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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by jiggitykid on April 2, 2004, at 7:41:10
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal symptoms!, posted by elvenfae on March 31, 2004, at 13:33:12
Hi Jamie,
What happened to your baby is so sad and so preventable if the drug companies would stop HIDING the truth and get it to the doctors! No one should have to go through this horror of withdrawal, especially a tiny baby. I hope that your child is okay now!!
I went cold-turkey. It worked for me, as horrible as it was, but might not be the best decision for you. Please read through the posts here (there are many!) and see how others did it. Some tapered, some counted, some used other drugs (like Prozac or Lexapro), some used marijuana (legal in Cali), some used hydrocodone - there are all kinds of stories here of withdrawal techniques. You need to discuss this with your doctor (who needs to get educated FAST) and decide what is best for you. Have you shared any of the stories here with your doc? I suggest, if he/she isn't aware of this, that you print out the symptoms here that are clearly documented and shared and give them to him/her to make the decision that is best for you. If you feel dismissed or not believed, then perhaps anothe doctor is best for you. Please take care of yourself and be patient with yourself. I hope that you've shared these REAL symptoms with your spouse. You are in my prayers.
> Hi I just read a thread by you regarding Effexor XR withdrawl. I am trying to come off of it right now and I was wondering if you were ever able to do so? Did the capsule counting work? I am only two days in and having a horrible horrible time. I will not sit here and complain to you but I am real scared. My husband is thank goodness hoem today to take care of our son (8 mo old). I can't do this.
> Another thing is- I did experience a horrible time when I had my son -two different doctors told me Effexor XR was safe to take and my son ended up being born dehydrated AND had withdrawl symptoms. Can you imagine a baby experiencing what we have??? I have been so disgusted with this medicine....I just have no words.
> I did sign the petition today though-
> Thanks for your time,
> Jamie
Posted by jerone Farrow on April 2, 2004, at 12:00:08
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal symptoms!, posted by jiggitykid on April 2, 2004, at 7:33:23
I just spoke with my Doctor and he is putting me back on effexor for the withdrawal 37.5 this time and weaning me off slowly. Thank God!! my goal is to get off the remeron the clonazepam the halcion slowly by September . I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome DX"D 1994 since then I have been On everything known to man kind so I am getting off. Having a seizure with all this stuff has opened my eyes and thanks to this board also.
Posted by Laurajean on April 2, 2004, at 17:37:12
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal symptoms! » elvenfae, posted by jiggitykid on April 2, 2004, at 7:41:10
Hi everyone,
I posted my first message a couple months ago...and I bagan tapering from 300 mg XR at the end of January. I went 300 to 150 to 75 to 37.5 and am now OFF (day 4). I still feel horrible....It was much better when i was 37.5 and I have been very tempted to pop one when the withdrawal seems unbearable, but I don't want to complicate matters.I did something kind of unique and I went to every other day, which seemed to help and then every three days, etc. But regardless--now that I'm completely off I feel horrible. My work is suffering--I am going but am not really all "there."
Did anyone else have crying jags or anything? I constantly feel like I am going to start crying. Given that I am a clinical social worker, this isn't the greatest thing when meeting with clients. : ) Sometimes during the day I feel "okay" (relatively) and then am hit with a wave of nausea, dizziness or shivering. Is this normal? My doc prescribed a benzo--serax--to help with w/d (apparently it calms the nervous system--is used for acute alcohol/drug w/d) but I really am not so into taking any other psychotropics right now. anythng else to combat the feverish/fluey feeling? I guess I will just have to wait it out, but it's HARD! I am tired of feeling like this.
