Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 81 of 140}

Shelly,

Copy and paste this link into your web browser. I've outlined a method of dividing capsules:

http://www.abchomeopathy.com/forum2.php/102450/

Go read it and then come back here...

Now, because you are talking about spiltting 37.5mg capsules, the line you draw should be 1-7/8' long. Draw a little tick mark at each 1/4'. You will have the little 1/8' increment left at the end. That is 2.5mg. Each 1/4' is 5mg.

To keep the balls from flying all over the place, you have to be very careful. Hold the capsule so that the 'inner' sleeve is like a cup, and the 'outer' sleeve is like the lid. Squeeze the 'cup' slightly to have a good grip with one hand and then use the other hand to pull the 'lid' off. You should be able to do this with EVEN pressure so that you can pop the lid loose WITHOUT actually taking it off. Then easily (and carefully)remove the lid. Now you can pour the contents into the crease of your folded and marked paper, as outlined in that old post. Ask questions all you want!

You are awsome!!! I have read so many posts on so many forums about weaning from Effexor and you got it!! No one else has a clue. They just throw up for 17 days and deal with it.
You rock!!
Thank you soooooo much for all of this.
SHelly

That means a lot to me Shelly---thanks! It's nice to know that I've helped!

One more thing---if you go to your local natural foods market, you can buy plain clear emply gelcaps. They are a bit bigger than effexor caps, so pouring the contents in is easier (if you don't mind swallowing a larger pill)

We are at the point where I'm getting four doses out of each 75mg capsule! Almost there!

God Bless You!

Mike

I was fine at 150 mg but now that I have gone down 20 mg I feel awful! (3rd day) Very moody, tearful, very tired, snappy, nauseated, can't concentrate at work. Don't want to be at work PERIOD. Feel woozy. Could fall asleep at the drop of a hat!
Got sleep last night too...
Have to give a tour of our area soon, hope I can stand up without looking like I'm on something. Why would anyone stay on this drug???
I feel awful today. Mary

I actually have some of those empty capsules from when I do liver flushes. I have to encapsulate my Epsom salts because it is too gross to drink. Great idea! You deserve some kind of award for this.
I am staying on 37.5 for a few more days because I am going out of town. I will start when I get back.
Again, you have done a FANTASTIC job on this!!
Bless you too.
Shelly

Mary,

It's been 5 days since your last post. I hope you haven't moved down lower than 130mg yet. You have to let your body adjust to the new dose before you push lower.

20mg is too much of a drop for 3 days straight. Your body can't keep up.

I know many people just can't wait to get off this drug. But it takes time. If it takes you 2 months to wean off completely, how would you like to spend those 2 months? In bad shape? How about making it 3 months instead, with MUCH less pain? It's better for you anyway.

Now, you should stay at 130mg for another few days, until you've had a couple of normal days in a row. THEN go like this:

110 Saturday
125 Sunday
120 Monday
120 Tuesday
120 Wednesday
120 Thursday
120 Friday

and then tell me how it went. This sort of program will get you free in 12 weeks, and you won't go through near the pain. Please let me know if you are going to try this. I'll gladly step you down all the way for the next 12 weeks if you would like. But you can never break the pattern. Trying to do too much too quick has proven to not only make you feel horrible, but it also actually slows down the progress. Let me know.

lol. 2 or 3 months? Boy I've been very patient. I have truly wanted to be free from this evil drug as badly as you all, but have been terrified of the effects that stepping down too quickly would have on me. I've suffered the withdrawal effects before, and it was no fun.
I've been weaning myself down since September. From 300mg though. I guess I may have had a little further to go than most of you, and I KNOW I've had this crap in my system for longer than 99% of you. I've been on it for 14 years, which is another reason I figured the slower the better.
I haven't really taken the time to do the math like our helpful mikemo, but am now pouring a 75mg cap into the envelope as he suggested. I drew a 4' line, and then drew lines on that line at 1/4' increments. I'm now down to 5 1/4' increments a day. That 1 1/4' per day of 4'. My schedule hasn't been very rigid. I have no set time to step down to the next step. I just do it when I feel like my body is ready; when there are no more (or at least less than 1 a day) brain zaps and crying spells. This usually takes 10-15 days.
I do feel a little better, although I still spend plenty of my days in bed, and rarely go out and about or do any household chores or anything. I'm reading a book now that seems to be helping me feel a little better.
I can honestly say, I've never encountered anyone, personally, or otherwise - or even from just reading various stories on line - I've never encountered anyone in as deep a depression and state of self hatred than me. I have no doubt I should have been hospitalized many years ago. I honestly believe that EFFEXOR helped to bring me to that lowest point, and keep me there for all these years.
I do manage to get out of bed now, but that's about it. But that's a start.

