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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 kittyk on January 3, 2005, at 4:04:37
I had been on effexor for 2 years upon my doctors recommendation since I was having a period of severe immobilizing anxiety followed by depression which I think (looking back) was partially brought on by having a partner that triggered my anxiety.I have dealt with periods of this in my life for over 10 years.I tarted weanning off it 4 months ago going down from 150mg...to 75mg...to 37.5...to half that and then a little peble every couple days.I completely stopped 1 month ago.the whole time of weaning was tough with all the nausea,vertigo,zaps,spaceyness etc...that has stopped,but now in the last month with nothing I am feeling very edgy,angry,volatile,irritated,impatient,severely anxious,emotionally raw/deppressed(easily brought to tears)and am totally negative and annoyed by most people's characters and presence allmost all day everyday.This is not my normal character even when I wasn't on meds and I am very uncomfortable with how I am acting and feeling.I am confused as to what is happening to me...whether it's that the last two years of meds has made my brain worse and I will have to take meds the rest of my life to function or if it's just withdrawal symptoms still and it will get better eventually.I am worried that I will do some serious damage to my relationships and life if this carries on much longer not to mention the fact that I feel horrible every day.Also I am not sure if this has anything to do with it, but since starting the weaning process I have gained about 20 lbs .If anyone has any insight on some or all of this I would really appreciate their input.I am at a loss,and the alst resort for me is to go back on it as I don't ever want to go through this again.
thank you in advance
kittyk
Posted by sisss42 on January 3, 2005, at 18:22:04
In reply to effexor withdrawal symptoms, posted by kittyk on January 3, 2005, at 4:04:37
Sorry Kity new here and trying to reply to your post think I have worked it out now,
Im no expert on anyone's depression and anxiety, only my own, I have been told I will have to accept the fact that I be on lifelong med , why did you come of you meds and what is your doc saying about your symptoms.
sis
Posted by kittyk on January 3, 2005, at 21:51:41
In reply to Re: effexor withdrawal symptoms, posted by sisss42 on January 3, 2005, at 18:22:04
> Sorry Kity new here and trying to reply to your post think I have worked it out now,
>
> Im no expert on anyone's depression and anxiety, only my own, I have been told I will have to accept the fact that I be on lifelong med , why did you come of you meds and what is your doc saying about your symptoms.
>
> sis
>
> Hey Sis,
thanks for your reply...I am coming off my meds because I was on them for two years and feel really wrong and adverse to being on meds,especially when effexor is supposed to be a temporary thing to balance your chemistry...my doctor doesn't seem to know much about the side effects...this site has more info than she did...also why or how did you figure out you nneded to be on meds permanently?
thanks kitty
Posted by sisss42 on January 4, 2005, at 5:35:54
In reply to Re: effexor withdrawal symptoms » sisss42, posted by kittyk on January 3, 2005, at 21:51:41
> > Sorry Kity new here and trying to reply to your post think I have worked it out now,
> >
> > Im no expert on anyone's depression and anxiety, only my own, I have been told I will have to accept the fact that I be on lifelong med , why did you come of you meds and what is your doc saying about your symptoms.
> >
> > sis
> >
> > Hey Sis,
> thanks for your reply...I am coming off my meds because I was on them for two years and feel really wrong and adverse to being on meds,especially when effexor is supposed to be a temporary thing to balance your chemistry...my doctor doesn't seem to know much about the side effects...this site has more info than she did...also why or how did you figure out you nneded to be on meds permanently?
> thanks kittyHi Kitty
When I read your post, I recognised some of the symptoms you were describing after you had discontinued the effexor. Similar thing was happening with me when I reduced my dose of Remeron, I was on it for over a year, at first I thought it was the wonder drug I needed after being on Zoloft 50 mg for 8 years, however after a while I was piling on the weight and retaining loads of fluid I felt pretty good moodwise but was a bit irritable and thought if I could reduce the dose I might be able to lose some of the 8 kilo's and some of the irrits, then very similar things that you describe started to happen, my mood went down, anxiety, agitaion, irritability etc went up up up, went back up to the original dose, mood elevated but so did the agitation irritability etc, couldn't work out what was going on and finally got so depressed that I gave in and went to see a pysch doctor, he thinks it was the remeron (avanza)we call it here in Australia, that was causing the irritability, anyway he diagnosed biological depression? I think the old fashioned term is endogenous, and after taking my history, (several depressive episodes) reckons that I'll be on meds the rest of my lfe, I can deal with that, but not with how I was feeling, this is getting very long sorry.....after a trial with TCA which was hell due to side effects, Ive opted to go back on zoloft up to 100 now but been going very slow due to sensitivity and side effects also xanax 0.5 x 3 per day for anxiety and panic, Im not great but feel that the worst is over this time anyway, I was concerned when you said your doc doesn't know much about the side effects, I take it he's not a pychiatrist, I really recomend you see someone who knows what they are doing, what's happening with you could either be another depression or still withdrawls from the effexor (which is not a first line treatment here, personally I think that effexor is a very powerful ad and is overprescribed, however that is only my opinion.
sorry this is so long, I have been lurking on this site for months and sometimes feel that only the people here understand what the dep is about, feel free to post backsis
>
Posted by dancingstar on January 6, 2005, at 14:17:28
In reply to effexor withdrawal symptoms, posted by kittyk on January 3, 2005, at 4:04:37
Hi Kitty,
I know that you have probably read some of my posts, and if you want to, you are welcome to write me if you would like to. We all went through either the same thing or something similar, and no one told us that it would happen.
People get mad at me for trying to stop new people from having to experience exactly what you are going through...and I just don't get it. Even the doctors really didn't and now don't completely know or fully understand.
Posted by Damos on February 20, 2005, at 16:10:04
In reply to effexor withdrawal symptoms, posted by kittyk on January 3, 2005, at 4:04:37
Hi Kitty,
I've been going through withdrawal from Effexor-XR too and while most of the symptoms are gone I too can say that I seem more aggressive since coming off - not something I've ever been before. BTW I put on 35 pds whilst on it and am just starting to try and loose them.
Hang in there and take good care of yourself.
Posted by Dr. Bob on February 21, 2005, at 8:58:29
In reply to Re: effexor withdrawal symptoms, posted by Damos on February 20, 2005, at 16:10:04
> I've been going through withdrawal from Effexor-XR too and while most of the symptoms are gone I too can say that I seem more aggressive since coming off...
Sorry to interrupt, but I'd like to redirect this thread to Psycho-Babble Withdrawal. Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050214/msgs/461210.html
Thanks,
Bob
This is the end of the thread.
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