Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 2 of 140}

Hi Everybody! Withdarwl from effexor has been a living hell! I found out that this drug is nasty poison! Not only did I gain a whopping 50lbs on this toxin,I swore I was going crazy. Muscle jerks, buzzing noise in my head! I went to my Doc and demanded that he take me off Effexor because my weight was out of control and no matter what I did I just kept on gaining!
Anyways this is day 8 being off of it and I'll tell you, so nauseated, bed spins, feel drunk all the time, slur my speech if I can get the words to come out right in the first place! I easily lose my temper, noise hurts, can't stop sleeping! The good news is my libido has returned. This med turned me into a non-feeling person. Hell I had a better chance at survivng depression than I do withdrawl. I'm seeing things that aren't there, can't focus my eyes and I dare not drive because cars coming up on me or passing me in the opposite lane startles the hell out of me, let alone the inability to concentrate on the task of driving at all. I have now started with diarrea-uhg! But I REFUSE to crawl back into that bottle because I know this won't last forever. Oh and yeah I have become incontinent since I came off it to! Anyone else have that complication?

Since my last post, I've been suffering from anxiety. I’ve on and off episodes. Sometimes I’m fine and happy. I'm not sure what triggers it, but I like to be alone, don’t want to socialize (I enjoy it later though) don’t want to eat, want to cry and have thoughts of hurting myself (too chicken to do it). I don’t like confrontation either. These occurrences were decreasing, but off late I find them happening more often. I feel completely helpless and don’t like it. I’ve always been a happy person, now I don’t know what to do with myself, I would like to cease to exist.

I’m taking Pulsatilla 200c + Kali Phos 200C and Bach Flower Walnut 10 drops twice a day in half a cup of water. I’m not sure if its helping me. Any suggestions? Thanks.

i am a 35 yr old male.approx 6 years ago i was diagnosed with ocd and panic and anxiety disorder.after trying several meds i eventually met effexor.75mgs daily with a klonopin or 2 a day.after consulting my scych about weening off the effexor he was more than willing to try.on dec 6 2004 i went down to 37.5mgs daily.this may not sound like much to some but it was right dosage for my system.today is jan 3 2005 and my first day without a dose.the living hell is getting worse.i found this sight and after reading through it although very sad it was helpful to see that my symtoms were not unusual.because i am experiencing every withdrawl effect on this sight.now my question.is there anyone out there who has successfully gotton off effexor and how long did it take. please help

I am a 29 yr.old wife and mother of 4 boys. I was put on Effexor XR 150mg 5 yrs. ago for severe migrains and post-partum depression. I cannot say that it helped me as much as I had wished for, but I still kept taking it. I eventually decided to get off of the Effexor about 2 mo. ago, gradually lowering my dose as my doctor told me too. The side effects have been HELL! I feel worse NOW than I did BEFORE I started the medication. My depression has gotten way worse, I cry over the littlest things, I am freezing one minute and burning up the next. I am full of anger and dont understand WHY, I have 4 wonderful boys and the worlds most loving husband, but can do nothing but push them away. I dont want to live anymore, they would be better off w/o me! I constantly yell at them and that only makes me feel worse and hate myself that much more. I dont understand how they can put up with me and all my B.S. I have the shakes and my head feels like its going to explode! :( All I want to do is stay in bed until it all goes away, but my 4 childeren require alot from me, especially my 16 mo. old who was born 9 weeks early with a grade 3 brain hemorage & seizures,he was in the NICU for 7 weeks. He also has developed CP (Cerebral Palsy). We were going to sue the hospital reg. my son, but was told that due to me taking Effexor during my pregnancy, they wont touch our case. I therfor feel it is my fault for what my son has indured. It has been 2 weeks now, but still feel like there is no end to this hell, all I can do is cry(even now while writing this). My family is awsome when it comes to understanding and helping me, but... its as if it doesnt matter anymore, I wish to cease to exits. I read what others have written, and can feel their pain. I have also sat her just crying knowing that Im not alone, but yet I feel SOOOO alone. I cant wait to feel like myself again, when & if that day will ever come! I honestly hope so for the sake of my Husband & childeren, they NEED their mommy back & my husband would like his wife back in more ways than one! :) To whoever reads this.... your not alone, but you will surely feel so for quite sometime. I would NEVER take my own life, but I often pray to God that he would take mine, if this is the hell I have to live in for the rest of my life! I am going to take a trip to the GNC store soon when money allows it and try the Cleansing Formula. IT BETTER WORK!! I Pray it does!
Also if anyone has any helpfull ideas on how to get rid of the flu like feeling, I would be very appriciative. I wish everyone who is going through this the best of luck and just pray that we can ALL get through this living hell! Take care and keep me posted.
Love, April

