Question:
how hard is it to get off of effexor?..i am on 75 mg for about a year now, but everytime i stop itr i am dizzy for weeks..how do i quit? thanks
Response:
My experience was pretty much uneventful. Went from 150 to 75 per day for a couple of weeks, then stopped cold two weeks ago. Only thing I suffered was a major headache, which may have been attributed to Ritalin which I went on at about the same time. If it makes any difference, I was on the SR not the regular Effexor. >how hard is it to get off of effexor?..i am on 75 mg for about a year >now, but everytime i stop itr i am dizzy for weeks..how do i quit?
You will need to go through it or you will never get off of it. YMWV ~Polly~ ~anna~
Response:
I was on Effexor then switched to Effexor XR…….my Pdoc weaned me off of it VERY slowly. I did have a MAJOR headache for about 2 days after I stopped completely. Check with your Pdoc about cutting the pills in half for a few weeks. Good luck 
Cin
> how hard is it to get off of effexor?..i am on 75 mg for about a year > now, but everytime i stop itr i am dizzy for weeks..how do i quit? > thanks
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Response:
>>how hard is it to get off of effexor?..i am on 75 mg for about a year >now, but everytime i stop itr i am dizzy for weeks..how do i quit? >You will need to go through it or you will never get off of it.
thank you,,i think your right..:( >~Polly~ >~anna~
funny..i was tortured with this nick name for years as a kid..:) some days it just don’t pay to chew thru the leather restraints.
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Wish I saw this a month ago. :-(
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Setting a schedule > http://www.walnet.org/llf/drugs/psychdrugs1.html#quitting > Remember, psychiatric drugs should never be stopped abruptly! The more > slowly you can withdraw, the less bad effects you will suffer. The > best plan is to work out a schedule with your doctor that best suits > your situation. > Standard practice is to reduce your dosage by 10 percent per week, > monitoring your progress at every step. The first week, you would > reduce your dosage by ten percent. Try that for the first week, and > then see how you are doing. If you feel OK, reduce the dosage by > another 10 percent. Try that for a week, and see if you feel OK. > If you reach a point where you don’t feel OK, don’t reduce your dosage > by another 10 percent. Stay at the same reduced level for another > week, or until you do feel fine. Then reduce by another 10 percent and > continue with the process. Some steps might be more difficult than > others; take your time. > For example, if you are taking 200mg of Chlorpromazine a day, reduce > by 10 percent — 20mg — to 180mg per day. Try that level for a week. > The next reduction would be to 160mg a day for a week (or longer), > then 140mg a day, and so on. > If you are taking more than one medication at a time, it’s best to > stop them one by one. If you are taking a neuroleptic (major > tranquilizer) and an anticonvulsive drug (anti-Parkinsonian) at the > same time, which is common, withdraw from the neuroleptic first. > However, if you are taking more than one medication, this is a > situation where it is definitely best to have a doctor working with > you. > Withdrawal effects by drug class > If you are working with a woman who wants to stop taking psychiatric > drugs, it’s important to be familiar with the typical reactions or > symptoms of withdrawal. These vary, depending on the person, how long > she’s been taking the drug, her dosage, and the type of drug. > Different classes of drugs bring on different withdrawal reactions. > Some of these reactions may be disturbing and hard to witness but not > really dangerous. Others may be life-threatening. > A familiarity with drug withdrawal reactions will help you in working > with any woman who is taking psychiatric medication. Many patients > don’t take their medications as prescribed; they will alter their > dosage, increasing or decreasing the amount they take. Or they will > miss a day’s medication, and then catch up by taking twice as much the > next day. By mistakenly taking too little medication, they may bring > on the early stages of withdrawal. Mysterious physical and emotional > complaints may actually be signs that they are not taking their > medication as prescribed. > Even when a woman is taking her medication as prescribed, she may > experience the beginnings of a withdrawal reaction as a dose begins to > wear off. For example, a woman who is taking a minor tranquilizer may > find herself feeling agitated and restless before she is to take her > next prescribed dose. > In both cases, these signs are the results of the early stages of > withdrawal. It may seem like the agitation, anxiety, or physical > discomfort are signs of a woman’s "mental illness" or a sign that she > really does need the medication she’s taking. However, her complaints > may actually be due to the physical effects of the beginning stages of > drug withdrawal. > Listed below are the main classes of psychiatric medication, along > with the withdrawal reactions that are most common with each of them. > Antidepressants and neuroleptics > flu-like syndrome with headache, muscle