Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 6 of 140}

Hi Jami and everyone. I am still doing the 37.5 every other day thing. I go to my docter, who is a physciarist, I don't know how to spell that word, but you get the picture on May 12. I will see what he has to say about this crap. Jami you are right, I know I am on alot of meds. They don't make me sleepy at all. Just the opposite. I will always have to take something. I don't want to take the effexor anymore. I have gone 2 days before without taking these pills and didnt feel to bad. It is so scary. Hope everyone is doing ok. We just have to take one day at a time.
Good luck to all of you. Keep me posted how you are doing.
Bonnie

Hi guys!
First of all, what the heck is the rubber duck emoticon? Just in case you all missed my post from weeks ago, I feel the need to tell you a little story...Probably the biggest reason for going off the evil beads (effexor), was because I had resigned from my position with the city and was no longer going to have health insurance. My monthly cost for the effexor was going to be about 280.00! And I was on a fairly low dose. When I opened the capsule for the first time and saw how few the actual substanse was, I was really angry. How could something so tiny have so much control over my life and...how dare the drug companies charge so much for so little. Can you imagine how much money they make on that drug alone? I felt compelled to tell you that again because it helped me to stop. I am now completely free of it and am so happy about it! My struggles now are the emotional ones. The weight thing is a constant haunting for me, and I also seem to have difficulty focusing. I feel like I am in the negative most of the time. It's been a really crappy year for me and now when everything is finally falling into place and I realize why I had to go through all the crap to get where I'm at...I should be feeling some joy and I'm not. I have my soul mate, a beautiful new home on a dead end street...get this...our new address is, 101 Pleasant Street. (we sit out on the deck and the deer come out of the woods surrounding our home and walk all around us, it is so cool), great kids (all 6 of 'em), and we break ground on our new catering business next week. Life is good! But I want to feel it! Gotta go, next class just came in.
It's great to know you all
Regent

Lori hun I know from talkin with you privately through email etc that you are struggling mainly it seems to me with your weight gain. I have shared with you that it is in the top 5 reasons I wanted to stop this stuff also. I know you feel like you have lost part of yourself to the meds. For so many of us our looks is part of how we perceive ourselves. But we can't let that bring us down and believe me I know how bad it sucks after gaining somewhere around 60 pounds since I started this junk.

Right now you seem to have a full plate hun and I can imagine that having this medicine withdraw to deal with along with it sucks horribly. NO WONDER YOUR A LIL DOWN.

But take the weight thing into your hands as best as you can we didn't gain this crappy weight overnight. It isnt goin to come off that fast either GOD DON"T I KNOW.

Chin up one day at a time. YOU CAN DO THIS YOU DESERVE IT!

Jami

To all the newbies; jami, dirk, bonnie ... It's good to see you all communicating about your withdrawl. Be strong a couple of months ago I was detoxing along with Lori (aka Regent) and now we're both free of this stuff. All our symptoms are the same, stick with your plan to detox and you'll be ok. It does get rough, but I still think slowly weaning is the way (you won't get away without getting any symptoms but I think it's a little bit easier). My last day was Feb 20 and about 2-3 weeks later was off of the wellbutrin too. Thank you God and all of you too on this forum. I am praying for all you new ones experiencing it, hang in there. I too am praying that the weight I've put on will start to melt away too. I was wondering, Dirk, did you gain on this too or does it mostly happen to women. I have finally started to not feel so bloated and hungry all the time. That one lasted a while for me even lasting longer than the other horrible withdrawl symptoms. It's hell, for sure but remember every day you go without one (or a whole pill) is one day closer to freedom. Good luck all; you're in my thoughts. Love, Rinky

Hi all,

been looking at all the posts and it is exactly what i went through myself. i feel as though i still am going through them sometimes. the highs and lows are scary sometimes. one day i bought vodka, aspirin intending to off myself. four days later i was feeling better. all the time though, there is a part of me that still wants to be away.

ive been off effexor since 1/1/05. i had taken it before and stopped for about three months and then weaned off. this was in march of 04, a shrink and counsellor adivesed me to get on it again which i did. this time for about 9 months. it was mainly the weight gain i must confess which got to me. on day i suddenly realised that my tummy was jiggling, and despite increased running, it wasnt going anywhere. also, the thought of having to take meds for the rest of my life and knowing how it was to even miss just one dose drove me to stop taking them.