Oh my goodness, i can't believe i found this site - i am suffering from many withdrawal symptoms also, but i am only on day 4 of not taking any so im worried its just gona get worse.

i was on effexor xr 150mg for 5months, but the last fortnight felt like my depression had returned, so my dr took the 150mg off me and gave me a prescription for cipranol 10mg -which i haven't taken yet as i wanted to try and cope alone.

the only probs i had on effexor was breaking into a sweat very easily and .involuntary muslce jerks'. i could deal with these ok, but now, i feel so dizzy,lightheaded, nauseous, very sensitive and a little on edge/angry.

i am so glad to knnow that this is not jsut me and other people are expereincing this too so im not alone.

i have no suggestions here but to just ride it out? there are lots of homeopathic remedies suggested but i dont know which one is best for just the sensitivity and nausea/lightheadedness.

I took ignatia & rescue remedy before i was advised by dr to take effexor, and i felt this helped me a bit. wish i just stayed on that now. is this a good recommendation?

its good to just talk about this here, even if it is just some complaining.

heads up guys - we can get throught this!!

rachael x

rachael,
just keep telling yourself that everything is ok.when you have those feelings remind yourself your not going to die your not sick and eventually everything is going to be ok. deep breath in through the nose and hold it for a few seconds and exhale slowly. then maybe try a little prayer. i'm off of it and clean after the 6 weeks of hell but it does get better and better. this medicine should be outlawed.

todd

rachael,
just keep telling yourself that everything is ok.when you have those feelings remind yourself your not going to die your not sick and eventually everything is going to be ok. deep breath in through the nose and hold it for a few seconds and exhale slowly. then maybe try a little prayer. i'm off of it and clean after the 6 weeks of hell but it does get better and better. this medicine should be outlawed.

todd

Was anyone aware of that Andrea Yates who drowned her 5 childeren, was on Effexor? I was on this medication for 5 years and just count my blessings that it never got to me the way it did her! It truely goes to show that this "drug" NEEDS to be taken off the market. It's litterally DEADLY! I just pray for everyone who is going through the same hell as I am, and know that we can do it! :)
There are also some sites on the web regarding Law Suites due to Effexor, you might want to check them out! It's very scary how this has effected SO many people in a BAD way! Take care everyone! :)

You're all to be commended for your positive attitudes and determination to get through this as well as your recognition of the lies of the drug industry.

Withdrawal and recovery from any psychotropic drug is difficult under the best conditions. Effexor is one of the most difficult antidepressant drugs to eliminate. It potently inhibits neuronal serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake and slightly inhibits dopamine reuptake unlike most other antidepressants which potently inhibit one neurotranmitter and only slight inhibit others.


The flu-like syndrome many people mention, the nausea, headaches and dry mouth are caused by a rebound in cholinergic activity. Most of these types of drugs have anti-cholinergic properties thus cause a very unpleasant rebound upon discontinuing the drug. This length of time the rebound lasts is directly related to the amount of time the drug was taken.


This is just one of the many difficult symptoms one endures while in withdrawal and recovery from a psychotropic drug. An allopathic physician will tell you this doesn't last more than three weeks. This is the answer given to them by the drug industry. The reality is that you will experience many changes and odd symptoms for a year or more after discontinuing these drugs.

The best way to discontinue one of these drugs in order to ensure you the fullest recovery possible is to decrease the drug no more than 5-10% at a time. Wait in between decreases until you feel stable again. Forget about doing this biweekly or weekly. The only true gauge of when it's time to decrease again is how you feel. Your body is your best guide on this.