aches, chills, nausea, > vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite > muscular reactions such as uncontrollable rhythmic movements and > tremors (these are more severe with neuroleptics) > insomnia, emotional distress, feeling like one is "going crazy" > Lithium > less side effects generally than other classes > insomnia, anxiety, irritability > Minor tranquilizers, sedatives > sudden withdrawal can result in life-threatening seizures; withdrawal > must be very gradual > seizures common in early stages of withdrawal > other reactions can include flu-like syndrome (see above), muscle > tics, restlessness, and anxiety > withdrawal symptoms usually take a few days to develop, but can occur > immediately and get worse during the first week > What you can do to support a woman withdrawing from medication > Respect the woman’s right to make her own choices. > Be informed about the process of withdrawing from psychiatric drugs. > Be familiar with the withdrawal symptoms so that you can stay > clearheaded and not panic. > Help keep people who disapprove of what the woman is doing from > interfering in the process. > Remind the woman to get enough sleep. > Make sure she gets enough to eat. Help her prepare food, as she may be > too nervous to cook on her own. > Help her get in touch with other people who will support her. > Don’t be misled by the withdrawal symptoms, thinking that they are > signs of her "illness." Be patient; it takes time to withdraw from the >how hard is it to get off of effexor?..i am on 75 mg for about a year >now, but everytime i stop itr i am dizzy for weeks..how do i quit? >thanks
Response:
>>how hard is it to get off of effexor?..i am on 75 mg for about a year >now, but everytime i stop itr i am dizzy for weeks..how do i quit? >thanks
My grandmother habituated(?) me to drink coffee when I was about 4 years of age. Since then I’ve been drinking 2 to 6 cups coffee per day, with only a couple of breaks lasting maximally some months. In an attempt to reduce my level of anxiety I decided to change to decaf coffee. I’ve been on ("on"[?]) it for a couple of weeks now. Since then I’ve felt quite dizzy almost all the time. I also sweat like a n***er when I’m biking. It seems to me adding some instant regular coffee to the decaf might help but I’m not absolutely sure of that. But the positive side of drinking decaf is that I don’t wake up in the middle of the night with my heart racing like hell, anymore. Perhaps effexor is a bit stronger than caffeine as to withdrawal…
Response:
Well what can I say, here I find myself on AD. There are lots of things that might have brought me down this road but I am not sure. I have read lots about depression and what people think it is. I am not sure if am I am or if I am not but what I do know is there must be something wrong. The thoughts that processed through my mind and the ever feeling of guilt whether I deserve to feel it or not. I have always been compulsive I guess when I start a task I hafta finish it or it drives me nuts. Then after I finish I never like my own work. there for a while I really became obsessed about my job and climbing the ladder of success, only 2 find out its who you know…rather then what you know!! The thoughts were always there and I could handle them I think but they are getting the best of me these days and the anxiety I was feeling but made me feel lower and sadder. So then we tried effexor..37…..75 and now 150. Its been a hard road to stay on these pills and their nasty side effects. I think things are getten better but I got a taste of reality the other nite when I was drinking and got sad again when I thought of something that has gotten me down lately. I see many changes happening since I started these and I am not sure where I am going. I hope its a good journey? Till next time…..
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Thx 4 the help. I have lots of questions since starting this med. I am not sure what I am suppose to be feeling since starting this. I am not sure just thinking of taking a med will help or if it really is. In college I took pharmacology so I know a little about meds and there side effects. At the beginning of this med I felt lots of nausea and headaches, hot flashes and some nights where I got only 4 hrs of sleep. Most of them have gone away. Last night after increasing another 37.5(x5) I woke to pounding my pillow!lol the wife thought I was out of my mind lol I was dreaming about a client attacking me at work and I was defending myself! nothing that I would really do with any of my clients! but what’s weird is before effexor I could never remember my dreams. Not that I wanted to since I could never remember them but often woke the house cuz of night terrors?? each day that goes by is a different feeling one day I wake to being so dragged out then the next to fully charged, I don’t feel the guilt I use to with everything that I do both at work and home. Being a boss that doesn’t like to discipline I always felt guilty for doing it. That feeling is starting to fade. Again not sure if its that I made some life changes regarding work or if its the meds? I guess what I am wondering from you and others is this how others feel? and do you think effexor is my answer? thx for interest!