so i weaned, and then beginning of the year, i was had stopped completely. thanks to the web, dramamine, and benadryl helped me, and water and just taking it easy. i had to go to work and didnt have anyone to provide the tender loving care which some of you are so lucky to have :-) but i was loving to myself though.

so now, im four months free, but this tummy is still as preggy looking as ever. doesnt exactly make me feel chirpy. and i am still not at ease with being alive.

will i ever have a flat tummy again? or im i resigned to burn all my low riders!

thanks to you all, and goodluck with those who are going through it. it does get better.

hi all, well I havent wrote in a while and I hope this goes through and I think I need strength.. Noone I talkt to here understands yet I am a mental health worker.. thats bad huh.. anyways I feel crappy some days as well.. I cant remmeber things like I used to.. I am going to get a echocardiograms once my insurance kicks in. But the emotiuonals thing I cant deal with.,. I been going to this herbalist and homeopathic place which give me meds like drops but I did notice a change in the cramps I have had in the past. So I know its helped some..but the emotions I cant deal with. I am also going to be 30 in dec and I dont ever wantto go out and I never used to be like this. I have wrote effexor and they have a case number on me.. but I dont know what else to do.. I have very little friends here and just had a break up with my b/f whome I known for a long time.. He just didnt understand. like my good friend says I was miserable that he couldnt really accept me. I love the beach and that helps me some but I like over an hour from the beach.. My mom is supportive but going to work and counseliong kids makes me feel weak cause I just want this feelin to go away,, I been dizzy since Oct and it may have been as a resuilt of a panick attak.. Im not sure.. I tried antivert and other stuff just to help but I am still emoitnal.. Im about ready to se a psychiatrist just to get on somthin so the dizziness will go away,,. anyomne have answers let me know alicat 871 is my name but I am also on aol.. so if u know my adress then u can figure it out.. thanks alison

Day 9.


Whew.....everyone be strong that is attempting to stop the use of the Effexor. I'm only speaking personally, the first five days where the worst. I feel 75% I guess now. Still a few symptoms come and go, mostly getting tired and dull headache late in the day.

THIS THING CAN BE BEATEN! I'm praying for everyone out there.

Dirk

P.S. I am a male (6'0" 180 lbs pre effexor, 205 lbs post effexor) and I gained 25 lbs in two years or so. Mostly from sugar cravings that I satisifed and I'm sure were side effects of the drug.

Thanks Dirk and keep up the good work. I am still doing the 37.5 every other day. I go back to my doctor on the 12th, so I will see what he wants me to do. Hope it is not stop them altogether.
Bonnie

Alison hun I feel for you totally. I do not think 99% of healthcare professionals understand how nasty this detox can be unless they themselves have been through it or someone close to them has. I found the best thing to educate my hubby about what I was going through was to have him read this entire forum topic. I also found a few other forums with topics on Effexor and withdraw side effects by just doing a general search i.e (brain zap effexor withdraw)etc. After reading what other outside parties had to say he really understood more.

I am now on day 14 or 15 of detox it has been 8 days since I have had any and day 3-4 of cold turkey were like hell on earth. I would never be able to put into words how hopeless and emotionally unstable I felt on those two days. I have soooo much more energy then I did on those damn pills. I hardly recognize myself. I woke up today and took all my glassware from my hutch and cleaned them I went on to washing my windows and curtains. Then I still had so much energy I went on a 5 mile bike ride. That was all before 2pm. I just thank god that I am off this crap. I have a few zaps now and then and I have had a few headaches. Mostly its the snappiness that strikes me when I least expect it but if each day continues to get better like it has been then I can't wait to see how I feel a month from now.

Also I am down 8 pounds since start of detox 14 days ago. Mostly cause I stopped drinking the caffeine it was making me too edgy and cause I have so much energy I can't stop moving.

Congrats to you Dirk for your continuing success. I am proud of both of us.

I just cant stress enough to some people that may be feeling like things are still a lil rough despite being off the drug to:

1. Make sure your getting GOOD sleep. Benadryl works wonders as long as you have time to devote to 8-9 hours of sleep at night. The quality of sleep was so much better after I started using it that I had much better disposition and more energy to do second part ...

