About Effexor Xr And Withdrawal

Effexor Xr And Withdrawal

Effexor Xr And Withdrawal in Answers

Help with possible effexor xr withdrawal? Yesterday, which was Friday, I took the last pills of effexor xr that I had. I won't be able to get a prescription for more pills until this coming Tuesday. I've been taking the pills for close to two months. Today I didn't feel really any withdrawal, although sometimes I think there's a weird feeling to my head. I'm scared though about tomorrow and Monday, as I won't be getting the pills until Tuesday. Is it possible to feel bad withdrawal symtoms during that time? I'm nervous because I've heard about people experiencing bad withdrawal.

wellatlast replied: "GET TO A DOCTOR NOW. You must not withdraw from effexor quickly. You will get a spaced out feeling and tingling in your head and other areas like your arms. If you see a regular chemist, go to that chemist and tell them that you need pills to last you until Tuesday and then you will bring them the script. My chemist has done that for me when I have stuffed up. If a chemist wont do this you MUST GET TO A DOCTOR FOR A SCRIPT. It is not a drug of addiction so you should be able to get a script easily. Please, please, do this."

How can I get off effexor xr without withdrawal symptoms? I started with 150 - and stayed on it for about a year and 6 months. I am down to 75mg every other day. If I go more than one day my system starts to crazy. I have two children (5 and 3) that need a mom to be present and accounted for. Is there anything that can be done to get off this medication without exp the horrific side effects?

finkster replied: "i do understand it took me a while and i didnt do what the dr said, i took it every other day to begin with this can even be hard because you will probably feel like your getting zapped all the time, when your body gets used to this maybe up to 2wks then move down a dose and take 75mg everyother day then get used to that you will be able to go longer and longer each time one time i went a whole mnth and woke up one day and was feeling hte effexor withdrwls i took one and never had to again if we only knew what we were getting into huh??? good luck with this its a though one....."

ladybug replied: "Hi....when I was trying to get off Effexor I was shocked it hear it called 'satan in a pill' and it lived up to that name for me. The best advice I can offer you is to 'soften' the fall from coming off. I was on 150 and cut it in half each week. The nutritionist/herbalist wanted me to do it every two weeks but I couldn't afford to miss work...I came off over a Christmas holiday break. I would be sick for 1.5 days with mild symptoms on the step downs. What made it 'lighter' for me was taking herbal stuff that was for liver support since you are wrecking havoc on your liver... I also started taking an herbal antidepressant called Mood Elevator (www.naturessunshine.com) and I felt GREAT with no side effects. So there was something 'in place' when the Effexor was gone. If there is someone you can talk to (Naturopathic doc, herbalist, etc...they can advise you). . YOU CAN DO IT! Don't give up...once you have it behind you, you'll feel better. I couldn't even go cold turkey from 35 or 36, 37..whatever the capsule increment was... I got down to TEN DRUG BEADS from inside the capsule before I could just stop it.... and I still had the brain zaps. I wish you luck. :)"

kind replied: "1... sugessions from a psychologist 2. do not fear from horrific side effects be ready to bear pain for a few days ultimately u will win"

How long does Withdrawal effects from Effexor XR last? I was on 300 Mg of Effexor XR for a while and than I was raped last week and I stopped taking it. The rape has just shattered me to pieces and I am going through hell withthe withdrawal symptoms. I am just about ready to kill myself, the symptoms are making me feel like I am dying. How long does it last and how can I deal with it ? The withdrawal effects are so bad .. I am on the verge of overdosing on every single pill I have around me

Corvidae replied: "Why have you stopped taking it? I don't think it's a good time for you to be dealing with withdrawal, and to avoid the severe symptoms you need to slowly wean off the medication with the help of a doctor. If you're going to go through with it, try to distract yourself as much as possible. Focus on things outside of yourself. Exercise, eat, talk with a friend, etc. Good luck and please go to the doctor if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts."

