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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jujube on September 16, 2004, at 8:57:26
I am so glad to have found this board. It has helped me understand, to some degree, what I have been going through. I was prescribed Effexor XR six months ago. I had gone to another doctor, rather than my regular gp, at a time when I was suffering from significant iron deficient (not yet anemic, but very little iron in my body) for close to a year. This left me, over time, fatigued, apathetic and anxious. I have been in a high pressure job for 15 years, love it and have always thrived in it. I have been promoted four times, which has always surprised me, but I just go with the flow.
The temporary doctor said I was depressed and put me on Effexor XR, starting at 75 mg then up to 112.5 mg. I had nothing but side effects. After a month, I went back to my trusted and faithful gp who continued to treat the iron deficiency. I told her I had been put on Effexor and it was making me sick. She did not want to mess around with the medication, so she called a friend of hers who is a pdoc. He agreed to see me about dosing, etc. He increased the dose to 150 mg then to 225 mg. Even the increased dose did not help. I was beginning to have increasingly anxious thoughts (yes I am an anxious person by nature, but never to this degree), becoming increasingly apprehensive (nervous about going out to shop or out to dinner because I kept thinking I would have a dizzy spell - even though this had only happened once eight months ago). Finally, after another dosing session with the pdoc, I reduced to 150 mg (since, for me, there was no significant difference between 150 mg and 225 mg, with the exception of increased apathy (could not get jazzed about anything, anxiety and apprehension. Around the beginning of September, I called the pdoc and presented him with natural alternatives (since I knew I could not stay on Effexor and continue to grow increasingly apathetic and unmotivated). I had been on extended leave from work to deal with the fatigue, etc. caused by the iron deficiency (luckily I had well over 100 days of accumulated leave since I had probably only been sick three or four times with really bad colds in over 8 years). The pdoc was not familiar with the natural alternatives, so he decided to switch me to Celexa. Over two weeks, I reduced the dose of Effexor from 150 to 75 then to 0 and then started the Celexa. I have been sick since. Throwing up, weak, dizzy, anxious, exhausted. I was only ever on an antidepressant once before (Paxil), which I eventually stopped using after reducing my dose. I am generally I happy, enthusiastic and energetic person. These past 6 months on Effexor, I had been anything but those things. I just want to be me again. Please, someone, tell me how long I can expect to feel like crap after going off the Effexor?! And, have I made a mistake agreeing to try the Celexa? Sorry for the long message. I just needed to get this off my chest, and hopefully hear from someone who has, or is, going through what I am going through. Thanks for listening.
Posted by mcp on September 16, 2004, at 13:39:00
In reply to Off Effexor - Does it ever end!!! Please help, posted by jujube on September 16, 2004, at 8:57:26
All I can say is that I empathize. Things were fine for me until they took me off the benzo and on the antidepressant. I hated being on it as well. I am now nearly two months off the blasted thing and am still feeling like crap. I will say that exercise has made a big difference. I try to get up and exercise regardless of how awful I feel. It is amazing how this varies from person to person. THe most common thing I hear myself and others uttering is how long is this gonna last. Hate to say this, but there is no way to tell. The main thing is that you keep in mind it will pass. Personally, I would get off and stay off the antidepressants. I think they are dangerous, but I am no doctor and you should follow what he says I guess. My thoughts are with you. Stay strong.
> I am so glad to have found this board. It has helped me understand, to some degree, what I have been going through. I was prescribed Effexor XR six months ago. I had gone to another doctor, rather than my regular gp, at a time when I was suffering from significant iron deficient (not yet anemic, but very little iron in my body) for close to a year. This left me, over time, fatigued, apathetic and anxious. I have been in a high pressure job for 15 years, love it and have always thrived in it. I have been promoted four times, which has always surprised me, but I just go with the flow.
>
> The temporary doctor said I was depressed and put me on Effexor XR, starting at 75 mg then up to 112.5 mg. I had nothing but side effects. After a month, I went back to my trusted and faithful gp who continued to treat the iron deficiency. I told her I had been put on Effexor and it was making me sick. She did not want to mess around with the medication, so she called a friend of hers who is a pdoc. He agreed to see me about dosing, etc. He increased the dose to 150 mg then to 225 mg. Even the increased dose did not help. I was beginning to have increasingly anxious thoughts (yes I am an anxious person by nature, but never to this degree), becoming increasingly apprehensive (nervous about going out to shop or out to dinner because I kept thinking I would have a dizzy spell - even though this had only happened once eight months ago). Finally, after another dosing session with the pdoc, I reduced to 150 mg (since, for me, there was no significant difference between 150 mg and 225 mg, with the exception of increased apathy (could not get jazzed about anything, anxiety and apprehension. Around the beginning of September, I called the pdoc and presented him with natural alternatives (since I knew I could not stay on Effexor and continue to grow increasingly apathetic and unmotivated). I had been on extended leave from work to deal with the fatigue, etc. caused by the iron deficiency (luckily I had well over 100 days of accumulated leave since I had probably only been sick three or four times with really bad colds in over 8 years). The pdoc was not familiar with the natural alternatives, so he decided to switch me to Celexa. Over two weeks, I reduced the dose of Effexor from 150 to 75 then to 0 and then started the Celexa. I have been sick since. Throwing up, weak, dizzy, anxious, exhausted. I was only ever on an antidepressant once before (Paxil), which I eventually stopped using after reducing my dose. I am generally I happy, enthusiastic and energetic person. These past 6 months on Effexor, I had been anything but those things. I just want to be me again. Please, someone, tell me how long I can expect to feel like crap after going off the Effexor?! And, have I made a mistake agreeing to try the Celexa? Sorry for the long message. I just needed to get this off my chest, and hopefully hear from someone who has, or is, going through what I am going through. Thanks for listening.