Response:
Vajda.. I wrote you a long reply under the thread: "Re: dopamine reuptake effect"
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>s. I think things are getten better but I >got a taste of reality the other nite when I was drinking and got sad again >when I thought of something that has gotten me down lately.
What in God’s name are you doing drinking on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs???? Do you know the danger of that? Alcohol is a depressant. When you mix the combo you are mixing, you have a pretty good chance of possibly shutting down your nervous system. Didn’t your doctor warn you of this? If you have a drinking problem, STOP the booze before you start on the anti-depressants and other drugs. I too, am an alcoholic. I made certain I was DONE drinking before I started on meds. Plus, I got my butt into therapy. If you don’t believe me, read up on the side effects. Just type in Effexor or Lorazepam into any search engine and READ what is says about mixing booze with these drugs. You’re playing russian roulette. Luanne http://members.aol.com/luannep/adoption.htm http://members.aol.com/luannemarie/capage2.htm
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> What in God’s name are you doing drinking on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety > drugs???? Do you know the danger of that? Alcohol is a depressant. When you > mix the combo you are mixing, you have a pretty good chance of possibly > shutting down your nervous system. Didn’t your doctor warn you of this? >You’re playing russian roulette. > Luanne
Errr, Effexor and most (all?) of the SSRIs don’t interact with alcohol. I’ve been on Effexor and Zoloft for months and drink pretty often. I’m NOT an alcoholic, but I have 1-2 drinks all the time, sometimes even more. You’re just spreading ignorance. There is a sticker on the bottle saying "May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may intensify the effect. Avoid operating heavy machinery." The TRUTH is that there is _no_ evidence either way, which means, in effect, that they do not interact. For legal reasons, just about every presciption medication out there advises against using alcohol, but this is nothing to take seriously. Jeez, can’t you tell when you’re running into "protect our asses from crack lawsuits" legalese? As for antianxiety drugs, like benzos & valium, no, it’s not a good idea because they are depressants too. Antidepressants–the SSRIs, Effexor, and Wellbutrin at least–are surprisingly not depressants. It’s FINE to drink while on them, but be sensible and test it out in moderation and when you don’t have to drive.
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ok I agree that alcohol is a depressant and probably doesn’t help but yes when I checked the websites about this drug there is no interaction with it. I am sure in moderation its ok. really what’s the diff pop a lorazapam or have a drink or 2????? not condemning or condoning…
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> What in God’s name are you doing drinking on anti-depressants and > anti-anxiety > drugs???? Do you know the danger of that? Alcohol is a depressant. When > you > mix the combo you are mixing, you have a pretty good chance of possibly > shutting down your nervous system. Didn’t your doctor warn you of this? >You’re playing russian roulette. > Luanne > Errr, Effexor and most (all?) of the SSRIs don’t interact with alcohol. > I’ve been on Effexor and Zoloft for months and drink pretty often. I’m NOT > an alcoholic, but I have 1-2 drinks all the time, sometimes even more. > You’re just spreading ignorance. > There is a sticker on the bottle saying "May cause drowsiness. Alcohol may > intensify the effect. Avoid operating heavy machinery." The TRUTH is that > there is _no_ evidence either way, which means, in effect, that they do not > interact. For legal reasons, just about every presciption medication out > there advises against using alcohol, but this is nothing to take seriously. > Jeez, can’t you tell when you’re running into "protect our asses from crack > lawsuits" legalese? > As for antianxiety drugs, like benzos & valium, no, it’s not a good idea > because they are depressants too. Antidepressants–the SSRIs, Effexor, and > Wellbutrin at least–are surprisingly not depressants. It’s FINE to drink > while on them, but be sensible and test it out in moderation and when you > don’t have to drive.
