coming off effexor

daph · 04-26-2008, 02:32 PM

i have been taking 75mg of effexor since sept. and I've loved it, but DH and I are TTC, so my Dr has started to wean me off of it. I'm taking half my usual dose for a week, and then I'll be off completely. Well, today was my second day with a lower dose and BAM. I woke up with numb lips and hands. I feel like I have electricity running thru my body. I feel high as a kite...scary! Has anyone else experienced this and if so, how long did it last? What can I do to make this stop?

Thanks in advance,

Your electric soulcyster,
Daph

jc1978 · 04-30-2008, 12:23 AM

Hi,
I got off of 75mg of Effexor almost a year ago. It takes about 10days to 2 weeks for symptoms to subside. Did your doctor wean you off slowly? Could you ask him to put you on the 37.5mg dose or prozac? It's the hardest medication to wean off of for AD's.

I recommend drinking a lot of water and getting as much sleep as you can. If you are feeling a bit angry or racy (I know I did) try working off the energy by going for a walk.

RACHELLE32 · 05-02-2008, 12:04 AM

The same things happend to me and my sister. It is so scary. I will NEVER take that med again. I had the sypmtoms for about a week. I wish I would have let my doc put me on Prozac while weaning off of it.

daph · 05-04-2008, 10:01 PM

Yeah he put me on the smaller dose, but the w/d were still horrible. I should have been off of it completely by now, but those w/d were so bad that I am now taking 37.5 mg every other day for a week. I LOVED my effexor while i was on it, but knowing what i know now, I would have NEVER gotten on it. Thanks for all the support!

elocinintherain · 05-05-2008, 04:16 AM

Effexor has the worst withdrawl of all the modern antidepressants. What you experienced is a known side effect, called "Seretonin Discontinuation Syndrome". It takes a few weeks to go away. The best thing you can do is drink a ton of water, and continue drinking extra water once you stop the med.

Leigh2005 · 05-06-2008, 07:02 PM

I am also weaning as we speak. Today was my first day with feeling the brain fog, cross eyed, and dizzy. My husband and I will also be TTC starting in June, but my dr. doesn't want me off anti-d's completely. He's switching me Wellbutrin. I'm going to call the dr's nurse in the morning and see if I can take the Wellbutrin, which I'm now on while at the same time taking smaller and smaller amounts of effexor. If this keeps up I'm not going to be able to work. It's terrible, BUT I will make it through. Here's to a VERY short withdrawal period of time! We can do this DAPH!

by the way..I also loved my effexor as well. No side effects while on it. I hope the same goes for the wellbutrin.

Daph are you getting off anti-d's totally while you are TTC. My dr said that wellbutrin is relatively safe to be on while pregnant. I have severe enough depression where he doesn't want me to be without anything.

daph · 05-06-2008, 10:54 PM

Leigh, my doctor said that we could try without any meds, but that we could swap to welbutrin if needed. WE CAN DO THIS! I'm feeling better today...still a little off, but I'm feeling better! Good luck with the swap for you - keep me posted on how the WB works for you in case I want to make the swap too!

Leigh2005 · 05-07-2008, 12:18 AM

I would say the less meds the better

I'm hoping that might still be an option for me, but we'll see. I'll let you know either way. here's what I've done and I won't go through with this until I talk to the dr. tomorrow.

My side effects got so bad tonight that I caved and opened a 37.5 and took half of it. Within 3 hours I was back to normal and could go on a walk. I'm extremely hungry and I shouldn't be so I'm ignoring the hunger pains that I know are only from the meds.

Ok anyway, I opened a bunch of the pills and took out the little beads. I used those pill separator things and put a whole one in day 1, then decreased the beads by about 5% for 15 days. I'll let you know how that goes as well

Praying

adlovesma · 05-09-2008, 10:54 AM

Hey ladies,

i can't believe that there is a thread about effexor, my doc just put me on it and i took my first pill yesterday and and i felt like crap , i woke up this morning with nausea and last night i felt like i was high and coulnt go to sleep even though i was so tired. Do you think i should even stay on it ??

after feeling like i did i might just throw the bottle out.

adry

How does it help??????