Effexor XR Withdrawal and Weight Gain? I am currently weaning myself off Effexor XR. I was on 150mg daily for around 5 years up until a couple months ago when I started the weaning process. I am now at the lowest dosage which is 37.5 mg. So far the withdrawals haven't been too bad since I'm weaning extremely slowly, however, I am experiencing one major change since starting the weaning process and that is weight gain. Since the weaning began I've gained 20 pounds (and that's in a 2 month period). I haven't been eating more or doing anything differetly since I started to wean, so it's weird. I asked my doctor if that is a normal withdrawal effect and she said "no." I'm just perplexed as to where these 20 pounds came from and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this or knows anything about it? Any and all responses are appreciated. Thanks!

swomedicineman replied: "well the side effects of stoping Effexor are numerous. Loss of appetite is one of them. Tiredness is another. The weight gain may be a side effect of the tiredness you may be experiencing. This will make you less active and therefore your weight may increase. Just give it some time, your metabolism will change and you should see a decrease in weight. Hang in there."

charming_imogen replied: "When I am on effexor I noticed a lot of weight loss and when I am off I noticed that I eat more and gain weight. But since you eat normally as you did on effexor you might want to go to your doctor and get a blood test for your thyroid function."

queen7bee77 replied: "As a matter of fact, Effexor and weight gain go hand in hand. Most people won't go off it for that reason. Kind of like smoking! I too am weaning off right now, though I am going on a different med and withdrawl has been hell for me. I have heard many, many complaints with wieght gain associated to being on Effexor, going off Effexor. Let's face it, this drug just sucks."

d.a.f.f.y. replied: "Wow! I just typed in my search bar, withdrawal symptoms of effexor rx, and alot of sites came up with some really helpful information. One girl wrote that she gained 15lbs. in 2 months. You might want to begin reasearching these sites so you will not feel like you are the only one this is happening to. It appears that you have a tough road ahead of you but it can be done, very slowly! Don't always believe what the doctor tells you!! Good Luck!"

Effexor XR Withdrawal and Vision Problems? I've been on a fairly low dose of Effexor XR for about 8 months now (75 mgs. and in recent weeks, 37.5 mgs). I was taking 37.5 every other day for several weeks, tapering slowly, and I've now been sans Effexor for 5 days (after 4 days last week of no Effexor and finally caving from the withdrawal symptoms). The brain zaps, etc., are more severe each day but I will get through that. What I haven't been able to find information on is what is happening with my vision. I can only describe it as everything looks sort of dark (I'm having a terrible time driving at night) and when I look directly at light it really hurts my eyes (I do not have any migraine-like headaches right now). I wasn't experiencing this at all while on the medication and haven't seen anyone else comment on this. I know Effexor XR can cause vision problems, but mine seem to be specifically related to withdrawal. Has anyone heard of this and how long did it take the withdrawal symptoms to stop for you, personally? Thanks.

susanb replied: "I was on Effexor XR 75mgs. for 2 yrs or so and I started to have many side effects---crazy morbid dreams, very heavy periods, and decided that enough was enough--I slowly tapered off like you did and still I had the brain zaps, vision blurry, feeling like I was going to lose my balance-- I read some where that you could take omega 3's a multivitamin, and I also took an antihistamine tablet 25mgs. when the brain zaps got really bad, I read that also and it really helped. It took me about 3 weeks to get to feel like myself again!! I will never be hooked on a drug again-they told me that there would be no withdrawl-- not the case"

angus and layla replied: "hi i have been tapering off effexor xr 150 mg slowly and am now second day without any effexor xr at all. I am getting really bad brain zaps, any light feels too bright and have got flu like symptom's.But not having any trouble with everything looking dark, sorry i cant help ya with that one. Everyone is different though. Was also having migraines yesterday but thank god they have eased. Crying every couple of hours or so for no reason at all. I can understand why alot of people end up going back on effexor xr after trying to get off it. The withdrawals are just horrible but i am so determined to get off this crap. I have been on it for 8 years. Ok i hope i don't sound like i am rambling, the computer looks so bright i typed it really fast. i gotta go back to bed. Ok be strong and good luck."