I went down from 150 mg to 130 mg but had to go back up. The effects were just too much for me. I am staying on 150 mg for awhile. I did have some brain shivers and dizziness this weekend even after going back up to 150 mg.
I have a trip at the end of APril and I just think I will stay status quo for a bit.
I had been on the 300mg for 9 years and feel good that I'm down to 150 mg in a month. You are right that 20mg is too much of a drop. Does it get harder when you get down there?? Thanks mikemo for the encouragement. I will start up again May 1st with the drops.
I will keep you in the loop as to how to do this the best way even if it takes awhile.

Thanks,thanks, thanks!!

Three33, you are doing GREAT! That's the best advise anyone can take--'I just do it when I feel like my body is ready; when there are no more (or at least less than 1 a day) brain zaps and crying spells.'

And to think you are down to 23mg a day! Your almost there! I'm sorry that this drug has cause you so much trouble. It's just plain wrong.

Mary, we have noticed that it gets harder as you find little platou spots in your body's dependency level. You want to go slow through those. But then it will be easy to step down 10mg a week for 3 weeks straight. Then a new platou hits, and we sit at the same dose for two or three weeks.

I'm glad you went back to 150mg. You need to be leveled out, just for life. Besides, dropping your dose from a leveled out spot is much easier than pushing the limits of what your body can handle.

We are at 15mg now. It seems like 10mg drops are worse at this low dose than 10mg drops around the 50's and 40's were. So we are making smaller moves.

When you are ready, please try the low spike for ONE day before your drop. You will be amazed, I promise. Try this:

150
150
150
150
150
130 (20mg drop for ONE day)
145 (back up 15)
140 (back down 5)
140
140
140

It's like magic. Talk to you later!
- Mike

I am doing well now at 150 mg. Thanks for all the support here. I need to be leveled off for awhile and things are going ok. I don't look forward to the next drops but it's something I need to do.

Thanks everyone and hang in there!
Mary

I am down to splitting a 37.5 in half. I am just eyeballing it and it is going very well.
I still cant get over the fact that Doctors don't tell people to do this.
Thanks again for making my life managable through this.
Shelly

Mikemo you should charge a consulting fee! You have helped a lot of people! Three33, you sound a lot like me only I have not started to wean yet. I have been on 300mg for the past 5 years. I have tried to wean,cold turkey,shoot if I forget to take my pills until the afternoon I am a waste for the rest of the day.
Mikemo, I have to escape this nightmare. Is there any way you could do the math for 300 mg? I know it is not an exact science but I have done nothing but fail and am looking for 'guidelines' to move me down the road. Over the past five years I have gained 50lbs.(mostly in the first 2 years) I have no sex drive (My husband is great but there is a limit.)and I have just not been me for 5 years. I am starting a journey that is long but I am determined. Any pearls of wisdom would be invaulable.
Thank you all for being here. I feel like I am not alone.

Hi, I'm 24 and have been taking effexor for I don't know how many years. I recently had a serious relapse of depression for the first time in about 8 years. My pshchiatrist gave me some options and we decided to try upping the dosage from 150mg to 225. But it didn't give me that significant of a change and I finally got fed up with having no sex drive on top of sweating all the time. Also, when I would drink alcohol, once I had a certain (unknown) amount I would totally black out and just wake up somewhere the next day. I probably should have been arrested a few times for the places I passed out. But anyways.