Thanks
laura
Posted by ku4ns on April 2, 2004, at 19:01:03
In reply to OFF after taper.......still sick....., posted by Laurajean on April 2, 2004, at 17:37:12
I am also trying to stop the effexor. I have been having a tough time with it. I was on 150 mg then 75mg and 37.5 mg for three weeks. This is my second time trying to stop, and my physician started me on prozac 20mg a week before he wanted me to go cold turkey with the effexor. I went 5 days of feeling well then 1 day not so good, and the next was horrible, so I took one 37.5 mg effexor and felt fine. Now I am at the point of waiting againg to see how long I can go without the feeling of nausea, fever, headache to the point of losing concentration. I will post more later since I just found this website and see that I am not alone. Thanks John
Posted by jiggitykid on April 3, 2004, at 9:53:02
In reply to OFF after taper.......still sick....., posted by Laurajean on April 2, 2004, at 17:37:12
Cried like a baby!!! If someone told me I had gum on my shoe, I cried as if they'd hit me! Seriously, the mood swings are part of it. Since you are off completely, your body is screaming for more. The withdrawal symptoms are normal. This is part of why I went cold-turkey. I didn't want to string the withdrawal out (disclaimer: but this doesn't work for everyone, so do what's best for you). It took two weeks before I began to feel more like myself, and a full month before I was having extended symptom free times. Please be patient with yourself. Pain medication helped with the "zaps;" I would be inclined to agree with you about, "but I really am not so into taking any other psychotropics right now." There are lots of ideas here in the archives of posts about what has worked for others. Take care of yourself and hang in there!
Posted by jiggitykid on April 3, 2004, at 10:11:55
In reply to Re: OFF after taper.......still sick....., posted by ku4ns on April 2, 2004, at 19:01:03
Hi John,
You'll find a lot of helpful info and support here. I have to say that this site was instrumental in helping me through withdrawal.
Now, for the "bad" news. There doesn't seem to be anything that will erase the withdrawal symptoms. There are suggestions here for how to deal with the symptoms, but your body is going to go through it, regardless of techniques. The fact that none of us were warned is inexcusable, unethical and immoral, and the drug company bears the blame. I'm glad that you seem to have a doctor who is aware of the effects - did he warn you about this beforehand, or is he learning along with you? My doc didn't know anything, and neither did my pharmacist.
Please read through the posts in the archives. They are full of personal stories, strategies and information about the Petition. Take care of yourself, and be patient with yourself. Hang in there!
> I am also trying to stop the effexor. I have been having a tough time with it. I was on 150 mg then 75mg and 37.5 mg for three weeks. This is my second time trying to stop, and my physician started me on prozac 20mg a week before he wanted me to go cold turkey with the effexor. I went 5 days of feeling well then 1 day not so good, and the next was horrible, so I took one 37.5 mg effexor and felt fine. Now I am at the point of waiting againg to see how long I can go without the feeling of nausea, fever, headache to the point of losing concentration. I will post more later since I just found this website and see that I am not alone. Thanks John
Posted by ku4ns on April 3, 2004, at 16:50:11
In reply to Re: OFF after taper.......still sick..... » ku4ns, posted by jiggitykid on April 3, 2004, at 10:11:55
I was started on this medication by a different physician. The current physician I use was a pharmacist before he went to medical school, so I trust his judgement. Some of the withdrawal symptoms are similar to the original problems that I had when I first started effexor. My original symptoms were identified on a plane when I became ill (airsick), couldn't get comfortable, needed out of the aircraft. I could'nt go out to eat without feeling nauseated, having hot flashes, and dizzy. I couldn't ride in the car with anyone without feeling carsick. The effexor helped and I was down to 75mg feeling fine but my heart rate was nearly 100 all the time. So, I decided to stop, dropped to 37.5 mg for three weeks and experienced a migraine. I went to my physician after the migraine and thats when he put me on prozac 20mg for a week and then tried to stop effexor completely. I haven't read through many of the posts to see if my problems are similar to others or if I was even on the right medication early on. The medication did work well and I could function normally. I look forward to posts from anyone with experiences to share. Thanks John
Posted by Jerone farrow on April 3, 2004, at 22:32:04
In reply to OFF after taper.......still sick....., posted by Laurajean on April 2, 2004, at 17:37:12
Gee I am back on 37.5 at least until I get back from my trip. And I am here to tell you the few days I experienced the head bannging withdrawal I don't look forward to it then either butI will with your " alls help get through it . I suppose I will try on the 19th and p[lease if you think of anything to make this easier please let me know.