Effexor XR withdrawal-Please HELP!!? I have been taking Effexor XR 150mg daily for well over a year. I would like to get off of these meds, but I am having EXTREME withdrawals when I miss just one day of the medication. Can anyone tell me what I need to do and is there ANY way to get off of this medication WITHOUT withdrawals?

michelleshaw76 replied: "There really is no way to get out of the withdrawal affects. I went off of my Lexapro cold turkey after taking it for a year and I had such bad side effects I almost started to take it again. I was told by the doctor that I should have cut back to half the dosage I was taking in a day for 1 week and then after that for one week to take one every other day and then I should be able to stop taking the meds for good."

charlesf replied: "you have to decrease your dose gradually you can't just stop taking meds like that. talk to your doctor about smaller and smaller doses until you can stop correctly."

bibby6914 replied: "I have been taking two seperate medications for four years and it has similar withdrawls to effexor. Here is the healthiest and safest way to do this. Drop 50 mgs on your medication for two weeks and still take it, then if all goes well drop 25mg for 2 weeks and if you feel fine after that continue to another 25 until you can successfully bring your dependency all the way down. If your body cant handle any level of this start taking your dosage you left off at and start over. The only way is to ween yourself off this medicine and it can be dangerous. So be safe."

Millicent replied: "Go back to the doctor who prescribed them to you and let them answer all your questions. THEY ARE THE PROFESSIONALS HERE. Not like some of these idiot's. In the mean time DON'T stop taking them."

Linda L replied: "As someone who took effexor on a regular basis for several years now, I know several things about the medication. The best way to go off of it is to do so gradually. If you go off cold turkey, you would feel pretty miserable (I would know. About a year ago, my doctor accidentally turned down my refill and I was off of it for about two weeks). I'm pretty sure, since you took Effexor for about a year, that if you go off you get these weird "shocks" and your vision turns funny. Those _MIGHT_ go away in a few days, but I heard somewhere that they could stay with you for years. I would highly reccommend to talk to your doctor to get your dosage reduced to 75mg, and after a few weeks, less, and so on until the withdrawl is manageable. Good luck!"

Linda replied: "You need to go off the medication slowly. It can not just be stopped. Consult your MD."

How long does it take to get over 75 mg of Effexor XR withdrawal symptoms? Please answer if you were on a low dose for a short period of time and stopped suddenly. I need to know how long it took for the withdrawal symptoms to go away. I was taking a low dose of Effexor XR for about 8 weeks and stopped cold turkey. It was not helping my anxiety and I was having hallucinations. I would see insects (esp. spiders) crawling on the floor or walls. I don't want to hear about tapering off slowly. It's too late for that. I haven't had a pill in 7 days. I told the doctor that I stopped and I'm having "brain zaps" and they think it's not related to Effexor. I told them that I researched my symptom online and that was the name given to the feeling that started 2 days after I quit the med. The doctor told me to stay off the internet for the rest of the weekend. Anyway, along with the zaps, I sweat a lot and I feel like I'm floating and sometimes I have a muffled boom on the right side of my head. So far, I haven't felt sick to my stomach.

Vera Gabriele replied: "Yes it comes from going off ''cold turkey from the medication'' but as you have not been on it for so long.. after 2 to 3 weeks you will be rid off the Effexor side effects in your body.. you will be improving from now on because I was on Effexor for 1 .5 years and stopped cold turkey.. a thing one should never ever do and I had nightmares, weight gain, I cried for no reason .. that was the result of going cold turkey of the meds.. which nobody should do .. it is always best to taper off and discuss with the doctor but as you have one week behind.. the worst will be over in a few days.. I had headache the first week and terrible realistic nightmares... and they went away in the 3rd week and after that I was over the worst.. so I suppose it will be similar to you.. and i was on the medication for over one year.. but you should definitely go and see your doctor and tell him what you have done... that you went off the medication. because it is possible you need some other medication.. you must have been given them for a reason.. Effexor is an Antidepressant and the lowest dosage is 37.5 mg and you are on the medium dosage of 75 mg.. so make an appointment with your doctor and ask what else you can do against depression.. you probably need some other medication to counteract the chemical imbalance in the brain... which causes the depression.... Effexor is also an antidepressant that doesn't usually take effect immediately. Normally one has to take it for 2 weeks before you see signs of improvement.. If you suffer from anxiety and not depression you should ask your doctor if some Benzodiazepine might not be better such as in Generalized Anxiety Syndrome.. Clonazepam or Rivotril... Lorazepam or Oxazepam.. I suffer from GAD and not from depression.. I take Clonazepam (Rivotril) 2 mg twice daily)"