Im switching over to wellbutrin now. Or, I'm in the process. Right now I'm taking 37.5mg less of EFX every 3 days (dr.'s orders. drew me out a calender) and I take my first 100mg of WBTRN on tuesday morning.
I was so excited when I read about wellbutrin but then for some reason I looked up coming off of EFXR and am kind of scared now. I still want to kick the EFXR (now more than ever) but in the month that I'm scheduled to make the switch, its also the last month of the semester. I go to a busy, demanding music school where I am constantly asked to create, and then judged on my creativity. I.. think this could be bad.
I'm not giving in and saying that it's going to be horrible. Hey, some people have gotten off with no problems. I'm going to stay positive and try and remember that my feelings are just because of the drugs. But even today after only taking 187mg I can't sleep, don't feel very creative and am smoking cigarettes like crazy.
I don't know. It's nice to know other people are out there though. I'll be back with updates.

oh yeah, and I can only manage to eat a few crackers or so. I'll get hit with this weird feeling where I'm like 2 seconds away from throwing up, and it just stays that way for an hour or so. Can't Wait for the Brain zaps!!!

sigh..

Patafoot, tell me how your 300mg is taken. Is it in two 150mg pills? Or one 300mg pill? I need to know this so I can figure iout the spilling method. I glad to help!

Jack, since your doctor is laying out a routine to get you onto Wellbutrin, you shouldn't worry. You may have some issues, but hang in there. The wellbutrin has helped a lot of people in this forum get through the withdrawl of quitting effexor. Please keep us up to date as you go through the switch.

I just want to take a minute here to give big KUDOS to Mike. How very helpful, caring, and supportive you are.
Just my opinion, but if most doctors cared half as much as you do about people we wouldn't all be in this mess.
Thank you Mike - for all the support and help that you offer to everyone.

Pam

Thanks Pam!

I have to help. There are just too many horror stories out there, compared with how my wifes taper down went pretty smoothly. (we're down to 10mg now BTW!!) It wouldn't be fair for me to just walk away and let you all fend for yourselves, knowing what I've learned.

That's why we go through hard times -- so that we can help others in similar situations get through thier hard times.

(I hope I don't over do the 'helpfulness.... I have a tendency to overstay my welcome and/or get too pushy with my theories!)

I'm happy to report a success story and, hopefully, offer encouragement to others coming off Effexor.

I first posted here in May 2006. My last post was sometime in July 2006. The relentless fatigue that plagued me caused me to go on short-term disability. During this time, I slowly came off Effexor - but the last stage took about 2 or 3 months (I was down to less than 10 of the small white pellets a day - and still getting the zaps etc).

By October, I was fully off Effexor (about 4 months total from 300mg/day). My doctor tried me on the Emsam patch - totally useless and, unfortunately, required a 2-week wash out before trying something else.

Having exhausted many other antidepressants, my doctor decided to try what he calls his 'secret weapon' - when all else fails, he tries Remeron. My oh my! What an astonishing difference. I'm a scientist - I even work in the very industry - so I read scientific journal articles about Remeron - it sounded very promising, including one of the fastest onsets of any of the modern treatments and few side effects. Within ONE DAY, I noticed a change. Actually, I felt as if I had been very rudely forced into a different gear - the first morning after taking Remeron, I felt like I'd been thrown around the room. I took this as a *good* sign - it did *something*. Within two weeks, my mood was noticeably improved.

Fast forward to a month ago - mid March 2007. I was on a business trip overseas and, one night, I just decided that I had become a fat, unfit blob and that I had to do something about it. (Until about 6 or 7 years ago - when I started Effexor - I used to run 3 miles, swim a mile and scuba dive - I even qualified as a scuba instructor.)

Two weeks ago, I went out and bought some running shoes, found a local swimming pool that was inexpensive to use and started an exercise regimen. Oh - I also bought a stopwatch + chest heart monitor (waterproof for use in the pool). My first attempt at swimming was dismal - barely 16 x 25yd laps and I was exhausted. But the next day, I did 20 x 25yd and, now, I am comfortably doing 40+. I also started running - at first running 4 x 0.25mile - waiting each 0.25mile for my heart rate to return to 120bpm. Now I am running the mile non-stop. 11.5 minutes - not bad - I used to go faster. I can see myself getting fitter, my wife is delighted that I will fit into my summer clothes again(!) and I have arranged to go diving for the first time in nearly 6 years.

Effexor took all this away from me. I've beaten it. In my time on Effexor, not only did I have no energy, no sex drive etc., but I had all kinds of lower back problems. In spite of my somewhat frenetic revival of my exercise program, my back hasn't complained once!

I still have restless leg syndrome - but the Requip that I take deals with it.