2. Exercise even walk 15 minutes at a normal pace. It is so good for the mind to take that 15 minutes to just focus on yourself. I suggest doing it alone for peace and not to use the gym for lack of peacefulness lol

HUGS!

Jami

Also Alison I am aol user and my screenname is jamikissezs. Feel free to email me or message me for anything even if you wana yell at someone about how crappy you feel!

I just found this website by chance one day and I am so glad that I did. I was trying desperatly to get off this Effexor and I was having terrible symptoms. I had no idea it would be this way. My doctor did not inform me that this would happen! I thought I was going crazy! I actually questioned my sanity. I was so dizzy I couldn't read or hardly use my computerm which really hurt me at work. Why was I not informed that this would happen? I would have rethought even taking this! I have taken this pill for almost 3 years. And over these 3 years I have gained 45 pounds. Unreal.I couldnt figure out how this was happening either. I wasn't eating that pourly. But I was hungry often. I felt just revolted with myself. Now I'm worried the weight will never come off. But now I am attempting to get off this poison. I'm currently on 37.5 mg and I am trying to wean off by taking half of a 37.5 one day and a regular 37.5 the other. I hope it works better than my last attempt to go cold turkey. Wow that was awful. Anyone with any advice I would love to hear it! Thank you and good luck to all of us!

Elena,

Welcome to this forum topic. I myself stumbled upon it by chance about 2 and half or 3 weeks ago. You sound just like me with the weight gain and the previous attempts at stopping. Doctors that have no clue about this drug and its withdraw effects suck!!! I would say the first 12 days of detoxing were horrible with the worst days being around day 9 of detox (though it was day three of my decision to go cold turkey). Whatever works for you to get off the drugs is so personal but for me to wean down over a period of a week from 300mg-75-mg was good enough. I said screw it and went cold turkey. I think I said before in a post that from talking to other people who had tried to wean off that the point you hit when there is little or no more medicine going in is traumatic wether or not ya go slow but I would hate to say that would be true for everyone. For me cutting down really swiftly then just going cold turkey was traumatic I thought on day 9 I wanted to drive nails into my head it would have felt better then the nausea, brain zap, emotional outbursts and fatigue i was feeling.

I emailed someone earlier from this forum about fatigue and I realized I wasnt getting good sleep. If you can remember how vivid your dreams are everynight and you know your having several you probably should take a lil benadryl or something to help you relax and sleep. We really shouldnt remember dreaming all the time at night. I think the key to as good of a detox you can get is good rest and taking personal time out just quiet time (not so much that you feel depressed) just 20 minutes or so in the eve and morning to focus and relax. As you can tell, those of you that have read my posts from the start, that I must be feeling much better the tone of my posts are much less stressed out and I feel an inner peace about it all.

Also I have lost 8 pounds since I started detox about 17 days ago. I have been working on it though it didnt fall off and I have more to loose but I have the energy coming back to me to get around and do things. I feel great like a dim room has been lit and I can now see clearly for the first time in almost 3 years. I warn though I am emotional I feel things I havent felt in years while being numb on this drug and it is overwhelming but I am living life with the good and the bad and thats all I want.

Thank you so much Jami for your reply.It really does help to hear someone else's take on all this. I did indeed notice a change in your posts. I am very happy for you. I hope to get to that point as well. I am on day 2 of the split 37.5 pills. Tomorrow I will take a regular 37.5 and then after about 2 weeks I'll try just being on the half of the 37.5mg pill. So far so good! But I can't believe that with out such a little dose, I will feel so horrible. I can't believe that it's taking this long to get off this stuff. I am so ready to start losing this weight and living my own life. I don't want to be dependant on this drug. I'm going through a very difficult transition with my family and with life right now, so it has almost pushed me to just give up and take the Effexor. But I wont. I know that sometimes when it rains it pours and I just have to be strong. Even when I am at my weakest. But really, I wish it was as easy as it sounds!