The worst thing you can do for yourself is to abruptly discontinue, or as some call it -- going "cold turkey"-- off a psychotropic drug. You will experience more problems this way, they will last longer, and you will not recover to the extent that you could if you took a more prudent approach. This is not about being tough; it is about giving your chemistry time to adjust to being without this drug. Many people who choose to go "cold turkey" end up not being able to work or go to school due to the ongoing severity of their condition.


There are some things you can do to help your body heal to the fullest extent possible. To what extent you heal depends on numerous factors including, but not limited to the length of time you have been on a drug, whether you've been on other drugs eith concomitantly or previously, the amount of exposure to environmental toxins you've experienced, your nutritional status (diet, fitness, etc.), number of antibiotics and other drugs (including street drugs) taken over your lifetime, etc.


You will want to give the most support possible to your system while going through a withdrawal and recovery from these drugs. This includes a foundation of full spectrum vitamins, minerals, and trace minerals. One-A-Day vitamins or other cheap vitamins purchased in your local Rite Aid or other drugstore won't cut it. You need high grade nutrients. You get what you pay for here. Fish oil is a must, too. Again, you get what you pay for here. Don't waste your time and money on poor grade fish oil. Choose Carlson's or Coromega. You will assimilate more of these high quality fish oils making it cost effective in the end.

There are also several homeopathic remedies, flower essences, and herbs that are quite helpful during the acute phases of withdrawal.


In most cases, a protocol developed for the individual works much better than a 'recipe' for recovery. While most people will require the full spectrum nutrient foundation, what homeopathic remedies, flower essences,and herbal preparations (mostly Ayurvedic and Chinese).


I host an online withdrawal and Recovery group on Yahoo Groups. The people there are in various phases of withdrawal and recovery. Anyone in withdrawal and recovery from a psychotropic drug is welcome to join. The group is focused on holistic, drugless recovery from a fund of knowledge amassed over the past almost 15 years. You are welcome to check it out. The group is called Withdrawal_and_Recovery and can be found at Yahoo Groups. The URL is in my profile.


I wish you all the best and again, commend you on your attitudes and the recognition that the drug industry has lied and manipulated to position these drugs to be some of the most highly profitable ever and all at the expense of people's health and well-being.

Regards,
Catherine

For the first time in a long time, I have some hope. I have been on Effexor for almost three years now. It was a wonder drug for me for about a year. I also take Depakote for bi-polar disorder. I had been on Celexa, but had a horrible reaction (suicidal thoughts, homicidal thoughts, etc). My doctor first started me on a 75 mg dose. It stopped working after a year and we increased my dose to yet another pill. After all of the increases, I have almost forgotten how many mg's!! Long story short, I'm now on 220 mg a day. If I miss even one day, I start going through the horrible withdrawl symptoms. My biggest one is the "BRAIN ZAPS" (So happy to have a name for them now!) You can try your best to describe this feeling to others, but they don't get it do they?

In the last year, I have had more horrible thoughts and feelings than I have had in five years. I am an angry, angry person. I don't want to feel this way!! I want to be "normal" again. I am scared to death to start withdrawing off of this drug. I have tried weaning, but working full time and taking care of two children, I feel I just can't get off of them. I am hoping for some insight and some help and will be researching this site. Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences...it really does help!

I have found a natural "prozac" or anti-depressant online. It is called Amoryn. It has apperently helped MANY people who have needed to take Prozac,paxil & Effexor. It is also been given to childeren for ADHD. I just ordered some myself and will let you know how it works for me. I may even give it to my son who has ADHD/ODD if I feel that it helps me. I found the site when I went to Google and typed inn the word "Depression-Natural remedies". I hope this may help some of you who are battling the hell of getting off Effexor. Take care! :)

I am so glad that I found this site. I have never felt like this before and was beginning to believe that there was something seriously wrong with me. I ran out of Effexor last week and have had to wait until now for a new script. The past week has been hell. I have been dizzy, naseous, vomiting, trouble focusing and when I move my eyes, my head spins. I, too, have the sweats, terrible nightmares, diarhea and abdominal cramps. From the sounds of it, I should be feeling better tomorrow given that I took my pill tonight. I can't believe this and want off of this medicine. It looks like it's going to be a long, miserable 3 months of withdrawal. I wish that I'd never heard of Effexor. Good luck to us all.