The contrast between now and a year ago could not be more stark. Coming off Effexor wasn't easy. But knowing how I was then makes it all the more easier to 'do the right things' know and undo the harm wrought by Effexor over many years.

John.

So John,

To what do you attribute the revival of your exercise program?
Are you saying you think you wouldn't have been able to do this while on the effexor, or that you just had to get started and work your way back up?
This is the kind of encouragement I need, but am unsure as to what you're saying.

I really believe it would have been impossible on Effexor. The few times I did try exercising while on Effexor were horrific. Not only did I have no stamina, but I felt dreadful after trying in a way I've never felt after over-exertion.

The telling event for me was when I had to dig a grave for our very old cat. Having dug a couple of such graves in the same location previously without issue, I was shocked that, after completing the last shovel-full, I fell to my knees - completely exhausted. I couldn't even walk back to the house. It really bothered me. Even more so, I couldn't do anything about it. I found exercise impossible on Effexor....

I found exercise impossible on Effexor as well, among so many other things. Unfortunately, the result of the many symptoms that Effexor imposed upon me is an extra 160 pounds (among other things). Obviously, even off Effexor (almost! - I'm down now to 18.5 mg per day) exercise will no longer come easily. As sad and as silly as it sounds, I feel quite accomplished just walking to my mailbox and back each day.
I too used to be very active and athletic. I was in the gym 5-6 days a week, and loved participating in various 'walk for the cure' events. I'm at a point now where I literally can't even go to the mall to shop.
I so long for the day that I can shop again in the mall and participate in another walking event.
I just had a thought. Maybe I should start a site or something with my before and after pictures. Kinda like a before weight loss and after weight loss thing - except my pics will be before Effexor and after Effexor. It's pretty unbelievable. People that I worked with for 5 years (about 5 years ago) walk right past me now and don't even recognize me. I don't mind though, cause I certianly don't want to call any attention to myself.
I had to get my license renewed this past August. The picture now vs. the picture from my last license 5 years ago is just ridiculous.
Effexor ROBBED me of 15 years of my life (and counting), and I'm having a real problem letting go of that resentment and anger. I know I need to pick myself up and move forward, but I can't help but be bitter about what this drug has done to me and my family; what it's take from us because of what it's done to my health well-being.
Even if I could have come off the Effexor and gained my life and body back, it's extra hard now trying to do that with the body that I now have. I had my plate full of issues that caused my depression before, but pushing 350lb has brought a whole different set of reasons to the table.
It just seems like an endless cycle for me.
Sorry ladies and gents. Don't mean to drag anyone down. Just felt like venting a little I guess. I've been having an especially down day today.

Later
Pam

Oh I wish physicians could read these posts and know what they are doing to their patients! I took Effexor starting 9 years ago after becoming sober (I still am today!) The MD who prescribed the drug has long since moved on and my primary MD didn't want to mess with this type of drug so I just stayed on it. I went from moderate weight to the heighest I have ever been at 215 lbs now. The exercise routine went out the window becuase I could barely take a walk or do anything without breaking a severe sweat etc. Others say 'I'm lazy' and just need to get with it! There are you on this board who know exactly what I am talking about. I have severe restless legs that Effexor was suppposed to help along with pre-menopause symptoms. It has helped neither. I do take Requip for the restless legs but ta dah! My legs seems to be better now that I have gone from 300mg to 150 mg of the effexor? And I do not think I am imagining it! Long term I think the Effexor made me more deoressed than I was before and put me in a fog. My work performance suffered and I was so lethargic. Coming down off this drug has not been easy. I am staying level at 150 mg for awhile and then will attempt to drop again. I will use mikemo's formula to do this as it is the best! This person (mikemo) is one of the best too! Everyone who responds to this board and shares their hope of getting off this drug and sharing what it has done to their lives has and continues to help me too! Please don't give up! Pam I am with you every step of the way to the mailbox and back. Everyday go one or two houses further. We still have time! Love to you all, Mary

Mary,
Being with me every step of the way to the mailbox actually does make me feel better. My family has never actually come out and said they think I'm lazy, but I sure do feel that way.
It's so nice to be able to vent to people that know how you feel and what you're going through.

Thanks to all for being here and sharing.

