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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 470 to 494 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by Leo on February 16, 2001, at 12:56:18
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I would first like to thank everyone for your e-mail responses to my threads. I have read thru most of the Effexor notes and the pattern of experiences that I have read are all basically the same. For those of you who are taking the drug and having success.........fantastic!!! I hope you continue getting and feeling better.
Many of us have been prescribed this medication to help overcome the debilitating effects of depression and/or anxiety. We all know how we were feeling when we started taking the effexor. I to, started feeling better.....in the beginning. The positive effects of the drug lasted about six months and then what I found, as I look back on it now, was what seemed to be some sort of relapse of the depressive state. This lasted until I started taking a real hard look into the side effects of the drug. Thru your own experiences with effexor and your discussion I now feel confident that I'm not going insane.
I have been off the effexor completely for 5 days but it was months, and I mean months of withdrawal effects before reaching this point. Here's how I did it. I was taking 37.5mg a day which was nothing compared to what some of you are currently taking. Nine months ago I cut that dose in half, literally. I actually broke the pill in half. I stayed at this dose for 2 months. In the beginning I suffered severe side effects. I the middle of the third month, I broke that dose in half. I was down to a qaurter of a pill a day. On a quarter of a pill a day I wasn't having any of the withdrawl effects. I then started spreading out the dosage to a quarter of a pill every other day. Withdrawal effects again became severe. But I was determined to get off this drug. It stayed like this for almost 6 months. The process of getting off the effexor started almost a year ago. I am still having "flashes" of all the side effects. Some so bad that I am forced to lay on my back for hours just to deal with the withdrawl. When this isn't happening I'm up, out and feeling really good. Here's the bad news, I have been in touch with several ex-effexor med patients. One in particular has been off the drug for almost two years. He still has severe flashbacks of the side/withdrawl effects although now occuring with less frequency than they have in the past. He believes through his investigative research that there may be a possiblity that he, as will all of us, will suffer with these effects for the rest of our lives. Almost everyone I have been in contact with feel that the effexor has permenantly and negitvely effected their lives and vow never to use it again.
There are some people on this sight who challenge this, requiring "scientific proof" of this fact.
To you I say, your proof is coming. Effexor has now been on the market long enough for post-trial studies of the side effects of this drug to begin. These preleminary studies are not at all good or positive. Some can be seen and read by going to Pubmed. A case report on the long term neurological effects of effexor as well as all SSRI's can be found at Psychiatry Online.I ecourage all of you to look into these studies. I think you will find that the drugs we have been taking create entirely new and equaly debilitating effects that may very well cause that unexplained relapse back into depression. My feeling is that long term use of this drug (1 year or more) creates a vicious cycle of effects, mentally and physically, that do nothing more than worsen what is already a bad situation. The longer you are on this stuff the worse the side effects and withdrawal become. If your on effexor and feeling the "blahs" or that miserable depressed state, get to your doctor. It could be, and most likely is, the effexor.
Posted by CrystalThacker on February 16, 2001, at 14:12:58
In reply to Re: lots of success on effexor, posted by Lorraine on February 16, 2001, at 12:47:14
> I was on it for 2 years also. Great mood results. Just gained weight and lost interest in sex. I'm trying it again with amphetamine.
> I have no interest in sex either do you have any advice....?
>
> > hi
> > > i have done very well on effexor. i have been on it for 2 years now. i have heard all about the bad withdraws from it but i dont plan to get off of it real soon. i was unable to leave my house before i started taking it. now i can drive and go to stores again alone. i think it works great.
> > >
Posted by CrystalThacker on February 16, 2001, at 14:21:10
In reply to Discontinuing Effexor, posted by Leo on February 16, 2001, at 12:56:18
> I would first like to thank everyone for your e-mail responses to my threads. I have read thru most of the Effexor notes and the pattern of experiences that I have read are all basically the same. For those of you who are taking the drug and having success.........fantastic!!! I hope you continue getting and feeling better.
>
> Many of us have been prescribed this medication to help overcome the debilitating effects of depression and/or anxiety. We all know how we were feeling when we started taking the effexor. I to, started feeling better.....in the beginning. The positive effects of the drug lasted about six months and then what I found, as I look back on it now, was what seemed to be some sort of relapse of the depressive state. This lasted until I started taking a real hard look into the side effects of the drug. Thru your own experiences with effexor and your discussion I now feel confident that I'm not going insane.
