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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sammi on October 17, 2004, at 18:18:17
This is my first time on this site, so my story is a bit long. I hope someone can relate and help me.
I have been on effexor xr for a little over 2 years now. I started on 75mg then I got up to 375mg over time. I also started lamictal at the same time as the effexor xr, that dose has went up alot too, from 50mg to 400mg in the past 2 years.
I have resently changed my psychiatrist because my last one just kept increasing my meds everytime there was a problem. My new doc said that the doses that I was on was just to high so he has been slowly decreasing my meds from 75mg of effexor and 100mg of lamictal each month. Now I am on 225mg of effexor and 200mg of lamictal a day. I have been fine with the change up until this past week. I have had flu like symptoms, really bad back aches, my muscles hurt, I am constantly bitting down on my jaw, my stomach hurts, and I always feel nervous. I feel like I am dying.
The thing is about six months ago my old doc tried to take me off of the effexor by decreasing it 75mg a week but, by the second week I was real bad off, my depression started to come back, I was always dizzy and confused, I even had loss of memory. So she just put me back on the original dose plus added 75mg taking me up to 375mg a day.(see why I changed docs)
This time my symptoms are not the same as before.
What is wrong with me? Can anyone help?
Posted by BRC on October 17, 2004, at 19:06:28
In reply to PLEASE Can anyone relate, posted by sammi on October 17, 2004, at 18:18:17
Sounds to me like withdrawal effects. If it is you can go back to the dose that you were taking before you started feeling symptoms and if the symptoms seem to dissipate than it is most likely withdrawal symptoms.
But I would check with my doctor or a pharmacist before doing anything.
You can go to websites such as www.crazymeds.org look under withtdrawal and find answers there.
You can also try a google search of Effexor Withdrawal etc. and maybe that could help.
Wish you the best.
BRC
Posted by NeverGiveUp on October 18, 2004, at 11:06:03
In reply to PLEASE Can anyone relate, posted by sammi on October 17, 2004, at 18:18:17
From own experience and I believe from that Crazy Meds site, I would not advise adjusting Effexor by more than 37.5 mg/week. The withdrawal is harsh no matter what, but tolerable at that rate. The withdrawal has nothing to do with your depression and shouldn't be used as a sign that you "need" effexor.I would advise going down 37.5 mg, every two weeks. You will feel bad in different ways for about the first 5 days but then notice you feel much better. Changing by 75 mg-- i always failed, acted very oddly and ultimately gave up:( My own Dr. never even told me to limit to 37.5 mg-- it was from posts at Crazy Meds where I found that out.
I would also advise you to tell a good friend or spouse who you trust when you are about to go down (drop 37.5 mg from your dose). I found that I always fell in a depression and didn't know why, but reminding myself that i will feel bad for about 5 days really helped, although i usually didn't remember on my own, so telling a good friend to remind you and that you might need someone to console you or check on you is a good idea. I would also suggest chosing those weeks other than at times where you will already be under stress-- like a project deadline.
Finally, I would seek a second opinion and probably find a new Doctor, since your Dr., unfortunately, does not seem familiar enough with Effexor in general, in my opinion.
God Bless, Dan
> This is my first time on this site, so my story is a bit long. I hope someone can relate and help me.
>
> I have been on effexor xr for a little over 2 years now. I started on 75mg then I got up to 375mg over time. I also started lamictal at the same time as the effexor xr, that dose has went up alot too, from 50mg to 400mg in the past 2 years.
>
> I have resently changed my psychiatrist because my last one just kept increasing my meds everytime there was a problem. My new doc said that the doses that I was on was just to high so he has been slowly decreasing my meds from 75mg of effexor and 100mg of lamictal each month. Now I am on 225mg of effexor and 200mg of lamictal a day. I have been fine with the change up until this past week. I have had flu like symptoms, really bad back aches, my muscles hurt, I am constantly bitting down on my jaw, my stomach hurts, and I always feel nervous. I feel like I am dying.
