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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 Killer Queen on April 19, 2006, at 23:21:22
I guess the answer is dont go on antidepressants, period. Like smoking, or drugs... just dont start. If you dont start, then you dont have to go through utter hell getting off of them.
I went on Effexor in 2001. I was having several daily panic attacks, and couldnt sleep through the night. Long story short... After one week of starting Effexor, my symptoms went away, along with a huge weight gain.
Five years later cannot get off Effexor. I went from 150 to 75mg the first month, then next to 37.5mg next for two weeks, then cut those in half for two weeks. Then cold turkey. I have been cold turkey for 6 days now. I am a complete disaster. I feel like I have the flu, achey, fever, tv static, very moody, crying, eating like crazy, nausiated, hard to drive, cant focus, VERY agitated, really makes me want to go get a bottle (of booze), but wont.
Does it ever get better than this? I need to know from someone who has actually gone off Effexor completely. Is there anyone who has done that? Please respond...
Posted by linkadge on April 19, 2006, at 23:21:22
In reply to WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW?, posted by Killer Queen on April 16, 2006, at 15:54:21
Just between you and me, I think you will get some relief from turmeric spice take 1/4 teaspoon, 3-5 times per day. Just disolve 1/4 teaspoon at a time in hot water and swig it down.
Just don't mix it with effexor.
Linkadge
Posted by Colleen D. on April 19, 2006, at 23:21:23
In reply to WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW?, posted by Killer Queen on April 16, 2006, at 15:54:21
I was on Effexor for a little over two years before it pooped out on me. It did give me great relief from my depression and anxiety during the time it was effective for me. I'm now on Lexapro and it's working well at this time. Have you considered that on top of your discontinuation symptoms, you may also have some things going on indicating you would still benefit from another AD? Perhaps talk with your doctor about doing a short trial of a low dose of Prozac, which is well-tolerated by most people, and THEN see if you think you can slowly titrate down to ZERO Prozac when and if you feel that you can go completely drug-free. Prozac may be much easier for you to discontinue than Effexor because of its long half life. My heart goes out to you becuae I know how cruddy I felt when I missed a dose of Effexor by only a few hours. Good luck!
Colleen
MDD. GAD, OCD and SP
Posted by Phillipa on April 19, 2006, at 23:21:23
In reply to Re: WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW? » Killer Queen, posted by Colleen D. on April 16, 2006, at 18:53:19
Have you checked the withdrawal board? There a lot of effexor threads there. Good luck I mean that. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by tizza on April 19, 2006, at 23:21:23
In reply to Re: WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW?, posted by Phillipa on April 16, 2006, at 23:14:35
I hear your hell because I went through it. I found the best way to get off it was to open the capusles and sprinkle out a few more pellets everyday but since you have stopped why bother to go back on it. It will eventually subside but the best advice I got was to take small amounts of benadryl. It helps smooth out the bumpy ride a little. Good luck and I wish you a speedy recovery. I have been effexor free for 7 months now. Paul
Posted by blueberry on April 20, 2006, at 3:38:28
In reply to WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW?, posted by Killer Queen on April 16, 2006, at 15:54:21
Some people have gotten off effexor fairly easily by popping open the capsules and taking just a certain amount of the contents each day. Every day they take just a tiny bit less than the day before. It takes more time, but it is a lot less suffering.
The pain you are in now could go on for a few days, a few weeks, or even into months. Every antidepressant withdrawal I have ever had took a minimum of two weeks, but usually 3 to 6 weeks. Effexor is the worst of them all. Making custom sized doses with the contents of the capsules might be an option.
Posted by Donna Louise on April 21, 2006, at 8:08:17
In reply to Re: WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW?, posted by linkadge on April 16, 2006, at 16:20:22
> Just between you and me, I think you will get some relief from turmeric spice take 1/4 teaspoon, 3-5 times per day. Just disolve 1/4 teaspoon at a time in hot water and swig it down.
>
> Just don't mix it with effexor.
>
> Linkadge
>
>Well, I am worse off than I thought. I thought I sent a message about this last night but it does not show up on the board. I am not good at this stuff, I wonder where in the vast cyber void it landed...
Anyway, what I wanted to ask Link, was what does Turmeric do and which withdrawal symptoms does it help. I gagged some down this morning, I don't feel too bad, just a little dizzy, this is the second day off effexor, I thought I would be in the bed feeling like the bad old days after way too much booze.
Thanks for all this info.Donna
Posted by apenname on April 22, 2006, at 15:44:27
In reply to Re: WHO GOT OFF EFFEXOR HOW?, posted by blueberry on April 17, 2006, at 19:07:38
I got off Effexor last summer with:
-Reduced dosing, I couldn't function with the way cold turkey messed up my body + mind. So I did half doses (half of 37.5), and then less and less, very gradually over a couple of months. For a few days in a row, I would take the same dose with a little longer time between doses. Then I would cut the dose in half with 24 hours between doses for a few days, then back to extending time between doses. If symptoms started, I didn't fight it and took whatever dose I was on. I kept track of what doses and times in a calendar so I could see the progress, it was slow and frustrating, but worth it.
-there are posts from last year (June 2005) by rabble_rouser who did a series of vitamins which gave him no side effects for withdrawal. I took a multi-vitamin and calcium, which I was already doing anyway.
-Doing anything possible to take care of my body: exercise, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep made me feel better and eased the symptoms. That may have been all in my head, or a real effect, but it worked for me.Now it's 10 months later I've been doing a regular workout/exercise program (+ therapy), and find that it's effective as an anti-depressant (for me). I just have to stick with it!
Good luck, and it is possible to get through the withdrawal.
This is the end of the thread.
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