> I have been off the effexor completely for 5 days but it was months, and I mean months of withdrawal effects before reaching this point. Here's how I did it. I was taking 37.5mg a day which was nothing compared to what some of you are currently taking. Nine months ago I cut that dose in half, literally. I actually broke the pill in half. I stayed at this dose for 2 months. In the beginning I suffered severe side effects. I the middle of the third month, I broke that dose in half. I was down to a qaurter of a pill a day. On a quarter of a pill a day I wasn't having any of the withdrawl effects. I then started spreading out the dosage to a quarter of a pill every other day. Withdrawal effects again became severe. But I was determined to get off this drug. It stayed like this for almost 6 months. The process of getting off the effexor started almost a year ago. I am still having "flashes" of all the side effects. Some so bad that I am forced to lay on my back for hours just to deal with the withdrawl. When this isn't happening I'm up, out and feeling really good. Here's the bad news, I have been in touch with several ex-effexor med patients. One in particular has been off the drug for almost two years. He still has severe flashbacks of the side/withdrawl effects although now occuring with less frequency than they have in the past. He believes through his investigative research that there may be a possiblity that he, as will all of us, will suffer with these effects for the rest of our lives. Almost everyone I have been in contact with feel that the effexor has permenantly and negitvely effected their lives and vow never to use it again.
> There are some people on this sight who challenge this, requiring "scientific proof" of this fact.
> To you I say, your proof is coming. Effexor has now been on the market long enough for post-trial studies of the side effects of this drug to begin. These preleminary studies are not at all good or positive. Some can be seen and read by going to Pubmed. A case report on the long term neurological effects of effexor as well as all SSRI's can be found at Psychiatry Online.
>
> I ecourage all of you to look into these studies. I think you will find that the drugs we have been taking create entirely new and equaly debilitating effects that may very well cause that unexplained relapse back into depression. My feeling is that long term use of this drug (1 year or more) creates a vicious cycle of effects, mentally and physically, that do nothing more than worsen what is already a bad situation. The longer you are on this stuff the worse the side effects and withdrawal become. If your on effexor and feeling the "blahs" or that miserable depressed state, get to your doctor. It could be, and most likely is, the effexor.HI I was wandering if you still have depression and anxiety since you quit taking the effexor or are you on something else. Or could the side effects be anxiety and depression from not tahing the pill.
Posted by Alli on February 16, 2001, at 15:01:40
In reply to Long term effects of Effexor/permanent , posted by Leo on February 13, 2001, at 11:55:34
I have experienced all the withdrawl side effects but even more so, have experienced additonal effects of Effexor that have recently come to light and may be permanent.
=============
Leo ~ Could you describe the additional effects that you are experiencing that you feel may be permanent? After being on Effexor for two years and recently completing the withdrawl process (pure hell), I'm still not feeling 100%... but I wake up every morning hoping that today will be the day when I feel "normal" again. Alli
Posted by Leo on February 16, 2001, at 18:10:44
In reply to Re: Discontinuing Effexor, posted by CrystalThacker on February 16, 2001, at 14:21:10
In answer to your question. No, I am not taking any more drugs. I will never do this to myself again. And yes, yes, yes I feel very confident that the effexor kept me in a chronic state of depression. Since coming off the med, my mental state has improved remarkably and I'm feeling better with the exception of the withdrawal induced effects caused by the drug.
Posted by Leo on February 16, 2001, at 19:39:55
In reply to Re: Long term effects of Effexor/permanent , posted by Alli on February 16, 2001, at 15:01:40
> I have experienced all the withdrawl side effects but even more so, have experienced additonal effects of Effexor that have recently come to light and may be permanent.
> =============
> Leo ~ Could you describe the additional effects that you are experiencing that you feel may be permanent? After being on Effexor for two years and recently completing the withdrawl process (pure hell), I'm still not feeling 100%... but I wake up every morning hoping that today will be the day when I feel "normal" again. AlliAlli,
Go to www.effexorfz.freeuk.com
This website contains a tremendous amount of the side effects of effexor.
The following is a list of what I have experienced while on and discontinuing the drug.
Loss of short and medium term memory.....to the point where I couldn't remember how to get home.
