Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 8 of 140}

Elena how was your appt?

jami

Also hi everyone!!!

hey all,
i still pop on off to see how all the people are getting away from THE DRUG i'm finally effexor free completely! if everyone will be patient it will all be good and turn out fine but dont forget to spread the word for people not to allow doctors and pshycs to force this evil pill around.they almost give it to my brother and i sent him to this sight and halted the destruction.thanks for asking regent and good luck all.
todd

Hey Regent,
I'm still alive, although at times I wonder! lol. I have just been on an emotional rollercoaster lately, but just trying to make the best of everyday. I have 4 boys and a husband that rely so much of me and that's the only thing that keeps me going. I just visited the doctor on the 4th of May and was then put onto another anti-deppresant. It's called Celexa. Have you heard of it? She put me on 40mg and said if that doesn't work, she would either up the dose or try me on Prozac. I'm not to hipp on that idea though!
I have still been reading everyones posts and find support in them, but I do have to say I'm very concerned about "nohope"! Her post had me in tears the other day and just wish there was something we could do for her! I keep her in my prayers everynight. Please, "nohope" let us know that you are o.k. we are ALL here for you eventhough it may be a very hard time for you right now, you truely NEED someone to talk to! Even though we have never met eachother, I feel as if I know every single one of you. I am with Regent about going on Dr. phil and telling everyone how Effexor has ruined our lives in one way or another. I don't think I'll EVER be the same person I was 6 yrs ago due to these evil pills!
If a person needs to be on anti-deppresants then that's fine, but I honestly belive that Effexor needs to be taking of the market. Do you think we could start a petition to ban this evil drug? It would be worth the try! It's been approx. 8 months now since I got off the drug, but still to this day don't feel 100%
Nothing I say here though is any new news to you all, but all I can say is hang in there and stick together! I miss you all and think of you often, I promise I'll keep posting to stay connected with you all!
Take care and I'll talk to you soon!
April :)

Well I emailed DR Phil about the forum etc etc and sent a link in it to read our topic. I begged him to get the information out there even if it isn't from us. Can you imagine the millions on this medicine? I will post any correspondence from the DR Phil show and maybe we can all meet there and share our war stories.

As for a petition here is the link I found a couple weeks ago. http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?effexor&25...
it had over 8k signatures at that time if there are any more petitions let me know I will sign every single one.

HUGS TO YOU ALL AND IF ANYONE HEARS FROM HOPE(I TOOK OUT THE NO OFFICIALLY!) try to get as much info as you can about staying in touch with her please please please!

Jami

p.s Lori the DOC PHIL idea was a great idea!!!

Jami


maybe we should all email and bother him and hell have no choice but to get us there to shut us up? lol

Hi Everyone, I saw my Doctor today, he is a psychiatrist,
(sp), and told him about me the taking my effexor 37.5 one day and 2 days off. He was fine with that. He asked if I had had any problems, and I told him that sometimes I would move my head, but my eyes would not follow. He said that this is called, I think transition imaging and that it is common with antidepressants. Also that I have had some intestional problems. He said that effexor and paxil are both really hard to get off of.
It has been 6 months since I started this procedure. Next week I am to start 1 day on and 3 days off. We will see. He said it is ok to open the capsules, if I have to and take them with applesauce. I think next week I may try just stopping all together and see what happens. I can go 2 days without any and I feel ok. Jami, I know you said the 3rd day was really bad, so we will see for me.
I told him I would like to get off the other two I take which are zoloft and wellbutrin. He said one thing at a time. He is very nice and seems to understand the problems of withdrawl, so that is comforting. Oh well, I am rambling. I will say goodbye for now. See you all.
Bonnie

Bonnie that sounds really good at least hes taking a proactive approach and isn't oblivious to how hard it is to come off these.. I also mentioned the intestinal stuff to my doc today he said the antidepressants really play a big part in your GI tract so it sounded normal for me to have some issues. Keep us posted hun..your doing great :)

Jami

Goodmorning all.
It is nice to see so many posts, and that we all still have some positive thinking left in us!lol Todd, good for you that you are off this garbage! You did really well! I don't think people realize just how difficult it is for us to finally get off this drug! Jami I am in total support of geting Dr. Phil in on this! And as you said, even if we are not on the show, the public should be educated! Living in Canada tho, I don't think it would be as easy for me to get to the show, but I'd do it!
I mean there are people like us from all over that aren't aware of this forum and that need help.
Bonnie, that is such a good idea, I think you are ready for it. The three days may be difficult but you have been doing so well, this may just be your ticket out! I wish you good luck and remember we are all rooting for you!
I jogged like a fool yesterday, trying to run off some of my maddness! lol And boy it felt good. I was crusty as hell to my poor boyfriend, but he understands, and I apologized. I am only human, I will slip up and be a little mean once and a while. But I believe that I am entitled to that, with all the crap I'm going through. I figure if I keep him informed about what is going on, then he will at least be educated about this situation. That's what I've done with my family. I let them all know that right now I am very sensitive and going through a rough time purging this poison from my system.
And HOPE. We're thinking of you and you are in our prayers. Please please let us know you're alright.
Take care all.

