Effexor Chat 4

Bonnie
Yes, have the appetite thing and the ringing in my ears is driving me crazy too

Loretta
Hi everyone,

I have been taking Effexor XR 225mg per day for the past 5 years. I have tried to go off it and the withdrawals where horrendous. I was actually having suicidal thoughts (I didn’t act on them them) and so I just went back to taking them. It’s now 12 months later and I’m a mess. I am on an emotional rollercoaster, crying, energetic, lethargic, crying, can’t sleep sometimes for a couple of days at a time, crying. I find I’m getting anxious about stupid things that don’t matter. I feel insecure about myself I feel like a failure. I have the worst itching in my arms, it feels like little sharp needles and no matter how much I scratch it wont go away. I want to cut my arms off this itch is driving me insane, it keeps me awake at night as well. My sex drive is completely gone but I can’t get enough hugs. Most recently I have been having really bad dreams and leg cramps at night. I am going to see my doctor again soon to see if he can help me get of this horrible nasty drug, but I am so worried about doing it because I live on my own and I’m worried whether I will get through it without family support. I believe this drug is a contributor to the break up of my marriage of 25 years. I HATE this drug I want it out of my system now????????

Angelyn on Effexor
I have been on Effexor XR 75mg since 1998. Over the years I have asked drs about getting off it. Most do not have a clue how difficult it really is. I had very bad nightmares as well as crying every day so I got back on it Effexor did help in the beginning with my stressful job, but now I am retired and need to get off this horrible med. My problem is that I could sleep every hour of the day, no energy, gained weight, and do not care about things that I should care about since taking Effexor.

I just want my normal life back, so soon I am going to try really hard to come off Effexor. All of your blogs certainly help me. I hope we can get off this drug.

Becky
I am currently starting the this medication because my doctor thinks it well help me. I have tried Zoloft and I ended up with a bad itch all over my body. I don’t like what I hear about the withdrawals is there anyway to not go suicidal and rip my brains out of my ears? Is there anyway to avoid it besides not taking the medication?

Lisa
I am taking a nutritional approach to deal with my depression. i have read some very compelling research about Omega3 s and zinc for depression. i am taking zinc, B-complex, and omega- 3s.

Cat
Yes its possible. I took effexor for 9 years and it helped me SO much! Now I’m almost off of it with not much difficulty. Dont get me wrong, when I was taking it, missing a dose made me MISERABLE. But the way I weaned off is I started by alernating days at 150mg and 112.5 mg for 2 weeks, then taking 112.5 mg every day for 2 weeks, then altrnating 112.5 and 75, etc.. Now I am dowm to half of a 37.5 mg every 36 hours. You just need not to rush it. And also don’t rush getting off of it. Take it as long as you need it.

Kristen
I started weaning off 75mg Effexor XR on November 7 (was gaining too much weight). By late December I was down to taking one every five days as per my dr’s instruction, but I kept hitting a wall by the 4th day. I got brain shivers and dizziness, sure, but the real kicker was mood swings with anger and extreme depression that scared the hell out of me. I finally stopped taking it on December 30 and finally feel pretty much back to normal on January 12.

I just wanted to say hang in there for those who are weaning. Definitely don’t stop cold turkey, but know that there will be uncomfortable symptoms from discontinuation because this really is a wicked drug to come off of. Doctors really have no clue the hell that discontinuation is if they haven’t gone through it themselves.

John T.
I’ve been on effexor for 5years now. was taking 300. 7mo ago dropped to 150 and stayed there till 12-11. Then I decided to drop all to stop. What a mistake. Nothing like the 1st 150! Had weeping spells and anxiety and just about flipped out. Called the Doc and he told me take 3, 37.5mg for 2weeks, then 2 for 2 weeks and then 1 for 2 weeks.
Of course I just went to the 2(75mg) for 2 weeks and will then do the 1, 37.5mg for 2 weeks. After that if need be I will take a pill every other day and increase the days until it is a moot point.
Am still taking .5mg a Xanax 3x/d. After the effexor I will drop those also.
A 20 year bad marriage is now over and so is the need for this stuff.
BIG PHARMA is hooking an entire planet on this junk, now our Combat veterans are taking this stuff to function in Combat Situations and it is just a Band-aid! We have opened PANDORA’S BOX again.

Cat
This is not the way to do it. If you still need the xanax it is too soon to stop effexor. Effexor has helped me tremendously and although the withdrawal is not a peice of cake, I never regretted taking it.