Hi Elena

In reading your last post, I just wanted to say something.
Just my 2 cents worth. If you are going through a lot with your family right now, do you feel like weaning from effexor is the right thing to do? Weaning in itself is a transition, and I would think you would be best to take on one thing at a time. Did you feel good while taking the effexor? If you did, then the effexor maybe could help you to get through your family transitions. Think about it.
Bonnie
By the way, I have weaning since last November and I am still at 37.5. One day taking them and 2 days off.

hello all,

i found this place and i have to say thank you to you all i thought i was the only one and maybe crazy.....but wow
i was on 300 mg a day...it was the best thing ever well except for the sweating, dry mouth you know the rest then a few mths ago i stopped cold turkey thought i was going to die....i just want to know how can doctors give people this stuff....gooshh

well i am off it and been using hi potency B complex
for sideeffects no more brain spikes but still sweating ...
and lacking energy and sometimes i dont have the temperment as i did on effexor
so anyone have any helpful advise it would be great.....

once again thank you all and hang in there ....

nick

hello all,

i found this place and i have to say thank you to you all i thought i was the only one and maybe crazy.....but wow
i was on 300 mg a day...it was the best thing ever well except for the sweating, dry mouth you know the rest then a few mths ago i stopped cold turkey thought i was going to die....i just want to know how can doctors give people this stuff....gooshh

well i am off it and been using hi potency B complex
for sideeffects no more brain spikes but still sweating ...
and lacking energy and sometimes i dont have the temperment as i did on effexor
so anyone have any helpful advise it would be great.....

once again thank you all and hang in there ....

nick

Hi Bonnie,
Yes I realize that this may not be the best time to be getting off this stuff, but I have been trying for 2 months to get off. Should I really stop now? I think I've gotten so far that I should just keep on going. I don't have children, and I am not married. I have a very loving boyfriend who is aware of what's going on and patient enough to deal with me! I have thought about going back on, but I figure I would be just as stressed with it as I would with out it!
You seem to be doing very well. Good for you! You're 2 days without it? Do you find you can deal with the symptoms ok?
Nick, I'm glad for you that you found this site. I find it is really helpful to have people that really know what you're going through. Just curious tho, but what's hi Potency B Complex? What does it do?

Welcome Elena,
Hey Jami, Bonnie, Dirk and Alicia!
Elena, let me just tell you about life changes! I'm not sure if I've posted this before, so if I have please forgive me and know that I am not feeling sorry for myself. I just need you to know that you will make it through!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Okay here goes...almost 1 1/2 years ago, my husband never came home. He decided that he must not have been thinking clearly when he said his vows and left to start his life over. He had not been working for two years prior to leaving and went home to his family who now take care of him. We have a wonderful daughter who is 5 and lives with me, she sees her dad on the weekends. He was not ordered to pay any support what so ever. NOTHING. Did I mention that he left me and ALL the financial burden of our 3 mortgages and everything else. Okay...I was absolutely devastated. I thought that he was the man that God had blessed me with and I could not understand why this was happening. I must have been being punished! I can't tell you how many days, nights, weeks, months of my life that I spent with sleeping pills ready to go. I checked myself into the hospital on Easter Sunday one year ago because I was afraid of what I was going to do to myself. That is when the doctor prescribed the effexor. The weekend after my ex left us, my friends sent me away to a little retreat for "my own good", when I returned, late on Sunday night, it was a wet, slushy snowy night, I noticed tracks going into my house, (it was about midnight), first thing I noticed was how cold it was in the house. Next after turning on the lights, the house had been ransacked, as my ex had come in and removed everything he thought belonged to him. My furnace was not coming on, so I proceeded to go to the basement and check it out. My basement was flooded, furnace was broken. It was cold and rainy and I wanted to die! My kids would be coming home in the morning and I was so not ready for this! Okay...life did go on, however, I have recently filed bankruptcy and have lost everything. But...In the course of the last 9 months, I have found my soul-mate, who just bought a house for us. The house that I always dreamed I would one day live in and we plan on getting married in the next year. I now realize that all the crap I had to go through, (not just in the last year and a half, but in my lifetime), all led me to where I am at now! Standing in the yard at that big old blue house back in the woods on Pleasant Street, as a 10 year old, and praying that I would live there someday. All of the pieces are coming together. A ten year olds prayer was answered! (33 years later) I still hurt from it all, but because of where I am now, I would not give anything back. I hate saying this, "everything happens for a reason"! My girlfriend use to say that to me all the time and my reply to her was "screw the reason", (I'm in class so I can't print what I actually said, but you get the picture) Elena...maybe you should talk to your doctor about what is going on in your life. If you don't want to take the effexor any more, don't let him talk you into it. Ask him if instead you could be (closely monitored), and have some valium on hand if you need something to get over the crappy spells, that you might be experiencing. I don't mean with the effexor withdrawls, I mean with the family stuff. I can remember being completely paralized beyond my physical control, and literally walking around in circles trying to calm my mind. I did use Valium and it was immediate relief. I never felt any withdrawl, although I probably only used it (when needed) for about 2-3 months. I would take it when I would feel the anxiety attacks coming. So...that is my story strange but true. Believe me, this post would be a mile long if I went into every bad thing that has happened to me in the last year and half. But...the story of my turnaround is only a paragraph long because a small bit of true, honest, caring, love cancelled all the other out!!!!!!! Last but not least...to help you with your withdrawl...get some benadryl, "chaser" (hangover remedy) and some dranamine. And use them!!!!!Pain management is crucial! Break open the capsules and place the tiny beads in applesauce or yogurt and drop back on the amount every two days until you are done. Continue to take the other stuff to fool your brain until you will find that you no longer need any of it. This is what helped for me. Bonnie and Jami are going through their withdrawls sort of together and they have some ideas that are helping them. Jami is so right on when she talks about getting enought sleep. I would also suggest that you copy some of the posts throughout this forum and give them to everybody that you will be dealing with over the next few weeks. Your boss, co-workers, significant other, best friend, and your doctor. I did this so that they would all know what I was going through and what to expect if I got a little whacky! (ok...whackier) You could always talk to Dirk, he is fairly new with his withdrawl, but be forewarned, he is a crazy hippy!!!!! A nice crazy hippy though!!!!!!!!! Be strong!
Love you guys!
Regent

