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

im on day 4 of no e. i replaced it with viibryd which is a newer ssri. id like to be off them all but the withdrawal is already so bad even with a replacement ssri i dont know how i could come off all together. when will the anger and crying and dizziness ease up?

I was going to wait until I was completely feeling better before I posted my story on any site. However, I have been really pulled to this particular site and the time for me to share is now. Reading all the stories that have been posted really do give me strength and courage to continue this journey. I was placed on effexor xr (the demon drug) in May of 2009 after I had a complete hysterctamy. The OB stated it would help as a hormone therapy. I didn't know then what I know now about this horrific drug, or I would never had allowed him to put me on it. In the beginning I had no negative reaction to the med, but a few weeks down the road I started experiencing very weird dreams. These dreams were unlike anything I had ever experienced and when I would wake up my head felt really weird. As the dreams continued and a few more weeks went by I began to hear Angelic music coming out of my fan before bed. It was the most magnificiant music you could possibly imagine. I thought I had been given a gift from the Divine. Then one night the music turned into words and messages. One of the messages stated that 'We need an ordinary lady to carry the latern of Mary'. That was just one sample of the messages I received. This continued for a few weeks until one night the messages started and went continuously around the clock for several days. I even experienced a full blown psychosis that lasted for two full days. My family couldn't cope with what was happening to me and they were scared for me. My last night at home ended with me in a psychtic state of being and the law was called in and I was shipped off to a psychiatric unit for 5 days. While at the unit the voices went away. Keep in mind that I was on 150 mg of effexor this whole time. I was home about 3 weeks from the hospital when I felt a huge THUD hit my brain and it felt like all the happiness, contentment, peace, joy, etc had been sucked from me. I was horrified and scared and I wanted to end my life so I went back into the psych unit again. When I came out I had this weird rolling sensation in my brain and my emotions were still very horrid. I was told to see a psychyitrist so about two weeks later I went to see this psychyitrist. I told him my whole ordeal from the very beginning. I told him that since the big THUD I was unable to experience happy emotions and my head felt like my brain was moving around in my head. He told me that it was the depression. He said that I had hit a major state of depression and it was going to take some time to recover. I had never been depressed before so why was I depressed now. I could'nt figure this out. I kept seeing this doctor for several weeks and everytime I went I complained about this rolly thing in my head and the dreams that were weird. Finally the doc got upset with me because I told him that I thought it was the effexor and I wanted to come off of it. The doc stated that I had a 'mental illness' and I would be this way for quite some time and I had better get used to it. When he told me this I felt gloom and doom. I paniced and got online to look up effexor and coming off of it. The doc had told me that if I tried to come off of effexor that I would slip into a deep deep depression that I would be unable to get out of. When I went and researched effexor and coming off of it I found this 800 number and the gentleman stated he found me a good place to go. So the next day I hopped a plane to California. Now keep in mind I don't have any insurance. I went to a facility in California where I stayed for three weeks (costing $17000). When I came home they had me down to 75 mg of the effexor. However, the doctor out there placed me on 900 mg of litheum. AFter I got home i continued the lowering of the drug. As of today I am 6 days off of effexor. I do not feel the best.I have this focusing problem with my eyes and can feel this weird feeling when I focus behind my eyes and in the back of my head. I also sweat alot at night. I do have the dizziness. I am sick of feeling this way but I also know how sick i felt while on the effexor. I am not looking back because I have no choice but to go forward. This drug has taken so much away from me and has cost thousands of dollars in medical bills. If that psychyitrist would have listened to me when I was describing all of those side effects I could have gotten off of this stuff a long time ago. I will never again take another SRI.When I can get rid of these weird feelings/sensations in my brain I will be happy. Reading some of these posts gives me hope that it does get better. I am holding onto getting better very tightly. Good luck to everyone. Take it day by day and remind yourself that 'This to shall pass'. I will post again in a couple of days to let everyone see how I am doing. It has sure helped me to have those postings to look at.