Response:
I used to use a drug called Ambien to get to sleep. I found that Risperdal worked better for me (Risperdal is an anti-psychotic).
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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi, >Interested in all people write about effexor or wellbutrin. >Terry M. > I have taken Welbutrin with Lithium for 7-8 years. It does not havesnip > Yes, I get down but it is real and I actually feel in > contact with myself.
I tried Welbutrin and Lithium and the Welbutrin put into a state of mile hysteria….I now use Paxil instead, but can’t tell if it works. Prozac also put into hypomania, but that is not so unpleasant in my case. I read of other meds in this group ‘maneril’ ‘efexor’ and i have no info on them at all. kinda makes me think are each a walking lab….anyone know of the long term effects of this stiff, i don’t, but still take it….no other option. I am bp II/rapic cycling, just for the record. Does anyone use sleep medication on a regular basis? if so what? Ernie
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Hi, I used effexor for a year. It seemed to have no real side effects for me except constipation and I needed to take it with food. It seemed to take care of depression in a very clean way. After about 9 months I started having a lot of trouble getting up in the morning and having really weird dreams that had very drugged,dazed feeling and were very hard to get out of. This did not feel like me at all. My practitioner told me a month ago that she would like me off effexor since she thinks it contributes to cycling in me and thinks that I have bipolar tendencies, I guess you could call it cyclothymic. I really think effexor is very hard to come off quickly if you have anything to do like go to a job or take care of kids. I experienced a dizzy, disorienting feeling, lack of concentration, and just general very unpleasant states of mind. So I took 75 mg of effexor and increasing amounts of wellbutrin at the same time and that was do-able. Now up to 150 mg wellbutrin and feeling ok although somewhat irritable and overemotinal. We’ll see. Interested in all people write about effexor or wellbutrin. Terry M.
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– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->:Hi, >: >:I used effexor for a year. It seemed to have no real side effects for me >:except constipation and I needed to take it with food. It seemed to take >:care of depression in a very clean way. After about 9 months I started >:having a lot of trouble getting up in the morning and having really >:weird dreams that had very drugged,dazed feeling and were very hard to >:get out of. This did not feel like me at all. >: >:My practitioner told me a month ago that she would like me off effexor >:since she thinks it contributes to cycling in me and thinks that I have >:bipolar tendencies, I guess you could call it cyclothymic. I really >:think effexor is very hard to come off quickly if you have anything to >:do like go to a job or take care of kids. I experienced a dizzy, >:disorienting feeling, lack of concentration, and just general very >:unpleasant states of mind. So I took 75 mg of effexor and increasing >:amounts of wellbutrin at the same time and that was do-able. >: >:Now up to 150 mg wellbutrin and feeling ok although somewhat irritable >:and overemotinal. We’ll see. >: >:Interested in all people write about effexor or wellbutrin. >: >:Terry M. >:
I have never been on effexor but had nightmarish experiences with Wellbutrin. I was diagnosed as rapid-cycling Bipolar II and the first anti-depressant the doc tried me on was Wellbutrin, saying it was the least likely to make me flip into hypomania. Wellbutrin didn’t do anything for my depression, but had me cycling so often that I was bouncing off walls. I was crying all the time, getting really angry for no reason and losing my temper even in the office, couldn’t sleep, was constipated as all hell, etc. So, after many trials and tribulations, I’m on Depakote (mood stabilizer), Zoloft (anti-depressant), Klonopin (anti-anxiety, anti-manic), and Lorazepam (sedative for sleep). Keep working with your doctor to find the best combination that works for you. It is quite common for anti-depressants to throw bipolar patients to the other side of manic-depression. Good luck…….Barrie
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>Hi,
>Interested in all people write about effexor or wellbutrin. >Terry M.
I have taken Welbutrin with Lithium for 7-8 years. It does not have the boost of Zooloft or Prozac (Prozac booted me into a manic state), but it has the uncany ability to keep me more on center than any other antidepressant. Yes, I get down but it is real and I actually feel in contact with myself. -Doug
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