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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mariqua on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:11
Hi, I am new to this site but after reading alot of it, I really feel better to know there are others out there going thru the same thing as me.
Today is the first day without any Effexor XR and I think I'm going to die!!! I called the hospital to find out what I could possibly do to get thru this. Well, he gave me three different options. Instead of telling me what he thought I should do, he left it all up to me.
The options are:take a 37.5 capsule tonight and tomorrow and call my regular doc on Monday, decrease my new med (Wellbutrin XL 300 mg), or just ride it out and wait for it to subside in a day or two or three...
I was more confused when I got off the phone then before I talked to this doc. I am so anxious, shaky, nauseated, lightheaded and weepy I can hardly stand myself! I have all I can to just to type this.
I guess I am babbling but it just feels good to get it out. I feel so bad for my husband, he is an angel and I feel bad that he has to see me like this and be there for me but....
I applied for the FMLA at work and hopefully I qualify, but I am not getting paid for all the days I am missing. That hurts too!
Well, thanks for listening and any info would would be appreciated.
Thank you,
Mariqua.
Posted by Phillipa on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:11
In reply to Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by Mariqua on April 23, 2005, at 19:34:55
Welcome to PBabble. I think you will find more help on the withdrawal board. There is a very long thread on withdrawal from effecxor. Good Luck! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by vivi on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:11
In reply to Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by Mariqua on April 23, 2005, at 19:34:55
> Hi, I am new to this site but after reading alot of it, I really feel better to know there are others out there going thru the same thing as me.
>
> Today is the first day without any Effexor XR and I think I'm going to die!!! I called the hospital to find out what I could possibly do to get thru this. Well, he gave me three different options. Instead of telling me what he thought I should do, he left it all up to me.
>
> The options are:take a 37.5 capsule tonight and tomorrow and call my regular doc on Monday, decrease my new med (Wellbutrin XL 300 mg), or just ride it out and wait for it to subside in a day or two or three...
>
> I was more confused when I got off the phone then before I talked to this doc. I am so anxious, shaky, nauseated, lightheaded and weepy I can hardly stand myself! I have all I can to just to type this.
>
> I guess I am babbling but it just feels good to get it out. I feel so bad for my husband, he is an angel and I feel bad that he has to see me like this and be there for me but....
>
> I applied for the FMLA at work and hopefully I qualify, but I am not getting paid for all the days I am missing. That hurts too!
>
> Well, thanks for listening and any info would would be appreciated.
>
> Thank you,
> Mariqua.This board has been helpful for me, but I have not taken Effexor XR, but when I took myself off Zoloft I was miserable for about 3 days. My M.D. was upset that I took myself off without being weened, but I am glad thats over with. There are alot of posts on Effexor. I hope everything works out,
Viv
Posted by alienatari on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:12
In reply to Re: Withdrawal is AWFUL! » Mariqua, posted by vivi on April 24, 2005, at 0:55:17
Im glad to know im not the only one that had a hard time coming of Zoloft. Coming off Effexor (150mg) for me was not that hard actually. But coming off zoloft was utter hell. I guess we all react differently to meds.
> > Hi, I am new to this site but after reading alot of it, I really feel better to know there are others out there going thru the same thing as me.
> >
> > Today is the first day without any Effexor XR and I think I'm going to die!!! I called the hospital to find out what I could possibly do to get thru this. Well, he gave me three different options. Instead of telling me what he thought I should do, he left it all up to me.
> >
> > The options are:take a 37.5 capsule tonight and tomorrow and call my regular doc on Monday, decrease my new med (Wellbutrin XL 300 mg), or just ride it out and wait for it to subside in a day or two or three...
> >
> > I was more confused when I got off the phone then before I talked to this doc. I am so anxious, shaky, nauseated, lightheaded and weepy I can hardly stand myself! I have all I can to just to type this.
> >
> > I guess I am babbling but it just feels good to get it out. I feel so bad for my husband, he is an angel and I feel bad that he has to see me like this and be there for me but....
> >
> > I applied for the FMLA at work and hopefully I qualify, but I am not getting paid for all the days I am missing. That hurts too!
> >
> > Well, thanks for listening and any info would would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thank you,
> > Mariqua.