THanks JJ
Posted by anxiety66me on April 5, 2004, at 19:50:13
In reply to Re: OFF after taper.......still sick....., posted by Jerone farrow on April 3, 2004, at 22:32:04
I cried at work and looked like an idiot. I was only on the stuf for a month or so.
Posted by scrawller on April 5, 2004, at 22:04:42
In reply to Effexor withdrawal symptoms!, posted by Becky on October 2, 1999, at 22:03:30
i've been slowly tapering off effexor for the past few weeks. i've been totally off since thursday. have all the symptoms of withdrawal - naseau, crying fits, electric shocks, dizzy, headache, shallow breathing, etc.
i called to check in with psych today, and told her i was having withdrawal. she told me it was impossible because i was on 37.5 mg for a week before dropping and that ensures i won't have withdrawal. am i crazy? i can't even function. i cried in my office for an hour after she told me this.
she then said, "well, maybe you should start taking it again." i actually like my pscyh, i don't know if she was having a bad day or what, but the reason why i'm stopping is because it makes me manic. SSRIs are not my friend.
i feel like im crazy. im happy i found this board though. i want to print out every message and leave it on her desk.
Posted by ku4ns on April 6, 2004, at 9:05:43
In reply to Dr says no withdrawal - ha!, posted by scrawller on April 5, 2004, at 22:04:42
I was on 37.5mg for 3 weeks and experienced a migraine. My physician started me on prozac 20mg along with the 37.5mg for 1 week then I was to stop the effexor. I stopped the effexor and was ok until day 5, had withdrawal symptoms so I took one 37.5 mg effexor and felt fine. Now i'm at day 3 again without effexor and feel ok. John
Posted by Markku on April 6, 2004, at 10:03:30
In reply to Re: Dr says no withdrawal - ha!, posted by ku4ns on April 6, 2004, at 9:05:43
I started taking Effexor XR about a year ago for panic disorder. At the time I thought it was a miracle because it worked so well. However, it seemed to sort of dull my thoughts, which was a reasonable trade-off at the time. But lately I've become more and more unmotivated about doing anything, and have just been feeling so disconnected from others. I've tried quitting the medication before, but mistook the withdrawal symptoms for signs that the panic disorder was returning. Since I found this message board a few days ago, I now know that those symptoms are not coming from my original problem, and that they will eventually go away. So I took my last dose on Saturday (I was only taking 75 mg. Plus, before giving me the tapering doses my doctor wants me to go through a number of sessions with a psychologist, which would take too long for someone as impatient as I am. And I don't want to feel the way I do any longer). If panic attacks do come back, I will start back on something, but I'll request something that doesn't work on norepinephrine.
I can't say that I know what others who were taking larger doses of Effexor go through, but the effects for me so far are large enough to keep me from driving. So far the most disconcerting thing are those "brain shivers", or whatever you want to call them. It's like your brain can only process a certain amount of motion, and anything over the limit catches you by surprise. The data just starts piling up until you slow down and let your brain catch up. Last night my body temperature seemed to be higher than normal, and I was sweating a lot (even towards the morning when my body temperature had dropped). I also was very thirsty and went to the bathroom more often than normal. I also had a very detailed dream. I woke up about 4:30 (really about 3:30 because of the time change) and felt fully alert. Normally I wake up at about 6:00-6:30 and have to drag myself out of bed. I finally went to bed about half an hour later, and strangely enough had a continuation of my previous dream. I only mention this because others on this board talk about having very detailed dreams as well. I have had some other symptoms (nausea, stomach cramping, erratic thoughts). But those aren't anything that would make me start back on Effexor. Some people mention having crying spells for no apparent reason. So far I've only had these while on Effexor, not when trying to quit. But I'm hoping the withdrawal doesn't get worse and make me want to give up.