Posted by jujube on September 16, 2004, at 15:55:24
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Does it ever end!!! Please help, posted by mcp on September 16, 2004, at 13:39:00
Thanks so much for the response. Yesterday I thought perhaps I was nearing the end of the worst of the withdrawal only to wake up this morning feeling nauseaus, anxious and weepy. I am not a patient person and am feeling so discouraged. I feel like I took two steps forward in almost getting the iron deficiency under control (after close to a year), only to take two steps back having stayed on the Effexor for 6 months. Then, to top it off, my cycle had become irregular the past 6 months (thought maybe I was in perimenopause, but more likely a side effect of the Effexor), so my gyno started me on Depo Provera. Within a week of the shot, my mood took a real nose dive and the anxiety went way up, not to mention the nausea and fatigue. I guess the nice thing about it is that I had become accustomed to throwing up every day before I started my Effexor withdrawal. I am sorry to be ranting, and sounding like a whiner. There are people out there with far greater problems than me. So, I will just suck it up and try to get on with my life. I look forward to being my old happy, enthusiastic and moderately hyper self. Thanks for listening and thanks for the response.
Posted by justjustine on September 16, 2004, at 21:33:24
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Does it ever end!!! Please help, posted by jujube on September 16, 2004, at 15:55:24
i went through effexor withdrawal earlier this year, and believe me you are not a whiner. it sucks. a lot. for a long time. and i couldn't find a doctor who wasn't completely clueless about it. i took vicodin, and i don't mind recommending that others try the same route. i took it for about a month, and stopped when i didn't need it anymore. it took care of most of the symptoms, with ambien to help me sleep. if you can get it, try it!
Posted by mcp on September 16, 2004, at 22:32:28
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Does it ever end!!! Please help, posted by justjustine on September 16, 2004, at 21:33:24
ANother thing you can try which has worked for me is tapping into your higher power. For me, it is Christ. However, I do notice that when it gets particularly bad I just tap in Him and He gives me the strength to get through it. Just a thought.
Posted by jujube on September 16, 2004, at 22:52:46
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Does it ever end!!! Please help, posted by justjustine on September 16, 2004, at 21:33:24
JustJustine,
Thanks for the response. I think the worst of it is over now. My uncle, who was diagnosed with dementia last year and also has a brain anyurysm (spelling??), had also been Effexor XR. He had the same response to Effexor as I had. He was weaned off Effexor recently and started having all these physical and emotional problems. Since I had been doing research on Effexor, including withdrawal, I was able to tell my aunt that my uncle was experiencing withdrawal symptoms (my aunt thought at one point that he had severe food poisoning, that his dementia was getting worse and that the brain clot was causing him to stumble, etc.). Poor guy. Having to accept the fact that you have dementia in your early 60's is hard enough to deal with.
> i went through effexor withdrawal earlier this year, and believe me you are not a whiner. it sucks. a lot. for a long time. and i couldn't find a doctor who wasn't completely clueless about it. i took vicodin, and i don't mind recommending that others try the same route. i took it for about a month, and stopped when i didn't need it anymore. it took care of most of the symptoms, with ambien to help me sleep. if you can get it, try it!
Posted by jujube on September 16, 2004, at 22:57:27
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Does it ever end!!! Please help, posted by mcp on September 16, 2004, at 22:32:28
Thanks mcp, I have been doing that. It does help to turn it over. After over 8 years of sobriety, I had lost sight of the AA principles. How quickly we forget the spiritual things when we think everything is going so well in our lives. I had started going back to meetings again (lost my motivation on the Effexor). Once my body and mind calm down from the withdrawals and adjustment to the Celexa, I will go back again. It has always helped me put things into perspective and get off the pity pot.
> ANother thing you can try which has worked for me is tapping into your higher power. For me, it is Christ. However, I do notice that when it gets particularly bad I just tap in Him and He gives me the strength to get through it. Just a thought.
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