Withdrawing of Effexor

[ttdriver]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

woo hoo Betty. I'm so happy for you. I can just see you now crying for joy in your finish line pic from the marathon as We know how emotional that moment will be

Girl, you have me crying right now just thinking about it!!!

Betty

[2big4mysize]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Ha the dizziness gone? are you ontract with your training still? You knowthere will be no shame if you need to walk part of it just tocomplete it given the bigger obsticle you have just conquered.

[ttdriver]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

The dizziness has really diminished. No dizziness in the mornings at all .. a little in the afternoons, but VERY tolerable. I really am starting to believe!!!

Very much on track on the training .. I've begun to taper down the miles now that the marathon is 3 weeks from Sunday. But I'm still doing around 40 miles a week .. 3 days of 8 miles, and a long Saturday run of 15 miles.

No way I could have conquered Effexor without my running!!

25 days to marathon day!!

Betty

[2big4mysize]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

cool got my calander marked. now ou know everybody will be om pons and needles waiting for your post so even if you are too tired to discribe every mile still post an I made it the day you run

[Chelsea976]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Hi ya !

Ive also been taking Effexor for approx 2 yrs and last year went down to 37.5 and yep headaches are the worst with Effexor as the others have said too.

If I even miss a tablet the next day when i i take my normal dose oooohhh boy does my head hurt and I feel sick aswell but for me it usually only last a hour or so...So now if I have missed one i usuallu take some painkillers when i take my next dose...But you could'nt do that everytime...Im afraid it is just grin and bare it until your body adjust to the new amount and the withdrawles will gradually ease...

Hope its not all too bad and good for you coming off them...dreaded things they are....Im hoping to come of them at some point this year...

I've been taking Effexor XR (75 mg) for a year and am on day 1 of reducing the dose to 37.5. I HAVE THE WORST HEADACHE! Typically I don't get headaches .. could it be a side effect from the reduced dose? Man, I hope it goes away ..............

Betty

[ttdriver]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Thanks, Chelsea!


I'm now on day 10 EFFEXOR-FREE and THRILLED to report the withdrawal symptoms have diminished dramatically!! I am a NEW PERSON!

When the time comes for you to withdraw, PM me and I will mostly certainly "hold your hand" as you walk through it!! ITS A HORRENDOUS TIME, BUT YOU CAN AND WILL CONQUER IT.

Betty

[Chelsea976]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Cheers Betty I will keep you in mind..!!

Thanks, Chelsea!


I'm now on day 10 EFFEXOR-FREE and THRILLED to report the withdrawal symptoms have diminished dramatically!! I am a NEW PERSON!

When the time comes for you to withdraw, PM me and I will mostly certainly "hold your hand" as you walk through it!! ITS A HORRENDOUS TIME, BUT YOU CAN AND WILL CONQUER IT.

Betty

[mrspher]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Coming off Effexor XR (150mg a day) was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I got lots of "shock" feelings in my body when I cut down the dosage. I literally felt SICK. It took me about 8 weeks to get completely FREE of it. I'm really happy for you being Effexor free! Congrats on doing it.

As for me, Effexor really did help with my anxiety, instead of freaking out I sweated! LOL, also... I had lots of really bad nightmares, very vivid ones when I was taking my anti-anxiety meds. I'm so glad I finally got off of them. I do take an herbal supplement called Stress Ease from Banyan Botanicals. It's the most wonderful thing I've ever taken... seriously, if you still feel the need for something to take the "edge" off... this stuff is fantastic.

[ttdriver]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Leah, where do you get the Stress Ease? I'm interesting in knowing more about that!

Congrats to you, girlfriend, for fighting the good fight and getting RID of Effexor!



Betty

[mrspher]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

http://www.banyan-botanicals.com/pro...em=19&mitem=25

I take between 4-8 a day depending on how I'm feeling. 6 is a good place to start at. You really start to notice a difference after about a week or so of taking it. It's really great. At the clinic I used to work at it was the top seller, everyone loves it... and no side effects at all... and more importantly, you can stop taking it and no withdrawl. All of their products are really a great quality and wonderful.