Anyway, I'd just like to say thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here because it's given me the determination to get off this stuff, even if it means going through some very troubling experiences.
Posted by jiggitykid on April 6, 2004, at 12:19:26
In reply to Dr says no withdrawal - ha!, posted by scrawller on April 5, 2004, at 22:04:42
Good for you!! You'll probably have a stack that goes to the ceiling!!
If a doctor is unaware of the withdrawal effects *even from a tiny dose,* then it is our job to educate them. The "system" isn't going to.
Just know that you are not alone - that what you are expriencing is normal. Tell your doctor that she had better get educated FAST before this happens to anyone else. Search the archives for the petition here. I urge you to sign it. Maybe all of our voices combined can make someone listen and stop this abuse of patients. Take care of yourself and give yourself time to get this out of your system. It takes some time, so please be gentle with yourself, and know that we are all here in your corner!!
> i've been slowly tapering off effexor for the past few weeks. i've been totally off since thursday. have all the symptoms of withdrawal - naseau, crying fits, electric shocks, dizzy, headache, shallow breathing, etc.
> i called to check in with psych today, and told her i was having withdrawal. she told me it was impossible because i was on 37.5 mg for a week before dropping and that ensures i won't have withdrawal. am i crazy? i can't even function. i cried in my office for an hour after she told me this.
> she then said, "well, maybe you should start taking it again." i actually like my pscyh, i don't know if she was having a bad day or what, but the reason why i'm stopping is because it makes me manic. SSRIs are not my friend.
> i feel like im crazy. im happy i found this board though. i want to print out every message and leave it on her desk.
Posted by jiggitykid on April 6, 2004, at 12:21:53
In reply to Re: OFF after taper.......still sick....., posted by anxiety66me on April 5, 2004, at 19:50:13
I understand your frustration!! I could barely finish a sentence without bursting into tears. Hang in there - it does get better! Just give yourself permission to be weepy for a while. Take care of yourself.
> I cried at work and looked like an idiot. I was only on the stuf for a month or so.
Posted by jiggitykid on April 6, 2004, at 12:31:45
In reply to Trying to quit, posted by Markku on April 6, 2004, at 10:03:30
Bless you. Thanks for sharing. Your "dream thing" happened to me while withdrawing. I felt like I was having two lives - one when I was awake and one when I was asleep, because the dreams would pick up right where they left off. It was disconcerting, to say the least.
The disconnection and lack of motivation nearly ended my marriage. I couldn't do anything about it. I thought it was me, until I found this site and saw that it was this hell-pill that was making things worse, instead of better.
I can't imagine the lack of conscience that those who are suppressing this information must have.
The "zaps," or brain-shivers, will go away, but it takes time. I've not been taking the effexor since before Thanksgiving, and the rare one will sneak up and surprise me.
Take care, and thanks again for your story. I know that all of us here sharing our stories will be of invaluable help to those who are just finding out about this horrible drug.
Have you signed the petition?
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/effexor/petition.html
So far, there are 4528 signatures. That says that we are NOT alone, and that we are not a "noisy minority."
Posted by ku4ns on April 6, 2004, at 13:09:20
In reply to Trying to quit, posted by Markku on April 6, 2004, at 10:03:30
My last dose of effexor was also Saturday, but I do have prozac(20mg) onboard for this attempt. I did, however, drop to the 37.5mg level before trying to quit. Stopping at the 75mg level, the problems became unbearable so I would take a another effexor and the problems would go away. I have not made mention of dreams, but I have been having them much more often than before. Good luck.
Posted by spoc on April 8, 2004, at 19:50:08
In reply to Re: Dr says no withdrawal - ha!, posted by ku4ns on April 6, 2004, at 9:05:43
I just jumped in here, and I see that you weren't on Effexor for long. But I'm sure you've heard what the withdrawal can be like for some people after time.
