Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 100 of 140}

Hi Snow White

Thank you for your lovely comments.

I can't say it's been easy to taper but I like to keep my head positive, even on the bad days I tell myself look it isn't that bad Mandy but as much as I am insistent on remaining positive I do have really down days but they have been few and far between. My strength has come from being angry that I remained on this drug for so long and I feel I lost 14 years of my life. I never had a great deal of interest in getting off Efexor because there are to many withdrawals for me and that terrified the life out of me that's why when I did get the guts to start tapering I'm doing it extremely slowly. Then I found this site, this inspired me & also made me happy to know there’s a whole world out there similar to myself (I'm not happy for the reason we have all come together but it gives one strength when you know others are like you). Whether I need an anti depressant or not I will never touch another one again which tells me right now I'm doing great. I really can't say I will never touch one again as if I fall into a big hole who knows what I will do but right now my frame of mind is good, my head can function without feeling like a zombie, I can make important decisions without procrastinating, my emotions are good I don't let things that worried me when I was on a larger dose affect me anymore. I love the new me, I have confidence and I am assertive.

But as I'm sure you will no because our bodies and minds are all different we do react in different ways and Efexor seems to help some people and it did help me in the first few months on it but after that I lost who I was and I personally hate this drug.

Stay positive.
MandyC

MandyC - you have such an encouraging story! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. It's good to hear that you're confident and assertive again. Luckily, I didn't have the zombie feeling on Effexor. It really helped me to get out of my depression and to a place where I could go to therapy and deal with the real source of my depression. So, I guess for me, Effexor really worked.

The part that's so frustrating is that when I started tapering I felt, at times, like I was going crazy again. I had no idea about the withdrawl and how it can mimick your original symptoms. It wasn't until I found this site and ones like it that I understood why I was feeling depressed/anxious/crazy again.

This site has been a lifeline for me. God bless you and people like you who are willing to share their stories.

SW

Hi All... I would like to echo the sentiments of everyone - this site is a lifeline. Every time I am feeling like this will never end I get on and read posts.

I am down to 20 mg for the next four days. I am surviving on Tylenol, tons of water and exercise. Sometimes I have to sleep tons to get through the drop day but the following day is generally better.

Thanks to everyone who share here...Adker

Ignore the previous post---he has posted that on several threads on the abchomeopathy website. It doesn't even pertain to us.

i am at about 30mg now from 75mg and doing well...its the last 10mg that im worried about but just going to take it slowly.

its been so good reading your stories and support - i really really hope i can post something positive if or WHEN im off this too!

Em

Em - I know what you mean. I'm at 45mg from 75mg right now and the last 10mg really worries me too. I've been trying to do my tapering at times when work isn't too busy. It's been going well so far, but I just found out that I'm going to be insanely busy until the end of March so I might have to put my tapering on hold. I don't know if I can handle doing 10-11 hour days AND withdrawl at the same time! Yikes!

im down to about 18-19mg per day now and really starting to feel it. had terrible headaches all day at work and dizziness and nausea has started. ive been fine up till now. im going to stay at this level for a while and try and stabalize here - takaing 9mg am then 9mg pm (approx 1/4 of the 37.5mg tablets)with a pill cutter.

i went and spoke to the pahrmacist tonight about helping with the nausea and he said to def start the 20mgs of prozac - he said he has seen people on far higher doses of effexor and prozac. he also recommended hyoscine for the nausea and not the travel sickness type but the UK drug called Buscopan (contains 10mg hyoscine which acts as an antiemetic drug)

has anyone had any experiences with this?

also does anyone take benadryl? if so, which active ingredient are you taking - the acrivastine or citrizine? Or the US version of benadryl which contains the active ingredient diphenhydramine which is then in the UK NYTOL - any pointers here as to which one is supposed to help with the nausea?

hope your doing well guys
ems

Hi All,
Still following the schedule and I am down to 15 but I forgot to do the 7.5 day first before starting the 15. OMG now the zaps are constantly coming and just dizzy all the time. Is this because I forgot the big drop day?

I hope things will stabilize after a few days. Could hardly work today. Felt awkward and out of sorts. Is there something for the dizzy-zappy stuff?

Can't wait to get off this stuff forever.

Adker

To ejb199jsd:

The hard pills that need splitting are Effexor. Not Effexor ER. That means that your low dose is only lasting you 6 hours. Your a.m. p.m. dosing is a GREAT thing top do for that type of pill. Do you notice a decrease in the bad symptoms within the first hour of your dose? As for the nausuea, try a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar mixed with a little grape juice. Take it as a shot glass.

