Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 21 of 140}

eleana, i love the flossing correlation!!!so funny...

sheila, there was a lady in our office who drank a glass of pond scum everyday for her breakfast...i fondly think of her when you talk to about the "tonic"...good chance you two are into the same drink!

commenting about emotions/mood swings...steph's were apparent after the 5th day or so...i think she was soooo "sick" with the zaps, tingling, etc. that she had no energy to show her emotions,

Thanks Dawn, Sheila Laura and Elena This is first time I have known that catgranny is Sheila. Sheila I will keep that in mind when it happens to you, if it does. I never had any problems really, until I got below 37.5. My worse things are the muscles aches and dizziness and feeling that my ears are stopped up. I just got back from the grocery store and boy I thought I was going to have a panic attack. I had to talk to myself.. It is very hot and humid here today also.
Energy has been another problem for me also. I don't want to get up in the mornings, no matter how long I sleep.
I do wonder if I should just stop this poison and take on the withdrawls. Each time we go down in mgs. we experience some of them.
I did buy some Epsom salts today so I will do a bath tonight. Maybe it will help my mood. Keep in mind, that I am on zoloft also. I can't imagine how I would feel without that.
Well girls, tomorrow is a nother day. Elena, I have to wonder what it is going to bring for us. Good luck to you in going to 9 mgs. today.
It will be interesting.
Hugs,
Bonnie

Just about to leave now. Thank goodness! I think I will force myself to get on that treadmill when I get home!At least I can say I am truly trying to stay fit and healthy.
Laurel, I can second all those emotions. I have been feeling alot lately. Cat I am not entirely sure when I started feeling these vast emotions, but I believe it was around the 18.75 mark. You are doing well yourself I must say. Cutting it down one step at a time. Don't you worry about it, you know we will all certainly be here if you are going through harder times.
Glad that I made you guys laugh a bit with my descriptive comments! (LOL Dawn!) Sorry if it was too much info for some! But it was how I felt. Thank you for letting me rant and rave.
By the way, what a wonderful thought Laurel, what Sara's style will be as she gets more along in her pregnancy! How cute!
Have a great night everyone.
Bee, Jami, Melissa, Mamamia, Page 626 and Fruitbat hope you're all doing well!
Love and Hugs
Elenaxo

Thank you so much for the luck Bonnie, I wish the same for you. I know I will need it. I'm sure this next drop will be a kick in the ***! As for tomorrow, well, we'll deal with that when it comes! We can do it Bonnie, and if you decide to just stop cold turkey now, then I support your choice. Just make sure it's really what you wanna do. I wouldn't want you to go through anything worse than what you're going through already!!
Take care
Hugs
xoElena

Roughly six weeks off Effexor. The withdrawal symptoms are gone, however the issue for its original prescription is coming back. General fatigue and cognitive thinking abilities going away. I have a thyroid problem and my doctor said the above is a symptom of the thyroiditis. I will never go back to Effexor but I may have to try something else. Damn it.

Hi, Dirk,

I just want you to know that your posts about quitting and withdrawing from Effexor inspired me to fight, fight, fight through the process.

Good news that your are totally Effexor-free. You're right; you will NOT return to this drug. We won't let you. ;-0 Sorry to hear your other news. Do you have Hashimoto's? And your throid med doesn't control your symptoms?

first of all, belated congrats to sara! yay!
and thank you for posting the link to the hy-c stuff; i was happy to see that it's a nature's sunshine product - i love them and my mom is a dealer. i'll give it a try!

elena, i am having the same problems with feeling puffy and bloated. it's horrible - i feel like my ankles and stomach have swollen to twice their normal size and it's uncomfortable to be on my feet. arrrrrrgh. i hope this goes away very very soon because i hate it. i just told my roommate that i feel like if i pricked my ankles/feet with a pin, they'd burst! has anyone found something that helps relieve this somewhat?

bonnie, i'm so sorry to hear that you're feeling bad. :-( i'm having the same problems with the aching. it feels like my fibro acting up, too, but it's horrible - this weekend i was camping and went for a long walk. normally, not a problem. but i felt like i had the flu afterwards and today i'm still aching from it. argh!

wonderingwhy, thanks for asking about me! i was gone all weekend so i'm trying just now to catch up on my online stuff. i'm so glad to hear that stephanie is doing well - congrats on 22 days!

naria, you nailed the emotions bit to a t. that is EXACTLY how my past two weeks have been.

