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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kathi on April 4, 2001, at 13:20:26
When I first went on effexor xr approx. 9 months ago, I looked into this site and saw lots of postings re. bad side affects/withdrawl and took them with a grain of salt. I am very sensitive to meds and so have done lots of trial and error with diff. kinds but never had any kind of reaction like this. It is very scary not to have control of your health. My psychiatrist said there was no major side affects OR withdrawal symptoms to worry about. I guess he didn't do his research! We tried to up the dose a couple of times from 37.5 to 75 but there were too many side affects in doing so. He suggested that I keep on the 37.5. I finally decided to get off the effexor because I didn't feel enough benefit from it and if I missed a dose or heaven forbid 2 days in a row, I had all the intense side affects that others have talked about. I have made 3 attempts to get off effexor and have not been able to get past the 3rd day. Unless you have been through this same withdrawl, you just can't imagine how it incompasitates you and the pain that goes along with it. Thanks to someone in the postings ( I believe Leo) I started to cut my 37.5 in half by sprinkling it in a glass of water. It has lessened the intensity to a small degree. I am really concerned about the pain in all of my joints and the swelling in my hands and feet. Does anyone know why this is part of the withdrawal process and how long it will last after taking it? My Dr. doesn't know. He also just perscribed 10mg of prozac with NO effexor for 1 week and said that should take care of the side affects.......guess I'll give it a try. I will write back to the site to let others know how it went. I'd love to hear from others who have gone through this and have had all the side affects go away.
Kathi
Posted by Snuffy on April 4, 2001, at 15:41:52
In reply to RE: effexor side effects/Kym, posted by Kathi on April 4, 2001, at 13:20:26
> When I first went on effexor xr approx. 9 months ago, I looked into this site and saw lots of postings re. bad side affects/withdrawl and took them with a grain of salt. I am very sensitive to meds and so have done lots of trial and error with diff. kinds but never had any kind of reaction like this. It is very scary not to have control of your health. My psychiatrist said there was no major side affects OR withdrawal symptoms to worry about. I guess he didn't do his research! We tried to up the dose a couple of times from 37.5 to 75 but there were too many side affects in doing so. He suggested that I keep on the 37.5. I finally decided to get off the effexor because I didn't feel enough benefit from it and if I missed a dose or heaven forbid 2 days in a row, I had all the intense side affects that others have talked about. I have made 3 attempts to get off effexor and have not been able to get past the 3rd day. Unless you have been through this same withdrawl, you just can't imagine how it incompasitates you and the pain that goes along with it. Thanks to someone in the postings ( I believe Leo) I started to cut my 37.5 in half by sprinkling it in a glass of water. It has lessened the intensity to a small degree. I am really concerned about the pain in all of my joints and the swelling in my hands and feet. Does anyone know why this is part of the withdrawal process and how long it will last after taking it? My Dr. doesn't know. He also just perscribed 10mg of prozac with NO effexor for 1 week and said that should take care of the side affects.......guess I'll give it a try. I will write back to the site to let others know how it went. I'd love to hear from others who have gone through this and have had all the side affects go away.
> KathiDoesn't prozac take a couple of weeks to hit? I know I did't feel anything for three weeks.
Posted by Kathi on April 4, 2001, at 15:58:51
In reply to Re: RE: effexor side effects/Kym, posted by Snuffy on April 4, 2001, at 15:41:52
> > When I first went on effexor xr approx. 9 months ago, I looked into this site and saw lots of postings re. bad side affects/withdrawl and took them with a grain of salt. I am very sensitive to meds and so have done lots of trial and error with diff. kinds but never had any kind of reaction like this. It is very scary not to have control of your health. My psychiatrist said there was no major side affects OR withdrawal symptoms to worry about. I guess he didn't do his research! We tried to up the dose a couple of times from 37.5 to 75 but there were too many side affects in doing so. He suggested that I keep on the 37.5. I finally decided to get off the effexor because I didn't feel enough benefit from it and if I missed a dose or heaven forbid 2 days in a row, I had all the intense side affects that others have talked about. I have made 3 attempts to get off effexor and have not been able to get past the 3rd day. Unless you have been through this same withdrawl, you just can't imagine how it incompasitates you and the pain that goes along with it. Thanks to someone in the postings ( I believe Leo) I started to cut my 37.5 in half by sprinkling it in a glass of water. It has lessened the intensity to a small degree. I am really concerned about the pain in all of my joints and the swelling in my hands and feet. Does anyone know why this is part of the withdrawal process and how long it will last after taking it? My Dr. doesn't know. He also just perscribed 10mg of prozac with NO effexor for 1 week and said that should take care of the side affects.......guess I'll give it a try. I will write back to the site to let others know how it went. I'd love to hear from others who have gone through this and have had all the side affects go away.
> > Kathi
>
> Doesn't prozac take a couple of weeks to hit? I know I did't feel anything for three weeks.I believe the full effects of the prozac takes that long but it may have just enough affect to counteract the effexor's side effects...lets hope!