>
> This board has been helpful for me, but I have not taken Effexor XR, but when I took myself off Zoloft I was miserable for about 3 days. My M.D. was upset that I took myself off without being weened, but I am glad thats over with. There are alot of posts on Effexor. I hope everything works out,
> Viv
>
>
Posted by Phillipa on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:12
In reply to Re: Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by alienatari on April 24, 2005, at 6:57:41
Alien, How much zoloft were you taking? I'm on only 25mg and am afraid to go higher because of what people have said about W/D, and it doesn't seem to help. My son is taking 200mg and says it works for him. I see my pdoc this week because I've been so depressed lately. No desire to do anything, etc. I don't know what to do if she suggests upping the zoloft. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by alienatari on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:12
In reply to Re: Withdrawal is AWFUL! » alienatari, posted by Phillipa on April 24, 2005, at 17:26:32
I was on 200mg. I think my problem was mainly that I tappered to fast (under doctors advice too). Zoloft did help me for a while so If u do go up I really hope it helps you out. I found the only way I could come off it though was to change over (with no washout period) to Remeron 30mg. I had no withdrawal when I did this.
Take care and best of luck. I hope your feeling better soon.
> Alien, How much zoloft were you taking? I'm on only 25mg and am afraid to go higher because of what people have said about W/D, and it doesn't seem to help. My son is taking 200mg and says it works for him. I see my pdoc this week because I've been so depressed lately. No desire to do anything, etc. I don't know what to do if she suggests upping the zoloft. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by theo on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:12
In reply to Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by Mariqua on April 23, 2005, at 19:34:55
Cross tapering with Prozac helps tremendously. All it takes is one 20mg pill for 2 days. It carries you through the Effexor wearing off due to it's long half life. Beleive me, it works.
I don't know if I would try this if you are already starting the Wellbutrin. All I do know is Wellbutrin can cause anxiety and Effexor withdrawal can cause tremendous anxiety. I don't think I would ever go from Effexor to Wellbutrin, but that's just me.
Posted by reefer on April 25, 2005, at 21:21:12
In reply to Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by Mariqua on April 23, 2005, at 19:34:55
Sounds like your doctor got a little bit to eager to get you on the Wellbutrin. SSRI/SNRI withdrawing can make you feel sick like a dog only that. And starting an anxiogenic like Wellbutrin on top of that is insane. My advice: Get off the Wellbutrin get on the Effexor 37.5 mg dose until you can reach your doctor. Get the doctor to prescrive Fluoxetine(Prozac) and when you stop Effexor take Prozac for a few days and then just stop. It will minimize the effexor "withdrawal". And then after you get off the Prozac get on Wellbutrin. One thing at a time. Since you are feeling like this, this was way to fast a change of drugs.
Posted by Mariqua on April 26, 2005, at 19:41:44
In reply to Re: Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by reefer on April 25, 2005, at 7:27:39
I agree with you about my doc. I will call her tomorrow and let her know how I feel about this whole ordeal.(she wasn't in the office again yesterday or today.) So, in the last seven days I have yet to get a hold of her. Can you believe it?
Anyway, I am on my second day of the 56.25 of the Effexor XR and I did finally go back to work today and I have to admit I am almost back to myself. There are really no lasting effects of the withdrawal. Thank God!!! I was just sooooo happy to feel good and be back to work(hard to believe I know).
If I can stay on this for a week or so and then decrease it by a quarter(37.5 + 14?) I'm hoping that will be the magic number.
I thought it was kind of odd that the doc started me on the Wellbutrin right away also but, I figured she knew what she was doing. Hah!!!Mariqua
Posted by Chairman_MAO on May 7, 2005, at 14:12:16
In reply to Withdrawal is AWFUL!, posted by Mariqua on April 23, 2005, at 19:34:55
My heart goes out to you and countless others that were duped into thinking that SSRI-type antidepressants do not have a withdrawal syndrome because they are "not addictive" or whatever. The truth is, anyone familiar with drug action--such as the pharmaceutical companies--knows the concept of a drug which so profoundly alters neural activity as an SSRI NOT producing a withdrawal syndrome is absurd. These pharmaceutical companies are truly repugnant; I hope all of the horrors they've unleashed upon a public trusting in the FDA and old-fashioned good-willed capitalism (if there is such a thing; I used to think there was, but I guess I was naive) come back to haunt all those in power at these companies in spades. May their stranglehold on our nation's mental health (read: cultural consciousness of the human condition) be broken ASAP. As if feeling apathetic, sexless, fat, uninspired, sleepy and sleepless at the same time, and, most of all, DOCILE FOR THOSE IN CHARGE is "antidepressed"!
Not only that, but these drugs are prescribed to people in lieu of drugs with milder withdrawal symptoms (such as opioids) and side effects (benzos) just to line the pockets of big pharma who, with a few notable exceptions, aren't even capable of coming up with better drugs for mental health than the ones *discovered* (no "rational drug discovery" back then) in the 50s (MAOIs) and earlier (uppers, downers, opioids), and the politicians that support them.
What you are experiencing now is worse than heroin withdrawal. Best of luck making it through on the first try, and remember that you have a community of people here rooting for you. Learn this lesson from this experience: No one has nearly as much incentive to look out for your well-being than you do. If you're extraordinarily lucky, you'll get a pdoc that wants to look out for your well-being as well, but even then, you'd have to make sure they aren't being duped by big pharma as well. Stay informed, read as much as possible, and take your health into your own hands--where it belongs.