speaking of, today is my two-week-effexor-free mark. wow. didn't think i'd make it... each day, again, i'm getting better. i'm not having hardly any problems with dizziness or brain zaps, but i am having a horrible time with:
- aching. bad.
- incredible puffiness and bloating.
- insomnia. this has been a huge one as all of last week i could not get to sleep before midnight and then was up again early in the morning for work. went camping this weekend, still no sleep. last night: awake til after 1:00 am, up at 8:00 for work. i just feel worn out and completely done in and combined with the aching and the puffing and the crazy emotions from withdrawal combined with sleeplessness, it all adds up to a really unhappy me. i'm feeling positive about having gotten this far but i'm really down about these stupid symptoms.
going for the walk this weekend and then paying the price with aches and pains was so frustrating! exercise is good for me mentally and physically and i know it will help in the long run. but i felt like a 90 year old afterwards. :-(

anyway, i won't end this on a negative note. i'm glad you're all doing well and let's hang in there, because i know we can do it. it'll just take time.

Thanks Bee I am so glad to hear someone is in the same boat as me. Not that I would wish fibro on anyone, but you know what it feels like. Do you think it is the effexor or fibro making us ache. My neck started then went into my shoulder and lower part of my back. When I wake up in the mornings,,I am so stiff until I get going. I really hope this is the effexor and not fibro coming back. I really think effexor helped my fibro. Anyway, thanks for any info. It really helps to talk with everyone and get everyones input on the crap.
Thanks again
Bonnie

Beemarie, you and I are at the same milestone of two weeks. I'm not sleeping all that well either. I'm not feeling terribly exhasusted today, but I'd like to be nice and sleepy later and just sink into the bed and float.

I listened to a lot of music over the weekend -- it felt good to savor the nuances of lyric and voice and instruments -- and was in various stores looking for specific colors of clothing. I found that when I was trying to go to sleep my brain was replaying the music and I could see the bright orange halters and the green skirts and turquoise capris vividly. So, no more monkeys chattering but a digital movie in my brain is unnecessary, too. LOL

The foods I'm eating on my detox plan seem to be keeping my blood sugar in a good place, so I'm not craving food, and I'm eating more, which keeps my headaches and crankiness at bay. And I'm pushing water like crazy.

Glad to hear you went camping, Bee. I rode my bike a little, but I'm eager to do some hiking soon. I do have a camping trip in August and should be getting some scenic walks and hikes in with the squeeze when I go to Texas/New Mexico to visit him. As I was saying to a good friend, I'm still having pains and other symptoms, but I don't care about them in quite the anxious ways I did before. That is huge improvement.

Wishing everyone a good sleep tonight. Brains must rest as well as bodies.

Laurel

bonnie, i don't think the effexor helped my fibro any, unfortunately. :-( it seemed to make me worse... but i've noticed a lot more aching since i stopped the effexor. i'm really hoping it evens out soon. i hope it does for you, too!

laurel, i'm curious about your detox diet because i feel like i need something like that. i just feel plain gross. are you following something specific?

hooray for camping and the great outdoors. i love it. :-)

Re: the detox diet: I don't actually have the book but an article and plan outline from the magazine of my health club (Life Time Fitness, article in May issue of Experience Life). But here is the editorial review from the book search on amazon.com I'm really thinking that the sulphur-rich foods are making a big difference.

I'm off to the pool in a few, but I'd be happy to talk more about this tomorrow.

Laurel

Editorial Reviews

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Elena -- I felt the shortness/not being able to get enough breath thing the first weekend I was off Effexor. It was awful. I couldn't even finish a breath and had to take another one. Not that it helps, but it happened to me, too. The negativity was there, too, although I've never had a positive self-image about my body. Here's what I think -- I guess I'm about 14-days Effexor-free. I quit pretty much cold-turkey. I think no matter how you do it, it SUCKS, but for about a week I was in hell and really wished I could've weaned myself off instead. You're all feeling crappy because it's still in your system. Once you're off, it'll get bad for a few days and then you'll have to pinch yourselves to make sure you're not dreaming the day you're feeling almost NORMAL. PS, Elena -- I work from home and continuous pop-ups on my computer are DRIVING ME CRAZY. No, seriously. Crazy. I get SO mad! So it doesn't happen all at once.

