Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 78 of 140}

hi, i haven't been on site for a while which i suppose is a good thing as it means i have been out there living, and not having the horible side effects of effexor.
ive been drug free for 2 months and now can say i understand what drug users go through with addiction...
2 months on and i only seam to have the odd moment of anger outbursts, (which i don;t know is normal or still the drug withdrawl), it might just be the real me, but its something i nead to work on..without drugs.
I would say to anyone come off this drug, hang in..
every day is a little better.
I know what people mean when they say 'is it worth it' but think of the bigger picture!
This site did help me every step off the way.

Love and thoughts go out to every one!!!!

hi just found this site while looking to find out what the heck the doc prescribed me! took this stuff for 12 days and could not function. everybody thought i was drunk, slurring words, cant remember what happened on what day, everything in a fog etc... anyway stopped taking after 12 caps and i am going though withdrawals! not extreme, but all the ones mentioned in other posts. its day 4 and the first time i feel like getting of the couch. allthough, still can't keep food down yet. man what evil drug, i'ld rather deal with my 'natural' depression than this. wasn't happy efore but i could at least function daily

Hi. This Effexor situation started in Feb. 2006 when I broke my leg. I was alone and out of work for 2 months. When I returned to work I started to cry all the time. I lasted 2 days until I was told to leave and go on short term again to alieve my depression about the whole situation. My Dr. put me on Effexor XL 150 qd.(every-day) She said this will make you feel so much better that I thought I can not wait for this capsule to make me all better. I think it helped a little- even though I still had the same feelings, I just seemed to handle them better.

I lost my insurance in Dec. 2006 and thought, I can not afford to keep on buying this Effexor. My last pill was on Tuesday Jan. 2, 2007. By Thursday I thought something was really wrong with me.

Everytime I tried to look at something my mind would buzz and still is right now to the point that I am so confused. A friend out of town asked me what I had been doing. When he made me realize I stopped this medication cold turkey I thought maybe I should check this out. My Dr. was closed today so I took to the internet looking for info on this drug and I found this wonderful site. I read straight through for hours (including my brain zipping around).

I realized that this is why I had to put the air on even though it is winter here. My boyfriend was freezing cold and sweat was dripping off of me. I even told him I thought I might be going through early menapause. At that time I had no idea what was happening. The nightmares will start too. I started having them 2 nights ago and I remember waking up thinking please let me forget this because it was so intense, not to mention I was soaking wet but then freezing trying to forget this unspeakable dream. I have not remembered this dream except when I woke up and prayed never to dream again.

My thought on Effexor XL is to be very careful because what you read here is true. I am doing this cold turkey and very scared. Again, I have read about what people are experiencing and I agree this needs to be addressed to the right channels. It is a dangerous drug. PERIOD!
Thanks for listening.
Mer

Hello I started on efexor from age of 17 til 20. Please read about my experience and othe cases and sign my petition to ban this drug. It has to stop.
thepetitionsite dot com and click on health categories.
There are a few ones to sign on this topic.

Well I am also proof that this site is extremely helpful in kicking Effexor.After 3 months I was back to normal. Sleeping through the night, happy, affectionate etc. It sucked but it gets better.

Then November came. I fell into a great depression. I didn't recognise thhe signs at first. I was very unhappy with everything. I felt like a failure and like I was no good for anything. Then the next week I was crying uncontrollably. My mother made me call the doc. I told him I would not take Effexor again. Well after trying another kind of antidep. and feeling crazier.nausea, vomitting, diarrhea and my insides were shaking I was thinking suicdal thoughts.My husband really did not want me taking anyhthing but I was desperate. I am currently taking Effexor again. I feel ashamed but I don't know what else to do. I am again tired all the time I wake up a dozen times every night and I am concentrating on showing my love and trying not to let numb take over.
My plan is to wean again in the spring with the help of a nautropathic doctor I see for my skin condition.