Loss of drive, ambition, motivation......had a lot of great things I wanted to do, would start but never complete. This was not me at all.
As with Steve Whiting, I started to experience a successive deterioration in my health. My mental state seemed to deteriorate as well. I would sleep for hours some days and then experience insomnia for several days. I never established a sleep pattern while on the drug. This has changed since getting off the drug. I have found that I am ready for bed around 10pm and wake consistently between 6-7am. I tested this theroy and found that when I took the effexor I would be exhausted, ready for sleep around noon time. And then would sleep until midnight only to stay awake sometimes for the next 24 hours. It is truly a great feeling to be wide awake and raring to go in the morning.
I have experienced severe agitation. Violent mood swings. These have subsided drastically. I was never like this before even with the depression. This, to me, was a sure sign something was up. I am much easier to live with according to those around me.
I am still experiencing the confusion that Steve talks about. This is disturbing. I have always been able to organize my thoughts and feelings. I am a free-lance writer and this has made what I do very hard. This, along with the memory loss has forced me to plan everything I do in writing so I can follow the process of writing and creating and not leave anything out or skip a sequence.
I have not experienced any paranoia or stomach cramps, although I would go from constipation to the runs every other day or so. This seems to be settling down to.
I have had swelling in my shoulders, arms and hands. This has stopped since getting off the effexor.I have experienced the involuntary body movements as well as the spontaneous outbursts, not singing, just babbling. Almost like teretts. This had never happened to me before I took the effexor and started to occur over the last year and a half. I haven't had it happen recently. This is frightening but it does seem to be subsiding.
I never had any convulsions or hallucinations.
I have, and still do experience severe dizziness, extremely painful, sharp pains in the back of my head that make me loose my visual focus and the aches and pains that one would attribute to having the flu. Severe fatigue and rapid onset of exhaustion by just climbing a flight of stairs. Again, not at all like me.
I experience the light headedness and dysphoric sensations daily and in bursts, some more severe than others. These do not seem to be subsiding.
There are reports of studies that have been under taken and quite a few state;
"Investigators who were testing effexor observed that clustors of symptoms occured at or shortly after the discontinuation of Effexor treatment."
Patients experienced withdrawal sypmtoms ranging from flu-like symptoms (aches and pains) to insomnia, nausea, nervousness, dizziness, dysphoric mood, loss of energy.....In some patients, withdrawal symptoms were so severe and prolonged that medical treatment was required. Some patients could not be withdrawn from the drug, therefore they continued on the effexor and one patient was hospitalized. These cases suggest a severe addiction possibility.
This study can be found at www.socialaudit.org
1997/Moore/VenlafaxineThere are numerous studies about effexor on this site. You owe it ot yourself to read these studies. I think you will find them very unsettling.
My overall health, physically and mentally, declined while on effexor. This decline accelerated the longer I was on it. I have not been off of it long enough to know for sure what permanent damage has been done, however, through my discussions with others on the drug I am certain that some of what has been brought about by taking this drug will be with me the rest of my life. Just how it will effect the quality of my life is yet to be seen. And yes, if I can I will sue Wyeth-Ayerst for millions.I believe that depression and anxiety disorder is a dark abyss of suffering. I also believe that these things are brought on by an embalance within the body. This embalance triggers the depression/anxiety. Then I think that how bad this gets depends on individual personalities.
I think that in many situations effexor worsens these conditions of suffering with long term continued use. I have yet to see anything in the med information given by the pharmacy that warns people of the true effects of this drug. The manufacturer has known about these effects for many years and only in March of last year disclosed some sellected information. To my knowledge that have yet to disclose everything about effexor. This, in my opinion, borders on criminal behavior and will be addressed with legal action.
Posted by CRTF on February 18, 2001, at 2:30:50
In reply to Re: Effexor XR vs. Paxil and weight gain , posted by newgirl on April 18, 2000, at 10:46:14
Posted by Joy on February 18, 2001, at 8:06:12
In reply to Does Prozac cause weight gain?, posted by CRTF on February 18, 2001, at 2:30:50
Prozac does not cause weight gain in the majority of people who take it even at high doses[including me] but Paxil does.
Joy >> Can it cause weight gain in adolescent teen girls? How long does it take for the weight gain to start? What about a smaller dosage? Please help!