Dawn, thanks for asking, I'm feeling great -- trying to eat healthy and stop drinking stuff with aspartame in it. I pretty much don't trust anything that's going into my body unless I grew it myself (so hair would be my diet), so it's tough right now, but we're already discussing (veto-ing) baby names and getting into the whole process and it's very exciting!

Cat, what a sweet email! I'm from Columbia and my twin sister still lives there and my little brother and my Mom live in Chapin! My sister said it was so hot today that it actually took her breath away when she got in the car to go home from work. You never forget that kind of heat -- when it's 100 degrees and 94% humidity. I have a female doctor at the Navy Hospital and a very lovely and responsive maternity coordinator there -- I got somebody besides her today because of very, very, very light spotting and was assured that some women spot their entire first trimester. Well, my maternity chick called back and I told her that and she said, "Yes, but how are YOU feeling?" like it was about ME and that made me feel so good. I am still very bloated but I am fine with it, just so glad I started getting this stuff out of my system when I did.

Naria -- my style will be "anything big enough to fit." My normal weight is around 155, size 12 and today I weighed and HELLO, I am 168! I've been pregnant 2.5 weeks! But I'm considered 5 weeks along with this silly way they do the timing. So I believe I'll be having twins. I think I'll save some money and just shop at the tarp store and cut some holes in it for my HUGE ARMS and head. :^) I bought some "starter" maternity pants and told my friend and she said "those so won't fit you at the end" and I said, "dude, these so won't fit me in 2 months!" BUT, I'm starting my light treadmilling tomorrow aided by my new heartrate monitor wristwatch. Really, though, my style will be cute-pregnant-lady -- not that belly-shirt or low-riding pants crap! Plus I will be wearing the unique/funky/so-cool shoes that are my signature. :^) Thanks for thinking of me!

Dirk, did you try taking the Jarrow Neuro Optimizer that is recommended? I just ordered it (it's cheapest on eBay) but can't take it because I'm pregnant, but it's supposed to help you with those things and might be worth trying. I got mine from Vitacost.com and it got here in like 46 seconds.

Thanks, Bee -- Passionflower tincture was recommended for insomnia -- I bought some on eBay for $6, but again, will not be using it now so I can't tell you if it works. I tried Dramamine, which worked, but I was SO TIRED I could barely get up. Have you done the baths yet? I didn't have any soreness or pain after I started those and none since, although I quit them because pg chicks ain't supposed to be in hot water.

It sounds to me like everyone's kinda angry at themselves for feeling like crap. I hate that. I felt bad going on anti-depressants in the first place because why wasn't I equipped with handling the world like other people seemed to be? Think about it -- about every chemical and system in our bodies. How do we know what toxins are mothers ingested when pregnant? How do we know what toxins we've been exposed to our whole lives that would interfere with a "normal" emotional system? Who says what's normal anyway? Just like some people are good at sports (not me) and some of us run into our own desks every day (me!), we don't all have the exact same systems as everyone else. And that's okay. It's not okay for a drug company to give us something to "help" that really harms. What is so awesome for all of us is that we REALIZED we were a little off or needed help -- haven't you met people or heard them talk to their friends or spouse and thought: "they need some help." well, they have no idea because they're not enlightened and brilliant and powerful like we are.

Yay for us!

Love,

Sara

Hello everyone,
I am so happy that our new family members found our site. I will never forget that early morning hour that I desperately searched for answers to my pain, and came across this forum. It was only through all of you that I made it through!

I had a really weird relapse last week. For one day only, I was having major brain zaps. I haven't had any effexor for weeks, maybe months now. So I don't know what that was all about?

For those of you with the uncomfortable bloating, (forgive me for not naming you individually), if you have read some of my posts way back when...I actually went to the emergency room one night because I was sure I was having some sort of heart attack or something, because of my bloating and shortness of breath. Like I said before...imagine my embarrasement when it was only my (fatness) that was causing me such pain! I could just hear the doctors laughing when I left...man...she is in denial over her weight gain and she wants us to do something about it!?!?

Hey Catgranny...I laughed when I read your post asking when you would expect your first real emotion...Ask Jami, because I believe we had similar experiences. My first real emotion was the night I had(excuse my forwardness)incredible orgasm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!That did it for me!!!!!!!!!!! I knew I wanted more of those...Another good reason for staying effexor free!