KodaMoon · 05-13-2008, 01:48 AM

So sorry hun; I can totally relate. I am now on Efexxor and have been for awhile but I know that when I skip it by accident, the "head zaps" or as you described the "electricity" feeling you have is awful! I feel that my Efexxor does not work for me that well anymore but I totally fear coming off of it. I need to but the s/e would require me to take a month of work! My Dr. and I in the past have made a very "little by little" weaning off phase onto another script but I am too scared to do it! Good luck and if I can offer any help, please let me know....

daph · 05-15-2008, 01:26 PM

Well, I lasted about a week off the effexor. The physical withdrawals were gone, but I absolutely felt insane. I was angry for no reason, cried for no reason, and basically could not function. I talked to my OBGYN (who had not put me on effexor, but wanted me off of it) and they said that they have a lot of complaints from patients coming off of it. She said that evening weaning off of it is just too much for most patients she talks to. She put me on 50mg of Zoloft...I took the first pill last night, so we'll see how this works. I just wanted to update everyone, b/c I know many other cysters have been through the same thing or are goin' through the same thing. GOOD LUCK to all! I'll let ya know how the zoloft works!

jc1978 · 05-16-2008, 03:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daph

Well, I lasted about a week off the effexor. The physical withdrawals were gone, but I absolutely felt insane. I was angry for no reason, cried for no reason, and basically could not function. I talked to my OBGYN (who had not put me on effexor, but wanted me off of it) and they said that they have a lot of complaints from patients coming off of it. She said that evening weaning off of it is just too much for most patients she talks to. She put me on 50mg of Zoloft...I took the first pill last night, so we'll see how this works. I just wanted to update everyone, b/c I know many other cysters have been through the same thing or are goin' through the same thing. GOOD LUCK to all! I'll let ya know how the zoloft works!

You aren't alone, I felt the same way when I got off (rage, crying etc). Like I said if you can, try and excerise and it will help you feel better. You may want to look in to some councelling. I didn't go right away but I should because being off the meds can make you feel like a different person.

Remember, the meds are crutches for feelings so look in to it.

Leigh2005 · 05-16-2008, 11:21 PM

I've also heard that some of those symptoms are NOT your depression, but withdrawal symptoms. It's hard, I know. I'm now probably down to 20 mgs a day if my estimations are correct. They do say some women take it during their whole pregnancies and babies are ok

Daph.....so sorry it didn't work for you, but hoping that the zoloft will work.

I too will get really irritable at the drop of a hat, feel like crying here and there. Tonight I just took a 3 hour nap, which is unusual for me. dont' know if it's from the meds or just a long week.

I just keep praying that I can eventually get off this crazy stuff. In all honesty, it's been wonderful to be on, just hard to get off

good luck everyone

daph · 05-17-2008, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jc1978

You aren't alone, I felt the same way when I got off (rage, crying etc). Like I said if you can, try and excerise and it will help you feel better. You may want to look in to some councelling. I didn't go right away but I should because being off the meds can make you feel like a different person.

Remember, the meds are crutches for feelings so look in to it.

I am a counselor, so I know that counseling is important, but I am appalled at the last statement you made. First of all, meds aren't a crutch for feelings...some people have a chemical imbalance...depression is a disease, just like diabetes...so is insulin a crutch as well? you are right counseling is important, but there are MANY people who need the meds in addition to counseling...I just so happen to be one of them. Please, let's all be very careful how we say things, just bc meds were only a crutch for you doesn't mean they are not a complete necessity for someone else.

jc1978 · 05-18-2008, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daph

I am a counselor, so I know that counseling is important, but I am appalled at the last statement you made. First of all, meds aren't a crutch for feelings...some people have a chemical imbalance...depression is a disease, just like diabetes...so is insulin a crutch as well? you are right counseling is important, but there are MANY people who need the meds in addition to counseling...I just so happen to be one of them. Please, let's all be very careful how we say things, just bc meds were only a crutch for you doesn't mean they are not a complete necessity for someone else.

Yes I do believe some people DO need these meds to control chemical imbalances but in some cases I do believe they are prescribed instead of tackling the problem. I was angry, completely stopped going anywhere, was confused, I had feelings about things that I didn't have any thought to when I was on the meds. I basically was insensitive to anything said or done to me while on these meds that I was reacting to things later. I pretty much felt alienated to myself and didn't know who I was when I got off. It was the scariest feeling i have ever felt (worse than my anxiety)!

In my experience they were nothing but a crutch for me. Only thing that helped me was seeing someone for it. Effexor was nothing like poison. I am sure if you are a counceller, you know that you can't stay on effexor forever in some cases as well. It effected my liver enzymes causing my cholesterol to sky rocket (went from 4.3 to 7.4), gained 30lbs despite an excerise regimen which crushed my self esteem and made me feel helpless! So tell me that these meds are good for you in the long run when in turn it just ends up destroying your body when there are people who really don't need them?

You obviously have the credentials to know what it can do to a person. and have met many others who have gone through similar experiences with this medication. I don't think you have councelled people who have been on these meds but I am sure you will meet some who have felt the same way.

Sorry to sound so offensive. If you have read some of my previous posts in other threads, you will find that I DO KNOW some people do need these meds BUT NOT ALL. I wish to no longer comment on your thread seeing as that you are "appalled" at what I have said and what I consider important to getting off these meds.