Posted by CRTF on February 18, 2001, at 11:30:06
In reply to Re: Does Prozac cause weight gain?, posted by Joy on February 18, 2001, at 8:06:12
Posted by maxx on February 18, 2001, at 16:19:44
In reply to Re: lots of success on effexor, posted by CrystalThacker on February 16, 2001, at 14:12:58
Has anyone solved/reduced the problem of gaining weight from EFFEXOR?
Thanks for any input! Max
Posted by CrystalThacker on February 18, 2001, at 18:40:02
In reply to Re: lots of success - gaining weight, posted by maxx on February 18, 2001, at 16:19:44
> Has anyone solved/reduced the problem of gaining weight from EFFEXOR?
>
> Thanks for any input! MaxNo I havent gained any weight while on effexor been on it for 2 years. I gained weught taking paxil though cant get that off.
Posted by Shell on February 19, 2001, at 2:04:54
In reply to Does Prozac cause weight gain?, posted by CRTF on February 18, 2001, at 2:30:50
>
> Can it cause weight gain in adolescent teen girls? How long does it take for the weight gain to start? What about a smaller dosage? Please help!I lost about 15-20 pounds on Prozac, which is a lot for me (size 10-12 to size 6). I wasn't an adolescent girl, however; I was a 28-year-old woman. I think it worked by reducing cravings, especially for carbohydrates and by helping me be more motivated to exercise. I still had to diet, but it was just easier to stick to it.
Shell
Posted by NMichele on February 19, 2001, at 7:34:36
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by NMichele on January 25, 2001, at 9:48:44
> > Has anybody lost any of the weight they gained from Effexor XR. I gained about 35lbs over the last 2 1/2 years and am now beginning the journey of losing all of this extra weight. If you have, how long did it take and what did you have to do?? Any encouragement would be wonderful!! Thanks - NMichele
Posted by Jenny S on February 19, 2001, at 10:05:59
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Hello, my name is Jenny, I am 25, and I have suffered from Manic Depression/ Anxiety/ Obsessive Compulsive disorder since childhood. Growing up I never took any anti-depressants for fear of side effects. But as of April 2000, my new MD (I moved to the NY area) decided to try Buspar, and a few others, which didn't help at all. Then she decided to try the Effexor. The only night I took the Effexor, I had the most horrible side effects. My whole body was trembling, I had what felt like a neverending panic attack that night, strange chest sensations, it was so scary! Anyway, the next morning the bad side effects started to subside, with the exception of the strange chest sensations, which till this day, almost a year later has never gone away. It feels somewhat like the feeling when you go down a rollercoaster mixed with trembling in my chest. Sometimes it subsides, but never has it gone away. Some days feel like the night I took the Effexor, as strong as ever. My dr. is trying to put it off as just some new stress thing I am getting, but I know otherwise. It started that night, and hasn't gone away since. I am so scared, I don't know what to do. If anyone has experienced this and has any helpful advise please email me at axesangl@aol.com. I appreciate any support or advise someone can give me. I STRONGLY do not reccommend this drug to anyone.
Posted by Lorraine on February 19, 2001, at 11:09:21
In reply to Has ANYBODY out there lost their Effexor weight ??, posted by NMichele on February 19, 2001, at 7:34:36
> > > Has anybody lost any of the weight they gained from Effexor XR. I gained about 35lbs over the last 2 1/2 years and am now beginning the journey of losing all of this extra weight. If you have, how long did it take and what did you have to do?? Any encouragement would be wonderful!! Thanks - NMichele
I lost my 35 lbs by going off Effexor and doing a low carb diet. I think that Effexor caused me to crave carbs. I'm back on Effexor at a very low dose augmented with amphetamine. I have adopted low carb as a way of life. I'm hoping the low dose, the amphetamine and the low carb will help me maintain my weight. Good luck! Low carb really works, but for me it took a while to kick in (about 4 weeks with no weight loss). Then I lost the weight in about 5 months.