When my alt test showed 75 --i was told to cut back on my drugs-esp the darvoncet. so i did-- well i was already upset with doctor-for i though he was not understanding fibro and under treating it. so i decided i could to it my self again i did it for many years before i got a doctor to do anything at all. so i cut back on all the drugs i was on for the fibro. Got down to one darvocet a day and 1/2 a effexor a day and no sleeping pills(nothing really helped any way) -- still do mirapex-- i had taken over a month to do the cut backs before i just stopped. I still had a bad time of it . because the pain level is up,I have a hard time coping and nothing to help with that (iguess that is the problem and why he put me on effexor to start with) all i know is i am going through h on earth depressed to the point of being paranoid about no one loving me and thinking i am a mental case- now i am being to thing that way too. cry all the time not happy or care about anything. got so bad last night i finally when and found an half of effexor to take and some sleeping pills felt better in a short time so it has to still be in my system to need. i don't remember being like this before doctors started giving me this type of drug for sleep,rls,pain, they said they would help keep the brain chemisty in better state. now i feel worse than i have in years. i dont clean house ,i gained another 40 pound so now i am 240 which i just cant believe i did that to my self i know that when i was on ambien i woke up and did things like eat and order stuff on the internnet. the pain is so bad and i cant breath unless i sleep in lounger so i am very nervouse about another sleep test. i know i should go back to doctor but i just can't --thats part of the paranoia i don't want to see him or anyone or have them even talk to me. i guess i am mad as h and want to yell at some one. i have been taking the usual herbs and still keep up my vitamins especially the ones for my eyes(glaucoma)and bones, do any one out there have a good medicine ==excersise does not do it-- for restless legs i have a very bad case of it involving all my limbs and plj are over200 on the old sleep test. i was supposed to be gettin a at home sleep apnea test -three times i was told they were taking care of it well it never happend just like when i reptured disc in my thorasic area it was months before anything was done and they got mad at me because i went to the emergency room two time in as many weeks i could not sit back in my chair could not sleep i missed days on end did not eat got some kind of lung infection because i could not breath properly ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;; everyone( was giving medications and writing it down that they work ed ( i saw the reports) when i asked the one doctor to throw away all the old meds ==because i was so sick from the reactions- he wrote i was suscidal. so you can see why i am getting down and dont trust doctores. and pt was bad to they don't believe in feel good stuff it is excercise to make those muscles strong to stop this from happening well one girl change the weights from 2 to 7 i did myself in again and could not take it any longer i won't go back there i am very nervous about getting out in the yard again this spring. i dont pick things up especiall full whealborrows and push up hill. i try to excersise on my rebounder but it hurts as much as walking does my knees and hips and hubby does not want it in dining room dont blame him my hands are acting up rigger finger and thumb again it and the carpal tunnel thing has bugged me for at least 25 years now. well i should have not gone on and on but now you can see the state i am in. mymajor question is the effexor andy sugestions birdiecup

Thank God, I've found this forum and have found some peace knowing others are experiencing the same withdrawls I am from Effexor. I was first put on Paxil about 4 yrs ago for social anxiety/OCD & depression. I was switched to Effexor because of some sexual side effects. I was also taking Bupropion (Wellbutrin) 75mg a day. Anyway, I've decided to try and be "med free" since certain stressful events in my life are not gone. What was I thinking? This is the worst I have ever felt in my life. I am having this buzzing in my head, sweating one minute, freezing the next, no tolerance for my 2 poor kids. I am only in day 5 of partial elimination. No Effexor for 5 days, and only 1 Bupropion a day instead of two. How will I feel after this Thursday of reducing my Bupropion to every other day? I am hoping & praying that I will get through it like the rest of you. I'll pray for you and you for me. Stay strong.