[MidnightJulliett]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

I know this is an old thread, however I myself kicked the Effexor cold turkey. Although it did effectively help my depression it also had too many side effects to be tolerable. I lost my sex drive, became what my family and friends thought seemed "bi-polarish", and had frequent mood swings. I made some choices that I could have got myself in a lot of trouble on this drug. It gave me a false sense of reality. It also made me gain weight, crave sugar uncontrollably, and it was IMPOSSIBLE to stick with Atkins for me. I had those horrible "brain shivers" and migraine headaches while I was on it. When I stopped it, HA. I was a mess. I was sobbing uncontrollably, my fiance could barely make out what I was saying, or furthermore, what I was crying about in the first place. I was outrageously angry. Punching holes in walls, threatening people, getting in fights. I got the brain shivers, lost sense of balance, and felt stoned. I was so angry I wasn't warned about the side effects of this drug before I took it. For nights upon nights while I withdrew I walked around the blocks endlessly swearing and spitting in the pouring rain. (We had a rain spell for about a week). People thought I was insane. And I was insane. It took about three weeks for me to come back to normal. However, my blood pressure never went back to normal. I've been off Effexor for close to a year now, and my blood pressure is still 147/97. It was never high before. It was higher than that when I first came off Effexor, but it's been grueling trying to lower it, point by point. After I quit Effexor the weight piled on, but please don't be discouraged or anticipate this. Don't not quit Effexor to avoid the side effects. Atkins has helped me get back on the right track. Not everybody experiences weight gain either. Effexor is actually marketed for it's "non-weight gain" side effect. YMMV. However, if you are on Effexor, or considering quitting, do so under a Doc's supervision, and CHECK YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE!

Congrats to everyone who has kicked the Effexor. I'm so proud of you, and so happy for you. Things will go back to normal.

[Pie4me]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

I have been on depresion meds off and on my whole life but I promised myself never to take effexor and I haven't. I have heard the nightmare stories about that drug...
but then again I have heard that it saved peoples lives so it just depends on your own bodies response to it. I was never willing to take the chance. I congratulate you
on weaning yourself off...I know it wasn't an easy road. Good for you for taking the steps to getting your bp in the right range. I know it must worry you...and that in itself doesn't help bp either. I am on Lexapro now and have had great success with it and it doesn't make me gain much weight either. Thanks for sharing the word on this mystery med.

[stephbob]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Eeek, I'm a little scared now. My dr has just today put me onto Efexor XL at 75mg a day to help my Social Anxiety.

I came home and read lots of other people's opinions on it and they all seem to have gained 25lbs + on this. I know it's just weight, and my mental health IS more important, but I'm scared now.

Especially since so many of you are loathing it :s

[mitzimarie]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Eeek, I'm a little scared now. My dr has just today put me onto Efexor XL at 75mg a day to help my Social Anxiety.

I came home and read lots of other people's opinions on it and they all seem to have gained 25lbs + on this. I know it's just weight, and my mental health IS more important, but I'm scared now.

Especially since so many of you are loathing it :s

Oh boy, Stephbob...

Effexor sucks.

Have you ever taken any other kind of antidrepressants? My urologist put me on Effexor to deal with depression I developed after some unexpected, wicked surgery that I had. Two months later, I went to my regular doctor (who I love because he is so pro-Atkins!) to tell him how miserable I was both mentally and physically from the Effexor and he told me that Effexor makes you crave carbs! Can you believe that crap? I switched to Wellbutrin and it has worked well for me. I know lots of people, though, that have tried Wellbutrin and hated it. Everyone is different. It is just a matter of finding which one you can live with. I have taken both Prozac and Zoloft as well some years ago, and lost my sex drive with both of them.

I wish you well with your situation. I would try to avoid the Effexor if at all possible if I were you. I have never heard anything good about it, and I hated it. Good luck.

[stephbob]

Re: Withdrawing of Effexor

Well, it's only day three, but I have NO appetite at all! I forgot to eat yesterday until 7pm, and I only ate then because I needed to take my pills with food.

This is the first form of anti depressant I've taken. I'm fine apart from a little light headedness/dizziness and nausea. I'll deal with them if they make me feel better. i have to see my dr again in 2 weeks to see how the pills have worked so I'll see if there's another one I can go on to if things get worse.