Hey....
Hi Potency B Complex is found in Natural stores..
all it is a super Vitamin B
pill....it seems to work for me to control alot of the withdraws.

thats about all i can tell you.....

Hey guys,
I accidentally hit a key on my keyboard and it took me to the product page of our forum website. The word weight gain caught my eye so I clicked on it. It brought me to a product called Ignatia Amara. Check it out! I went to google and did a search on it. It sounds too good to be true!
Regent

Lorissa (regent) that had to be really hard for you to share I am sure its always hard to look back at stuff you really wana forget, but thank you. I am glad I had a chance to talk with you in email and stuff. Those who have lived through this and have road out the roller coaster of side effects and still keep looking toward the upside is always inspirational for people. Hugs to you!

Also...
Here is some info I had on vitamin B's

Rarely would depression be the result of a poor diet in the United States. But poor diets often result from depression. So what is the connection between B Vitamins and good mental health? Generally speaking, Vitamin B consists of a combination of vitamins that comprise what is known as the B Complex. Several studies show that deficiencies in the B vitamins can lead to memory loss, fatigue, irritability, anxiety, mental slowness and mental confusion. Working interdependently, these vitamins work most effectively when combined - each playing a central role.

Thiamin - (B1) enhances circulation, cognitive activity and brain function. Deficiencies in this vitamin can result in fatigue, weak muscles, nerve damage and nervousness.

Niacin - (sometimes called B3) is needed to metabolize carbohydrates, fats and protein, niacin also contributes to the proper functioning of the central nervous system.

Pyridoxine - (B6) aids in the metabolism and absorption of protein, assists in red blood cell formation and helps the body use fats. B6 is also important in the synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which is a neurotransmitter. Deficiencies can cause irritability, depression, nausea and greasy, flaky skin. Dietary deficiencies of B6 are relatively rare. Too much of this vitamin will produce adverse symptoms, such as numbness and tingling of fingers and toes.

Cobalamin - (B12) is necessary for energy production and the maintenance of the nervous system, B12 deficiency causes fatigue, lack of coordination, anemia and nerve damage. Of the research that has been conducted on the B vitamins and psychiatric disorders, the most compelling has been the evidence linking B12 deficiency and clinical depression. Can find full article here it also gives some ideas on how to get more into your diet if you would rather try that. I know I am going to research finding a pharmacuetical grade B multi vitamin and try to add more into my diet. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/columncc/cc020101.html


Jami

pharmaceutical ...heheh i wish i could figure out how to edit my posts here!

