Posted by NZgirl on December 3, 2005, at 18:49:39
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal and side effects, posted by sassie on December 2, 2005, at 21:25:54
It sounds like you are reducing too quickly - I was only on the drug for 3 weeks but it took me 4 weeks to get off it!
It is now 10 days since I stopped Effexor. The uncontrollable sobbing lasted about 4 days. I am still getting headaches but they are a walk in the park compared to the ones I had while withdrawing. I felt pretty good yesterday, but have felt tired and nauseous today.
My advice to anyone trying to withdraw - if your doctor tells you to decrease over a matter of days, or to just stop taking Effexor altogether "Do not listen to them! They dont know what they are talking about!!" Listen to the people who have had to go through this before you. I have found doctors to be of no use at all through this experience.
Here is my advice for what it is worth:
1. Reduce very very slowly - I was only on the drug 3 weeks, yet it took me nearly 4 weeks to get off it! Go figure! If you are on a high dose and have been taking the drug for more than a few months, you will need to reduce over a period of a few months or even more.
2. Reduce your dose by about 10 - 15% if you can handle it, and stay there for 2 weeks before reducing again.
3. Dont listen to doctors who tell you to take the med every second or third day - when you do this you will just send your body into withdrawal. Because of the low half life of Effexor you will most probably start to feel sick if you miss a day.It is much better to take it every day and lower the dosage over time.
4. I have heard that the lower reductions just before you stop altogethr can be more horrible than the bigger ones - you may need to decrease more slowly as you get closer to coming off the drug completely. This means you will need to cut up pills, or break open the capsules.The last week or so of my reduction went like this.
I opened the 75 mg XR release capsule and counted the granules - there were about 250, which meant roughly 3.3 granules was equal to 1 gram of the drug. On Friday I took 40 granules, Saturday 35 granules, Sunday 30 granules etc until the last day I took 10 granules.
The doctors will tell you not to do this but it is the only way I could get the doses small enough. Make sure you dont break or crush the granules - carefully pop them on your tongue and swallow with some water or put them in a teaspoon of yoghurt or something.
Make sure you always eat and drink a big glass of water.
5. Other things that helped:
- Ginger for nausea - it doesnt take it away completely but does take the edge off
- Benedryl(diphenhydramine hydrocholoride). Depending on the country you are in it is sold as an antihistamine, or an OTC sleeping aid. These did seem to help me with the headaches and sleeping at night.
- I've seen other postings where people recommend taking fish oil supplements, which I did, but I dont know if it helped any. I'm sure its good for me anyways.To all of you trying to deal with this horrible drug, be gentle with yourself - you may need to take time off work - personally I have had to take 8 days off work because of Effexor - I'm lucky I have an understanding boss.
Good luck everyone - you will get through this. Take care
poster:NZgirl
thread:584314
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20051018/msgs/585138.html