Thankyou everyone on this site I will need you and continue to read posts every couple days

I thank God for you guys. Five months ago I was searching for someplace online that could help me with Effexor withdrawl symptoms because I tried to go 1 day without Effexor and foolishly thought I could just stop taking the drug and I would be fine. As you guys know, nothing could be further from the truth. That first day I was in bed, crying. I could feel every nerve ending in my skin. I was sweating, I had a migraine, I felt drunk,I couldn't eat and really didn't want to be alive. I was on 2, 75 mg caps a day and had been on that for years. I wanted to get off Effexor and no doctor would help me. My homeopathic doctor told me to contact the Doctor that put me on the pills, but I stopped going to him to go to the homeopathic doctor. I did contact the doctor that put me on the pills and told him what I was planning to do. All he told me was that if it didn't work, or I couldn't do it to call him and he could put me on another depression medication. I realize that liability comes into play. The homeopathic Doctor didn't want to be liable in case I should go crazy and kill somebody or hurt myself. That should tell people just how deadly this drug is. The posts that I read on this site is the only help I could get and you guys will never know how much you helped me. I decided to start taking the pills apart. 1 & 3/4 at first for a few weeks, then 1 & 1/2, so on and so on. A few weeks ago I was down to 1/16 of a pill and I was just scared to get off of it completely. But, I did it. It has been 1 week without that crap. I am married, have two businesses and I have 10 kids. 8 kids still live at home and I can't afford to be incopacitated. That is exactly what I was on or off this drug. I did alot of research on depression and decided to start taking Sam e, Ginko, 5htp, B Complex and St. John's Wart during the last month of Effexor. You have to understand that I was just scared to death of getting off this pill. I thought if I substituted natural supplements the transition would be easier. It seems to be working for me. I have times of the day that can be a bit of a challenge. During those times, I get agitated, depressed and just feel hateful, but it never lasts for long until those feelings go away. Cold turkey is never the way to go with this drug. I have you guys to thank for helping me get off this mind stealing and life stealing drug. My desire now is to be able to help someone else here the way you guys helped me, you know pay it forward.

I started on Efexor xr when I was 19, and was on it starting from 75mg then after six months the effects stopped working and started to become a nightmare. I was fatigued, having constant bad dreams, had major social phobia and just could not connect with anyone outside of my personal space. I was very violet and my moods changed dramatically. I was diagnosed with manic depression (bipolar). After that six months my doc doubled the dose to 150mg. Nothing got better, I started getting what felt like 'sand shakes' in my head each time i moved and would get worse when I was really upset.I stayed on that course for about 12 months on that dose, then when things got worse still my oc put my on 300mgI became bedridden and I could not move and the sand feeling in my head made me scream it was that bad. After 6 months on that dose, I wanted to die. It was so bad I didn't know what to do and I had nothing left. I took myself off the medication cold. It was terrible. I had never had so much pain coming from my mind and soul, yet it wasn't a physical pain. The shakes got so much worse before they got better. I was so sick emotionally, I think for three months I was just a living dead person. After about three months I started to feel better, and although I have not been on medication for almost 3 years now, it has only been a life of repression because I am too scared to go through all of that again. I now thankfully live a reasonable normal life. I have a full time job, and I cope pretty well with normal stresses. But as I said I tend to kept all my 'issues' pretty internal now. My main problem is my thoughts. Sometimes I have hallucinations of really bad things happening to me and my family. They are so upsetting and I never know how to deal with it.
But anyway that put aside Im fine. The last time I got the shake was about 6 months ago and they still happen every now and then. It has been almost three years since I took the drug.