Oh Regent.
Your story just is just out of Desperate housewives. I am so sorry that happened to you. But as you said, you are in a happy place right now, and that is what counts. And I'm sure you gained countless strength from this as well. I will continue to wean off this, by splitting the pill in half every second day until I can do it everyday.
As for the family grief, I know we will all get through this chaotic month. I find that jogging really helps, and at least I burn off some of the negitivity that has been brewing inside me. Especially after the latest news. It's so strange, it just seems like it's one bad even after another.
Here's a little story that really kicked me back into perspective.

On mothers day, we all gathered at my parents house. My sister and her boyfriend came along with me and my boyfriend. We all planned to have a nice barbaque. The phone rang long distance. It was for my sisters boyfriend. It was his brother,when he got off the phone he told us he had to go, because they had found his sister in the bathtub and they couldn't revive her. She had severe epilepsy all her 29 years. She had suffered a severe seizure that afternoon. He and my sister ran out of the house and drove back to his apartment to get ready to drive to see her. When my sister called next they informed us that she was braindead. She died within 12 hours, leaving behind 2 young children under 6 a loving husband and family. This rattled me and my family. She was a sweet young woman and it just isn't fair. But it really did open my eyes, that I am not so hard done by. Because things could be so much worse. She suffered a terrible illness yet she still had a wonderful life and was so positive. I hope to live life that same way, enjoying every moment I can.

Yes I agree with Jami, it must have been hard for you to share that story. I admire you a great deal for your strength. Your encouragement is so greatly appreciated! You all have made me feel so welcome, and that I will make it! Thank you!!! I haven't even been online that long and I feel so much better about what's happening in my life!
You all are a blessing.

Hey Jami,
I just popped out of my e-mail. sorry I haven't e-mailed you this week. These computers are loaded with spyware so I have doing search and destroy missions all week. And, we are having a hard time getting internet back to our new house)Anyway...We have one of the largest pharmaceutical companies right here in my own hometown. They are the makers of tons of natural vitamins. We have an outlet store here. If anybody needs anything, let me know, and I will run down there and see what I can get. You can get stuff for 25 cents to 12.50. I don't think I've purchased tylenol from a regular store, ever! Not when I can get it for a quarter! Let me know.
Lori (aka...Regent)

Ohhhh Lori that sounds wonderful send me any info on that place. I was sitting here wracking my brain for a company that a friend of mine started using 10 years ago. I remember him talking about the company and its use of pharmaceutical grade vitamins so you know your getting what it says your getting on package etc. It is called Great Earth here is a link to cut and paste into your browser with info on the company and the products they have. I do remember going to one of their retail stores way back when and as far as I know its the closest one to me but thats an hour away in Fresno. http://www.greatearth.com/about_us.html?V5BWQC
But you could order from online and I may do that. Let me know what ya got close Lori I may have you make a shopping trip for me lol.


Elena that is so horrible about your sisters boyfriends family. I have a step son that is epileptic and actually just had one of the VNS implants put in:::A small pacemaker is placed under the skin near the vagal in the side of the neck. The pacemaker stimulates the vagal nerve at regular, timed intervals. This regular stimulation has been shown to disrupt the activity in the brain that can lead to seizures. :: its so random when they have seizures you just dont know what to do. Two women died close by the last year or two from seizures happening in the bathtub and drowning one had her newborn on her chest while it happened and the husband found them both in the tub. There are so many things we all have to be thankful for and as bad as this drug and detoxing sucks it could be so much worse. Not that it makes ya feel much better to hear that sometimes but trying to keep that in mind and moving foward with it.

EXCERSIZE has been my stress relief too not only do I feel better from the physiological benifits of the exercise but the mental benifits are awesome and the thought that I am counteracting the weight gain from this stuff has given me strength...I am in control of my life and my body!!!BIG hugs...

Jami

Also speaking of Dirk where have ya been ya hippy? lol. How is the accupuncture going?

Jami