Tammy
[message edited by tshrable on Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:38:53 GMT]

Tammy... we all have different routes to the same disaster... I am also finding a lot of practical help on Surviving Anti Depressants (dot com).
Sadly I went down 25% in two weeks in early December and quickly came unstuck... I am 'strategically' re instituting at 300mg... being careful of encountering additional drugs (although I have had to up my blood pressure med)..and am waiting at least 3-4 months to stabilise...and with what i know now..am prepared for a very long and slow taper... several years...
I wish you success in re establishing your life... and I have found that some of te best advise comes from were I havent been looking... so I ask for 'open mindedness'... ciao for now.Robert

Tammy,

While weaning of Effexor, did you try any of the methods below:

1) Exercise
2) Vitamin regime
3) 5-HTP / L-Tyrosine (low dosage to offset withdrawal)
4) Passionflower
5) Mediterranean diet
6) No caffeine
7) No alcohol

I have been on 150mg for almost 10 years and have decided I no longer want to be on this medication and to reach for a more homeopathic way of dealing with anxiety/depression. I am now at 65mg with virtually no notable side-effects using the above recommendation. I know that several sites do not recommend 5-HTP combined with SSRI/SNRI's however after much research and discussions with homeopathic doctors, all recommendations made sense to add 5-HTP while reducing Effexor. It has completely made me forget I was weaning off Effexor, with no side effects or feelings of serotonin syndrome as most will relay.
Serotonin syndrome is based on getting too much serotonin build up in your body. This isn't the case when you are deliberately weaning off Effexor at the same time as adding 5-HTP.

Anyway, I should be at 37.5 in less than 8 days from now and look forward to it.

I am now on day 8 of no Effexor. I am sleeping well at night and I do not have any nasea. I did purchase some St. John's Wort which will hopefully assist with the withdrawl I am experiencing. I was taking Dramamine 6 tablets daily and I did not take any of those today. I am taking Omega 3, Magnesium, B-Complex, St. John's Wort as supplements. I am also taking Litheum 900 mg daily. I am experiencing a heaviness in the back of my head and it takes my brain time to focus (kinda a disorientation feeling in my brain). I also get the occasional zap in the brain. I spoke with the pharmacist today and she said that after a week you should start to notice some gradual changes. She said it could take up to a good month to start feeling a positive difference. I would love to chat with anyone who is also going through this situation. Support with someone is a good feeling when you are so worried about ever seeing the light again.

Tammy

Hello Everyone:

I am going on day 12 of withdrawal from this demon drug. Last night I stood outside in the cold air holding my gut vomiting while my husband held me hand. We have been married 22 years and he has only ever saw me vomit twice and once was with effexor withdrawal. I do not have a stomach that gets easily upset, but this effexor withdrawal is something else. I have bouts where I will feel an extreme amount of heat and then a burst of sweat. I still get the rolling wave feeling which is absolutely disgusting and makes my stomach nasueas. Getting out and getting fresh air (even if it is only 32 degrees outside) feels really good. I don't know what I would do without my family. My husband does all the cooking and cleaning and my kids help as much as they can outside of school. I am definately glad that I am not working because I couldn't hold a job. I was told that I had a mental illness and so disability is helping me out. Even though effexor was my mental illness while I was on it. I would have never had the voices and such if the stinking doctors would have just know about the negative effects of effexor. I will tell you this; my psychyistrist told me that if you ever have a negative reaction to one anti-depressent you do not need to take another. Well at one time I had taken Paxil (for being hyper) and I started having seizures. The doc took me off of Paxil cold turkey (which was hell, but not anything like Effexor withdrawal). Anyway, I am taking one day at a time. Trust me I have the days numbered in my calendar because everyday is terribly long. I am not looking back now. I have 12 days under my belt and I have read many posts on here where it does get better. I am planning on getting my life back and feeling good again. My poor family has had to suffer enough with everything I have been through. I will post back to let you know how it is going. I suffer with you and we can do this. Take it one day at a time it will get better. We will live a life Effexor FREE.

Day 15 Effexor Free. Well I am still holding on. I truly believe that a 'Brain Zap' is experienced by every individual differently. My most bothersome withdrawl symptom right now is this focusing problem. When I look down to read and then try to look off I get this weird (nausea feeling) pulling sensation from the back of my brain and behind my eyes. I think this is a brain zap. I get extremely nauseated at night (in my sleep)and I get a sickening feeling in my brain. I also get this unusual sweating sensation. I am still going and moving forward. I will never take another one of those demon pills again. I am hoping that within this next week this awful feeling I get in my brain leaves. If you are currently withdrawling from Effexor and would like a communication buddy please let me know. It would be nice to have someone to talk with who is experiencing the hell along with you.

