effexor w/d....somebody shoot me

daph · 04-26-2008, 12:50 PM

i have been taking effexor xr since september, but bc DH and I have decided we will start tryin as soon as I start ovulating, I've been cut down to half my dosage to wean me off the meds. Then, after a week, I'll stop taking it all together. Dr's will tell you that weening you off of it will keep ya from having any detox symptoms....WRONG. today I feel so weird. My lips are numb, my hands feel numb and shaky. I feel like lightening is shooting thru my body. The bad thing is...I was only taking 75mg a day! Has anyone else experienced this when coming off effexor? If so, how long does this last?

Thanks for the responses in advance,

Your electric friend,
daph

allbeendone · 04-26-2008, 01:29 PM

I'm so sorry you're going through this.

I was on Paxil several years ago and the withdrawal was killer. A year later, it was determined I needed meds again and I begged my doctor not to put me on anything that had withdrawal similar to Paxil. He assured me Effexor had no withdrawal symptoms.

WRONG.

I later read an article stating that Effexor was known to have worse withdrawal symptoms than Paxil and eventually, I found out firsthand. I know exactly what you are going through - dizziness, brain shocks, the whole nine. I don't really have any good advice on how to deal with it, other than trying to lie down and/or nap a lot. For me, the withdrawal lasted about 4 weeks, but the first 2 weeks were the worst.

Hang in there!

RoaryKennedy · 04-26-2008, 01:54 PM

((HUGS))

I am also on Effexor, but I haven't tried coming off it yet. I do know that when I had the stomach flu a few weeks ago and missed ONE dose, I felt like you are feeling now. Wicked stuff.

You could also try posting on the Depression board; I know this has been a topic there, too.

daph · 04-26-2008, 03:24 PM

Thanks girls. I think I will post on the depression board. These brain shocks are killers. I can't believe that a doctor would give this to anyone.

Twilight2008 · 04-26-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daph

i have been taking effexor xr since september, but bc DH and I have decided we will start tryin as soon as I start ovulating, I've been cut down to half my dosage to wean me off the meds. Then, after a week, I'll stop taking it all together. Dr's will tell you that weening you off of it will keep ya from having any detox symptoms....WRONG. today I feel so weird. My lips are numb, my hands feel numb and shaky. I feel like lightening is shooting thru my body. The bad thing is...I was only taking 75mg a day! Has anyone else experienced this when coming off effexor? If so, how long does this last?

Thanks for the responses in advance,

Your electric friend,
daph

Sounds just like Paxil w/d. I am on effexor and one day I missed a dose and I felt the same way. My only suggestion is to cut down at a much slower pace. Like 3/4 the dose for 2 week, then 1/2 for 2 weeks, then 1/4 for 2 weeks until you are off completely. Big jumps are bad.

Missy

PBLayzod · 04-26-2008, 05:35 PM

You may also want to check with your doctor about what the risks are if you continue the drug. I could not have done without antidepressants during the 4 years it took me to concieve DD. When Paxil is a big no-no, most of the other drugs are considered fairly safe, the biggest risk being a some mild withdrawl symptoms for the baby after birth.

Pamster · 04-26-2008, 06:02 PM

Yeah, I have been one effexor for a little over a year now and I feel withdraw symptoms if I even forget to take it for ONE DAY. I get cranky, fatigued, dizzy, nauseous, etc. In fact, I think that the effexor withdraw symptoms are even worse than the paxil ones, at least they were for me.

I have never tried to withdraw from Effexor, but Paxil was pretty bad. I don't really know what to tell you except that coke syrup can help if you have nausea. Also, taking a lot of naps may help. It took about 2 weeks for me to feel normal again. Good luck!

