Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 85 of 140}

Thanks mikemo! I'm good for the next 2 weeks now... Hugs to you! Mary

Hi all,

I am doing on Mikes cap spliting method. I am down to 1/2 of a 37.5 mg capsual now with no side affects.
So mikemo should I just stop the effexor now? Or should I split 1/2 of the 1/2?
Please let me know and thank yo so much!

half of a 37.5 is 18.75mg. That's a big jump to take. My wife felt the way you do right now when she was at 25mg. She tried to quit cold turkey from there, but it didn't work.

Save yourself the problems. Just keep tapering. After you've been at 18.75 for at least 4 days (perhaps that's now), you can make another step. I'd suggest going down to 5 mg for ONE day and then half of a half (that's about 9.3mg) for four days. Then report back.

Oh OK
Thank you mikemo for helping me. I do really feel great on the 18mg so tomorrow i will 1/2 that for aweek or so. I don't want to feel bad and I have a full script so I have time to go slower. I will check back soon.
Thanks again
kikki

Mikemo: Down to the 100mg for 4 days. Can you give me the next 2 weeks? No side-effects with this program. I am getting good at splitting the capsules. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

I feel so much better. Hugs, Mary C.

I'm so glad it's working out for you!

OK, since you haven't had any side-effects, try this out:

75
90
85
85
85
85
85
65
80
75
75
75
75


That has a bit more aggressive taper on week one (down 25, up 15, down 5).

And a regular taper on week two (down 20, up 15, down 5).

I'm betting that you won't feel side effects with this. If you do, they will be minor, and short. Allow extra days at 85mg if you need to. Let me know how that first week goes!!

I'm glad you feel better---It will keep getting better as you go!!!

Mike

Thank you so much!
I make my pills up ahead of time and put them in my pill container and do write on them!! Will go for it now! Mary C.

HI all.
I have been off the Effexor for a few weeks now thanks to MIKEMO!!
I am not doing well. I am depressed. Physically, I watch the clock just waiting for my kids to nap so I can. Then I just try to make it through the evening until bedtime. I have no desire to even shop which I love to do.
I am really bummed to feel this way. Mentally I am fine, I am living my dream life. I just physically feel horrible. Stomach problems and EXTREME fatigue. I just don't know what to do. I am going to try to start a little bit of exercising. It is just impossible for me to do it when I feel so horrible. I feel like I weigh 1000 lbs.
Any support or advice is appreciated.
Thanks!
Shelly

Shelly~ Make sure you get some sunshine! I still use my litebox everyday. It does help. Try to get 30 minutes of exercise a day and drink lots of water! That has helped me. I started all this at 300mg of Effexor and with help here am down to 100mg. Everyone has down days. Take care of you and do rest when you can. Many hugs your way! Mary C.

The fatigue happened here too. You need to get your body addicted to activity. That's tough to do, but you can do it! You need to get a little excersize and then DWELL on the accomplishment for the whole day! Then the next morning, look forward to that feeling of accomplishment, the way an alcoholic looks forward to that next drink. It will drive you to excersize again. This is my favorite way of thinking about healthy things, like addictions. It becomes less of something you don't want to do, and more of something you crave.

I'm thinking of you Shelly, and God loves you!

A very simple thing that helps me sometimes is knowing that:
Motivation does not create movement - Movement creates motivation.
It's true.
I still have many days myself when I just blow this off and opt to be immobile - I know though, that it's because my psychological self isn't strong enough to fight through the fatigue on that day. On the days that I can convince myself to fight through the fatigue for the Movement = motivation - It is absolutely true, without fail.

