Posted by Elizabeth on February 15, 2002, at 8:47:28
In reply to Effexor is a bad drug!! i need help!!!, posted by kimberly ann on February 14, 2002, at 16:36:39
Hi. I can think of a couple of ways to taper off Effexor XR.
One way is to switch to plain Effexor, which comes in tablets that you take several times a day. The total daily dose should be the same to start. The lowest strength is 25 mg, and because they are scored tablets, you can break them in half.
The other way is to switch to Prozac. Prozac is a very long-acting drug with an even longer-acting metabolite (norfluoxetine). As a result, Prozac self-tapers and most people don't experience withdrawal symptoms. The main problem here is figuring out the equivalent dose. I'd expect about 20 mg of Prozac to be okay if you're on 75 mg of Effexor, but that might not be enough. Get the Prozac in 10 mg caps so you can reduce the dose. You shouldn't need to take it for more than a few days.
There are also things you can take that can help with the withdrawal symptoms. Benadryl seems to be used a lot for the weird dizzy feelings, nausea, and perhaps urinary and GI problems; Dramamine should work too if you prefer that. Beta blockers might ease the cardiac effects and perhaps some of the agitation. Benzodiazepines should ease the agitation/jitters. You can use clonidine for the hot-cold flashes and cardiac stuff.
You can also combine these strategies. I hope that this information helps you. Definitely talk to the doctor who prescribed the Effexor about the trouble you're having; besides the fact that a lot of the ideas I've suggested require a prescription, I think it's important for doctors (not just patients!) to be informed about the withdrawal syndromes that people often get with the newer ADs.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020215/msgs/94232.html