Today is my first day without Effexor 225 mg, in 6 years. I am out of town on business, and without access to even split a pill to reduce the symptoms I am experiencing. The synapsis I am hearing in my brain are relentless. In the past, I would get this if I took my dose late, but this is so intense I am afraid to leave my hotel room. I am two time zones away from my doctor, so I can not speak to anyone at the moment who can tell me how to relieve these 'jolts'. I am so appreciative of finding this site and amazed to see how many people have the same experience. I never knew there was such controversy over this drug. I always thought I was simply more sensitive to medication than others and that that was why I was getting the brain jolts. Apparently not. My doctor has been weaning me from this medication for the past three weeks - decreasing the Effexor by 75 mg each week and increasing something else. After reading many pages of postings, I am now wondering if perhaps my failure to recover from depression was actually a result of taking this medication. I too have had moments where I could care less whether I lived or died and hoped God would somehow make it so I would'nt have to continue living. I would never intentionally hurt myself, but would have appreciated it if someone else would have. I have had fits, albeit rare, of anger and rage, but thought they were normal for a single parent dealing with a teenage boy. In addition, after reading these posts, I have napped - 2 hours at a time - a good portion of my son's youth away. It is sad to think and many of your postings indicate that it may have been a result of taking this medication. Rather than helping me to live my life without depression, this medication has sustained the depression which is why I insisted my doctor take me off of it. I am tempted to try dramamine for the dizziness I feel as I have a two hour drive to the airport in another day and no Effexor. However, I'd have to drive to the store to get it and that probably isn't a great idea right now. I could try Epsom salt with peroxide in a hot bath -as someone suggested, but I'd still have to drive to the drug store and am afraid I might have these brain jolts and get dizzy. From the sound of it, I may be stranded here, two time zones away from home, until these symptoms go away or I get some Effexor. And how awful that sounds, as if I am an addict - which at the moment I guess I am. Thank you all for sharing it has definitely helped me to not feel as if I am crazy. Good Luck to you and even more Good Health!!

twoxrd

Bless your heart. I feel so badly for you. Would it be illegal for me to mail you some? Is there any way you can get some sooner? Honestly, if you don't get some in your system, I don't know how you're gonna drive 2 hours to get any place.
Let me know if there's anything I can do to help. I know the feeling. I've been weaning myself off for several months now. Taking it very slowly since I've been on it for 14 years. So far, I'm down from 300mg to just 75mg a day. I plan to drop another 37.5 next week.
Again .... please do let me know if there's anything I can do to help you.
my email is jacsma03atncdotrrdotcom

I just have to add my thoughts - four years ago I went to a class out of town. I was on 150mg effexor - and I didn't have my meds with me or any way to get them. I shook thru my one week class, and hid in my hotel room. I too felt like an addict, and I retained very little. It wasn't enough to get me to quit though, losing my health insurance 3 months ago did. Hang in there, you will make it home. Follow thru on weaning yourself this addictive nightmare. I wish I had.

Thank you for the two above responses to my post. I managed to get through the night but am an emotional wreck this morning. Crying anxiety, feeling pathetic. To make it worse, I called my doctors office this morning and was greeted by an office person stating 'I know you keep calling, what is the problem' Maybe office staff should be required to experience this before they answer the phone? My doctor is suppose to call me at which time I will request that she call in a perscription for 37.5 mg, until I get home and can wein off of that. The silver linging in this is that the hotel I am at is a spa, so I will be getting dome detox services this evening, which I hope will help. Thank you again and I wish you good health soon.

twoxrd

Hi: I started reading this forum about a week ago and finally decided to join. I've been on Effexor 75 for about 3 years. I've been wanted to get off it for about a year, but just kept getting the script refilled. My Dr. left it up to me. However, my company just changed insurance co. and I would now have to pay over $200. to continue getting it. the decision was made for me! Any way, I started by not taking it for a day, then 2 days until I saw someone said to take a 1/2 cap. I tried that, but today took nothing. I'm going with St. Johns Wort right now to help. However, this past week, I got a severe sinus infection so I guess my body is trying hard to recover from that and the effects of Effexor are secondary. My main reason for getting off is the wt. gain. I've gained 25 lbs! Those of you who have been off - did you start to lose the wt? I'm on Weight Watchers and it's so slow losing - it's frustrating. My Mom has Alzheimers which is why I started Effexor in the first place so I hope I can cope with it. Please talk about weight loss! Anyone?

Kittykat,

The St. Johns wart will help, but you should try adding 5htp, ginko, Sam e and B Complex. That is the combination that was recommended to me and it helps. I found out that I had low Thyroid. It can cause depression and weight gain. If I had been diagnosed correctly I would have never had to be on Effexor. I'm sure the weight will come off a little easier now. I lost weight when I started taking meds for the low thyroid, but being off of effexor is going to help more.