Hi; Not much action on this website...lots of support and chatting on PAxil Progress..and also Effeor users..as well as other ADs

I am completely off Effexor 150 and with the exception of the sniffles and the occasional zap, I have never felt better!

The success I speak of is based on the program I mentioned early. I started weaning off around December 15 and am completely as of Feb 1 of this year.

Slowly and methodically...

Hi,
This is my 3rd time trying to get off E. Last time I tried, I ended up in the psych hospital. The withdrawels were so bad I overdosed on alcohol and pills to make the emotional pain go away. I have always been on 75mg. I have been tapering down for 2 months. I was down to a very low dose, than the withdrawals caught up to me. It was a shock. Now I am somewhat stable on 30mg. My main complaint is that I feel this pulsing anxious energy constantly flowing through my body. It hasn't been getting better. I want to stick it out because I really don't want to have to increase my dose. I am starting a new job and it's hard when my moods are so unstable. I cannot put this off any longer though. This drug is controlling me. It controls my body and mind and I hate that. It worked for awhile, then stopped working. I need off this drug!

Im 31 years old and have been on effexor since i was about 18 years old for severe anxiety/depresssion. I wanted to get off the drug, and began tapering down, and have been completely off the medication for 6 months now. It has been extremely difficult. I have had the brain zaps, headaches, nausea and very irritable, moody, I am so sad and have obsessive negative thoughts, because i assume the worse. i am so sensitive and emotional on a regular basis, I cry over the stupidest thing and take jokes to heart. Its effecting my job and my relationship with my boyfriend. I am so scared that it won't get any better. The past 4 days has been the worse, I ve been experiencing severe anxiety attacks, and I feel sick to my stomach because of the anxiety, I have no appetite the thought of food makes me sick, I'm nauseous, and have had diarrhea. Now with the constant anxiety attacks and feeling ill where I'm not eating is making these four days the worse i have ever been. Im at the end of my rope, I don't know what else to do, i don't want to depend on meds the rest of my life, but i also can't keep living the way I have been. I am terrified, I have read some people deal with the withdrawal for only a few months and others that say it took them over a year. I can't do this anymore its gotten so bad with these severe anxiety attacks basically 24-7 for 4 days now. Im in the process of seeking professional help, but i don't just want any healthcare therapist, I want a facility or doctor who specializes in my kind of situation. DOES ANYONE KNOW ANYONE IN THE CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS AREA THAT CAN HELP Me, a recommendation. Anyone they can recommend to me…..im desperate and feeling so hopeless. I don't feel like the same person and I fear that this is going to be me for the rest of my life. I cannot continue this way. Any help i would appreciate!

There is a homeopath Cynthia Chrisman in Lee, Ma- she is on
a list recommended by other classical homeopaths, She has
her BS in Psych and she is a supervisor to homeopaths in training.

There is also Richard Moskowitz MD homeopath in Watertown.


For posters on this thread- It seems you need to know that you
can post individually on this forum and get help.
See forum front page and above first post- POST NEW TOPIC
button, click it, make a headline and you will get help on here.

Getting off Effexor, like Klonapin produces side effects that
have been mentioned. I have seen people on this forum get
off these things. What has been used first, is Nux Vomica, evenings
Sulphur mornings to get the drug out of your body. Then Avena
Sativa ( which is just rolled oats) to strengthen your nervous system
and also pull more of the drug out of your body. This is done
in stages while you are weaning down on the drug. After you
are off then you get a prescription for the depression that would
have helped you in the first place to cure the problem.

The above is one way, not everyone on here or other homeopaths
will do it this way- If you go to a homeopath, please ask them
if they have had successful cases of getting people off Effexor/Klonapin-
Find someone who already knows how to do this.