Hey Dirk...
Don't feel bad, I have been thinking that I want to go on something again too! I am just a little gun shy. I had my first meeting of creditors today for my bankruptcy. I was so stupid though. I went to the wrong courthouse in a completely wrong city!!!!!!!!! Apparently my meeting was to be held in a city other than the one I had done all my filings and correspondence with! When I got back home I looked at the paperwork and saw that the courthouses had the same addresses but were in different cities. They were both at 110 Michigan Ave. A coincedence that I will not soon forget. Fortunately, I can reschedule with no damage done. I felt so stupid and irresponsible. I really am not that much of a dingbat!!! Just between you and I Dirk...As soon as I am done posting tonight...I am going outside and see how my hitter works!!!!!!!!!!!! Can't sleep!!!

I am so sorry if I am letting some of you down...I promise you that if and when this is done, it is when all of our babies are not here.!

Jami...
How is moving treating you? I have made a vow to never do it again. I cannot believe how much junk I have. I am going to have a big moving sale and make enough money to fund our next trip to Ireland!

So..........When Jeff and I get married...what are the chances of some of you making the trip? Don't ask me what the date is, because we haven't set one. If Jeff had it his way it would be on July 30th, the day of our first date. However...I want to lost this pouch that I have gained so that I can look good in my wedding dress. What I need to do is just set the date and that way I would have a real life goal.

Sara...
Welcome! I am happy for you and your new adventure! A new life growing inside you! Sometimes I can still feel the kicks and movements of a mom to be. They say that it is a phantom feeling. If you have read any of my posts you will know that we have six children, from age 3 to 17. So if you have any questions... this year we did drivers training and potty training!!!!!

Okay everybody...I'm gonna get to bed, I can barely keep my eyes open. Guess I won't need any help getting to sleep.
Love you all
Regent

Okay you guys!
They say that the computer will only put out what the operator puts in. I did not make all of those mistakes in that last post!!!!!!! Well okay, maybe I did. Sorry!
Regent

So much I could reply to today, but right now I'm swamped. This no computer at home gig sucks. I just don't know whether to try repairing my hard drive or going all out for a new machine.

Regent, where in Michigan do you live? I'm not THAT far away. :-) I like weddings ...

Saying a prayer for our collective swollen tummies and our delicate neural pathways and the power of coming together to heal.

Laurel

thanks for the info on the detox diet, laurel. i like ann louise gittleman - her fat flush plan, although strict, really works.

sara, i'll have to look into passionflower tincture. i appreciate the tip! and by the way, i loved your final paragraph. i could relate so much to what you said, and i went on anti-depressants for the same reasons you mentioned.

today is day 15 without effexor. i'm having the horrible anger and irritableness at every little thing... yuck. everything is getting on my nerves here at work: work, co-workers. i just want to scream! i hate being this person.
last night, because i was so exhausted from a week's worth of insomnia, i resorted to doping myself up on benadryl and going to bed at 8pm. wow! this is unheard of for me! but i was so sick of the insomnia and feeling drained and weepy (i get that way when i'm overtired) that i did this, and i'm glad i did. i feel more refreshed today.
i'm trying to drink lots of water in the hopes of counteracting this awful swelling that has been my symptom-buddy for the past week. :-)

take care, everyone!

Hello Everyone. I hope you're all having a good day. I really enjoyed catching up on the posts I had missed this morning and last night. I was at a meeting all morning and just got back to the office now. All of your posts made me smile. I am so happy we all found each other.Yes I realize how cheesy and cliche it sounds but what can I say?
Dirk I totally understand about wondering if you should be on something else. I too am worried that I will have to get onto another drug. I really don't want to. But in the end you really have to think of what's best for you.
Laurel, Bee, Regent and Fruitbat. Your words are so comforting for me in this time of weakness. It's good to know that I am not the only one going through what I go through just as Bonnie has said.I feel so shaky and quite frankly I feel quite lethargic. I didn't sleep well last night and I am feeling anxious today. I'm tired but I can't sleep. Bloated like crazy and sick to my stomach. I really am sorry to be so negitive I just really feel all these things. I hate it. I feel so helpless.
I just don't feel right. I'm thinking of looking into getting something to help me sleep.

