Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1016

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Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by Dreamy on October 26, 2001, at 12:25:18

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » msemilyemily, posted by alexis on October 26, 2001, at 4:08:03

> > Okay, I'm having weirdness with effexor also. I've taken 300mg a day for about a year. I don't ever drink, but last week I drank 4 days in a row (right now, it makes no sense to me why this happened, but it did). Now, I think I'm going insane. I feel disconnected, and weird -- confused, like I'm not myself, but my self is acting in the world. I've taken this same dosage for a year -- why would this crazyness start now? I went to my doctor this afternoon (I'm a grad student, and I cannot write, and I keep doing very odd things), and he suggested that maybe the alcohol interacted with the effexor in some weird way -- he has tapered me down to 150mg a day, and added Risperdal. I hate not being able to trust these people. I knew knew KNEW that medication was a bad plan, and this is absurd. Has anyone else experienced a similar sudden onset of side effects to Effexor (XR)? I'm afraid that if I did some weird neurological damage, the tapering off of Effexor will just make things worse...
> >
> > help.
>
> Let me apologize ahead of time for what I believe will be a long post. I am so happy I found this site, I thought I was the only one feeling like Effexor has taken a negative toll on my life.
> I too have been on effexor 300 mg a day for the past 2 years. I made sure not to drink, but last March on St.Patrick's Day, I went out with my husband and some friends. For some reason the owner of the pub took a liking to us and started to give us free drinks. I must have had 6-7 loaded drinks when all of a sudden I started to feel sick. Not like a wanting to vomit sick, but like I was hearing a really loud buzzing noise and I was sinking into a deep hole.My husband had to keep shaking me during the night because I would stop breathing- he stayed up all night shaking me to get me to breathe. 911 I know you must be saying, but when you are drunk you don't think straight.
> The following days, I had weird symptoms of electric type feeling in my brain. Like my eyes would move but my brain would catch up 2 seconds later with a weird tingling, electric feeling as it moved.
> Since then, if I miss a dose, those symptoms come within 3-4 hours.
> I just switched psychiatrists because I feel that my former doctor has over medicated me.
> He has me on 300 mg of Effexor, 1200 mg of Neurontin (spelling?) and 300 mg of Wellbutrin. In addition, I take Restoril to sleep, and Xanax for my anxiety. This is insane!!! I am a walking pharmacy! My paycheck should be direct deposited to the pharmacy. They know me so well, I have actually become friends with the Pharmacist who manages the store- she and I talk on the phone like friends, we have met her and her boyfriend for coffee, etc.. Okay...now that is a weird way of making friends.
> Then he also prescribed periactin to be used before sex since my interest has gone to zero. I looked that drug up and it is an antihistamine! All it did was make me sleepy and ruin the event.
> My last visit with him was 2 weeks ago when I had a crisis situation and all he did was double my Neurontin med and said "think happy thoughts" and that was it. I told him I was not returning and he was shocked. I walked out and I did not double the med.
> Now my new doctor said he was to clean up the meds. He has directed me decrease my 300 mg by 75mg per week. It will take me 4 weeks to be off of Effexor,
> and this is just my 3rd day with a decreased dosage and I have feel terrible.
> What next? You are not alone!
> Alexis

Holy Tamolly!
Man -you were on a lot of crap!
Unbelievable!
I would like to follow the success story your
clearly going to shout from the top of your
lungs when you get free from all those drugs!
I would keep the xanax and other than that -nothen!
Good luck!

 

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Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by msemilyemily on October 26, 2001, at 21:23:37

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by Dreamy on October 26, 2001, at 12:25:18

Alexis, how long did it take for your weird-feeling to go away? I'm typically a fairly stable, unaffected person -- but I feel like I'm drunk all day now. That's almost an understatement. I had to do an interview, and I thought I was writing something, but I had no freaking PEN in my hand. Does ANYONE know if this is an effect of Effexor? I'm torn on what to do -- I want not to take this anti-psychotic med that my doctor gave me, if what I'm experiencing is an effect of Effexor (I like Effectsors :) ). I don't want do have some psychological diagnosis, if this is a neurological medicine-based problem. What can they detect with MRIs? I'll tell you what -- I'm tempted to just STOP taking all this shit tonight, deal with the insanity for a week or whatever, and be better. Or else KNOW that my problems aren't related to the meds. Anyone have any experience with this route?

