Posted by Detroit on March 27, 2005, at 23:56:56
In reply to Re: About the Effexor XR Withdrawal, posted by Detroit on March 26, 2005, at 9:50:08
Update on my progress.
Flexible dosing is going well.Overall, I feel better than I have in more than two years!!! So much of what I've felt in the past few years I now believe to be "minor" withdrawals from the Effexor XR brought on by the 24 hrs between doses.
Like others here, I have very mixed feelings about this medicine now. It definitely helped me more than some other meds I tried (Imipramine, Prozac, Wellbutrin), but is clearly not without its own problems - the biggest being withdrawal related to its incredibly short half life - even in the XR version.
I sure wish my doctors and I were all 1)better informed, and 2)had more discussion prior to taking this med. I may still have done it, but wouldn't have been so surprised by what has happened to me during the withdrawal.
Again, thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences here!!! You have helped at least one person - ME!
Specific History:
150mg dosage for several (5?) years.
Down to 112.5mg 12 months ago.
Down to 75mg 5 months ago.
Down to 37.5mg 6 weeks ago.
Took last 37.5mg dose Tuesday night.Very little sleep Wed or Thursday night.
Increasing brain zaps, dizziness, and electrified feeling in feet and legs.
Friday was the complete hell-on-earth that others have described also.
My wife (a former pharmacist) was sure what was happening to me was related to Effexor withdrawal.
She started searching the web for helpful info Friday afternoon.
We read about alternative tapering down plans on this site and others. Decided to try.Friday 7pm took ~1/3 granules from 37.5mg capsule (I did not do the big/medium/little granule counting or measuring that others have described - just grabbed some).
Sat noon (15 hrs later) took ~1/3 granules.
Sat midnight (12 hrs later) took ~1/3 granules.
Sun 1am (~25 hrs later, in just a few minutes) I will take about 1/4 of the granules.
No significant withdrawal effects since about 8pm on Friday (although I am have some insomnia).I only take some when I feel the symptoms coming on, and it is working so far.
I will talk to my Doc Monday about the tablets to enable more precise dosing without attempting to count those little granules...
poster:Detroit
thread:469497
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050323/msgs/476525.html