Posted by Krissy P on March 24, 2003, at 22:30:15
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal is Serious-A question......, posted by dongerue on March 24, 2003, at 20:38:23
Wow Don, yes, it did help a lot-thanks.
It does sound like you are winning:-)
That is wonderful. Sounds like your doc sure knew about weaning you off slowly.
Both my pdoc and GP doc are considerate about giving samples-which often helps a lot of us.
Can I ask again, lol, what you feel, for you, is the best thing about Wellbutrin and the worst thing about it-if any??? I have never tried Wellbutrin.
Things like side effects, improving the depression, cravings for cigarettes, if you smoke and so on?
Thanks again, Kristen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hello Krissy:
The first time I tried going down from 300 to 225 for a week to 150 for a week then to 75 for a week then 37.5 for a week. Then I quit. In about 3 days all of the symptoms started and got worse. I started to read more about it on the internet and went in to see my doctor. Before I could get an appointment I had to go back to 75 a day to feel even reasonably bad. I had read about switching to webrutin. We worked out for me to stay at 75 while we got the welbutrin going. I took 100mg a day for a week then went to 200 a day for a week. Then I reduced the effexor xr to 37.5 for a week and was doing reasonable. I had another appointment with the doctor and we went to 300mg welbutrin and I dropped to 37.5 every 36 hours and this friday I will go to 37.5 every 48 hours for three days and then quit the effexor and stay on the welbutrin for a while. I feel confident that I am now winning. By the way since the 37.5 is not readily available (I think) the doctor gave me some of the start up kits that have 37.5 xr in them.
> In summary. I could not in any way quit by going to 75 every other day. It is just too painful for my particular withdrawal problem.
Hope that helps
Don
>
>
>
> > Hi Don,
> > Can I ask you something here please.
> > I got word from my pdoc today that she wants me to start taking my 75 mg of Effexor-XR every 'other' instead of taking it every day, like I have been for 3 weeks now.
> > I wanted to post this after I read what you wrote here about you personally going down to one 37.5 xr every other day and having only a few of the flu like symptoms and the dizziness and sick stomach that you were having. Your ears have stopped ringing all the time? Mine were starting to ring a lot on 75mg of Effexor-XR, and my sleep has definately been shallow.
> > Please let me know what you think?
> > Thanks, Kristen
> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > I have now been working on getting off effexor xr 300mg per day for just over 6 weeks. I have tried twice. I have been addicted to cigarettes. I was smoking 3 packs a day when I quit and I had been on them for 30 years at that time. I put the cigarettes in my breast pocket upside down and never smoked another one. That took two tries also. Quitting was hard. I had to quit drinking. I drank alot every night at home. I quit cold by myself. Let me tell you for ME quitting effexor is more difficult Undrstand, this is my reaction, not anybody elses. Please don't tell me that I am a victim of suggestion. I had no idea that it would be difficult to quit. Nobody told me. In fact when I started taking it 3 or 4 years ago, there was not much iformation for the Doctor to warn me either.
> > Well I am winning. I switched to Welbutrin and most of the bad side effects of long term effexor use are gone. Laziness, Lack of Libido, shallow sleep. All are gone. I am down to one 37.5 xr every other day and I am having few of the flu like symtoms and the dizziness and sick stomach that I was having. My ears have stopped ringing all the time. The dry mouth is improving and the dreams are now much more pleasant. I am taking 300 mg of wellbutrin a day and I have no depressive feelings.
> > To say no big deal is just not a universal comment. Hopefully, like over half the people who quit, you wont have problems. Like my doctor says. Many people never have the problem because they never quit.
> > Good Luck. When I am totally off of effexor I will be the first to let everyone know.
> >
> > Don
> >
> >
>
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poster:Krissy P
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030319/msgs/212352.html