Gard23 replied: "The brain zaps are a standard withdrawal symptom - as you know. And 2 days after the dose cut would be a perfect tie-in with Effexor.... half life 5 hrs, typical onset of withdrawal Day 1-2 (ref Glenmullen). You've only been on for 8 weeks, but that's more than enough time to become dependent - as you have found out. As a general rule (very general), the shorter time you've been on them, the greater the likelihood that an individual can get off more swiftly... but it doesn't always hold true, there are those who have been debilitated by withdrawal after only a very short time on-drug (e.g. one I've read of was after a 10day exposure to a serotonergic antidepressant). So your withdrawal reaction could be anything from mild - severe, there appears to be no way at present of telling in advance. However your situation is that of a severe adverse reaction too... so there is also tha fallout from that - sometimes it can take quite a while for the body to get back to an even keel after an experience of this nature. Withdrawal checklist below; plus link to some helpful tips for surviving an adverse reaction in the months following stoppage of the drug... wish I'd had these tips a few years back, since it echoes many of the conclusions my stumbling trial-and-error gropings arrived at."

I am going through Effexor XR withdrawal. Could use some help here.? Took my last pill about 36 hours ago. Feeling VERY uncomfortable right now. Could use some advice to help deal with the withdrawal symptoms. I'm at work and feel kind of out-of-bodyish. Almost impossible to concentrate on anything. Was on 200mg/day for the past 2 1/2 years. Felt a lot better and wanted to stop. Went to Dr. She weened me to 150mg/day for 2 weeks, then 75mg/day for 2 weeks. Got pretty antsy the past few days. Now it's pretty bad. Really bad actually. I stopped with two 75mg pills left, just in case. At this moment I would have to say that this is worse than when I quit smoking cold turkey 8 years ago, and that sucked. Thanks to all who have answered so quickly. And thanks in advance to those who offer your support. I ended up calling my Dr. she said to come over and she would give me another blister pack of the 75mg and 37.5mg. I took the 75mg in her office. That was 6 1/2 hours ago. I also took two .1 mg ativan. feeling a lot better but not 100%. I was at a 10 out of 10 on the anxiety scale, now I'd say I'm about a 4 out of 10, so good results. I plan on continuing to try to get off of this medication. Wish me luck, I'm glad you were all here for me today. I wish I could give you all 10 pts.

someoneoutthere replied: "Hi there, I have been there! The vertigo isn't fun at all. The only way to stop this is to get some more Effexor in you. If you don't, you are just going to have to wait it out and I don't know how long that will take. Are you trying to take yourself off it???"

tlb5859 replied: "Withdrawal Effexor, like SSRIs and tricyclics, can lead to a "discontinuation syndrome" after abruptly stopping the medication. Symptoms include dizziness, dry mouth, insomnia, nausea, nervousness, and sweating. For this reason, if you have taken Effexor for more than one week, you should taper off the dose to minimize the risk of these symptoms. If you've taken the drug for more than six weeks, you should taper off the dose gradually over a two-week period."

gazeygoo replied: "There is really no excuse for you to be withdrawing from Effexor, you can be safely taken off in only 2 weeks."

SpongebobRoundpants replied: "Effexor could have relieved symptoms of social anxiety. If you have quit taking the medication, you may be experiencing anxiety. You need to discuss it with your doctor. Your reaction is important information in your history. Good luck !"

jennijenn replied: "I hear that!!!...I am also on Effexor XR 450mg...when i miss a dose i just need to be alone in my room with no noise or bright lights and need to sleep!!! i get a terrible headache and i also feel the out of bodyishness it is like i am in a trance...or clouded See if you can go home early due to illness..when you get there take your Effexor and go to sleep with a fan blowing cool air on you...and drink some ice water...hopefully you'll feel better tomorrow..It usually takes me a day or two to feel back to normal....so take care of yourself the best you can!...go ask your boss if you can leave! Take Care, Jenn ****************************************************Effexor has Adenilian in it...that is why you feel how you do...I know this because my doctor told me that is why i get the withdraw symptoms...he is on it too and knows from experience!!"

miss angel replied: "if i miss an effexor xr dose i know it within 3 hours... i feel for you A LOT!!! i'd say go home and sleep it off, that's the only way i broke the effexor DT's so i could try to get pregnant. and to the one who said you can come off it safely in two weeks.. yeah it's safe to come off of it, just not quite that wonderful, the dizziness, feeling spacey, getting the shakes... christ i thought i was going to have a heart attack with my heart racing so fast."