Jo-Ann
Hello. I have been taking effexor 37.5 mg. for 20 years. Paxill and Prozac were too strong for me, I forgot to pay the bills for a month when I tried them. The new Effexor Xr is so expensive $253! i tried the generic and it made me sweat and become highly anxious and aggressive. I thought I wold have a nervous breakdown.
I started Effexor because of extreme stress- I have 2 special needs kids , was a single mom, and teach school. I was thinking about getting off effexor because of the expense and in 3 years I’ll retire and not have so much stress from my doubled schedule (300 kids) at a middle school with 4 preparations.
The withdrawal sounds horrible! Thanks for all the information that I did not know about. I hope I can get off Effexor in 3 years.

Ingrid
I’ve been on anti-deps for about 20 years. I’ve had bouts of depression as well as panic anxiety issues so I’ve done the scope of Prozac, Buspar, Wellbutrin, and now Effexor. They seem to work ok for a few years and then lose their effectiveness. I’ve been on Effexor for about 7 years following the birth of my son and having an elderly mom in nursing home. From the stories I’ve read, I’ve been very fortunate because I asked for the smallest dosage just to help take the edge off – 37.5mg. So, a few weeks ago when I decided I was done I started the process of cold turkey …. which I found I couldn’t do as even this small dosage gave me horrible dizziness. So I took the pill every other day and by the 2nd day I had the dizziness return. I decided to stop the pill altogether and just get through the dizziness — I mean really, “how long could this medication last in my system and only a few days of discomfort”. HA! I’m on day 5 of cold turkey and STILL have dizziness. On day 3 I couldn’t sleep and really felt the lowest. There are also other changes. While on this medication I had to take naps during the day – and if I lay on the couch or bed at anytime, I could close my eyes and sleep. I’ve gained about 20 pounds and spent the last couple years doing as minimal as possible in everyday chores. Aside from the dizziness right now my appetite has actually diminished and my digestive system seems to be working better. I do notice even with how crummy I feel, I do have much better focus and more desire to get up and get things done. I had no idea this medication at even a low dose could have such an impact. Have I really been a walking Zombie for the past 7 years?? I’m staying with cold turkey, although my doctor said she could wean me off with a low dose Prozac. I hope doctors now are understanding what these withdrawal side effects are and can help ease any symptoms for their patients. I couldn’t even imagine what folks are going through as far as withdrawal on those higher dosages I’ve been reading about. I hope the good Lord stays with you and helps you heal quickly and makes the transition back to normalcy much easier.

Sandy
Ingrid – your comments really hit home for me. I too feel like I have lost the last 5 (at least; I’ve kind of lost track – which I feel certain the drug companies are aiming for) years of my life to the various medications I have taken for exactly the purpose of trying to get back ON track. I used to be so ambitious, curious, and energetic. An absulutely traumatizing divorce experience, not to mention the secret/alternate reality my ex was apparently living for many years) sent me into a spiral. Lost tremendous amount of weight, no sleep at all, hysterical outbursts … emotional distance from my most valuable treasures: my three children.
My house is a mess, I am a mess, I’ve lost my job, and have become a master procrastinator. Despite all the horror stories here, I finally have some hope to recover and perhaps find ME again! Just today, a Saturday, I was able to get out of bed before noon, call some dear friends who have stood by me through all this crap, and am starting to feel human again. I cannot even imagine how it will be once I am completely free of these chemicals! (sure can’t be any worse …). Thank you for your encouragement, and same for you. Here’s to another chance!

Cecil Jones
I have been on Effexor for at least 8 years. I have had only a good experience with it. It is difficult to tell however because I am also taking Lamictal, Wellbutrin, and Cymbalta. I alsl tried other drugs which I discontinued. The problem is which of these drugs is necessary and which is not? Finally, I had to change psychiatrists because of insurance. My second psychiatrist stopped the Geodon I was taking and prescribed Seroquel. For the first time since 2002, I felt normal and have continued to feel normal. He prescribed it for my mood swings and it really works. It is very mild and you can stop taking it with no problems.

What I need help in understanding is anyone taking this drug experience a loss of libido? I have and it is devastating. On the other hand it could be one of the other drugs I am taking. I would really appreciate any help you could give me. C. Jones

Kelley
Hey, I have been on effexor for just over two years. The first six months were fine, and then the loss of libido hit. It was really bad for about six months, then it was okay for a while, then it wasn’t, then it was okay, then it wasn’t, etc. Of course it could be other medications you’re on, but effexor is all I am on. I can relate to your definition of it being “devastating”. It can be at times. Good luck!