Well, since my last post I have gone down to two pills every other day. That's from three every day. By the time I take them, I just can't take the horrible feeling anymore. I can't work, I can't sleep (now I've developed an irrational fear of dying when I fall asleep because my heart is beating funny since I've started weaning off) and on top of everything, I'm getting married this Saturday. Which is a good thing, but this whole Effexor thing is really not helping while I'm trying to get the last minute things done!!
My fiancee is handling it all very well. We would love to have a baby, but can't start trying until I'm completly off of the meds. I just don't know if I can. I finally go to see my doctor next month after my new insurance starts. I'm praying he can help me. Thanks to everyone who has been so honest and open about thier reactions to this.
Wish me luck for Saturday and hope no one (ESPECIALLY me) has a melt down!!

Well, since my last post I have gone down to two pills every other day. That's from three every day. By the time I take them, I just can't take the horrible feeling anymore. I can't work, I can't sleep (now I've developed an irrational fear of dying when I fall asleep because my heart is beating funny since I've started weaning off) and on top of everything, I'm getting married this Saturday. Which is a good thing, but this whole Effexor thing is really not helping while I'm trying to get the last minute things done!!
My fiancee is handling it all very well. We would love to have a baby, but can't start trying until I'm completly off of the meds. I just don't know if I can. I finally go to see my doctor next month after my new insurance starts. I'm praying he can help me. Thanks to everyone who has been so honest and open about thier reactions to this.
Wish me luck for Saturday and hope no one (ESPECIALLY me) has a melt down!!

Hi Wendybird2000,
I just read your post. I was on Effexor for 5 yrs. for Migrains & Depression. In that time period I got pregnant with my 4th son. He was born 9 weeks early with a grade 3 brain hemorage and seizures. He has now developed Cerebral Palsy due to the brain damage, but he looks physically like a normal baby. I was going to start a malpractice lawsuite against my OBGYN and the hospital, but no attourney will touch our case due to the fact that I had been taking Effexor. If I were you, I would wait till all meds are out of your system. I would hate to see or hear that this happened to someone else, especially if they can prevent it. I have now been off the Effexor for a little over a month. I feel better at times, but then the depression sits inn and I feel like I'd be better off dead, but thats not a solution as I am married and have 4 wonderful boys that need their mother, but I still feel this way sometimes. I would advise you to go online a buy something called AMORYN, you can find it when you type in the word depression at google. You just take 2 capsules a day. It's all natural ingredients. It can take up to 3 weeks befor you notice a difference, but It states that others have noticed it even sooner than that, I have been taking it for 3 days now, but only have noticed a higher energy level, but no change in my mood yet. I'll keep everyone updated on my experience with this Dietary supplement. I wish you all the best and truely keep you all in my prayers! We CAN do this and be medication free! America and the drug companies would love nothing more than all of us hooked on medications for the rest of our lives, but I refuse to be one of them! I have better things to spend my money on! :)

I am so sorry to hear all of your stories. I just want to add that I was put on Zoloft about a year ago. I was only on it for approximately three days because it literally made me feel as if I was hallucinating. I thought I was hearing things, while I was driving one day I heard a guy hammering but he was about 50ft. away from the road, it made me more anxious and depressed. The problems I was dealing with were nothing compared to this. I was much better off before the three days on the drugs and the three days getting off the drugs. I researched anti-depressants after this experience and since have been against modern medicine for most problems (colds, headaches, etc.). I would suggest for you all to go to the the FDA MedWatch page which allows you to write about your experience . These experience are turned into the US Food and Drug Administration. I wrote to them and it just made me feel better that maybe it could help get these drugs off the market. They are extremely dangerous and a way of population control. Please help to stop these medications from being prescribed to others. I wish you all luck. I was only on these medications for a very short time but that short time scared the crap out of me. Good luck to you all!

I am so sorry to hear all of your stories. I just want to add that I was put on Zoloft about a year ago. I was only on it for approximately three days because it literally made me feel as if I was hallucinating. I thought I was hearing things, while I was driving one day I heard a guy hammering but he was about 50ft. away from the road, it made me more anxious and depressed. The problems I was dealing with were nothing compared to this. I was much better off before the three days on the drugs and the three days getting off the drugs. I researched anti-depressants after this experience and since have been against modern medicine for most problems (colds, headaches, etc.). I would suggest for you all to go to the the following FDA MEdWatch page which allows you to write about your experience. I wrote and it made me feel better just knowing that I may help someone. Please help to stop these medications from being prescribed to others. I wish you all luck. I was only on these medications for a very short time but that short time scared the crap out of me. Good luck to you all!