To Adker:

Missing the big drop day means you didn't trick your body into over-producing serotonin to get through the 15mg withdrawl symptoms. You could kick it up to 20mg if you don't see an improvement within the next couple days. Many say the last 10-20mg is the toughest, so hang in there if you can. But don't attempt another drop to you are fully leveled out.

I haven't thrown this one out there yet, but try a bottle of gatorade for the zaps. It's a longshot, but ya never know.

Thanks Mikemo -that makes sense that i felt most bad yesterday around 3oclockish time (three hours before the next dose really). im going to trry the hyoscine today and will give the apple cider a go. i just need to keep calm and try not to get into a panic attack (the nausea sets of panicking due to my vomit phobia - grrr)

once i was home though last night, i took the next dose of approx 9.5mg, had a really hot shower then mixed with really cold (i readonline it mimics a fever and helps the body sweat it out...?!) then i did my body brushing - again to help get the toxins out thro the skin. then practiced some yoga before making myself a little bit of tea. i felt so much better come about 8pm and enjoyed a good sleep bar quite a bit of sweating!

keep going guys - we will get thro this together x

hi, i have found AVENA SATIVA to be very helpful...Taken 10-20 drops of tincture in a small class of warm water, in the morning and at bedtime...be well...peace&love...vern

i have found that the 4Head product in the UK has really been helping for the headaches. espec while im at work. if you google 4head, you will see it at the top. i like it coz i dont have to take more pills!! it contains levomenthol so dont know if there is a US equivalent.

Ems x

Hi everyone,

This story may not seem Effexor related at first but it is (somewhat). Today some guys car broke down in the middle of the road and was blocking traffic both ways. He didn't even trying to move it (most people know that you can throw your car into neutral and push it).

I nicely asked him to move his car so everyone could get through and he proceeded to call me, and I quote, 'an f***ing piece of white sh*t.'

I was so angry...livid in fact, and my first thought was to get out of the car run at him and throw as many punches and kicks as I could.

I'm not normally a violent person at all...this leads me to ask...while during Effexor withdrawl has anyone else experienced fits of rage which makes you want to physically lash out?

If so, how do you deal with it? I didn't get out of the car - I drove off...but I was tempted multiple times to turn around and go back and I had violent thoughts during the day.

Thanks in advance to anyone who replies!

To ejb199jsd:

I too am doing the brushing, detoxing, sweating, etc.

Have you tried Bikram Yoga? 90 minutes of hot yoga in a room of 105 degrees. I cannot tell you how good I feel after that. Do a med-hot bath of either 1/2 epsom and 1/2 dead sea salt soak for 20 mins and wrap up in a large towel. Lay down for 20 mins and SWEAT. OR a bath of 1 qt of apple cider vinegar which rids your body of acid. good for aches.

Trust me --- I was at 300 mg on 11-5 and and am now on 24mg. Little by little doing better. No caffiene, no booze, no junk, daily yoga, daily relaxation, plenty of water.

This is my suggestion --- try it.

Hi Twisi - i have been doing some yoga and trying to attend a combat class which i enjoy. havent tried bikram yoga but have heard of it before so will take a look in my area. will def try the baths too. i dont really know if all the rubbing brushing is helping coz i still feel dizzy - i have been about 8 days now on 18mg per day - 9mg AM then 9mg PM and i do feel tons better than i did this time last week so will take for a few more days then try and taper a bit more - its hard though as i have the tablets and tough to measure an exact 4.5mg amount!

Snow White - i am quite short tempered with people in public - i.e especially when driving but i dont know if thats effexor related or just coz i get really peed off with slow/old/learner/stupid drivers!! Even people who dont indicate really rile me up lol! but sometimes i really feel like i could be violent espec if i was in the right - i really feel like i have sooo much pent up anger i could hit them over and over again - and thats not good is it - ive never been a violent girl at all and prob couldnt be even if i tried but the feelings are there def.

Em

I have been reading about all the horrible symtoms about withdrawing from Effexor. I am on the 37.5 tablets and want to start getting off this med. What is the best way to work with the tablets? Should I split them in half and take that dosage for a while, take the half dosage twice a day and then taper down some more? Any help would be greatly appreciated. I want to get off this drug and don't want to suffer the terrible withdrawal.
Pam

Pam, i am down to 1/4 of the 37.5mg in the morning and evening now. i have been nauseas and dizzy but it was def bearable. i have been on that dose for 2 weeks now and the last week i havent had any (or really really tiny) withdrawals. i would say go very slowly. for me, the last stages have seen the most withdrawal feelings. I used a taper method for splitting the pills from a site i found via google. Dontknow if i can post the link - here goes:
depression.co.uk/anti_depressants/withdrawal/venlafaxine.html " rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/anti_depressants/withdr...

or email me at ejbillington at yahoo co uk and i will send over. This has worked best for me. you will need a pill splitter to do this - i got mine from a boots pharmacist.