Jenn
It’s the Effexor, Wellbutrin allows me to enjoy intimacy with my partner again and gives me desire to actually be intimate. Maybe lowering the Effexor a bit would help, I’m on 150 mg of both and I have drive again, just a small problem with reaching oragasm.

Clide
One of wellbutrin’s selling points is that is is not supposed to have the sexual side effects of other antidepressants. My past experience with effexor has been that it decreased my libido and inhibited orgasm.
I am not a doctor but here’s what i know. Effexor, wellbutrin , and cymbalta are all SNRIs (Selective Serotonin and norepinephrin reuptake Inhibors). basically, SNRIs increase the available serotonin and Norepinephrin in the brain. Doctors typically don’t prescribe 2 let alone 3 meds in the same classificatiion at the same time. If I were you, I would talk to my Doc about the risk of serotonin syndrome.

Sandy
Thank God I found this website tonight. I have really thought I was losing my mind! Like so many others, I have suffered so many life setbacks, that it was quite difficult to cope. Continuing down that slippery slope, I lost my job over a year ago and my insurance two months ago. Realizing I could no longer afford Effexor (I had been on 187.5 mg for several years – 150 + 37.5); I now have a few 37.5 capsules left, and I am trying to wean myself off. After reading commentary from this site, I am so comforted to see that the unbelievable hot waves, headaches, emotional meltdowns, nightmares, and 24-7 exhaustion, etc etc may well be related to withdrawal. For now I am taking 3 of the 37.5 capsules a day, and plan to soon diminish to 2, then 1, etc. I did not know there were any resources to help people like me! Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and recommendations. I have also been feeling despondent, and it is just resulting in a continual downward spiral as I do horribly in job interviews, in supporting my children (post hideous, vicious divorce experience), and I sleep for days at a time. I wonder if there is any such thing as “light at the end of the tunnel”?? Why don’t doctors tell us what we are in for?? I feel like I’ve lost the last ten years to a drug that numbed me to inhuman status…

Lisa

I think there is a “light at the end of the tunnel”. I just posted about my effexor detox. I am still detoxing off mirtazapine. I have also had some major setbacks and I do feel like I’m fighting off depression sometimes. However, like others who have posted here, I have more energy and can think much clearer. While I know the meds played a part in some of my setbacks, everything brought me to a place where I became highly motivated to get off of the meds.
Hang in there.
Regarding your withdrawal- Is there any way you can get samples or some kind of government assistance so that you can get more effexor and don’t have to withdraw so quickly?

Sandy
Thanks for the encouragement Lisa. This site is such a wonderful support, as there are clearly so many people going through this, even though we all feel so alone. That is a good idea to see if I can get a few samples, or the other idea, from reading here, is to maybe try one of the “bridging” antidepressants that will be easier to quit while I try to get off this stuff. These symptoms are brutal: racing heartbeat, nausea, unbearable itching (I’m now covered in bruises, too), crying like I’ve never cried before. Scary too because I have had multliple DVTs and pulmonary embolism previously, and the symptoms can be scarily similar. Because of the lack of insurance and lack of income, I have been afraid to go see a doctor because I know I can’t afford it. I don’t know how such a seemingly suuportive society as ours can yet permit so many personal tragedies in these rough times. All the more reason that I thank everyone posting here for sharing and offering support.

I am extremely grateful to have found the site and the many different posts. I began taking Effexor over 12 yrs ago at low dose as a leveler for mild depression and early perimenapausal symptoms. My doctor increased my dose to 75mg and I began having nausea so I was switched to Effexor XR of which I am currently at 150mg XR. Five years ago I began having neck and joint pain, ringing and whoosing in my ears, visual disturbances (colorful lights) and migraines. I have always been upbeat heathly and athletic, so I was sure I had a serious illness. I had also returned from non-profit work in Africa-so after seeing an Infectious Disease specialist, Opthamologist, Neurologist and having a Brain MRI, thankfully to no avail- I have lived with the symptoms. Night sweats, excessive sweating and oh-my-gosh I may explode at any moment!!! I went on the site because my doctor failed to renew my prescription before a 3-day weekend and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going crazy. I have attempted to reduce dosage and go off Effexor and minimize Effexor withdrawal several times to the urging-OK vote taking- of my husband, adult children and co-workers (we own our business and some of our kids work with us) all votes in favor of going back on my meds!!! Trying to add a bit of humor cause it is really the only way to get through the pain of feeling so debilitated. Sorry for writing a book, but obviously the doctors prescribing aren’t sharing so we certainly need to! I recently began seeing my therapist again for a check-in and can
hardly wait to share!!!