When I told my former pdoc that I thought Ritalin was making me feel crummy, and that I'd like somewhat more of an AD effect too, the only thing he wanted to consider was Effexor. Even though there are many things I haven't yet tried that would have had less implications if they did prove suitable. I had already read before he suggested it that realistically, a lot of people do have considerable problems of various natures with Effexor. So I mentioned that I'd heard that for many, getting off it is a hellacious and sometimes unachievable task. He looked at me as if he had never heard this in his entire life, and said merely, "Uh, no, not at all. You just have to come off it slowly."
That was it. I would have been more likely to try it if a doc was straight with me about the very real and not unusual problems that a med can cause. In general I research, evaluate and then make decisions -- and I know plenty well that nothing will be perfect. He should have known that omitting facts to get me to do what he wanted wouldn't be an effective way to approach me.
Anyway! Glad you're coming along well, and as always, want to add that I don't mean to ever discourage anyone. I'm commenting on the doc, not the med really. I know Effexor is indeed worth it to -- and valued by -- many.
Posted by spoc on April 8, 2004, at 19:54:43
In reply to Dr says no withdrawal - ha!, posted by scrawller on April 5, 2004, at 22:04:42
Posted by Markku on April 9, 2004, at 14:22:28
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal symptoms!, posted by Dr...Not! on October 14, 2003, at 14:37:42
I'm on the 6th day of going cold turkey off of Effexor XR 75mg. So far the withdrawal symptoms haven't gone away, but they don't seem so bad in the morning, or after a nap. In doing some more internet research on this topic I found the following article that discusses 'SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome' :
http://bipolar.about.com/cs/antidep/a/0207_ssridisc1.htm
The article mentions that at least some of the symptoms may be due to reduced levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. It recommends taking choline, lecithin, and B complex vitamins to help increase acetylcholine levels. I have not tried this yet, but plan to do so tonight. I'll let everyone know if it makes any difference. I know Effexor isn't an SSRI, but an SNRI. But I'm hoping it's just the acetylcholine levels which are out of whack.
Posted by feverhawk on April 10, 2004, at 14:08:56
In reply to Discontinuation Syndrome, posted by Markku on April 9, 2004, at 14:22:28
Can't tell you how much I appreciate that link :O) I've been in the hospital for two weeks and went from 225 mg of Effexor to NONE over a five day span. The nurses and the psych didn't seem to appreciate the fact that I'd have withdrawal symptoms. I kept hearing about how stress can do that kind of thing to you... or maybe I did "have a flu."
I finally got to talk to my GP who hadn't been around for a few days and he was the only one who seemed to get it. I got out on an afternoon pass the other day and went and bought some Gravol (Kinda like Dramamine, but Canadian, eh?) ;O)
It's helped a lot and some of the symptoms seem to be lessening. But most are still there.
It's good to know I'm not the only one to be feeling this and the link was very helpful.
Thanks again :O)
It's back to the hospital for me, but armed with a printout.
Posted by Markku on April 13, 2004, at 1:14:52
In reply to Re: Discontinuation Syndrome » Markku, posted by feverhawk on April 10, 2004, at 14:08:56
> Can't tell you how much I appreciate that link :O) I've been in the hospital for two weeks and went from 225 mg of Effexor to NONE over a five day span.
Glad it helped. I hope you're feeling better soon. It's been a little over a week since I quit now. I'm feeling a lot better now. I have been taking choline and lecithin twice a day, but don't know if it has any effect because improvements are gradual. If you get to the point where moving around doesn't make you ill, I really recommend mild exercise (if possible), or just doing something outside to keep your mind off things (for me it was planting vegetables in my garden). Anything to keep you from dwelling on the depressing thought of how long the symptoms will last.I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to get a prescription for something else, in case my panic attacks come back. But I don't like the side effects of any of the drugs I'm reading about. Starting with the worst one first though, I think I'll do my own research before taking the next one I'm prescribed.
Posted by jpmjcem on April 13, 2004, at 8:00:37
In reply to Re: Discontinuation Syndrome, posted by Markku on April 13, 2004, at 1:14:52
> > Can't tell you how much I appreciate that link :O) I've been in the hospital for two weeks and went from 225 mg of Effexor to NONE over a five day span.