i am going to taper mine down to 4.5mg this weekend so one in the morning then one in the eve and see how i get on. with the last drop, the first 4 days saw the most nausea and dizziness for me. and headaches too. For me its knowing that these feelings are here just because of the withdrawal and they will get better.

i have found 4head to help with the headaches and Buscopan (hyoscine) to help with the nausea (UK names)

Em xx

Thanks! Em for the info. We have a pill splitter so that's not a problem. Should I take 1/2 a tablet all at once for several days or should I split it and take 1/4 twice a day for several days and then taper down? I'm not looking forward to the nausea, etc but am looking forward to getting off the drug!
Pam

This is for everyone out there dealing with this, what are the best over the counter meds, etc that will help with the nausea and other withdrawal symptoms? And how do you get through your days when you have things to do? Most of my weeks have something going on 2-3 times a week and trying to figure out a good time to start this isn't going to be easy, especially since I really don't exactly know how all of this is going to affect me.
Thanks in advance,
Pam

AVENA-SATIVA...10-20 drops in a very small glass of tepid water...you will get the tincture from most health shops...be well...peace&love...vern

Pam, did you get the taper schedule on the site i posted? if you find where it starts at 37.5mg, it tapers down so you are taking two doses per day 12 hours apart. so say 7am and then 7pm. because of the really short half life, its better to take the 2 doses to avoid the withdrawal.

OVer counter meds to try would be travel sickness ones. however my local boots pharmacist recommend BUSCOPAN as it has a higher level of the anti-emet drug HYOSCINE (10mg) the travel sickness ones have much lower amounts.

Personally, i find that if i am relatively busy, it has helped me just 'get on' with things. try and keep your mind busy and try not to dwell on any yucky feelings - that has really helped me - to just not sit around and mope about how yuck i feel. of course, some nights i felt really dizzy and just having a hot shower and then chilling in front of the telly helped.

Em xx

Em, no, I didn't find the post with how to taper down from the 37.5 tabs. I am assuming I would split them and take half of that in the morning and the other half in the evening for several days and then split the halves into half and do the same thing?
Pam

Pam,

if you open this link
depression.co.uk/anti_depressants/withdrawal/dosages.html " rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/anti_depressants/withdr...

and scroll down to where it says reduction from 1 x 75mg capsule and i would say start at say day 52 so you are taking half in the morning then half at night - to first stagger the dose then it drops to a 1/4 morning and evening then to nothing - i personaloly found it too fast the first time when i got right to the end and i have been on 1/4 AM and 1/4 PM for 2 weeks now. just last night i took an 1/8 then a 1/4 this morning and then tonight and for the next couple of weeks i will see how i get on...! argh!


Em xx

Thanks! Em. Got the chart and printed it out. I'm going to start on Monday as I have some things I need to get through over the weekend and need to have my wits about me. Will keep you posted on my progress. It's very refreshing to read all the posts and find out how many people like me are finding out how bad this drug really is! It's very scary!
Pam

ok cool Pam. Are you in the UK - just out of interest?! Its nice to know that other people are going thro the same thing and that people HAVE gotten thro this ok. the thing with me is that i was put on this drug for a phobia which has affected me since i was a kid - i am now 27. its called emetophobia and is a fear of vomiting. hmmm shame they didnt tell me that getting off these would make me feel so nauseas - just what i want. i have to be careful and not let my mind run away with itself - i.e do i feel sick coz i really am this time or is it the effexor or is it perhaps something i ate. im panicking right now coz ive just had a bought of IBS and that always worries me. at least i hope it was ibs...arghhhh!!

Well good luck for monday. i hope it works ok for you, the chart, coz it has for me but i didnt start at 37.5 - i was at 75. the main thing is to take it slow. just coz the chart says drop a dose, if your not ready - mentally or physically then just stay at that dose and wait until you are feeling better. ive been at 18.5mg for 2 weeks now and just did the next drop 2 days ok - so far ive been ok. quite headachey tho. i really recommend the UK 4head product tho for headaches as it means not putting more pills into your body!

Ems xx

Hi! Em. No, I don't live in the UK, I live in Florida not far from Orlando. I was put on Effexor for hot flashes etc about 3 years ago or less because I had a hysterectomy about 10 years ago and I didn't want to take Premarin. I'm 52 now and will look for another way to battle the hot flashes etc. I intend to let my body tell me how and when I'm ready for the next drop. I'm going to take it slow and am glad that at least I don't have to worry about coming off a much higher dose. Even the couple of times or so that I've forgotten to take my pill, I can feel the effects until I take the next one of being dizzy and light headed, but never got to the point of being nauseated before I took my pill. Will let you know next week how it's going. Hang in there!
Pam