Thanks. I'm taking the B complex, but not the others. It seems like a lot! I spoke to a woman who is really into herbs, vitamins, etc. who told me the 5htp is really an alternative to St. Johns Wort. She told me if SJW doesn't work, then go to 5htp. Another opinion!

My wife is just starting to come off effexor. We are splitting the pills. She's been at 75mg. Our plan is to go down to 56.25, 37.5, 18.75, 9.4, 4.7, and then GNC cleanser. Each step will last about 9 days. I'll keep you posted.

I came up with a pretty quick and relatively accurate way to split Capsules. Fold a peice of paper in half and then open it back up. Along the crease draw a line 4' long and draw little tick marks at each inch. Lay the paper on the counter and open a capsule and dump it into the crease of the paper. Using a toothpick, spread the contents evenly along the entire length of the line (the fold tends to keep the balls confined to the line if you let the paper 'curl' a little. Now you can divide the contents at each tick mark and slide them onto a second piece of paper. BTW, these folded papers make it pretty easy to dump the contents back into the capsule at the reduced dose, so you can still take some in pill form. Just don't lose track of how much is on each paper or in each pile or pill. Get a separate pill container for each dosage. I've found that 4' is about the right length for maximum accuracy for a 75mg pill. Use a clean work space, because sometimes the little balls pop off of the paper and land on the table. You don't want that stuff laying around for your kids or pets to find. Throw the paper away and use new ones next time. Wash you hands well before and after. Hope that helps someone.

Well, jumping to 56.25 was too quick...We're up at 70mg for a while. Has anyone ever done this sort of taper before? Two steps down for a couple of days, then one step up for a week, then two steps down, then one step up. Kind of like weight training to push yourself lower and then get some relief for a week. Anyway, I still used the paper line dividing method, but now the line is 4' long divided into 16 equal spaces, 1/4'=4.6875mg, approximately anyway.

I suppose you could make your line 3.75 inches long. That would make 15 increments 1/4' long. Each 1/4' would be an even 5mg (if opening 75mg capsules). (sorry, I'm a perfectionist).

Also, has anyone ever had thier spouse do the dividing for them? Tell them to wear rubber gloves! I know I have felt the effects of the drug simply by skin contact. Could the outer shell have the drug residue on it? I never touch the pellets, only the gelcap. I use a toothpick to move the pellets around.

Thanks to traps for sharing your dr.s recommend on breaking down the 37.5. I went from 37 to 0 and immediately had nausea so much I could barely move my head. all I could do was lie down and sleep. My 8 year old sister lives with me so it was turning into a nightmare. But I've been breaking the 37s down for a week and I don't feel any nausea...next week I'll start taking the quarter and so forth. Thank you so much! You've saved my bacon because I thought I'd have to just keep taking the low dose forever!

Hang in there folks! I have not taken an Effexor for 12 days now. It was so tough but I was determined not to go back. I was sick, I was tired, I was everything that i didn't want to be, but I kept hoping for the end result. I just came back from a few very busy days in Florida where we went on vacation with friends. I felt bad for my friends because I just wasn't 'me'. They were supportive which helped. My husband has been great. The plane ride was scary because I didn't know how I would react. I was determined to hang in there. I'm feeling better, but am still feeling some effects. I had gone down to 37 every other day and then just quit. It may not be for everyone, but after reading all the posts here, I don't think there is a good way to stop. All I can tell you is - you will feel better. Be patient! I will never ever go back. I have also lost weight which was my biggest hangup. I'm hoping for some type of class action suit against this drug. It's an awful drug. I actually read a book and cried. I can't remember the last time I cried over something silly. What a great feeling! I also want to have sex again - another feeling that has not happened since being on this drug. You will get through this. Trust me.

Just an update on which stage I'm in.

