Posted by Nuts on January 16, 2004, at 22:17:11
I thought I was GOING COMPLETELY NUTS. I have been weaning myself off of Effexor XR. Was up to 300mg a day. One dose in the a.m. I would take Klonopin @ night...only if needed for sleep. Effexor XR helped me a great deal when going through difficult times. HOWEVER, had I known about the side affects of coming off of it. I would never have taken it. I had heard rumors that withdrawl from Paxil was the worst but, I beg to differ. Those "swooshing" sounds in your ears when you turn your head to fast or when looking left/right & the dizziness. That is, my friends, called Vertigo. I have the tingling/shock/numb feelings in my arms that shoot to my hands. Extreme dizziness, nausea, crying jags, snappiness, inability to concentrate, etc. By my 3rd day completely off...I thought I was losing it and I HAVE to work. One coworker noticed that I did not look or feel well. My eyes looked & felt like they were going to POP out of my head. I called a friend that I know who came off of Effexor last year...her first words to me were...I am so glad I am not you! She says that this will go on for at least 3 weeks...I'm thinking NO WAY...I can't work or concentrate, I can't do this for 3 weeks. I can't take care of my dogs...I can't function like a normal human...all I want to do is close my eyes & lie in my bed til it all goes away. I have to look down at the floor when I walk, I have to close one eye to turn my head so I won't go bananans or get too dizziness and weave when I stand or walk. I could go on...so, I did some online research (check www.webmd.com)as most doctors don't seem to know SHIT about what happens to people coming off this stuff...no matter HOW long they "WEAN" you from it. Obviously, no doctor has ever taken it. During my research I found that Klonopin & Valium can dractically reduce the Vertigo symptoms which, to me, are the worst part of this whole withdrawl. Well, I had no Klonopin left & my doctor refused to prescribe unless I came to see her...at $100 a pop...I said no thank you (insurance doesn't cover these type dr.'s). I had some valium on hand for chronic back pain. So, I took one during the day and OH MY GODESS...it helped me so much. It didn't completely rid of the Vertigo but, it was so much more tolerable. Klopin & Valium can completely relieve the Vertigo or it can help subside the symptoms. The only difference between the two is that Klonopin lasts longer...Valium has a shorter half life. Okay by me...at least I have something. I hate to say it but, if you can't get your hands on either one of these...you will suffer BIG until the Effexor is completely out of your system. My last piece of advise is to TAKE NOTES daily on your symptoms and how it is affecting you & your life. Paxil had a class action suit against them for people suffering so much from the withrawls coming off of it. I hear, and this is completely rumor, that something may be in the works for Effexor as well. Trust me when I tell you the Valium has saved my life & probably my job. At first I was laughing when I would talk about my crazy sounding symptoms...then I cry because I am so miserable.
poster:Nuts
thread:301880
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040114/msgs/301880.html