Goodmorning

First of all, my mind is running so fast. I have so much I want to say and I can't type fast enought.
Thanks to Jami and Elena for your replys.
I woke up this morning, (my 3rd day) by the way, knowing I was going to feel funny. Now, I don't know if I do or if I am just thinking it. I know that sounds nuts, but this is the way my personality is. If someone mentions somthing about these pills and it is usually negative, I am going to feel it. That said. I am dizzy.
This is the day I take my pill anyway. What I want to know is what can I get for the dizziness. Also, does anyone think that if do wean off of this poison, that you will still have withdrawals, but to a different degree? I can't believe the way I feel. Maybe it is anxious. Again I am rambling. Do you understand what I am saying?
Sorry. I guess it could be emotions playing. Wish this had been the day I had gone to see my doctor.
I have to go right now, but I will be back later. LOL
Any suggestion.
Thanks,
Bonnie

Hey Bonnie. Yeah today must be rough. I can just imagine. If you're feeling really dizzy maybe you could take some gravol - depending on whether or not you can go take a nap because they tend to make you sleepy, or maybe the newest natural source gravol with ginger to prevent sleepiness. I know that you must be feeling awful but keep in mind that this will pass, and that you are probably nervous, with good reason, as to how your body will react. During this time Anxiety is a very common thing for me. So if you are anxious, try not to stress and let it pass. Take a gravol and just hang in there. We've all been there, and we are there for you. I don't know if what I've written will help, but know that I understand what you're going through!
Good luck Bonnie, you're in my thoughts!

Thank you so much Elena. What is gravol. I live in Virginia, if that makes a difference. It is anything like dramamine? By the way, how are you going about weaning? Are you taking the 37.5 and taking half of it everyday. Are you on capsules or pills. Mine are capsules.
I said I had to go and I really do. LOL. Talk later.
Bonnie

Well Bonnie, I think Gravol is a Canadian Product, Sorry, I forgot about that! It is very similar to dramamine I've been told. Yeah the weaning has been going okay I guess, thank you for asking! I have been taking the capsules too, so it is really easy to open them and split the beads in half. I haven't noticed alot of symptoms, but I know as soon as I start doing the half 37.5 every day, I will notice them.
This is such a pain in the ass isn't it? lol
Yeah but I would really recommend the dramamine. Or the hangover chaser that Jami had mentioned. I think you can get that at a pharmacy...
;)

OMG Bonnie I had to respond before I even finished reading everyone elses posts after yours...Your tone sounds soooo much like mine did around day three...REALLY anxious and like your bouncing around...cant focus? I can sooo understand the anxiety on top of the side effects is killer but your doing well hun keep up the work. Im sure everyone mentioned dramamine in the posts after yours I just havent read those yet lol. If you start sleeping really light (I am still having that issue 3 plus weeks out of this detox) try the dramamine or benadryl it really helped me to relax and sleep instead of hearing every stinkin noise and waking from wicked vivid dreams constantly. I think tonight I will have to take some..last night was a crappy night of sleep though some of my dreams would inspire some great books lol.

Your doing good Bonnie try to relax and if things start seeming out of control if you can get somewhere to lay down and take some benadryl and sleep it off even a couple hours really will help. I was such a mess that my hubby came and laid on the bed next to me while i squeezed the crap out of his hand and cried. I finally fell asleep holding his hand for dear life and woke up feeling a bunch better....just hang on in there it really will be rollercoaster ride down but I think that day 3-4 for me was the uphill part the rest is a bumpy ride down...hugs.

Jami

HI everyone!
What a busy place! I had some really horrible nightmares during my detox. Jeff would tell me about my groaning and moaning the following day, and I would try and explain the evil creatures and the fights between good and bad that would occur in my head during my sleep.

I have to tell you all that the st. johns wort really seems to be helping me out alot. Bonnie and Jami...I am so glad that you have found supportive doctors.

Bonnie...I don't know if you read a prior post that I had made, but...once when I had run out of my script and needed something to help me out, my pharmacist suggested that I get some dramamine. It helped alot! I know I am repeating myself and others, but I can't imagine going through it without it. That and the "chaser" hangover remedy. I have to say that I never tried the benadryl. Probably because with 6 kids, my supply of benadryl was always going on empty. I also don't know how I would have handled my detox without being able to take a week off from work. I knew that I was going to have spring break off, so I planned for that to be my roughest week. I think it is worth a try to get some time off. A week if possible. Take some copies of these posts to your boss and co-workers and tell them what is up. I bet you could get some sort of letter from your doctor and I know you could certainly get letters from all of us in support of your effort.