thank you all,
emily

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » msemilyemily

Posted by alexis on October 29, 2001, at 3:30:17

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by msemilyemily on October 26, 2001, at 21:23:37

Emily,
That drunk, disconnected, weird feeling has never gone away. It was there from the beginning and continues to be here today! As my prior psychiatrist increased the dosage then added Wellbutrin, it got worse. I began to do and say odd things. I forget what I am saying mid sentence or say things that make sense to me but come out in an akward way. I have put the mayo jar in the microwave, have left my keys attached to the front door, have forgotten appointments, made many mistakes on documents at work. I took a leave from my Masters program in February and have not been able to return. My attention span and my patience levels have significantly changed to the worse.
The other symptoms I was describing started after the March incident and I have experienced them over and over again if I miss a dose. I already tried to stop the Effexor on my own and ended up being a mess at work and at home. I am now being weaned off of this horrible stuff and I truly feel out of control.
Tell your doctor you don't want to take Effexor anymore and have her/him wean you off or find another doctor. I waited too long to my detriment.

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » alexis

Posted by msemilyemily on October 29, 2001, at 17:03:50

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » msemilyemily, posted by alexis on October 29, 2001, at 3:30:17

Alexis,

I'm in a Master's program, too. I'm so freaking happy, because yesterday I woke up and felt A LITTLE better. I am down to 75mg a day, and I'm tempted to just try to stop taking it completely. I'm NOT taking this antipsychotic med anymore. This is frustrating the hell out of me, because everyone claims that I'm having some sort of disassociative psychotic episode. But I don't FEEL unhappy, and there is no logical reason for me to flip out, all of the sudden. I wish there were some way to determine that it IS the effexor, and not my environment and reaction to that environment, that is causing the damn problem.

I'm done with this nonsense, I'll tell you what.

Emiy

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » alexis

Posted by Joey on October 29, 2001, at 19:09:11

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » msemilyemily, posted by alexis on October 26, 2001, at 4:08:03

Dreamy, I responded to you, but it didn't work the first time, so here I go again: About a year and a half ago, I went to Puerto Vallarta and drank for a week straight while on 75 mg of Effexor, which I had been taking for two years previous. I, too, experienced major disconnection, moodiness, and extreme irritability. I think what I came to learn about that experience is what many of us who are on antidepressants have to face: That using other medications or elixers to help us through the detritus of our individual symptoms, while on antidepressants, doesn't seem to work. What's best is to see this drinking episode as a sign that the medication may not be the whole cure right now for you, and that you may need an entirely new medication or a therapist to compliment the Effexor. I, personally, just stopped taking Effexor about nine days ago after being diagnosed with ADD. The withdrawl is awful, but I think the new diagnosis is good. What a lot of psychiastrists seem to do is just provide a bandaid solution to our problems with medication; namely, they usually just put us on a new one or change our medication all together without much rhyme or reason. I think we all just need to see a healthy therapist during times when our medication just isn't working anymore, or if we begin to seek new ways of medicating ourselves.
Hope this helps a little.
> > Okay, I'm having weirdness with effexor also. I've taken 300mg a day for about a year. I don't ever drink, but last week I drank 4 days in a row (right now, it makes no sense to me why this happened, but it did). Now, I think I'm going insane. I feel disconnected, and weird -- confused, like I'm not myself, but my self is acting in the world. I've taken this same dosage for a year -- why would this crazyness start now? I went to my doctor this afternoon (I'm a grad student, and I cannot write, and I keep doing very odd things), and he suggested that maybe the alcohol interacted with the effexor in some weird way -- he has tapered me down to 150mg a day, and added Risperdal. I hate not being able to trust these people. I knew knew KNEW that medication was a bad plan, and this is absurd. Has anyone else experienced a similar sudden onset of side effects to Effexor (XR)? I'm afraid that if I did some weird neurological damage, the tapering off of Effexor will just make things worse...
> >
> > help.
>
> Let me apologize ahead of time for what I believe will be a long post. I am so happy I found this site, I thought I was the only one feeling like Effexor has taken a negative toll on my life.
> I too have been on effexor 300 mg a day for the past 2 years. I made sure not to drink, but last March on St.Patrick's Day, I went out with my husband and some friends. For some reason the owner of the pub took a liking to us and started to give us free drinks. I must have had 6-7 loaded drinks when all of a sudden I started to feel sick. Not like a wanting to vomit sick, but like I was hearing a really loud buzzing noise and I was sinking into a deep hole.My husband had to keep shaking me during the night because I would stop breathing- he stayed up all night shaking me to get me to breathe. 911 I know you must be saying, but when you are drunk you don't think straight.
> The following days, I had weird symptoms of electric type feeling in my brain. Like my eyes would move but my brain would catch up 2 seconds later with a weird tingling, electric feeling as it moved.
> Since then, if I miss a dose, those symptoms come within 3-4 hours.
> I just switched psychiatrists because I feel that my former doctor has over medicated me.
> He has me on 300 mg of Effexor, 1200 mg of Neurontin (spelling?) and 300 mg of Wellbutrin. In addition, I take Restoril to sleep, and Xanax for my anxiety. This is insane!!! I am a walking pharmacy! My paycheck should be direct deposited to the pharmacy. They know me so well, I have actually become friends with the Pharmacist who manages the store- she and I talk on the phone like friends, we have met her and her boyfriend for coffee, etc.. Okay...now that is a weird way of making friends.
> Then he also prescribed periactin to be used before sex since my interest has gone to zero. I looked that drug up and it is an antihistamine! All it did was make me sleepy and ruin the event.
> My last visit with him was 2 weeks ago when I had a crisis situation and all he did was double my Neurontin med and said "think happy thoughts" and that was it. I told him I was not returning and he was shocked. I walked out and I did not double the med.
> Now my new doctor said he was to clean up the meds. He has directed me decrease my 300 mg by 75mg per week. It will take me 4 weeks to be off of Effexor,
> and this is just my 3rd day with a decreased dosage and I have feel terrible.
> What next? You are not alone!
> Alexis