Thanks you guys!! I felt better after my last post. Knowing that you guys understand makes a world of difference. No one in my life has this problem so they cant understand it.
I am putting some music on my husbands IPOD tonight and I plan to run around the block everyday. This will be my start. I am hoping to feel better after a few days of it. How long does it take for exercise to really make you feel better?
I am also hoping to take longer runs as my body startes to adjust to moving.
I know I said this before but I am a stay at home mom of 3 year old triplets. I cant even begin to tell you how busy this makes me. I think this why I look so forward to naps and bedtime. It's my only time of peace and quiet. I just wonder how much of my problem is depression and how much is the life of mom to 3 year old triplets.
I just want to feel GOOD. I want to wake up and be ready for a good day instead of waking up and dreading the 4 hours until naptime.
Please keep your fingers crossed that I actually do run once a day and that it makes me feel better.
Thanks everyone. I appreciate your support more than you know.
Shelly

Shelly~ Just get out and do it. Like a horse with blinders on (not looking at anything except your goal) and before you know it the activity will become natural.
Being a busy mom is very tough especially with 3 kiddies! But you can do it! Trust and have faith!!! Hugs, Mary

Hi to all.
Shelly I feel along with you. I am down to splitting the 37.5mg cap. On 18.0 no side affects but now on just 9mg over the weekend I noticed I was really tired. So, this may be a side effect. I drove my dog to the park and stayed 5 minutes and drove home. I am ancy and tired at the same time. Do you feel the same? Mikemo, should I split down to 5mgs or just wait a few more days and stop all together? Thank you all for this forum. I would not have done this without you all! Mary this will work for you too so keep on splitting.
Kikki

You are really close Kikki, but I'd stay at 9mg a few more days, then skip a day, then take 5mg for 3 days. You could probably quit at that point.

It's really a personal thing when you get it down this low....you are going to have some effects weather you go from 5mg to 0 or if you go from 5 to 2.5 to zero....

But do stay at 9 a few more days before you make the next step. SMILE!

Well I did it!! I excercised for 10 minutes. I could only run for about 20 seconds and then I had to walk (I am not overweight either). I alternated running and walking for 10 minutes. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack but I kept going. I feel a HUGE sense of accomplishment and I LOVE it. I can't wait to do it tomorrow.
Kikki, the last 10 mg's were the worst for me. GO SLOW and if you get side effects, stay on your current dose a few more days. You are so almost there. YOU GO GIRL!!
Thanks everyone!

Hi All,

I have been on 5-9mg or less now all last week. I am going to try to stop tomorrow. I have waited for this day for a long time. I will check back in soon. Thanks again.
kikki

Kikki; How are you doing? I have gone from 300mg to now 75 mg since March. After following Mikemo's taper schedule I haven't had hardly any side-effects. More emotional but that is good. I never cried much over the past 5 years. I can't believe I am actually down that much! I find if I stay on the steady dose an extra day or two before dropping more it helps. I make up my pills two weeks at a time. This has been the best feeling in the world. I am getting there! Thanks everyone! Mary C.

mikemo; I'm on the steady 75 mg right now so need the MAGIC formula for the next 2 weeks. Thanks, Mary C.

Hi all,

Today no effexor and I feel OK but I am a little witchie feeling towards my husband but not to bad and he knows whats going on. I guess tomorrow I will be less moody. Funny that I am not irritable when I am alone?
Any advice as to what I can expect? I am not to tired today. We all need to not give up. Thank you all.

mikemo: is this right??

down from 75

50
65
60
60
60
60
40
55
50
50
50
50

let me know. mary

That looks great Mary---Keep it up! Feeling that great accomplishment?

Mike

Yes I am feeling the accomplishment! So glad I am sticking with it~~~~

Have a great weekend! Mary

OK I have been off all effexor for 2 days and I am really moody, no appitate and I had really wierd dreams last night. I looked at other forums but you people are the best because you are all dedicated to stop taking effexor. I don't want to give up. Has anyone out there been off effexor for awhile. Mikemo how is your wife doing. Is she off alltogether now?
Thanks
kikki

hi again,
it's sunday evening and all weekend i have had a wierd feeling in my head. it's not real bad but i am wondering if it will go away. if i look to the left then to the right without moving my head i feel and even hear a swooch kind of sound and feeling. i thought after weaning down to 5mg i could stop. so, should i give it some more time or start up the 5mg again. i hate to give in especially if ultimately we have to go through some kind of trial when we finally get off this stuff and have to allow our brain to make the adjustment? how about some advice for me. thank you all for being there.
kikki

I had that too. I think it depends on how bad it bothers you. If it really bothers you, then just wean slower from your last dose. I had to go down to 3 of the little balls before my symptoms were tolerable.