You can get off this-you just need to work with someone who
understands how to do it.
[message edited by simone717 on Tue, 28 Jan 2014 21:43:29 GMT]

Hi. I am taking Effexor XR for the last 7.5 yrs 75mg/day. I tried to quit this medicine several times but the withdrawl is so horrific that I keep coming back to it.Secondly I have always been pressed on time and can't afford to take time off from work to relax during withdrawl symtoms,because functioning during a withdrawl is very hard.This medicine helped me at start but this feeling of tiredness muscle aches,sore throat,dry mouth,constipation,feeling as if my head is locked in a tight cage is very uncomfortable.I want to get rid of it and at the same time take homeopathic medicine to cure the symptoms for which I started Effexor i.e anxiety, excessive indigestion depression.
According to one doc , it can make you impotent,i dono how much it is true but yes my sex drive have reduced as well as I experience pre mature ejaculation but increased as compared to the time when I was really sick and unable to function in life.
Thanks
[message edited by whoami on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:02:56 GMT]
[message edited by whoami on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 00:05:09 GMT]

Hi whoami-

I see you have posted about your individual case
and that Rishimba is helping you. He advised in
your specific case to Take Lycopodium.

If a remedy starts to make you feel better, then often
people start safely reducing their other allopathic medicines. Sometimes people have to take a few
remedies as I described earlier to handle withdrawal
symptoms.

You should keep a notebook of what is better, what
is worse etc and frequently update him so he can
guide you correctly.

Thanks simone717, I read about a few remedies that help but not sure about the dosage, anyways I haven't started it yet, once I do I will be more destined to find about it, but I have one q's to all the Effexor or any other psychotic drug users:
1.Why did they think they started this drug in the first place, of course to cure some symptoms. Therefore if these symptoms come back after saying goodbye to these evil drugs, what will be their backup plan?
I started it because my depression went so bad that it affected my digestive system to a level that I couldn't even digest cereals and this is no joke !!!

People who are depressed need to have a physical and
dental check up first to see if there are any
physical reasons going on that will drain energy.
Low energy can cause depression literally within
minutes. I know several people who were considering
going to the psychiatrist ( and probably get medication!)
and the depression was due to a bad tooth or gum
infection they were not aware of ( subtle constant energy drain)
so they were always low, did not feel like
themselves and then got anxiety which made perfect
sense bc they could not function well.

If physical,dental check out ok, go see a good
homeopath who has been in practice for at least 6
years and has done depression cases and understands
mental health. That would be my first choice to cure
the problem for good, second choice a good acupuncturist that has had success with depression ( you
have to find the right person with proven experience) and
do this along with counseling by someone who does
not think drugs should be the standard protocol for
everything.
[message edited by simone717 on Wed, 29 Jan 2014 17:31:09 GMT]

I am glad I've found this site. I am currently two and a half months free from effexor. I was weaned off by my dr, from the 150mg. I was taking it for over 5 years.

The first month and a half was horrible. Brain zaps, panic attacks, non stop crying etc. Then I had a really good couple of weeks. I do not remember ever feeling so good. This past weekend however, I am back to where I was two months ago. Non stop crying, panicking over the smallest things, and feeling numb.

I am really considering going back on something, but I am holding onto that two week stint of feeling so good. I want that feeling back. Any suggestions or comments are really appreciated. I hope this is not the depression coming back.

Hi jlc,

Do a new thread and ask for Evocationer or Rishimba
to take your case and prescribe.

Go to the first forum page, look above the first post,
and click the button post new topic. That will be
your treatment thread-you need to answer questions
about your mental, physical, emotional symptoms,
what makes you feel better and worse, etc.

The remedy is chosen based on matching those symptoms.
When the body receives a close match it won't allow
it and raises your life force to clear all the imbalances
causing this. Everyone is different and needs the
remedy based on their unique totality of symptoms.

HELP! I am 45yrs old and I having been taking Effexor for about 9 years 150 mg and I desperate to get off of it!!! I have read through some of the previous posts and I am terrified of the withdrawals. I have a hypothyroid and I take synthroid 300mcg a day. I have had chronic neck and back issues which cause severe headaches and I had a hysterectomy and I have been using an estrogen patch since 2001. So with the symtoms of these two issues I am scared to death to go off Effexor. I am very interested in holistic therapies and nutrition. I plan to start a course in January to get certified as a holistic nutritionist. I have seen a neurologist for my headaches and had a myelogram done last week and they plan to do surgery on my neck after the first of the year. Hopefully my headaches with subside and I would like to start weaning myself off the Effexor after my surgery.
Any help and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Lookingforserenity