Posted by Lorraine on February 19, 2001, at 11:11:56
In reply to Terrible Side Effects on Effexor, help!, posted by Jenny S on February 19, 2001, at 10:05:59
> Hello, my name is Jenny, I am 25, and I have suffered from Manic Depression/ Anxiety/ Obsessive Compulsive disorder since childhood. Growing up I never took any anti-depressants for fear of side effects. But as of April 2000, my new MD (I moved to the NY area) decided to try Buspar, and a few others, which didn't help at all. Then she decided to try the Effexor. The only night I took the Effexor, I had the most horrible side effects. My whole body was trembling, I had what felt like a neverending panic attack that night, strange chest sensations, it was so scary! Anyway, the next morning the bad side effects started to subside, with the exception of the strange chest sensations, which till this day, almost a year later has never gone away. It feels somewhat like the feeling when you go down a rollercoaster mixed with trembling in my chest. Sometimes it subsides, but never has it gone away. Some days feel like the night I took the Effexor, as strong as ever. My dr. is trying to put it off as just some new stress thing I am getting, but I know otherwise. It started that night, and hasn't gone away since. I am so scared, I don't know what to do. If anyone has experienced this and has any helpful advise please email me at axesangl@aol.com. I appreciate any support or advise someone can give me. I STRONGLY do not reccommend this drug to anyone.
Jenny, It sounds like anxiety to me. Maybe you need to augment your med with something.
Posted by pocahontas on February 19, 2001, at 12:51:28
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by Amy on May 4, 2000, at 19:52:15
I have been taking a 75mg dose of effexor for about 7 months
and my side effects were getting worse and worse,
so my doctor and I decided I needed to come off.
He suggested taking a pill every other day until my
prescription was gone, and then gave me samples
which included a weeks worth of 37.5 mg capsules.
I couldn't even make the first 48 hours without
horrible withdrawals, so I went to plan B...start with
the 37.5 mg dose each day. That was fine, but they
are gone and I am on day 4 and I am so nauseated that
I can't stand it, but it does seem to be a little
like morning sickness in the fact if you eat a little
you aren't quite so sick. The fuzzy headedness, and
strange dizziness don't subside though. I can't
sleep at night, and the tears just flow for no real
reason, but when I do go to sleep finally
I can sleep for 12 hours at a time. I have been trying
do follow a low carb diet to get some of the weight
off that I have put on, and when I try to exercise
I just can't move my head from side to side without
getting sick. From what I have read, these are pretty
standard withdrawals. I do not want to take more
of this stuff with the fear that I will never be able
to get away from it without more side effects, but
I don't know if I can last another day. I do have
a few more pills and am considering cutting them up and just eating
crumbs to get by, but will I ever be able to just do without
them? How long do I have to endure this before it
stops?
Posted by Mary E. on February 19, 2001, at 15:50:12
In reply to Re: effexor xr and side effects, posted by Judy on April 23, 2000, at 22:43:54
> Sweating - is anyone having problems with excessive sweating from taking Effexor, 75 mg, the time released version? I can't decide if it's the med or menopause......
How is your sweating problem. I am on the same med and amt, and in menopause. I have been taking this for 2 months. I did not have a problem with sweating untill a few days ago. Then I realized that it was the time for my menstrual cycle. 6 days before I would have had my cycle, I began to sweat terribly. Then I had some pain in my ovaries. The next day, I was very weepy, shaky, restless, feeling panicky, sweating...lots of pms symptoms exaggerated. The pharmacist said I should talk to my dr and have my amt increased. I couldn't wait that long, so I took 2 midol and the symptoms went away. I hope you are doing better....good luck...keep asking your dr about it...Mary E.
Posted by leckroj on February 19, 2001, at 16:37:36
In reply to Re: effexor xr and side effects, posted by Mary E. on February 19, 2001, at 15:50:12
> > Sweating - is anyone having problems with excessive sweating from taking Effexor, 75 mg, the time released version? I can't decide if it's the med or menopause......