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » Joey

Posted by msemilyemily on October 30, 2001, at 14:46:58

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » alexis, posted by Joey on October 29, 2001, at 19:09:11

I agree. I'm mostly extraordinarily annoyed that not one of the three psychiatrists I have seen in the last four years has ever done a complete physical, blood work, a psychological evaluation...

I think that not doing these things is, ethically, inexcusable. These are serious medications, many of which are new and untested under a variety of circumstances. More and more, I realize the haphazardness with which meds are prescribed. I'm not the type of person who wants to cling to some sort of diagnosis. Rather, I want a well-formulated and exhaustive assesment of my mental health (and neurological health, for that matter), before I take another damn thing. Three years ago when I started "trying" different meds, I was nothing but skeptical and concerned about taking anything to help with what was (then) diagnosed as depression. Now I've had about 8 different diagnoses from all sorts of different doctors and psychologists, and not one of them has done anything but change my medication when I'm feeling some different symptom.

I'm done with all of these meds. Effexor is the only thing that has helped, but it's not worth it to me. At least without it I'll be able to know that my impressions and moods and emotions are my own, rather than the result of some medicine-based anomaly.

EEM

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by onedayatatime on March 1, 2002, at 11:26:33

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » alexis, posted by Joey on October 29, 2001, at 19:09:11

A "type" of dizziness, a "type" of shakiness, a "type" of nausea, very tired, weird dreams,sadness, a "disconnectedness"; all of this happens when I have forgotten to take my 75mg dose of Effexor for 2 days, the condition intensifies in addition to also having headaches and loss of appetite when I was out of town for several days without my medication. I use the term "type" for those conditions because they are not like a dizziness, shakiness, or nausea that I have ever experienced.
I stay away from alcohol. ALCOHOL IS A DEPRESSANT! I already have a "depressed" condition, why would anyone in their (what is left of it) right mind do ANYTHING to make depression worse or to counteract their medications! (I wonder how long it would take to be clear of ALL side effects if I choose to stop medication entirely.)
Continued side effects with regular medication are: forgetfulness, a general lack of interest in things and absolutely NO interest in sexual intercourse. (Yes, I am married.)

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - on a positive note

Posted by NikkiT2 on March 1, 2002, at 13:02:16

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by onedayatatime on March 1, 2002, at 11:26:33

Well... 5 days on I think I;m coming out the othre side... Things are looking and feeling bettre today.. The nausea has nearly usbsided entirely, the dizzyness is halved, the "brain shocks" much easier, and I;m not climbing the walls and panicking as much...