So far ... so good.
It actually hasn't been so bad for me so far. I've been coming off of it v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y though. I've dropped only like 37.5 mg every 4-6 weeks or so. I don't drop another 37.5 until I feel fairly normal and absolutely ready to drop it.
I've been tapering since September. Started at 300, and as of yesterday, am now down to 37.5. Yay! I may be on 37.5 for several weeks, but I'm making headway - and will eventually be completely free of this horrid, evil, drup that literally STOLE 13 years of my life.

Wow - you are an extremely patient person! However, I was only on 75 for about 4 years. I have told my Dr. about this site and all the problems people have had with coming off the drug...and the high dosages. He told me it would be rare for him to put someone on a dose higher than 75. I felt better with him being my Dr. when I heard that.

You're right when you say this drug steals your life. I had said many times that I thought everyone should be on a drug like Effexor, however, now that I'm off it, I will never say it again. I thought it was good for me, but I will now accept my 'old self' rather than think I can be a happier person with Effexor. We must spread the word - especially to the medical staff!

The only problem for me is i liked the person i was on effexor better than the person i am with out it..
it says a lot for my personality. But i guess i got used to being numb and not feeling anger, and hate, as well as anything else. I was just not fased by anything or one. But now i have to deal with feelings.
So all the years on the drug i come away back at square one. with all the issues i had before.

I know what you mean about liking yourself better while on Effexor. I had more patience with the things that went wrong in my life. The bad part for me are the tears. They are hard to really control. My mother has Alzheimers and I can't think beyond tomorrow regarding her life or I will totally fall apart. I think that's how I cope now - I am truly just living for today and enjoying as much as I can each day. There is always someone else who is worse off and I try to keep that in mind. For instance, think of all the people on Effexor who still have to go through all the crap to get off this horrible drug. Hang in there!

I am trying to get off Effexor too. I was trying to get pregnant, and now believe I am. I am waiting to test tomorrow. I hae been weaning, wll actually going every other day at 150mg and I can't go longer. I tried two days, and it was intolerable. I just moved to a new state, and don't care for my GP. I am using my OB Gyn to get help re: tapering off, should hear today. I feel awful, everyting I have read. I call them lightning blots, they are electric, loud, hard and disruptive - just like a storm in my brain and through my body. I did feel them in my feet afer 2 days off 150 mg.
I will try the walnut Bach flower remedy, the opening of the capsules (XR), and epsom salt baths, and Nux Vomica. I am concerned because I wanted to be off totally before I got pregnant. This is a scary drug, I had no idea . . .
I raged at my boyfriend for no reason yesterday a.m., and was just hysterical last night. I had to take a 150mg capsule this morning. I couldn't move without getting zapped.
I hope the above helps me.
Any advice appreciated, especially regarding PREGNANCY, safety issues and weaning, and reduction of side effects.
Thanks, Karen

It seems that you are wanting to get off as quick as you can, due to the pregnancy. But the taper is still needed. So if you can tolerate some MINOR withdrawl, you might try the stairstep approach. It is interesting that you can go two days before you break down. That forces your body to react, (albeit also into withdrawl). Next time you push yourself like that, you should take advantage of the rebound with a reduced dose. After two days with nothing, your body would probably be pretty happy with 120mg for a few days.

When you feel better, give it another 'push' using 75 mg for two days, and then up to 100mg for 5 days. When you feel better, it's time for another push.

This method gives you a definate window of time, so that you can have a goal to 'get through it for just two days'. Then when you go back on, it's at a higher dose, but still lower than the dose before the hard two day push. Your body will thank you for going back up.

Don't think of going backwards as a failure, as long as it is still 'forwards' in the big picture!

Now, I'm curious if anyone else has tried this sort of thing. It seems as though if you want to taper of without withdrawl at all, it will take the longest. If you can handle some effects, you can accelerate it a bit. This way, you can control when the worst of it will occur, then go back up, yet all the while still making progress.

Thank you,
My boyfriend mentioned opening the capsules this morning and taking a lwoer dose (he's a chiropractor), I didn't think you could do that with XR. But, now I've read that people are doing it with success. I just don't know the effects on a fetus of this stuff. I don't think Wyeth does either.
THanks for the advice, I wish I had searched first before I took the 150mg, buyt I oculdn't tolerate the misery any longer.