>
> How is your sweating problem. I am on the same med and amt, and in menopause. I have been taking this for 2 months. I did not have a problem with sweating untill a few days ago. Then I realized that it was the time for my menstrual cycle. 6 days before I would have had my cycle, I began to sweat terribly. Then I had some pain in my ovaries. The next day, I was very weepy, shaky, restless, feeling panicky, sweating...lots of pms symptoms exaggerated. The pharmacist said I should talk to my dr and have my amt increased. I couldn't wait that long, so I took 2 midol and the symptoms went away. I hope you are doing better....good luck...keep asking your dr about it...Mary E.Mary E--Hi. I'm just getting back to the site; I've been too busy to communicate...I, too, am menopausal--have been for 12 years. I've been on Effexor XR, 300 mg. for ~2 yrs. One of my main complaints with it is sweating! Everybody in my office is freezing, and I'd like to take some clothes off...However, I was wondering about your other symptoms: how long have you been menopausal? It doesn't sound as tho' you're sure you're there, yet. If you think you are, go to the doctor, and ask for an FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) test. If FSH is high--above some level I don't remember off-hand, you probably are. And you, yourself, wonder if the symptoms be related to this rather than a low Effexor dose. You may want to start hormone replacement therapy. This does wonders for lots of menopausal women. And it's good prevention for thinning of the bones (osteoporosis). Just ideas for you to think about...My best to you. Jan
Posted by crylt73 on February 19, 2001, at 17:06:23
In reply to Re: effexor xr and side effects, posted by Mary E. on February 19, 2001, at 15:50:12
> > Sweating - is anyone having problems with excessive sweating from taking Effexor, 75 mg, the time released version? I can't decide if it's the med or menopause......
>
> How is your sweating problem. I am on the same med and amt, and in menopause. I have been taking this for 2 months. I did not have a problem with sweating untill a few days ago. Then I realized that it was the time for my menstrual cycle. 6 days before I would have had my cycle, I began to sweat terribly. Then I had some pain in my ovaries. The next day, I was very weepy, shaky, restless, feeling panicky, sweating...lots of pms symptoms exaggerated. The pharmacist said I should talk to my dr and have my amt increased. I couldn't wait that long, so I took 2 midol and the symptoms went away. I hope you are doing better....good luck...keep asking your dr about it...Mary E.Hi I have been on effexor xr for two years now and I have alot of problems with sweating and I am not going through the change, I am only 27.
Posted by JL on February 20, 2001, at 2:27:48
In reply to Withdrawal From Effexor, posted by JL on January 26, 2001, at 19:18:27
Well, I've been off the damn Effexor for nearly a month now. The dizziness has FINALLY stopped but I'm still rather "light-headed" and the naseua continues. I will NEVER go on this horrible drug again.
I've had some very serious problems during the past two weeks with EXTREME depression and anxiety. I'm lethargic and have absolutely no motivation to do anything. This is AWFUL. While my doc put me on Zerzone, I don't think it's working. Are the problems with the depression, anxiety, etc. related to going off Effexor? If so, how long with this last? When, if ever, will the Serzone kick in? My doc also told me that she normally DOESN'T prescribe Effexor due to all of the problems with it (I was placed on it by a quack I fired two years ago who was nothing more than a medication dispenser) - she has said that ALL of her patients have the same problems getting off of it that I have had.
Posted by Will on February 20, 2001, at 16:58:46
In reply to Re: From Wellbutrin for Dep. and ADD to Effexor XR, posted by Sara T. on April 16, 2000, at 12:17:40
How long does it take to withdraw from Effexor RX? I feel horroble. It has been 5 days since I stopped (after tapering off). I switched to Welbutrin. I am nauseous, have headaches, dizziness, insomnia, and that weird buzzing in my head, like "The Six Million Dollar Man" (if you remember that show from the 70's).
Any help would be welcome! I was on 225 mgs. daily of Effexor.
Posted by Richie on February 25, 2001, at 2:46:53
In reply to My personal exp. with Effexor XR , posted by Nj_James on November 16, 2000, at 23:24:43
I have had insomnia for years which I used to solve by drinking and smoking marijuana, both of which I have stopped for over two months and now I can not sleep. I was given scrips for Sonata and then Ambien but find I need more than one to get to sleep. The doc started to prescribe anti depressants: Wellbutrin, Celexa and now Effexor 37.5mg), to help with anxiety and sleeplessness, but I have found they just keep me awake. I started to take the Effexor yesterday, and am not sure if it will help my insomnia. He told me to stop taking the Celexa with the Effexor, and the Wellbutrin definitely does not help. He doesn't want to prescribe Trazadone or Remeron because they are narcotics, but I have tried to go off everything and nothing helps to get me to sleep. Melatonin, Valerian, warm milk, turkey, etc. I will spend twelve hours in bed and sleep less than two hours. Any ideas on what I can ask the doc to prescribe to help me sleep? Thanks for any input.