Posted by Snuffy on April 5, 2001, at 9:00:53
In reply to Re: RE: effexor side effects/Kym, posted by Kathi on April 4, 2001, at 15:58:51
> > > When I first went on effexor xr approx. 9 months ago, I looked into this site and saw lots of postings re. bad side affects/withdrawl and took them with a grain of salt. I am very sensitive to meds and so have done lots of trial and error with diff. kinds but never had any kind of reaction like this. It is very scary not to have control of your health. My psychiatrist said there was no major side affects OR withdrawal symptoms to worry about. I guess he didn't do his research! We tried to up the dose a couple of times from 37.5 to 75 but there were too many side affects in doing so. He suggested that I keep on the 37.5. I finally decided to get off the effexor because I didn't feel enough benefit from it and if I missed a dose or heaven forbid 2 days in a row, I had all the intense side affects that others have talked about. I have made 3 attempts to get off effexor and have not been able to get past the 3rd day. Unless you have been through this same withdrawl, you just can't imagine how it incompasitates you and the pain that goes along with it. Thanks to someone in the postings ( I believe Leo) I started to cut my 37.5 in half by sprinkling it in a glass of water. It has lessened the intensity to a small degree. I am really concerned about the pain in all of my joints and the swelling in my hands and feet. Does anyone know why this is part of the withdrawal process and how long it will last after taking it? My Dr. doesn't know. He also just perscribed 10mg of prozac with NO effexor for 1 week and said that should take care of the side affects.......guess I'll give it a try. I will write back to the site to let others know how it went. I'd love to hear from others who have gone through this and have had all the side affects go away.
> > > Kathi
> >
> > Doesn't prozac take a couple of weeks to hit? I know I did't feel anything for three weeks.
>
> I believe the full effects of the prozac takes that long but it may have just enough affect to counteract the effexor's side effects...lets hope!I wish you all the luck in the world.
Posted by iamneo on April 5, 2001, at 18:08:56
In reply to RE: effexor side effects/Kym, posted by Kathi on April 4, 2001, at 13:20:26
Kathi,
I just posted my experience with getting off effexor xr on one of these pages, but I'll recant for you.
I had just started into 225 mg/day. I felt fine using 37.5 but my DR. wanted me at a higher dose. Because of agrivated mitral valve problems I decided to get off effexor. My first attempt was too fast and the withdrawals were terrible. I went back on 75 for a couple days then started breaking that in half. I did 37.5 for about a week then started skipping 1 day. After about a week I skipped two days and so on. Drink PLENTY of water, even if you're not thirsty. Your body needs more water than we usually drink anyway. This will help flush your system.
I have been off effexor completely about 3+ weeks. Very mild occasional withdrawal, almost not worth mentioning.
Also duriong this time, in addition to praying, I began fasting. Fasting isn't just for religous reasons. It is, when properly done, a great way to rid your body of junk like effexor. I eat 1 meal a day and supplement water, juice, anything liquid, including broths, the rest of the day. I also alternate periodically which meal I eat, but never two solid meals in the same day. Be sure to do a little research, don't just dive into something like this. But, it does work! Oh, I cheat on Sundays and eat 3 meals...... You can fast coffee only, fast meat, fast one meal a day, etc. Whatever you decide, give your body plenty of fluids to flush it out.
Best of luck to you. Hang in there, there is life after effexor.
Mark (iamneo)
mskala3926@aol.com
Posted by Kathi on April 6, 2001, at 10:56:25
In reply to Re: RE: effexor side effects/Kym, posted by iamneo on April 5, 2001, at 18:08:56
> Kathi,
>
> I just posted my experience with getting off effexor xr on one of these pages, but I'll recant for you.
>
> I had just started into 225 mg/day. I felt fine using 37.5 but my DR. wanted me at a higher dose. Because of agrivated mitral valve problems I decided to get off effexor. My first attempt was too fast and the withdrawals were terrible. I went back on 75 for a couple days then started breaking that in half. I did 37.5 for about a week then started skipping 1 day. After about a week I skipped two days and so on. Drink PLENTY of water, even if you're not thirsty. Your body needs more water than we usually drink anyway. This will help flush your system.
>
> I have been off effexor completely about 3+ weeks. Very mild occasional withdrawal, almost not worth mentioning.
>
> Also duriong this time, in addition to praying, I began fasting. Fasting isn't just for religous reasons. It is, when properly done, a great way to rid your body of junk like effexor. I eat 1 meal a day and supplement water, juice, anything liquid, including broths, the rest of the day. I also alternate periodically which meal I eat, but never two solid meals in the same day. Be sure to do a little research, don't just dive into something like this. But, it does work! Oh, I cheat on Sundays and eat 3 meals...... You can fast coffee only, fast meat, fast one meal a day, etc. Whatever you decide, give your body plenty of fluids to flush it out.
>
> Best of luck to you. Hang in there, there is life after effexor.
>
> Mark (iamneo)
> mskala3926@aol.com>Hi Mark
Boy is it great to hear from someone who has reached the other side of this withdrawl!!! You are absolutely right about the water and fasting. I forgot about both (guess I've been a BIT SCARED!) I just did a new post to Michele(RE: Advice on effexor xr/Michel) that may be of interest. Thanks for your concern! Karen (Kathi)
This is the end of the thread.
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