>
>
> Glad it helped. I hope you're feeling better soon. It's been a little over a week since I quit now. I'm feeling a lot better now. I have been taking choline and lecithin twice a day, but don't know if it has any effect because improvements are gradual. If you get to the point where moving around doesn't make you ill, I really recommend mild exercise (if possible), or just doing something outside to keep your mind off things (for me it was planting vegetables in my garden). Anything to keep you from dwelling on the depressing thought of how long the symptoms will last.
>
> I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to get a prescription for something else, in case my panic attacks come back. But I don't like the side effects of any of the drugs I'm reading about. Starting with the worst one first though, I think I'll do my own research before taking the next one I'm prescribed.
>
> I've been off for a week as well..and the emotions are unbelievably bad. I have gotten in two verbal fights within the last few days at the grocery store and then walmart. Anyways... the physcial side effects have finally went away and what helped me was taking BUspar and Klonopin. This has been a godsend and others the emotional side I realize will just take time to gradually go away. This Effexor stuff is a NIGHTMARE- but at least we all have each other to relate to and have support.
Posted by Seagull_25920 on April 13, 2004, at 9:49:02
In reply to Re: Discontinuation Syndrome, posted by jpmjcem on April 13, 2004, at 8:00:37
Wondering how long people here were on Effexor before going off the meds and experiencing withdrawals and/or brain shivers? I have only been on the med for three or four months, but coming off (tapered from 300mg to 75mg, then cold turkey) has still resulted in symptoms bad enough to keep me from working effectively.
I hear people saying they're still experiencing symptoms years out from quitting, and wondered if these are long-term users or short-term? (amazing how much it sounds like an illegal drug forum / 12-step forum at this point...)
Posted by scrawller on April 13, 2004, at 15:11:15
In reply to How long on FXR before withdrawal?, posted by Seagull_25920 on April 13, 2004, at 9:49:02
i was only on effexor for a few months as well. 300 mgs max then to 150 then to 75 then to 37.5 for a week then cold turkey. withdrawal was horrible for a week then slowly got better. i feel okay now. not perfect. not myself. but okay. i can function, i can go to work, and i feel like there's hope.
i still have bouts of crying, i still get angry for no reason, but the brian jolts have subsided dramatically, and i feel a bit more in control. it's been 12 days now since i've completely stopped.
Posted by scrawller on April 13, 2004, at 15:20:46
In reply to Re: Dr says no withdrawal - ha! » scrawller, posted by jiggitykid on April 6, 2004, at 12:19:26
thanks.
i'm at day 12 now. feeling more myself. not quite yet, but more. have a new psych. ended up at my regular doctor's office with the confirmation that it was most likely withdrawal and that i was coming off it way too soon. ended up upping clonapin in the evenings so that i could sit still, but basically fumbling and crying my way through a week.
in the end, i don't think effexor (or any type of seratonin effecting drug is best for me). that's why i went off of it. i'm bipolar, not depressed, and at this point, don't really need an antidepressent in my mix; a mood stabilizer alone should work. coming off of effexor has been horrible for me, especially after being told by my psych that what i was feeling was not withdrawal. i felt like i really was losing my mind for no reason. more than once i thought i was going to end up in the hospital.
but, 12 days later (i feel like an alcoholic!) i feel okay. i understand that effexor works for some people, it just didn't for me. and it angers me more that i wasn't warned how difficult it would be to discontinue use. my primary care physician said that coming off of effexor can be as hard as coming off of paxil for a lot of patients, and that really just scares me.
anyway, i think i'm over the hump. for those of you in the midst of it. hang in there. for those of you who effexor is working for, i'm glad you've been lucky enough to find something. for those of you still looking, just be sure to ask all the questions that you need answered before starting a new med, and evaluate what's important to you. remember that all our bodies work different - and just because something didn't work for someone else doesn't mean it won't work for you.
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