Posted by MSM on February 25, 2001, at 14:40:52
In reply to Insomnia and depression, posted by Richie on February 25, 2001, at 2:46:53
> I have had insomnia for years which I used to solve by drinking and smoking marijuana, both of which I have stopped for over two months and now I can not sleep. I was given scrips for Sonata and then Ambien but find I need more than one to get to sleep. The doc started to prescribe anti depressants: Wellbutrin, Celexa and now Effexor 37.5mg), to help with anxiety and sleeplessness, but I have found they just keep me awake. I started to take the Effexor yesterday, and am not sure if it will help my insomnia. He told me to stop taking the Celexa with the Effexor, and the Wellbutrin definitely does not help. He doesn't want to prescribe Trazadone or Remeron because they are narcotics, but I have tried to go off everything and nothing helps to get me to sleep. Melatonin, Valerian, warm milk, turkey, etc. I will spend twelve hours in bed and sleep less than two hours. Any ideas on what I can ask the doc to prescribe to help me sleep? Thanks for any input.
Wow.....it's good to hear your story. I quit using marijuana and alcohol 12 weeks ago and have gone through exactly what you have. I could not sleep for more than an hour or so at a time and would wake up in a pool of sweat. I was getting three hours sleep a night at most, I was a wreck all day from lack of sleep. I tried every thing you mentioned and nothing helped. I was begining to believe that using was better than not.I tried Zoloft for depression but couldn't handle the side effects. My therapist suggested that I try Remeron. I have been taking it for 3 weeks now and am sleeping better than i've slept in years. Remeron is not a narcotic, it's a relatively new anti-depressant caterogized as an NASSA. Discontinuing use is much easier than discontinuing most SSRI's. I am beginning to feel less depressed and less stressed, my experience so far has been a very good one. There is plenty of information about Remeron on this site and others, I would suggest that you do some reading and perhaps print out some information from this site, the Remeron home site and others, many Medical Universitys have good information on their sites, and take the information to your doctor and ask him, or her, to reconsider. There are two theories about doctors, one is that they don't know everything, the other is that they don't know anyth.......errrr. Well maybe this isn't the best place to theorize about doctors.
I have also done some reading on the rebound effects of quitting marijuana after long term use. It is not uncommon for your body to take 3 to 6 months or even up to a year
to readjust.
Just curious, are you attending any fellowships to help you with your abstinence?Good luck,
Mark
Posted by Janie on February 25, 2001, at 15:40:57
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by pocahontas on February 19, 2001, at 12:51:28
> I have been taking a 75mg dose of effexor for about 7 months
> and my side effects were getting worse and worse,
> so my doctor and I decided I needed to come off.
> He suggested taking a pill every other day until my
> prescription was gone, and then gave me samples
> which included a weeks worth of 37.5 mg capsules.
> I couldn't even make the first 48 hours without
> horrible withdrawals, so I went to plan B...start with
> the 37.5 mg dose each day. That was fine, but they
> are gone and I am on day 4 and I am so nauseated that
> I can't stand it, but it does seem to be a little
> like morning sickness in the fact if you eat a little
> you aren't quite so sick. The fuzzy headedness, and
> strange dizziness don't subside though. I can't
> sleep at night, and the tears just flow for no real
> reason, but when I do go to sleep finally
> I can sleep for 12 hours at a time. I have been trying
> do follow a low carb diet to get some of the weight
> off that I have put on, and when I try to exercise
> I just can't move my head from side to side without
> getting sick. From what I have read, these are pretty
> standard withdrawals. I do not want to take more
> of this stuff with the fear that I will never be able
> to get away from it without more side effects, but
> I don't know if I can last another day. I do have
> a few more pills and am considering cutting them up and just eating
> crumbs to get by, but will I ever be able to just do without
> them? How long do I have to endure this before it
> stops?Pocahontas
I met with my MD last week, and am also beginning to withdraw from 37.5 mg/day over a 7-8 month period. I am an RN, and here is my plan of action. I am decreasing the dose literally by hours, beginning with taking 37.5 every 36 hours instead of 24. I have already had some of the withdrawal symptoms you describe, but very mild. The next step will be to go to 37.5 every 48 hours. If this goes well, then I will move to 25 mg of regular Effexor for a period of time, and then down to 12.5 mg until I can finally withdraw totally. I agree, the drug SUCKS!! But I'm lethargic and sleepy all the time on it, so hope my energy picks up. It can't go down.
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