Pam

Well, here's a long post, but it's a good one (especially towards the end). (I had a little free time this morning!) I posted this in the 'Effexor Splitting Method' post as well for quick reference.

-----------------------------

For 150mg tablets, you should draw a line 7.5 inches long. All of the above then holds true: 5mg for every 1/4'.

If you are on 300mg a day, it gets tricky, because you may or may not be taking it all at once. If you take 150mg twice a day, then you could apply your taper schedule to BOTH doses until you get down to 150mg. At that point, you'll have to sit for a while at 150mg to get your body used to the single dose. That alone is a big change to your system.

OR you could apply your taper schedule to only the evening dose until it is zero, leaving the 150mg morning dose intact the whole time. I like the sound of this method better.

Anyway, a good schedule for a 150mg pill would be like this:

150
150
150
150
130 (down 20)
145 (up 15)
140 (down 5)
140
140
140
125 (down 20)
135 (up 15)
130 (down 5)
130
130
130
110 (down 20)
125 (up 15)
120 (down 5)
120
120
120

And so on. Sometimes, four days of rest isn't long enough for your body to settle down. Other times, the 10 mg drop is too easy! You want to feel it out and find what you can handle. But the IMPORTANT part to understand is how the steps work, and WHY they work.

If you are at 300 mg, and you start tapering down with this method, the first couple of steps might take a while. But then your body will understand and get quicker at recovery. So somewhere around 180mg you might want to try something like this:

180
150 (down 30)
170 (up 20)
165 (down 5)
160 (down 5)
160
160
160

The system is the same, just bigger jumps. You have to feel it out for how your body responds. If it is unbearable in ANY way, it was too much. Come back up 5mg and stay there until you level out. The LAST thing you want is to tailspin.

Now, I've got a little analogy to help you understand how this works. Though this isn't completely accrurate with what is actually going on, it is a great analogy to understand the taper method:


Your brain wants serotonin. So, effexor is like a valve at the base of your brain. At 300mg, the valve is closed. All of the serotonin stays in your brain. There is very little serotonin in your body. If you reduce the dose, the valve opens up a little. Some of the serotonin flows into your body, and your brain starts to complain that it isn't getting enough. So the glands react and produces more serotonin. Hopefully, the glands are capable of meeting the new demand. It takes a while. Eventually, the brain is satisfied and the valve has been opened slightly. You are all 'evened out' at the new dose. Now you can do it again.

What happens if you open the valve too much, by dropping your dose too quick? It's like opening up a 2' drain pipe. The serotonin flushes out of the brain, into the body, and you feel all kinds of horrible effects due to the lack of serotonin in the brain. Imagine that the glands are capable of producing enough to flow through a coffee straw, but the Effexor valve is like a 2' drain pipe. You have to open up that valve slow, because the little coffee straw will never catch back up, and you end up in depression again. Some people drop way too quick and then 'tough it out' for weeks and weeks waiting for the little coffee straw to fill up the whole body and brain. This, IMHO, is more damaging than being on effexor.

Now, the reason why the spike drop works so well is because the glands don't realize that you are dropping the dose if you just take out a bead here and there. You are opening the valve slowly, but the glands aren't really reacting to produce more serotonin. The glands need a wakeup call. So shock them with a big drop, and them close the valve back up, before your brain flushes out. Now your glands are working overtime to meet the new demand, and you can be comfortable, because you didn't lose any brain serotonin!

It takes time. But you have to eat the elephant one bite at a time!

BTW, when using the splitting method, use a flat toothpick to slide the beads around, not a round toothpick. You'll see.

Mikemo You are great! Thanks!

Mary C.

Pam - I completely understand the comments about the mailbox. I, too, got to the point where walking to the mailbox and back was a huge achievement. When my mother would come to stay, she'd exhibit more energy than I had - and she has had to recover from a stroke and is in her mid 70s....

Like you, I feel Effexor robbed me of years of my life. My wife and I missed the opportunity to have children because of the very extreme sexual side effects that it caused (supposedly, it doesn't...but that just isn't the case).

Mary - My restless legs (hence my forum name!) were definitely made worse by Effexor. Some weeks, the Requip just wouldn't work. Once off Effexor, the intensity of the RLS has diminished - but not gone entirely. I never even had RLS before Effexor - I wouldn't be surprised if Effexor triggered it.