Again, best of luck. i've been through SSRI withdrawal too many times, and thankfully now that I'm off that garbage and on medication that actually works, I will never have to experience it again. I hope you reach euthymia soon.
This comes to mind when I think of American pharmacracy:
"Babylon* system is a vampire/sucking the blood of the sufferers"
--Bob Marley*American/western society, viz. those that wish to build literal, metaphorical, and metaphysicial skyscrapers to reach and equal God.
Posted by Hlar on May 9, 2005, at 9:59:22
In reply to Re: Withdrawal is AWFUL! » Mariqua, posted by Chairman_MAO on May 7, 2005, at 14:12:16
Chairman_Mao,
You have expressed the anger I've been feeling so well!
After years of normal living,at 32 I became anxious about some physical symptoms I was having and was immediately written out a prescription for Prozac and Xanaz. The Prozac dose was the maximum dose,and the Xanax as needed.
I found myself in a psychiatric ward months later with "mania" and "psychosis"--leading to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder--I refused to go on lithium,was put on another antidepressant(Effexor)and Klonopin. I was fine for two years,then decided to get a second opinion when my medicaid came through,and was told I should be put on lithium immediately,that I would need to be on it the rest of my life,even though I was completely stable for two years and at that time. I bought it. I went on lithium,and within a few months was in hospital again,with hallucinations,mania,etc.--an "allergic" reaction to the lithium. I was then put on Zoloft,Lamectil(a mood stabilizer),Klonopin,and Zyprexa. I've done research and am so disgusted about the lack of information these Dr's have or ignore,I've stopped all meds cold-turkey in the past,and ended up yet again in the hospital,diagnosed with "relapse" instead of withdrawal.
After being on these meds for the past 5 years,made submissive,passive and basically lobotomized,with a weight gain of 100lbs from the Zyprexa,I finally found a physician that is trying to get me off everything but the mood stabilizer. He has serious doubts about my "bipolar disorder". He said high doses of Prozac and Xanax can cause mania in sensitive individuals.
So I'm 4 months off of Zyprexa,after weaning down,experienced horribe insomnia,and was put on Trazodone to help me sleep. I was a zombie during the day,but was reassured that Trazodone has no side-effects,perhaps I had a virus.I don't even want to continue this saga--let's just say that before this tragedy happenned,I had my Bachelor's degree,had studied in London,lived in France,and now am back in my hometown on disability and medicaid.
I would love to put some of these so-called informed Dr's on these meds for awhile and see what they think of them afterwards. No side-effects,non-addictive my *ss.
Hlar
Posted by Chairman_MAO on May 12, 2005, at 13:38:36
In reply to Re: Withdrawal is AWFUL! » Chairman_MAO, posted by Hlar on May 9, 2005, at 9:59:22
Trazodone has plenty of side effects, most notably FEELING DRUGGED DURING MOST OF THE DAY. It has an alpha-1 adrenergic blockade, which can induce feelings of fatigue, etc. When I used trazodone to sleep, I felt horrible until 4PM the next day. It was 8+ months of utter hell that I went through because I did not have access to a competent doctor, and my parents were dead set against helping me get one.
Get off that crap, you will feel much better! Even seroquel to sleep is much more tolerable than trazodone in my experience. As you might be realizing, if you were placed on morphine + amphetamine, you would likely have none of these problems. (not advocating that necessarily, just illustrating the behavioral and neurophysiological toxicity of the newer drugs) If you used GHB for a sleep aid, you'd be rested and refreshed every night.
In the former soviet union, they used galantamine + extremely high doses of clonazepam (15-20mg/day) to treat schizophrenia, psychosis, etc. with EXCELLENT results (remission in many cases). The galantamine eliminated the sedation and cognitive impairment that otherwise would result from such a large dose of clonazepam. This treatment has virtually no untoward side effects, and certainly is devoid of all of the toxic effects of antipsychotics, even the "modern" ones. I have spoken to schizophrenics who've told me that heroin completely eliminates their symptoms. The efficacy of opioids in psychotic states is another deep, dark secret that psychiatry doesn't want you to know about.
Make no mistake: In the US, unless you are lucky enough to find a doctor for whom compassion is a primary motivator, no one cares about your actual well-being. People are simply captive customers for the pharmaceutical companies to unleash their latest creations on at inflated prices.
Given the choice, I always opt for the OLDEST compound on the market that does what I want it to do, simply because the most is known abuot their long-term effects on human tissue. Ironically, it seems that ONLY the old drugs do what I want them to do, anyway.
This is the end of the thread.
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