Bye for now,
xoElena

elena, don't worry about sounding negative - this withdrawal junk is awful and has very negative side effects and i'm sure i speak for everyone in saying that if anyone understands, it's the rest of us. i do, at least!
i went through the sick-to-my-stomache phase last week. i'm doing better as far as that goes this week. hang in there!
it's been hard for me, and still is, the fact that this is all beyond my control and i too feel helpless. it's awful to not be able to prevent the bad effects this drug has on our bodies. but now we're taking charge - this helps me to combat feeling helpless.
i need some help sleeping, too. i am going to try the passionflower tincture that was recommended and see if it helps. dramamine puts me to sleep but leaves me feeling drugged in the morning.

another thought: has anyone else suffered from incredible stiffness along with the aching and bloating? i am! my poor ankles and knees feel like they no longer bend; they're very reluctant. this makes me so mad and i feel like a cripple the past few days...

Elena, I was wondering where you were today, because usually you are one of the first ones to post. I have been taking dramamine the past couple of nights to sleep. I have to break the tablet in half. I do feel somewhat tired in the mornings, but it does hlep me sleep.
Did you cut down on your dose of effexor. After thinking about it this morning, I remembered my doctor telling me when I lower my dose to take my new dose one day and the old one the next day for 2 weeks and then just start taking the new dose all the time. That is what I am going to do instead of just taking the new one all at the same time. Hope this makes sense to you. Again I am rambling.
I am feeling very lethargic also. I know how you are feeling. So you are not alone.
Hope things are looking better for both of us soon.
Hello to everyone else today.
Bonnie

Hi Bee I am so stiff especially in the mornings, I can hardly get out of bed. My hips and spine feel like they are going to break. I worry it is fibro coming back. I think it could be the effexor though. I will be glad when the aches go away.
Bonnie

Thank you so much Bee and Bonnie, even as I am writing this I have tears in my eyes. I am so emotional! God I just feel so sad and anxious. Okay enough of that. I will go home take a bath and try and get a good night's sleep. Bee I am appauled at how horrible these side effects are. I know everyone is feeling the burn. But really it is so awful when you go through it it's hard to remember others know exactly how you feel. Sometimes I do still feel alone. Know what I mean?
Bonnie I do understand what you are saying about taking one new dose every second day for two weeks, then just the new dose. I think I will do that too. This particular drop has been hell for me, and I just started the 9mg last night! I know you are at the same point I am and I hope for us that there is a light ahead of our tunnel soon. The same goes for everyone else.
Love and prayers
xoElena

I am so sorry Elena, that you are feeling like you do today. The only thing I can say, is yes I know how you feel. I know it doesnt help make you feel better, but you do know others are going through the same thing.
Just think, if we didn't have this site to read, well, we would just know we are going nuts. I would any way. I would be beside myself. I am anyway. Hope you feel better, and yes try that way of taking your pills for a while. I think it will help us to better deal with it.
My doctor is a physc. doctor and he is well aware of the withdrawls of effexor. I dont
know how to spell what kind of doctor he is but he is a head doc.
Hope you are soon feeling better.
Hugs,
Bonnie

PS Not getting the proper amount of sleep, does not help matter at all. I am sure being tired as you are, that it is harder for you to deal with the way you are feeling.
My mind is racing with thoughts so forgive me if I keep posting things. I feel like I can't slow down.
Bonnie

Bonnie;
I do appreciate your advice and of course being able to talk to you about this. It does give some sort of relief to my tortured mind. And not to worry about posting alot- that's me Miss Posts all the time. You are so right though, if I didn't find this site I would feel so much more alone and of course- craziER that I already am!
You know to be honest, I'm thinking of taking the day tomorrow to try and get some rest, depending on how crappy I feel. Maybe I will feel better tomorrow, but maybe it would be good to take a much needed mental health day.
Who knows. I'm up and down like a damn yo-yo.

Elena I am fortunate to be home all the time. I think it may do you some good just to rest, especially if you don't get any sleep tonight. I know worrying about sleep makes it worse for me. I go to bed and think am I going to sleep.
I am 57 soon to be 58 gone through the change and I feel like I am going to have a period. Now I know that my ovaries are not working, but I am aching as if they are.
Sorry if there are any guys on here, but had to get that off of my chest.
Hope everyone has a better day tomorrow.
By the way, where is everyone today?
Bonnie

I'm getting ready to leave work now. I may just take your advice Bonnie and stay home tomorrow. Damn that would be nice! I'm hitting the drug store for some E Salts. Gonna pile that in the bath and pray it works! Thanks for talking me down from the edge Bonnie. And thanks to everyone else too for their thoughts and advice.
You all have a special place in my heart.
By the way Regent, I am so happy for you: ) Weddings are such beautiful events. I would love to see it!
Take care and hugs to all,
xo Elena