So.. there is light at the end of the tunnel.. just hang in there..

Nikki


 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by kalwin on July 25, 2003, at 14:49:49

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by marlo on October 21, 2001, at 12:03:55

Holy shit- I am so glad that I stumbled across this post. For the past three days I have been feeling terrrible and not knowing why. It never even occurred to me that it could be that I have decided to not take effexor anymore. I started taking 75 mg. dose about 8 months ago, and it helped so much with the feelings of anxiety and sadness that this past winter left me with. But recently I have felt strong enough to not want to depend upon medication any longer. . .
The only way that I could describe how I've felt lately is that I have felt "queasy" in my head- sometimes lying down helps, sometimes not. I came across a description that more aptly describes the feeling, though- brain shivers. What a terrible way to feel. I am so sorry that there are other people going through this, but I have to say, it's comforting to know that I'm not alone! Good luck to everyone!

 

Re: please be civil » kalwin

Posted by Dr. Bob on July 25, 2003, at 19:12:28

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by kalwin on July 25, 2003, at 14:49:49

> Holy sh*t- I am so glad that I stumbled across this post.

I'm glad, too :-) and sorry to be such a prude, but please don't use language that could offend others, thanks.

Bob

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » kalwin

Posted by theo on July 26, 2003, at 9:25:46

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by kalwin on July 25, 2003, at 14:49:49

Could the fact that you're "feeling strong" mean the medication is working and maybe you need to be on it? I know how you feel about not wanting to depend on medication but you obviously felt bad enough to start medication or there would have been any reason for you to ever start Effexor, right? Whatever you decide you need to discuss it with your doctor.

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news-Correction

Posted by theo on July 26, 2003, at 9:33:06

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » kalwin, posted by theo on July 26, 2003, at 9:25:46

Meant to say there "wouldn't" have had any reason for you to try Effexor, right? Premature postulation.

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - on a positive note

Posted by spiciestcrashbean on September 3, 2003, at 8:18:05

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - on a positive note, posted by NikkiT2 on March 1, 2002, at 13:02:16

i am so happy that i have found you guys!i truly thought that i was alone in my feelings.i take 75mg of effexor each day for the past 2 years now. i wanted to get off of it a while back because i wanted to feel normal again,whatever that is.well it was the most horrible experience and needless to say it didn't work.2 days after i tried to wean myself off of it at just 35 mg a day i would get dizzy after every 2 steps i took.sort of like my brain had to play catchup with any movements that i made. everything would just go black and i'd feel nauseated.not to mention the crying and shaking and not being able to think. i could barely keep my balance when i walked!why is this?i don't care for sex anymore either. i wonder if i did quit taking it if my panic attacks would return.and what do i do take it for the rest of my life and what if they quit making it?then what?sometimes i'm afraid because i really don't know any answers and i think my husband must think i'm addicted to it or something.but i'm not wanting it anymore at all i just want to be normal again.does anyone know what i'm saying?

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by sashav1 on September 4, 2003, at 19:40:16

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by kalwin on July 25, 2003, at 14:49:49

I am wondering if there is anything to be done about the wretched withdrawals from Effexor. I have been taking it for about 2 years and have been tapering the past month or so. It has been better this time than last year when I tried to do the same. I am now off completely now and have been for 4 days and I couldn't feel worse. I feel more insane than when I went on the stuff! I almost constantly have those elecetical charges through my brain...I call it "zinging". What do I do? Will it ever stop? Does anyone know how long? Should I just wait it out?? HELP!!!!!!!!

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » sashav1

Posted by craig allen on September 6, 2003, at 20:16:57

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by sashav1 on September 4, 2003, at 19:40:16

i know exactly where you're at. i just came off effexor myself. seemed like the strangeness wouldn't let up. for me, on the eighth day i felt a lot better. by the tenth or eleventh day of being off completely i was almost all the way home. hope that helps.

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by Johnlund on September 7, 2003, at 22:53:23

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by sashav1 on September 4, 2003, at 19:40:16

> I am wondering if there is anything to be done about the wretched withdrawals from Effexor. I have been taking it for about 2 years and have been tapering the past month or so. It has been better this time than last year when I tried to do the same. I am now off completely now and have been for 4 days and I couldn't feel worse. I feel more insane than when I went on the stuff! I almost constantly have those elecetical charges through my brain...I call it "zinging". What do I do? Will it ever stop? Does anyone know how long? Should I just wait it out?? HELP!!!!!!!!

