Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jill D on August 15, 2001, at 11:24:37
I took my last 37.5mg of effexor 7/3/01 and after several weeks, I am not feeling the withdrawal effects. My doctor had me go from my normal 75mg/day (this is as high as I would allow her to give me) down to 37.5mg/day to 37.5/every other day. On the 3rd day after my last capsule, I was in bed, dizzy, visual oversensitivity, irritable, and just plain sickly feeling. My husband & mom helped take care of the kids - I was unable to take care of them myself. 2nd week was better but I still felt dizzy & same eye problems. 3rd week was even better. I just went for my yrly gyn checkup yesterday. Found out that I had gained 21 lbs in one year. She said that effexor might have attributed to it (why can't doctors just come out and be honest & say "Why yes, it was your meds that cause excessive weight gain"). She also wants me go back to my psych. & find something new. Why did I go off you may ask? Besides weight gain, and no sexual appetite? (which by the way, the latter is better now). I also could have cared less about the things I value about myself - creative expression, artistic imagination ( I stopped drawing, designing and even reading). Now I sit here crying (again, what's new). What the heck will help - prozac didn't, some other drug I can't even spell didn't, and I knew when I got going on effexor, it wouldn't. I'm getting frustrated & very, very tired of it all.
Posted by Christina on August 15, 2001, at 16:50:54
In reply to I'm off Effexor...finally, posted by Jill D on August 15, 2001, at 11:24:37
Jill for the second time this year, I am trying to get off meds. I have been on them for 6 years and I need a break. I have been med free for about 10 days. Still dizzy and my brain feels sloshy and I am slightly more agitated, but have not had rebound depression. I have to run, but I would love to compare more notes.
> I took my last 37.5mg of effexor 7/3/01 and after several weeks, I am not feeling the withdrawal effects. My doctor had me go from my normal 75mg/day (this is as high as I would allow her to give me) down to 37.5mg/day to 37.5/every other day. On the 3rd day after my last capsule, I was in bed, dizzy, visual oversensitivity, irritable, and just plain sickly feeling. My husband & mom helped take care of the kids - I was unable to take care of them myself. 2nd week was better but I still felt dizzy & same eye problems. 3rd week was even better. I just went for my yrly gyn checkup yesterday. Found out that I had gained 21 lbs in one year. She said that effexor might have attributed to it (why can't doctors just come out and be honest & say "Why yes, it was your meds that cause excessive weight gain"). She also wants me go back to my psych. & find something new. Why did I go off you may ask? Besides weight gain, and no sexual appetite? (which by the way, the latter is better now). I also could have cared less about the things I value about myself - creative expression, artistic imagination ( I stopped drawing, designing and even reading). Now I sit here crying (again, what's new). What the heck will help - prozac didn't, some other drug I can't even spell didn't, and I knew when I got going on effexor, it wouldn't. I'm getting frustrated & very, very tired of it all.
Posted by Janelle on August 15, 2001, at 17:01:05
In reply to I'm off Effexor...finally, posted by Jill D on August 15, 2001, at 11:24:37
I will probably soon be doing what you have done - getting off EffexorXR gradually (I never made it over 75 mg; I think the NE stuff that kicked in at higher levels was too much for me).
You should discuss alternatives with your pdoc, but I can rattle off the names of a few other a-d's that you might look into, such as Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft, Serzone (sedating), Remeron (sedating), Luvox (primarily for OCD, but it is an SRI). Good luck.
Posted by pellmell on August 16, 2001, at 8:00:00
In reply to Getting off Zoloft, etc., posted by Christina on August 15, 2001, at 16:50:54
Christina,
I found taking a small dose of Zoloft (25mg seemed small compared to 200, anyway) when my withdrawal symptoms were at their worst helped quite a bit. I would feel better within half an hour.
I know you're probably anxious to get that stuff out of your system, but I don't see a good reason to suffer more than you have to.
Good luck,
-pm
> Jill for the second time this year, I am trying to get off meds. I have been on them for 6 years and I need a break. I have been med free for about 10 days. Still dizzy and my brain feels sloshy and I am slightly more agitated, but have not had rebound depression. I have to run, but I would love to compare more notes.
This is the end of the thread.
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