Can you imagine if we were on Dr. Phil...what a can of worms we would be opening up? I bet we could keep him in show topics for a year. We could easily support his next 500! First of all why did we all go on the meds, oh boy!!!!!!Then getting off, and then... where do we go from here. We are all scared of more drugs, so we're on our own! Dealing with depression, relationship issues, divorce, bankruptcy, weight gain, stepparenting, loss of employment, and the list goes on. Thank God we have found each other!!! I only have one more hour on this computer, and then it is the weekend. I won't be able to post again until Monday, so let me know if I can do anything for anybody before I have to go away for the weekend. I was just going to offer my phone number, and remembered that I don't have my phone hooked up yet either. May 18th!!!!!!
Jami...I am going to have a new phone number when it does get hooked up, so I'll let you know what it is. I will be back at the old house this weekend, so if you need anything, you can still call me there using the old number. My answering machine is still hooked up.

Has anybody heard from 'hope!?! Do you think she/he lost the sight and can't find it again? It really stinks that she/he is doing this on her/his own.

I'm going to get off now and post this, so if you all need anything, I will be able to respond before I leave.
Love you's
Regent (Lori)
p.s.
I will be sending an e-mail to Dr. Phil. I agree that we should flood him.

OH OH OH OH>.....I clicked on Hopes name on her post and her profile lists a email addy.....Maybe I will write and see if maybe she lost the directions to this forum....CROSSING FINGERS!!

Jami

ps Lori I know your already gone from work so I wont respond to your post but I will leave ya email..hugs to ya!

Ill be in and out of here all weekend so anyone that wants to chat...I shouldnt have to much delay in responding :)

I have not taken Effexor or any prescription medicine for my depression. I have been trying to "handle it" myself for all my life. It is starting to get out of control. Anyway...I have been reading your forum for the past couple of days and I am just scared and trying to find out what to do because I know I need to get help and take something but I don't want to go through what you all are/have been going through. I want to try Amoryn first since it is natural and I read one post here where someone tried taking it and I can't seem to locate anything online regarding the long term effects. Can you help me?

I havent taken Amoryn but I did locate the website the other day actually. I was thinkin of trying it later on if I felt the need to go back on some of these meds...Also Mo if you don't find the success you are looking for in an alternative medication do not be afraid to have something prescribed just be cautious and find a doctor maybe a psychiatrist or a really good general practioner that is well informed and read up all you can before you take them. This medicine did some great things when I needed it...it was just hell to stop but that is not the case with all or even most of them.

Jami

here is that Amoryn site cut and paste :)http://www.amoryn.com/order.html

On the bottom of the page that link brings up is a link for success rates ,,,testimonials etc...check those out.

hey u all, well I have been going through the worst mood swings.. its been 8 months since I been on effexors and my heart has been palpitating so bad this weekened. i think thats whats causing the dizziness that I have explained long ago in this forum.. I been crying and feel at times I wanto quite work and just sit home cause I constantly feel miserable.. I never felt this way in my life.. I wish I never went on these meds.. I think I would feel so much better.. I cant even concentrate cause of feeling bad. I did write the effexor company and they have a case number on me.. If u all have info on Dr Phil let me know. I would tell them how horrible this is.. I am about to go to a psych just to get meds.. I been goingto an herbalist but things still are the same.. have u herd of noni juice.. let me know,, thanxs all alison

I found a website about loosing weight after use of antidepressants..dont know might give it a try along with my excersize...heres addy on that though just FYI

http://www.prozactruth.com/weight.htm

jami

Day 15

As stated before, 100mg Ex-Effexor user. Cold turkey for the last 15 days.

- Withdrawal symtoms almost gone.

- I really don't know about my mental disposition however, things just don't feel right. I wish I didn't have to see my ex-wife everyday to hand off my daughter to and from. She is 3 and I love her so much. But, I now know why a lot males just bail out of an area and go away to start new and forget more less about the family that broke up.. I feel that way often.

Best of luck to everyone.

Dirk

Ahh Dirk...(big hugs)my disposition is ok but i fly off the handle easily. I hate it too...im prayin it passes. Any ideas from anyone on maybe something to curb the mommy dearest disposition?

Hang in there Dirk your doing great and your doing right by your daughter just keep taking care of yourself also hun!

jami

Hello everyone,
this weekend has been an emotional one. As I'm sure it has for alot of us on here! I'm keeping up alternating the 37.5 and half the 37.5.
I just cannot wait until I'm off this stuff.
Hey Jami, did you happen to reach hope? Did he/she get back to you?
And big congrats to Dirk. You should be very proud of yourself. I am excited for that day that I get to write Day 15 no effexor!

the weight is coming off. i can feel it and see it. my middle area is becoming flat again.

I have been walking 6 miles every other day, and doing and 250 crunches. My diet has pretty much consisted of steamed potatoes, and turkey. So finally, I feel as though I have my weight under control again.

I'm still down though.

Ahhh that is great news!!! I bet the excersize is great for the mental health too! Good for you. It is something great to put a smile on your face!

Jami

Hello everyone. Well, I will say this, I haven't really had to much of a problem weaning from effexor until now. I think once you get down to below the 37.5 has been the worst for me. I think I will start counting the granules each day. Take the same amount out each day for a week and then take more out the next. I don't think I can go cold turkey. I feel really strange. Mornings are really bad. After I get up and move around some, I do feel better. How long does it take to get this stuff out of your system. What a mess.
I do walk and try to get my mind off of it. Oh well. Another day.
Bonnie