![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by slash6767 on August 19, 2002, at 18:53:24
I just stumbled across this site today while searching the web for *some* miracle relief for my Effexor XR withdrawls. Its relieving to see that I am not the only one who is or has suffered through getting off of Effexor, and I am hoping someone out there can shed some light for me on what I can do temporarily to ease this misery.
Anyhow.. I am a 22 year old male who has suffered with generalized anxiety disorder since I was diagnosed with it when I was about 10 years old. Throughout the years I have been prescribed prozac & paxil, as well as a few different benzos including xanax, valium, & ativan for anxiety. I have never really been a depressed person, just someone who suffered from panic attacks (daily) & unable to sleep at night due to my heart pounding out of my chest when I would turn out the lights and lay down. This is probably mild compared to many of your stories & I can honestly say that (I FEEL FOR YOU) to those people who have not been able to work, attend school, or leave the house due to severe anxiety. Anyhow... From ages 17 - 19 I got away from the meds completely. I rarely had anxiety attacks and I had felt that maybe I had "grown out of them". This was until my worthless friends introduced me to that wonderful feel good drug called Ecstasy... (can you feel the sarcasm?) I had never been one to do drugs or follow the crowd, but for some reason I convinced myself to try it. Throughout the summer of 2000, over a 3 month period I took ecstasy maybe 6 times on different weekend parties. This was honestly the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. Everything seemed fine until 1 day while driving to work "it happened again". I started panicing for no reason. All of those old fears, and memories came back & it was horrible. I was barely able to drive myself to work & it wouldn't stop. To make a long, agonizing story short this severe anxiety "episode" lasted for 3 months! I would go days without sleeping, staying up shaking on the couch watching tv, crying. I lost over 30 pounds, my life was a complete mess. Until I finally went back to doctor to admit that I had done something very stupid. Anyway, this new Dr. introduced me to Effexor XR. It was (at the time) a new AD that seemed to do well with anxiety and suggested that I try it. Needless to say, Effexor changed my life. Within a few months I was 100% normal again (aside from the lousy sexual side effects) and after about 6 months I decreased my dosage from 75mg to 37.5 where I have been at for about 1.5 years.
Anyway... (sorry for the life story book, just in a typing mood today :).. During the last year or so I have been gaining weight. I have gained almost 30 pounds which is up about 60 pounds from where I was just 2 years ago. My diet hasn't changed, my activity level is also very close to what it has been before as well. So recently my doctor suggested that I stop taking it because it is probably causing me to retain water. (who knows). So 3 days ago I took the last pill from my prescription and within just 6 hours of missing that 37.5mg pill the withdrawls started.
Today has been 3 days effexor free and I am in complete hell. I am not feeling anxiety, but I am dizzy, lightheaded, nausiated, tired, have a head ache, I am irritable, can't focus or concentrate, depressed as hell, & can't help but just cry wishing I felt "normal again". I can't believe the withdrawl feelings could be strong on such a small dosage. I can't even begin to imagine what you poor people who stop cold turkey from 150mg or 300mg's must go through.
Does anyone know of any meds that will make me feel better - at least temporarily not so fogged up until I readjust to not taking it? Also, has any other 37.5 users stopped and how long did it take your withdrawl symptoms to go away or if you had them at all? A friend mentioned to me today that benedryl will help somewhat, but it hasn't seemed to do much other than make me maybe a bit more relaxed. I appreciate your time taken to read this.
Slash6767
Posted by John2222 on August 19, 2002, at 20:38:55
In reply to Effexor XR withdrawls - Misery!, posted by slash6767 on August 19, 2002, at 18:53:24
I have read of some people taking the Effexor 37.5 mg XR capsules, and opening them by gently twisting the two parts of the capsule, pouring 1/2 of the white beads out, then re-closing the capsule, and then taking that roughly 18 mg of Effexor XR.
This was to allow another small step in withdrawal adjustment before going to zero.
But, you've already gone to zero. Discuss with your doctor how to get through this I guess.
Maybe Effexor should be reading this and come out with some smaller doses!!
Posted by nikioct73 on August 19, 2002, at 21:11:04
In reply to Re: Effexor XR withdrawls - Misery!, posted by John2222 on August 19, 2002, at 20:38:55
you might try Asking your doc for a dose of prozac 20 mg ....it has a long half life...one or two daily doses helps many people...but for some it is hell no matter what you do..I have been off for two weeks and my only symptom left is "shocks" ..in my head with eye movement and/or stress....but can't complain.Some people have these weird effects for months...and benadrly did help mildly...good luck..
Niki
Posted by sleepy lizard on August 20, 2002, at 1:05:52
In reply to Re: Effexor XR withdrawls - Misery!, posted by nikioct73 on August 19, 2002, at 21:11:04
My sympathies, I've had those shocks too (it the head and arms), and I found out they are called paresthesia. Cutting the dose from 150mg to 75 mg (XR) was not too bad, but I've tried going from 150 mg to 0 mg and the second and third night I had strange nightmares, and the paresthesia got worse each day. Wellbutrin 100mg did not help.
Posted by oracle on August 20, 2002, at 1:37:34
In reply to Effexor XR withdrawls - Misery!, posted by slash6767 on August 19, 2002, at 18:53:24
Stopping Effexor at once tends to make
the withdrawls last longer and be much worse.
Posted by Roo on August 20, 2002, at 9:16:49
In reply to Re: Effexor XR withdrawls - Misery!, posted by oracle on August 20, 2002, at 1:37:34
I sympathize with you. I've been going through the
same thing. It _has_ gotten better though. This weekend
I went to the store and I was so dizzy and cotton headed
and irritable and I couldn't think, and I came home and collasped
into tears because I just wanted so badly to feel normal again.
It is totally amazing how hard it is coming off the stuff--worse than
crack, I bet. Anyway, what helps is like your friend said...you start feeling
a little dizzy and foggy headed, just open up the capsule and pour about half or
less on your tongues and swallow it with water. You feel some relief then.
That's where I'm at. I'm guessing I'll just put less and less on my
tongue until I can get totally off the stuff.
Be sure and not isolate too much...hang out with your friends and let
them know what you're going through and reach out for their support.
Long, slow, gentle walks can help some if you can force yourself to do it...Good luck and keep posting...hang in there, it DOES get better. You have to
keep reminding yourself you're not crazy, it's just the withdrawal jerking your
body chemistry around.
Posted by crepuscular on August 20, 2002, at 16:13:23
In reply to Effexor XR withdrawls - Misery!, posted by slash6767 on August 19, 2002, at 18:53:24
i have heard so many people screaming about effexor withdrawl and had a friend who went through total agony, that i really think this drug should come with a warning. granted, stopping elavil after 10 years was nearly as bad, but i've never had these kind of symptoms coming off ssri's.
Posted by slash6767 on August 20, 2002, at 17:03:04
In reply to so sorry..., posted by crepuscular on August 20, 2002, at 16:13:23
Today makes day 4 without Effexor. I feel no better today than I did yesterday, actually, I think I may be even more dizzy today than before. Having to get through the work day in an office environment & dealing with people is nearly impossible. Thank god work is over... I hope this all ends soon!
Slash6767
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.