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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SarahJane on March 21, 2004, at 19:33:43
I am hate to see I am not the only person going though, this..but I am also glad to know it something isn't severely wrong with me. This is horrible. I just want to cry. I have zaps where I am dizzy, I have nausea. I started Atkins 2 weeks ago. In reading about the diet, it explains that these seratonin related drugs cause weight gain. I had a starter pack my doctor had given me as a courtesy. I decided, I would reverse it and see how it goes. I was on 150mg, and went back down to a week of 75mg. I had a day or two of confusion, but not too bad. I reduced it to 37.5 for week. Same thing. A day or two of confusion. Nothing serious. The great news is I have lost 12lbs so far and was feeling great....until I stopped the Effexor. This is the first day 100% off of it, and I have had tears in my eyes all day wanting to cry. (Which is terrible because my 5 year old son doesn't understand) I am trying really hard to keep my composure around him so it doesn't scare him. Anyway, I am scared to death. I guess I am going to go in here in a few and take a 75mg or something. The majority of the ones I have read say it stops w/in an hour after taking it. Here is my main questions, though. One that I read said she counted the granules and reduced that way. My question is, do you just swallow the granuals? Do you put them back in a capsule? I am going to check back in a few. I pray someone knows. Thanks for any help, and let's sue the mfs!!!!!!
Posted by SarahJane on March 22, 2004, at 4:27:09
In reply to Effexor Withdrawl hell, posted by SarahJane on March 21, 2004, at 19:33:43
Okay, this is the next morning after my original message. I had a 75mg, and removed half of the granules. I feel better already. But I do not want to go through this forever. I want it out of my system. As I have read through several others, Here are all of my symptoms: vertigo zaps, nausea, bruising, low sex drive, shopping frenzys, obsession with organization, and confusion.
Posted by rainyday on March 22, 2004, at 9:57:36
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawl hell » SarahJane, posted by SarahJane on March 22, 2004, at 4:27:09
Are you going on another antidepressant after you have weaned off effexor, or are you going off completely?
rainyday
Posted by psychodad on March 22, 2004, at 19:54:52
In reply to Effexor Withdrawl hell, posted by SarahJane on March 21, 2004, at 19:33:43
My question is, do you just swallow the granuals? Do you put them back in a capsule? I am going to check back in a few. I pray someone knows. Thanks for any help, and let's sue the mfs!!!!!!
SarahJane - I have no personal experience, but read through many of these posts over the last week and have heard many stories on Effexor withdrawl. I was about to start on Effexor so I wanted to do some research. It doesn't really matter whether you put the granules in a capsule or not, the capsules are just containers that contain no medicine themselves. The point is to just gradually reduce the amount of Effexor you take every day until you no longer need any. The taper of period can take as long as 4 weeks. I have also heard many people say that taking a small dose of Prozac helps ease withdrawls because it has a longer half-life. The good news is that eventually the withdrawl symptoms will subside; just hang in there. Best wishes...
Posted by SarahJane on March 22, 2004, at 20:01:08
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawl hell » SarahJane, posted by rainyday on March 22, 2004, at 9:57:36
> Are you going on another antidepressant after you have weaned off effexor, or are you going off completely?
>
> rainyday
No, I really don't feel like I need it anymore. I was originally given Effexor for post partum depression....my son is almost 5. I really want nothing if at all possible. Thanks for the follow up!!!
Posted by SarahJane on March 22, 2004, at 20:06:05
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawl hell - SarahJane, posted by psychodad on March 22, 2004, at 19:54:52
> My question is, do you just swallow the granuals? Do you put them back in a capsule? I am going to check back in a few. I pray someone knows. Thanks for any help, and let's sue the mfs!!!!!!
>
> SarahJane - I have no personal experience, but read through many of these posts over the last week and have heard many stories on Effexor withdrawl. I was about to start on Effexor so I wanted to do some research. It doesn't really matter whether you put the granules in a capsule or not, the capsules are just containers that contain no medicine themselves. The point is to just gradually reduce the amount of Effexor you take every day until you no longer need any. The taper of period can take as long as 4 weeks. I have also heard many people say that taking a small dose of Prozac helps ease withdrawls because it has a longer half-life. The good news is that eventually the withdrawl symptoms will subside; just hang in there. Best wishes...
Thank you so much for the kind wishes. It is so scary. I have an appointment with my doctor in the morning to talk about it. I will follow up with more info. I would like to see about taking action against them. I read through the fine print info that comes with the starter, and it says possible dizziness, but NOTHING like this. It is not fair to people to be unaware of what could happen. I take Percocet for my back. I have heard so many people being addicted and having withdrawls. If I don't take it, it is no big deal. I am just devistated at these withdrawls! Thanks again, and I will follow up after tomorrows appointment. My doctor is on vacation, I am seeing another one in the office....I hope she is as good!!!!!
Posted by SarahJane on March 22, 2004, at 20:07:18
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawl hell - SarahJane, posted by psychodad on March 22, 2004, at 19:54:52
psycho dad.... I hope you can find something that doesn't do this!!! Good luck to you.
Posted by SarahJane on March 26, 2004, at 13:17:17
In reply to Effexor Withdrawl hell, posted by SarahJane on March 21, 2004, at 19:33:43
>It is SarahJane again. I had to reschedule my appointment. I had an eye injury Monday night. They removed velcro from my eye - yes, I am an idiot. I am scheduled for Monday afternoon. I am still taking the 37.5 (by removing granule from the 150mg...it is a job). Wish luck to all going through this mess. If anyone has any updates or advise, please let me know. I will be so grateful!!!
Posted by SarahJane on April 4, 2004, at 10:40:11
In reply to Effexor Withdrawl hell, posted by SarahJane on March 21, 2004, at 19:33:43
I finally had my appointment. I have a wonderful midwife he makes me feel so important. She was in shock to what is going on with the people trying to get off of this medication. She is worried about the patients she has prescribed it. She told me she would do anything possible to help me get through this. I told her I did NOT want anymore antidepressants. We have opted to start removing 5 granules a week and see how that goes. She has also prescribed me Xanax to see if that will help ease things. I removed 5 last night, and so far so good. It is going to take forever to do this, but maybe this is a good sign. I pray for all going through this.
I do have a question, has anyone looked into a law suite on the manufacturer for not disclosing the horrid withdrawls, spending/shopping frenzies, and so on? It seems to me, they should be held liable for messing up innocent people.
Posted by ku4ns on April 5, 2004, at 14:24:16
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawl hell, posted by SarahJane on April 4, 2004, at 10:40:11
I have been lowering my dose of effexor over time and reached 37.5mg a day for 3 weeks and had a migraine. I went back to my doctor and he prescribed 20mg of prozac to be taken with the effexor for one week and then stop the effexor. I did that and was fine until day 6 so I took one 37.5 mg effexor and now i'm out 2 days since then and feel ok. My physician tells me that the prozac will be very easy to stop when i'm ready. John
This is the end of the thread.
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