Hang in there everyone. I too was taken off Effexor from 150 mg /day down to none in two weeks time. I seriously do not think Doctors have the slightest idea as to get you off these drugs without the horrific side effects. I think the key is to do it ever so slowly. After 6 days of no Effexor, I thought Wednesday was going to be the last day of my life. I couldn't get out of bed to get my daughter ready for school, missed the bus and had to drive her, cried all the way home because of a sad song on the radio. When I got home I still couldn't stop crying and just lay on my bed. I gave in and took 1 - 75mg. tablet. I know, I gave in. Within 3 hours, the brain zaps stopped so did the crying, the nausea, the shivers, everything!! It's now Saturday evening and still feel good. If I happen to start feeling miserable again I'll take maybe just 1/2 dose, but the key is SLOWLY WEAN FROM THIS JUNK. I think the reason the doctor's tell us cold turkey is because the drug companies want us to fail getting off this stuff. But we can do it one day at a time and very gradually. Don't beat yourself up if you need to take even a small amount to get through this. I am still praying for all of you going thru this as I am. We can be Med Free - it might just take a little longer. Thanks for listening. Good luck.

Hi everyone...well, I got married this weekend and it was wonderful. I am now down to 1 tablet every other day. I did take my usual dose the night before my wedding so there was no chance of "problems". And that, right there, ticks me off. Makes you think conspiracy huh? But I really don't think like that and don't want to start now!!
So now I'll wean back down and my goal is to be off of them by April. If I'm not, I'm not. I just feel better with a goal date I guess. I'm going to research AMORYN (thanks Featherston99!!) and see what I find. I also send my prayers to Featherston99 and your family. I am sorry to hear about your son and hope you can get those ba*tards! Everyone, please continue to post and keep everyone updated. I am always wondering how everyone is.
Hang in there everyone and support one another!

Hi wendybird,
Congrats and lots of love.
Amoryn is St Johns wort, or homeopathicly known as Hypericum.
regards
parachute

Hey!
It's 1:37 am, my head was splitting, so I came down for a cold wash cloth (not that it will help alot) but it sounds good. I thought I'd browse the internet, for a place just like this one. THANK GOD! My last 75 mg dose was at about 7:30 this morning. I feel really crappy right now. I have tried weaning off the drug before, many times, but always give in. I am really ready to be strong this time...Once, before when I had run out and needed to get my script filled for my morning dose, my pharmacist suggested that I take an over the counter med called dranamine (that stuff for motion sickness). It really does seem to help. I took some about an hour ago, because I was feeling much worse than I am right now. I am going to get that cold washcloth and try and get some rest (hopefully), I work in 2 computer labs as the systems operator at our local middle school, with a whold bunch of hormonal 12-14 year olds. I am really not looking forward to these next weeks, months, whatever it may be... Oh, did I mention that I have no more of the evil little pills.
Respectfully,
Regent

regent, i've been there done that as you probably read. i finally got it in my head when i was a day or two in to withdrawl when i figured out if i dont get off now when or will i ever.hang in there it will get better. and then one day boom it all seems to be gone at one time but it will not come soon. so be stronger than the drug.......be stronger than the drug industry.

Hey page 626, Thanks for the reply.

I'm not feeling too bad today. Pretty dizzy and a whole lot lightheaded. If I stay busy, I forget. I know, I know, it will probably get worse, but I'm happy that today is tolerable. I did call in a new script, and am undecided whether to pick it up or not. If I don't have it, I won't go to it in desperation, then again...what if that desperation gets untolerable.
A thought that has been troubling me...Long, Long, Long story short...(read my profile?)I have also been tested 3 times in my lifetime for lupus. The symptoms sort of went away while on this evil med, however, they are coming back stronger and stronger with this withdrawl. It really stinks! Any thoughts? If you are interested, I have a longer, much more detailed version, or if anybody else would like to talk about my never ending questions. By the way, I'll be up late if anybody wants to talk tonight!
Respectfully,
Regent

Hey page626!
You're a teacher?
Regent