mantydutton replied: "i was on this medication for 2 years(200mg)and decided to come off it so i took the 75mg for a month then the 36mg for 1 week after my tablets had run out i felt sick light headed and i wanted to sleep all the time.the symptoms lasted about 7 days.i had to take a week off work to get over the side effects but when they stopped i did feel good.i knew it was the right time to come off them.i would never take that medication again i was the worst week of my life.i hope you feel better soon my thoughts are with you....good luck"

Mortis24 replied: "I feel for you I'm supposed to start taking the stuff myself and I'm actually scared because i hear it pretty strong stuff and what to rely (get hooked) you know? Hang in there you should really speak to your doctor and see if he/she could go an extra week or something to help you out. Good Luck..."

Have any lawsuits been filed against Wyeth regarding Effexor XR's severe withdrawal symptoms? I know they've been sued about the suicide risk increase, but can't find any action against them regarding withdrawals. It seems like they should be required to provide a stronger warning regarding how ridiculously difficult it is to get off the drug. Thank you #2, and yes I actually weaned myself off the medication slower than my doctor instructed. The problem is that it doesn't matter how slowly you taper your dose, you may still get very sick. Wyeth only warns against stopping "suddenly" or "too quickly"

versantly replied: "most pysch meds have withdrawal symptoms when the patient stops them without medical supervision. take some responsibility for your own health and follow up with your doctor. consider non-medicine alternatives to your emotional issues. pills don't solve all problems."

gotta luv da Li replied: "I agree with you! Your first answerer obviously has not discontinued Effexor under doctor's care like just about everyone who goes thru helllll does. So, you can be the one to start the litigaton. I'm sure many will be interested in signing on."

Effexor XR withdrawal HELP!? Ok is this normal? I told my doctor I wanted off Effexor because I couldn't take the side effects. The worst were: Nausea, insomnia, Erectile Dysfunction, facial twitches. I mean I'm 21 years old and am an in-shape guy. I don't think a guy my age should be experiencing ED, do you? So anyway, Im gradually reducing my dose while starting on Zoloft for my OCD and Depression. I feel like my head is going to explode. I am unable to fall asleep. My brain is so nervous and full of anxiety I feel like I can't control it! My body is shaking and it feels like I'm quitting smoking all over again! My God!!!! This drug needs to be outlawed!!! It's poison! What can I do to reduce my anxiety. I have nothing to be stressed out over at the moment but I am feeling intense anxiety and the sleeplessness is not helping either! I've been up for 34 hours straight! I called my shrink and she can't see more for 3 more weeks. What crap is that???? Please help...

Jennifer K replied: "Go to a walk in clinic or emergency room and get help right away. You shouldn't have to go on feeling this way. They may need to give you a sedative to help calm you down and then re-evaluate your other meds. It sounds as you're having a pretty bad adverse reaction."

Joseph B replied: "if you cant seek help, replacement therepy could be uselful. You are suffering a placebo effect as Effexor is not terribly addictive, chemicaly i mean, psychologicaly it is, but thats your problem. You need to realize these problems are not real. Start by thinking positivly every time you take your new meds. Zoloft takes time to build up to a theraputic level, Haloperidol is a mild seditive and might be something to ask you doc about in the mean time."

Nursey replied: "Please go to an emergency room and tell them how out of control you feel and how long you have been awake. They may give you a tranquilizer or an anticonvulsant (odd I know but they work). I had a similar situation when moving from Prozac to Wellbutrin. It was bad enough that I stopped meds all together and tried "thought therapy". Your Zoloft is recommended as treatment for panic, ocd, and pstd. So your doctor thought she was targeting your symptoms well I'm sure. Obviously it is not working for you and your therapist sounds rather apathetic. I don't want to offer an alternative to the ER because I really think you should go, but if you simply aren't going to heed my advice then do what you can to get some sleep. Sleep deprivation goes along way to fuel the anxiety and shakiness. A very vicious cycle indeed. I sometimes take a sleep-aid like Diphendydramine. Then lay in a dark room with soothing music and try to consciously stop all thought. Don't stress out too much about stopping the thoughts. Concentrate on a blank wall in your mind until you drift off. I if you cannot make yourself go to a hospital and cannot calm down enough to sleep then call someone you trust to take you to the hospital. Sometimes it helps to have a little support. I hope this helps!"