Ryan
I was taking effexor 150mg everyday for the last year and finally told my doctor i wanted to be tapered off because it had destroyed my sex life. when i would forget to take my pill in that time i would get those electric shocks i’m sure most of you know about. instead of tapering me off, my doc got me to quit cold turkey and switch to wellbutrin 150mg and take those twice a day. i know wellbutrin is far better with less side effects, but my recommendation to anyone planning to get off effexor is DO NOT QUIT COLD TURKEY! the electric shocks are waaaay more intense than they’ve ever been and i’m basically useless to do anything at the moment. dizzy and constant shocks, stomach turning etc. i’m a 29 year old man and today i’ve almost busted into major tears for no reason. today is only day 4 without the effexor. and canadian winters sure don’t help…..went out for a smoke half an hr ago in the the -25c and it almost put me on my ass. be careful getting off the effexor ladies and gentleman. it’s a rough ride if not done properly!!! best of luck everyone!

Kellie
I’m in the same boat that you are at the moment, only with a little bit different dosage. I was on 75mg of effexor xr every day and then she switched me to 150mg of wellbutrin once daily. So far it’s been 3 days cold turkey (but including the wellbutrin) and this has NOT been a pleasant ride! I won’t even go near my effexor though because now that I’ve lasted this far without it, I’m determined to stick it out. Try drinking as much water as you possibly can, and although it sounds crazy, if you can exercise at all to sweat some of it out, give it a try. I’m not lifting any weights, but I went to the gym tonight and lasted an hour walking on a treadmill just to work up a sweat. I’m a 30-yr old female and I’ve had rather violent mood swings also. If you’ve lasted this long, stick it out as best you can, we both know it will be worth it!

Sharon Martin

I am now beginning Day 9 of my withdrawal from Effexor/Venlaflazine. I was in fact misdiagnosed as having mild-ish depression and put on this terrible drug. A year ago, at which time I had been on the drug approximately 5 years, I thought I was dying. I knew nothing of the withdrawal symptoms and I only discovered what was wrong with me, when I left my prescription on holiday, and went without for 4 days. I went online (with the few faculties I had available) and discovered this whole world of people suffering in much the same way as me. I have endured just about all the symptoms outlined here, and some other quirky and nasty little medical problems.
I went from 225mg about 6 months ago, down to 150mg, then 75 and finally 37.5. On Sunday 8 January I took my final dose.
My main reasons for posting, are to thank everyone who has written in these blogs, and thank you from the bottom of heart. I couldn’t have got here without knowing that I am not alone, and not going insane, although it is heartbreaking that others too should suffer like this.
Secondly, I want to answer a question that is repeated many, many times, about the recovery and how long it takes.
I don’t want to give too much detail yet, as I want to get to the main point. I can now say with absolute certainty, that it DOES get better, and that hopefully most of you will see, as I have, that about 7 days sees you over the major withdrawals. I am now really starting to feel alive and my old self again. The brain zaps are either not there at all, or very minimal. I’m still withdrawing, and have the stomach upset and can be a bit emotional at times, etc, etc, but I believe I am well and truly over the most diffcult part. Days 4-6 were the worst, and I read these blogs constantly to find hope. I want peeps out there to know, that this is do-able and wow does it get easier.
If anyone is interested, I have three tips that I think have really helped me. Firstly, you MUST taper. Trying to go cold Turkey at a higher dose may be dangerous and could result in a set-back. Secondly, be the most selfish you have ever been and do and ask for whatever it takes to get you through at least the first week. Thirdly, drink as much water as you can. Finally, I don’t suffer from depression, so that has not really factored into my recovery. For those of who do, please seek advice on how to manage this aspect of your recovery.
If anyone wants to ask me anything about this or wants an update, let me know and I will do my best to pass on my experiences. In the meantime, keep strong and remember you are not alone.

Denise
It’s been 18 days since I quit taking Effexor – Hang in there… It is worth the nightmare you will have to go through to get off this chemical altering drug. I still am a bit dizzy at times but the brain zaps have lessened, and I don’t feel like I’m leaving my brain behind when moving anymore. I have more energy, and am beginning to think a lot more clearer. All I can say is I’ve learned a very valuable lesson. Ask questions, and don’t be too quick to agree to new meds without doing your own research.