>
> The thing is about six months ago my old doc tried to take me off of the effexor by decreasing it 75mg a week but, by the second week I was real bad off, my depression started to come back, I was always dizzy and confused, I even had loss of memory. So she just put me back on the original dose plus added 75mg taking me up to 375mg a day.(see why I changed docs)
>
> This time my symptoms are not the same as before.
> What is wrong with me? Can anyone help?
>
Posted by NeverGiveUp on October 20, 2004, at 9:24:18
In reply to How to get off Effexor, posted by NeverGiveUp on October 18, 2004, at 11:06:03
I would add that going up on Effexor XR can be done at slightly higher increments, maybe 75 mg.
There are also many people on this site who have sited aids in helping get off Effexor, including using Prozac, Omega-3 Fatty Acids and St. John's Wart as they are dropping down.
I am curious if people have had difficulty transitioning from say Effexor XR to another SSRI or if that transition is not as harsh?
DAN
Posted by darkhorse on October 21, 2004, at 5:26:10
In reply to Re: How to get off Effexor, posted by NeverGiveUp on October 20, 2004, at 9:24:18
> .
>
> I am curious if people have had difficulty transitioning from say Effexor XR to another SSRI or if that transition is not as harsh?
>
> DAN
Not at all Dan, I was switched from Effex 75 to Prozac 20 for a week and there was hardly any problem :
I think that Prozac is the gold standard when you want to have a smooth withdrawal from any other SSRI or Effex,because it has an extremley very long half- life and it self tapers...just like Valium with the short acting benzos like Xanax,Ativan...because I did that too...
Posted by NeverGiveUp on October 21, 2004, at 8:59:34
In reply to Re: How to get off Effexor » NeverGiveUp, posted by darkhorse on October 21, 2004, at 5:26:10
Just to followup-- did you stay on Prozac or just use it for one week to ease Effexor withdrawal (I think that is what you meant)? Were you on both simultaneously? Also, was 75 mg Effexor your maximum dose or had you been tapering down prior to that?
Thanks alot for you helpful post! Dan
>
> > .
> >
> > I am curious if people have had difficulty transitioning from say Effexor XR to another SSRI or if that transition is not as harsh?
> >
> > DAN
> Not at all Dan, I was switched from Effex 75 to Prozac 20 for a week and there was hardly any problem :
> I think that Prozac is the gold standard when you want to have a smooth withdrawal from any other SSRI or Effex,because it has an extremley very long half- life and it self tapers...just like Valium with the short acting benzos like Xanax,Ativan...because I did that too...
>
Posted by darkhorse on October 22, 2004, at 6:11:24
In reply to Re: How to get off Effexor, posted by NeverGiveUp on October 21, 2004, at 8:59:34
> Just to followup-- did you stay on Prozac or just use it for one week to ease Effexor withdrawal (I think that is what you meant)? Were you on both simultaneously? Also, was 75 mg Effexor your maximum dose or had you been tapering down prior to that?
>
> Thanks alot for you helpful post! Dan
> >
> > > .
> > >
> > > I am curious if people have had difficulty transitioning from say Effexor XR to another SSRI or if that transition is not as harsh?
> > >
> > > DAN
> > Not at all Dan, I was switched from Effex 75 to Prozac 20 for a week and there was hardly any problem :
> > I think that Prozac is the gold standard when you want to have a smooth withdrawal from any other SSRI or Effex,because it has an extremley very long half- life and it self tapers...just like Valium with the short acting benzos like Xanax,Ativan...because I did that too...
> >
>
>
Yes I took Prozac for a week to withdraw from effex
I took both for first 2 days and cut effex cold turkey with no problem at all.and when I finished the prozac week(20mg),I did not have any side effects at all...
I took Effex up to 150 mg,and then I tapered to 100 (1 Week), then 75 for 3 weeks then the prozac week and that was all.
This is the end of the thread.
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