Posted by leah91 on June 12, 2006, at 13:21:14
In reply to Please share SUCCESS stories re: stopping Effexor., posted by MSWGradStudent on June 7, 2006, at 5:12:57
> I've read all of the horror stories. I need to hear that someone made it through the Effexor withdrawal and is now happy and symptom free!
>
> I'm currently more sick than I've ever been in my life and I know I can handle it IF there's going to be a light at the end of the tunnel...
>
> Who was able to stop it and is now symptom free?
>
> Thanks in advance and hope you are well!Hello,
I registered on this board today for one reason... to let people know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
I will share my story of my withdrawal from effexor, hoping that it will help just one person... would even be nice...
I was taking Effexor XR from October of last year, until January of this year, and had reached 300 mg a day.I did not come off of effexor voluntarily; to make a long story short, my ex-doctor went out of town on vacation and wouldn't return my calls after giving me too little effexor to last through to my next appt. I realized this too late, and was doomed to withdrawal. I stayed on it throughout the months because the doctor wanted to get me up to a "therapuetic level" and then supposedly I would feel better, which I never did.
Day one without the drug produced a profound migraine headache, which was debilitating, and painful.
Days two through twenty produced a number of hellish side effects, which in some instances provoked fear, confusion, and suicidal thoughts. I will not list them here, because if you are going through it, you know exactly what I am talking about.
I felt remnants of my old self again after week three, and then after week four I was pretty much symptom free, with a few snags here and there. It took about 5 or 6 weeks to feel completely normal again.
I feel so bad for the many people that have gone, or will go through this horrible experience, especially the ones who do not have strength, information, or support on their sides. I pray that they find the strength to get through this withdrawal... but know that you will eventually be your old self again, even if the withdrawal seems like it lasts forever.
If anyone needs any support, advice or just wants to talk to someone who has been through it, let me know. I sure could have used some help and support at the time.
Take heart...
poster:leah91
thread:653930
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20060602/msgs/655958.html