Sharon Martin
I’m now on day 13 of my ‘recovery’. The stomach upsets, the brain zaps, etc were all lessening to a very managable degree, but on day 10 the violent mood swings frightened me and everyone around me. I felt so hopeless I just didn’t know what to do, except I know I am not touching Effexor again. Since day 10 I have been taking 20mg of Prozac a day. Within a few hours I felt much better, and have been feeling really good since.
I am not at all happy about moving onto another anti-depressant, but I have taken Prozac before at a higher dose and had no side-effects or withdrawal problems. I am seeing this step as being the lesser of two evils and plan to try a reduction in a few days, leading gradually to a complete non-reliance on prescription anti-depressents.
The mood swings and hopelessness I believe to be a symptom of the withdrawal, as I never suffered from anything like this before. I had mild depression in my late 20s because of a work situation, and was just kept on these drugs without my questioning the need. Like Denise, I will not be led around unquestioningly again.
On a positive note, I now feel like I am waking up after a long sleep. This is true physically, as I was exhausted and sleepy for most of the time I took Effexor, but mentally and emotionally the past couple of weeks have been an awakening for me. It is hard getting off of these drugs, and I’ve still got a way to go, but it is worth it, and, not only can I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it is getting larger every day. Best wishes to all on, or thinking about, withdrawal, we can beat this

Jenn
I started taking Effexor XR a year ago, and I was taking it purely because of depression. I always had it as a child and teen, but when I was 20 I decided that my suicidal thoughts meant I needed to do something about it. My depression was also getting in the way of University and school is my number one priority. I started off at 37.5 mg and worked my way to 150 mg. I felt a bit better, but only to the discretion of being more calm and less negative. After about 9 months I got bumped up to 225 mg because my thoughts of suicide would not subside. This actually started making me more peppy like I use to be, but then I started getting side effects. I had a huge problem with sleepiness to the point I felt narcoleptic in class. I also felt foggy, and I was hot all the time. I am 5’7″ and 105 lbs. Me sweating after walking up a single flight of stairs was not normal. I now realize how easily I felt like fainting, one time I almost fainted in the shower, but I disregarded this side effect because of my past fainting tendencies. I’ve struggled with eating since I was in elementary school, and am still considered anorexic. When you’ve done this to your body for years, you are so use to it you almost don’t notice. Since I was STILL having suicidal thoughts, my doctor tried the Effexor and Wellbutrin combination. I was on 225mg Effexor XR and 150 mg Wellbutrin. This combination was actually great. I finally had energy and was peppy again. I actually stopped having suicidal thoughts that I couldn’t control! The only problem now was the new and old side effects, the new being no appetite and no desire to eat and insomnia. The old is from the Effexor, and it’s tremors. I started having tremors severely when I went up to 225 mg. I had restless leg syndrome and people stared at me for how much I shook. I dealt with this until about 3 months later and decided I needed to get off Effexor. My doctor has been weening me down and I’m currently on 150 mg. We did one week of 187.5 mg, then to a month of 150 mg and I’m still going through this month. I’m staying on Wellbutrin and adding Seroquel for the insomnia and loss of appetite. I take half of the 25 mg otherwise I cannot wake up, but I don’t feel overly drowsy in the morning which is relieving.

I want to take about my experiences now with withdrawals and with how I thought Effexor was while I was taking it.

While I was taking it, Effexor was mediocre for me. I really think that you should give it a chance. If you are a panicked person with major depressive disorder, I would recommend it. But for me it was too sedative and didn’t get rid of my suicidal thoughts.

Now that I’m closer to my goal of not taking it, I’ve experienced some withdrawals. I have felt extremely out of breath when I go to dance and I don’t feel cold even though it’s Canada and it’s currently -40 degrees Celsius. I have had “jolts” throughout my entire body that wakes me up as suddenly as it would if you fell off a chair while sleeping. Lastly I was having destructive thoughts. Not necessarily toward myself, just in general. I had desires to wreck things, people, animals, technology, anything. I found myself scratching myself so hard to inflict pain I bled.

My withdrawals are gone now, and I still have about 2 or 2 and a half weeks left of 150 mg. I seriously think people who are weening themselves off should stay on the intermediate amounts for longer amounts of time. I don’t feel like the withdrawal symptoms are as bad as getting use to the side effects.

I just want to point out one more thing, I would have stayed on my Wellbutrin and Effexor combo but I am in University and my dream is to be a surgeon. Regardless if I’m a practicing surgeon or in research, I want to help people. I want to create new ways to help people through surgery, specifically neurosurgery. The tremors I was experiencing was interrupting this dream, so I’m not going to continue it. HOWEVER I am doing this very slowly, and I think that is the key.

