no effexor. And still no sign of getting better. Where's the light at the end of my tunnel. OH had this big spoof with my Dr. yest also. He couldnt even return my call in the even he had his nurse do it. She woouldnt even let me speak, told me there was nothing she could do except give me another app tomorrow for a diff med. (UNBELIEVABLE) I said NOWAY I just need maybe some advise , home rememdies,make sure im not doing too much physical harm to my body,liver, heart. She told me that effexor had no withdrawl, I wanted to scream her ear drums out. What a liar. SO if this drug has no withdrawl then I must be dying from something else. SHe told me to call my pharamcist for more info. My own Dr.s office has nothing to tell me, no advise. Oh but real quick to take my money for the appt. and give me another durg to start takeing oh ya thats what I want to do. NO!!! SO my husband called me right after that, We called on 3 way He couldnt believe that i was just treated lilke that when asking for help. We got her on the phone and she would not let my husband speak.. SHe HUNG UP on us..Im at a loss of words now. So we call Call back and demand to speak to my DR> or if he's ubable to speak well wait till he can call us back. Or we would have our ATTRNY call in the Morn. She was very quick to say"Hold on I'll get the DR. on the line"

He had nothing to say NO reason no appology for his nurse treating a patient that way. I'm apolled. I explained to him that had I been imformed more on this drug I wouldnt had started it. HE didnt tell me of side effects or withdrawl. ANd you know what his reply was for that "Its not his job to inform his patience of withdrawl or side effects" WHAT??? "It's the Pharamcy's job" Are you kidding me He then goes on to that when you get your perscription when you sign that litttle paper your acknowledging to the fact that you are aware of this drug its side effects, withdrawl(which it says nothing about) in the papers that come along with the script., So not my Dr.s propblem But funny how he has the attority to treat my problem but he' doesnt have to explain all it's facts to me that's real great Ya I'm real trusting of Dr.s now. NOT!
What a nightmare. So that's about the only activity i've had in my day yesturday, aside from feeling like there's a wall that sepperates me my mind from my actual self./ IJUST WANT TO FEEL BETTER>
WHEN AM I GONNA GET BETTER>
SORRY for no good news.
But im real glad to have this place to vent where there are similarities in us. Makes me feel a bit better.
THanks all for the support
Chrissy

Hi everyone, Elena, I think you and I are at the same place with withdrawal. Have you cut back anymore recently? I am still at 18.75, but I was wondering when you are going to try going lower. Let me know if you don't mind. I am going to do this another week and then try to cut back.
Welcome to Bee. Going cold turkey is really not a good thing from what I understand.
Not sure if it does make a differnece to go slowly, but that is what I am doing. I wish you well and hope you can get through it. I wish I had the nerve, but I dont. LOL

Hugs,
Bonnie

Chrissy, you need to find another doctor. I am sure you know that. My doctor is a psych. doctor, and he told me that effexor and paxil are the worst ones for effexor withdrawal. I changed to him from a family doctor, because I felt he knows more about the drugs. He did inform me in the beginning about how hard effexor was to get off of. I was feeling so bad, I did not care and still don't.
Please get yourself into see someone else that know what they are talking about. Have you tried the chaser and dramamine? If not, try them.
I am sorry you are going through so much. Hope better days are ahead for you real soon.

Hugs,
Bonnie

good morning everyone! welcome beemarie...my daughter is 11 days effexor free, having gone cold turkey off of 37.5mg....she had a good day yesterday, last night the sweats were not as intense, but she was dreaming, lots / her nights are not restful sleeps...seems like days 3&4 are really awful for most. my daughter is a runner & the excercise helps along with taking showers, she feels good after a soothing shower.

chrissy, how so UNACCEPTABLE to be treated that way by your Dr & staff,,,my heart goes out to you...be strong, i can only imagine how you ladies with young children have to deal....

naria, how are you feeling today? is this day 3 or 4 for you? wishing you all a better day, each new day is another day closer to feeling better...be positive!!!
~dawn

Today is Day 3 without Effexor. Tuesday I was part of a team coordinating an event with 56 1st graders and 110 adults to celebrate reading. I couldn't really take time to be tired or sick. (The event was a great success.) Yesterday was okay until shortly after lunch, then my eyeballs started aching, and I couldn't focus on my computer screen. I wanted to tough out the rest of the day and go to my depression/anxiety group last night, but I finally had to go home around 3. Got home, slept 3 hours, tried to read or watch TV but was back in bed an hour later. I woke up briefly at 4:46, fell back to sleep and got up at 7. Many, many intense dreams, including my first experience of the "violent" ones I've read about. Nothing bloody but threats to my life by a gang of drug-pushing religious cultists. (How transparent is that? LOL) For some reason, I thought I might be safe if I ate a HUGE bar of soap.

I'm less tired today (so far), but things still seem awfully bright. I've never had migraines, but I think I have a sense of what people who do suffer through on a regular basis

My dad died two years ago tomorrow, and I would love to go to Omaha for the weekend and decorate his grave, but I'm not ready to spend that much time driving in a car alone. I'm aiming for a trip to Chicago at the end of June for my aunt's 85th birthday and a small family reunion. My uncle is in early Alzheimer's, and this will be an important gathering for us all. I have no parents and have lost one of my two sisters. But I dearly want to get back in the game of life and love everyone and everything that is important to me. It's happening, and I'm trying not to be impatient with the Effexor w/d.

Welcome, Bee; your story/timeline is very similar to mine. In fact, we're all like bees in the same hive in some ways, and we will prevail.

Hugs and honey all around,
Laurel