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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by michellec on April 8, 2001, at 7:15:38
I am trying to come off effexor but from what I've seen
on the web, I may be on it FOREVER. I am really scared.
When I started taking it 8 months ago, my doc assured me
it WAS NOT addicting. I started on it due to situational
anxiety and told him at the time that I didn't want to take
it very long. I started trying to come off it 2 months ago
and I'm still struggling. I get the shocky feelings and
get angry very easily. I have never had a problem with anger
before this. I was taking 150mg daily and got down to taking
it only every other day. Now I'm gonna try 75mg every other
day and see how it goes.
If anyone can give me any advice on reducing the side effects
it would be GREATLY appreciated.
I would also like to know how long shocky feelings and anger will
last if I just go cold turkey. I am considering it but
I'm afraid to try it.
Please help it you can
God Bless
Michelle
Posted by Wendy B on April 8, 2001, at 9:32:59
In reply to withdrawing and looking for support, posted by michellec on April 8, 2001, at 7:15:38
Michelle: If you have the XR type of Effexor, you can pour out some of those little beads of medicine inside the capsule to REALLY slowly come off the medicine. I would suggest the following, since this is what I did and it worked. Please note, each time I came down a little in the dose, I had terrible nausea, felt like throwing up, for about 18 hours each time. Since I've always had a problem with anger (!), I didn't notice a change on that score...
Don't take the lowered dose every other day, go back to taking it every day. Stay on the 75 (or pour out some of the beads of a 75, and lower it to what you think might be 3/4 of that), and take it every day. Do it for 5-6 days. Then lower it more and more each time, staying on it every day (I think this will reduce the shocky stuff). Pretty soon, you'll be off it, but do take it slowly, and plan on bad side effects like nausea the days you reduce it by a little. Like, don't plan a night out at a restaurant or whatever...
The other thing is, you sound like you might need something else that's more tolerable to your system, for anxiety or the newly-exposed anger, perhaps longer-term. I think sometimes, a psy-drug reveals symptoms that have been locked up for a long time... so don't worry about the anger. Try to see what it's trying to tell you, if you know what I mean. Anger and irritability are symptoms of depression for sure, and anxiety is often co-morbid with depression.
I wouldn't have given anybody Effexor for situational anxiety anyway (it's really a long-term kind of drug, but you were on it for 8 months, so maybe it was ok). What kind of dr was it who prescribed the med? Are you in therapy or seeing a psy-doc? Are you on anything else right now? Do you still feel you need something for anxiety/anger? Exploring whether you have depression might also be a good idea, at least you can then get treated for it, if you do have it. You should be talking to someone who is a specialist...
I really hated being on Effexor, it did nothing for my depression, and it took me many weeks to come off the 300 mg I was on every day. So I know what you're going through. You won't suffer as much (I think, I hope!) if you cut back on the dosage as I've described, and then also try to get a real diagnosis, from a specialist.
Best of luck, and let me know what happens--
Wendy
> I am trying to come off effexor but from what I've seen
> on the web, I may be on it FOREVER. I am really scared.
> When I started taking it 8 months ago, my doc assured me
> it WAS NOT addicting. I started on it due to situational
> anxiety and told him at the time that I didn't want to take
> it very long. I started trying to come off it 2 months ago
> and I'm still struggling. I get the shocky feelings and
> get angry very easily. I have never had a problem with anger
> before this. I was taking 150mg daily and got down to taking
> it only every other day. Now I'm gonna try 75mg every other
> day and see how it goes.
> If anyone can give me any advice on reducing the side effects
> it would be GREATLY appreciated.
> I would also like to know how long shocky feelings and anger will
> last if I just go cold turkey. I am considering it but
> I'm afraid to try it.
> Please help it you can
> God Bless
> Michelle
This is the end of the thread.
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