I don't know if anyone else has responed to you, but I have read from other posts that taking Prozac for a month or so might help. Other people say that taking Prozac while tappering down Effexor eases the withdrawl symptoms of Effexor. I would ask my doctor about this approach.

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by oeps7 on September 8, 2003, at 9:31:43

In reply to Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by janey on November 1, 1998, at 16:30:34

Sashov,
I am in the same situation. I was on effexor for 7 years. I have tapered slowly from 300mg to 0 and have been completely off for 1 week. How are you feeling? The withdrawal seems to come and go and is starting to get better. At least I don't have blurry vision anymore.

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » oeps7

Posted by spiciestcrashbean on September 8, 2003, at 18:40:40

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by oeps7 on September 8, 2003, at 9:31:43

please could someone tell me this?I take effexor for my panic attacks. I have been taking it for 2 years. I tried to get off of it once but I just couldn't do it. I ended up in the emergency room because I couldn't stand up and would get a really bad head rush with every 2 steps that I would take. Then my panic attacks started to come back. please do they ever stop?
spiciestcrashbean

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » spiciestcrashbean

Posted by KimberlyDi on September 9, 2003, at 8:15:07

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » oeps7, posted by spiciestcrashbean on September 8, 2003, at 18:40:40

First of all, why did you stop taking Effexor?

Second, since the panic attacks came back you may need to be on another AD like Paxil or Prozac.

Third, you need to taper off of Effexor, especially the XR kind, very slowly. Taking Prozac during this time has been said to relieve some/most withdrawal symptoms. Or ask for a prescription for Effexor IR (immediate release) which you can break into tiny pieces. Quitting cold turkey is not wise. Sadly there isn't enough information distributed about Effexor withdrawal when you start taking it.

Good Luck!
KDi in Texas

> please could someone tell me this?I take effexor for my panic attacks. I have been taking it for 2 years. I tried to get off of it once but I just couldn't do it. I ended up in the emergency room because I couldn't stand up and would get a really bad head rush with every 2 steps that I would take. Then my panic attacks started to come back. please do they ever stop?
> spiciestcrashbean

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by oeps7 on September 9, 2003, at 8:22:43

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news » oeps7, posted by spiciestcrashbean on September 8, 2003, at 18:40:40

> please could someone tell me this?I take effexor for my panic attacks. I have been taking it for 2 years. I tried to get off of it once but I just couldn't do it. I ended up in the emergency room because I couldn't stand up and would get a really bad head rush with every 2 steps that I would take. Then my panic attacks started to come back. please do they ever stop?
> spiciestcrashbean

You definitely need a doctor's help when coming off of this medication. Taper very slowly and don't be too hard on yourself. Your panic attacks will stop. I happen to be in panic mode today, have been off effexor totally for 8 days now. Keep talking on this board and telling yourself it will pass.
oeps7

 

Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news

Posted by oeps7 on September 9, 2003, at 13:38:42

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by oeps7 on September 9, 2003, at 8:22:43

> > please could someone tell me this?I take effexor for my panic attacks. I have been taking it for 2 years. I tried to get off of it once but I just couldn't do it. I ended up in the emergency room because I couldn't stand up and would get a really bad head rush with every 2 steps that I would take. Then my panic attacks started to come back. please do they ever stop?
> > spiciestcrashbean
>
> You definitely need a doctor's help when coming off of this medication. Taper very slowly and don't be too hard on yourself. Your panic attacks will stop. I happen to be in panic mode today, have been off effexor totally for 8 days now. Keep talking on this board and telling yourself it will pass.
> oeps7

One thing that seems to be helping me is I am on a small dose of zoloft 50mg. The withdrawal symptoms seem to come and go.
I know panic attacks are not only mentally tiring but physically as well. Why are you coming off the effexor? Are you switching to another med? Do not come off effexor cold turkey you need to do this slowly.

>

 

clonazepam (nm)

Posted by cybercafe on September 11, 2003, at 1:32:30

In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal - very bad news, posted by Johnlund on September 7, 2003, at 22:53:23


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