BethV · 04-26-2008, 06:19 PM

Man, you all are scaring me! I've been on 150 mg of Effexor XR for almost 4 years now! I do not want to stay on it forever, but now I'm wondering what I've done to myself. I get those shaky, weird feelings, too, when I miss a dose.

daph · 04-26-2008, 06:38 PM

Thanks ladies....Dr. says that this could take a week or two to get over...much like what yall had already told me! I would have never gotten on this med had I known then what I know now! I loved it while i was on it, but now that I am trying to get off of it...no thanks! As for staying on this drug while I was pregnant, the Dr. said no, but I also realize now that I would NEVER want to put my baby thru this! Thanks again for all the support. I'll let ya know when my "shocks' stop!

Much Love,
Daph

MyDuckySam · 04-27-2008, 01:19 AM

having stopped Effexor cold turkey........I know exactly what you mean. big hugs......

elocinintherain · 04-27-2008, 01:31 AM

What you are talking about is called "SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome".
LINK

Quote:

Paxil, Effexor, Zoloft and Luvox are short-acting. The shorter acting SSRIs, when discontinued or when the dosage is lowered, produce an "anticholinergic rebound," which is an interruption in production of the key neurotransmitter acetylcholine. (Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter used more when a person is under greater stress.) These symptoms will last anywhere from one to seven weeks, and then disappear.

Neurologic symptoms include:

Dizziness
Vertigo
Lightheadedness
Difficulty walking

Somatic (bodily) complaints include:

Nausea/vomiting
Fatigue
Headaches
Insomnia

Less common difficulties:

Shock-like sensations
Parasthesia (skin crawling, burning or prickling)
Visual disturbances
Diarrhea
Muscle pain
Chills

Non-specific mental symptoms:

Shock-like sensations
Agitation
Impaired concentration
Vivid dreams
Depersonalization - sense of unreality and loss of self
Irritability
Suicidal thoughts

KeyGoblin · 04-27-2008, 01:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daph

i have been taking effexor xr since september, but bc DH and I have decided we will start tryin as soon as I start ovulating, I've been cut down to half my dosage to wean me off the meds. Then, after a week, I'll stop taking it all together. Dr's will tell you that weening you off of it will keep ya from having any detox symptoms....WRONG. today I feel so weird. My lips are numb, my hands feel numb and shaky. I feel like lightening is shooting thru my body. The bad thing is...I was only taking 75mg a day! Has anyone else experienced this when coming off effexor? If so, how long does this last?

Thanks for the responses in advance,

Your electric friend,
daph

I didn't have much of a problem coming off of Effexor, but that was because they were putting me on something else.

However, I had a blood clot after a surgery, almost 3 years ago, and the hospital took me off all my meds cold turkey. It took a little while, my friend. On the plus side, at least you know it's a detox affect. On the other hand, if they get too severe and worry you, call the doctor. The time it takes varies depending on the person's body, what else they're on, and how quickly things work through their system.

I had a problem being on all of those meds primarily due to the constant fluctuation of horomones, due to the PCOS. Even mood stabilizers failed to work completely.

I know this isn't much help, but I hope it helps some!

J-Ro · 04-27-2008, 04:25 AM

I know firsthand the perils of w/d from Effexor. I thought I was going crazy at first, and my dr. said w/d symptoms are rare. After doing a little research myself, I found this is not so. I ended up having to w/d very slowly. It is very important to "phase down" in the same way that you titrate the dosage in the beginning. Sometimes it's 2 steps forward, 1 step back. If you are trying to phase off, make sure to take care of yourself by drinking plenty of water, eating well, and getting enough rest. I also made sure I didn't have anything extremely taxing going on during the process as working FT was more than enough most days. Best wishes!

Moonshoot · 04-27-2008, 02:40 PM

I have been through this before and so has my friend. I have been reading about this and here is my biggest tip for you. I have read that taking Prozac during the last month of withdrawal will help with the symptoms. There are no withdrawal symptoms for Prozac, so after a month or two, stop taking the Prozac....ask your doctor.

Also, when I did it, I was taking the non-extened release version(7-8 years ago), so I could really phase down gradually by barely shaving off a little bit of the pill. I think I cut down by 1/8th each week or so and still had withdrawal symptoms. Anyway, I wonder if your doctor could prescribe the regular Effexor....if they still make it? And also to the Prozac?