Please feel free to contact me, I don’t want anyone to feel like withdrawals are going to keep them down forever because I still go to school, work, fundraise, volunteer, competitively dance, and go out with my friends. Push yourself to get out of bed. Remember that you are not alone and that a drug can never beat the human mind. I study this as my degree and I think it’s valuable to know. And find support, I am in a women’s fraternity and these ladies have given me the support I’ve always wanted.

Lisa

I detoxed off Effexor XR slowly and it was still brutal! I did find that I could get the buzzing in my head to go away or at least improve by doing a couple of minutes of cardio exercise. Jumping jacks seemed to get my pulse and hear rate up the quickest. I don’t know why this worked. My best guess was that adrenaline and or endorphins were a replacement for the norepinephrin.
I stumbled on this by accident one day when I got really angry and then realized the buzzing was almost gone.

Lisa

I have been completely off Effexor XR for a few weeks. I had been on 225 mg for several years. I have a history of about 15 years on antidepressants. I started the effexor detox in the beginning of September. I opened my capsules to titrate slowly. I started out by lowering my dose by 11 or 12 mg 2-3 times a week. I had to change that to 6 mg increments and eventually to 3 mg increments. On days that I changed my dose, I would have a few hours in the morning when i was functioning pretty well. 12 or 1:00 I would be dizzy and not able to think clearly. About an hour after that I would be so tired that I could not keep my eyes open.

I did not drive on days I changed my dose or for a day, sometimes two days after. I took breaks in the detox when I had to be functioning.
I had read extensively on nutritional supplements for depression. I took a zinc supplement, a B–complex, and a mutivitamin. I did not take an Omega -3 supplement during the Effexor detox because both effexor and Omega-3s can lower platelet levels and I had a history of effexor lowering my platelet level.

Kellie
I was on the 75mg Effexor XR for over 4 years after going through a divorce. I’ve had issues with mild depression, etc., since puberty, but mostly tried (unsuccessfully) to deal with it on my own. I came to terms with the fact that I did function better with the help of medication, but the cost and side effects of the effexor were making it more of a burden than it was helping.

My new doctor said that she was not at all a fan of effexor for above said reasons, and that she wanted me to try Wellbutrin instead. But rather than wean me off the effexor first, she said to just pick up with the wellbutrin where I left off with the effexor. The last effexor I took was only 3 days ago, and so far it’s felt like hell on wheels. I can go from sweating to freezing cold (or a combo of both) within seconds, the headache I had at first was awful but that’s finally subsided. Definitely still feeling the brain zaps but they aren’t quite as debilitating today as they were yesterday. The mood swings have been horrible also. This morning, I felt like I could’ve ripped someone’s head off at the slightest thing I found irritating, but in the next second I could’ve started crying.

I’m absolutely determined not to go back on it, but I’ve also missed a day and half of work now and I’m also in school full time. I’m beyond thankful that I found a doctor that realized there could be a prescription that would help me other than the effexor, but I’m hoping that my withdrawal symptoms don’t last quite as long as some of the other posters have mentioned. This is physically one of the most horrible things that I’ve ever had to go through.

Tammy Shrable

I am on day 17 of no effexor (demon drug). I took 150 mg since July 2009. My body began rejecting this drug within a few months of taking it. I ended up in three psych units. Finally,, I found a doc that stated my body was rejecting the drug. I weaned down over a month and a half and my doc added litheum to help with withdrawal. I have a very unusual withdrawal side effect and I am needing to know if anyone else has had it. My vision is very poor which I had 20/10 vision before. My vision is really crappy and when I try to focus on something I can feel this weird pulling sensation on the back of my eyes and in the back of my brain. Often, it will stimulate sleep when I am not sleepy. I get naseated in bed at night and when I sleep on one side of my head too long I get this sickening feeling in my brain which makes me sick at my stomach. Can anyone relate to these symptoms? It would really make me feel so much better to know that someone else has experienced this. It really scares me because it makes me worried that this feeling won’t go away. Thanks for your help, Tammy

Megan

Hey everyone. Hope you all are hanging in there. I have been taking 75mg of effexor xr for about 6 months. Gradually, I am having these same withdrawal symptoms more frequently..even if I take my dose 2 hours late. Then tonight, I felt a sudden worsening in my depression, feelings of anxiety and EXTREME restlessness. I am not coming off of the medicine…but feeling these same effects, especially the feeling of my brain not being caught up when i turn my head, which causes severe dizziness.