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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AnneL on October 30, 2002, at 21:48:27
I have a belief that I will never, ever be able to get off of this medication. Here is a secret when you feel like Effexor is pooping out. . .
just taper off (slowly) and when you start feeling so darn horrible and miserable, start taking your regular dose again and voila, you are a new person! Repeat this ad nauseum and this is the secret to "feeling good". (not) :( Laurie
Posted by sleepy lizard on October 30, 2002, at 23:17:56
In reply to Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round, posted by AnneL on October 30, 2002, at 21:48:27
When I was withdrawing from Effexor, one person at work suggested to me that I may be bipolar. It sounds like alternating on and off Effexor may simulate bipolar with the elevated mood, followed by the depressed mood.
Posted by Alara on October 31, 2002, at 0:12:19
In reply to Re: Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round » AnneL, posted by sleepy lizard on October 30, 2002, at 23:17:56
> When I was withdrawing from Effexor, one person at work suggested to me that I may be bipolar. "It sounds like alternating on and off Effexor may simulate bipolar with the elevated mood, followed by the depressed mood."
Sleepy Lizard, I can understand that Effexor withdrawal might result in symptoms that make you appear bipolar to others. However, there's a big difference between temporary agitation caused by withdrawing from a drug and actually being bipolar.
Posted by AnneL on October 31, 2002, at 0:24:20
In reply to Re: Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round » AnneL, posted by sleepy lizard on October 30, 2002, at 23:17:56
Nah, couldn't be that simple. . . no I fear it is just a simple case of the Effexor Withdrawal Blues. As I said, the cure is so easy, just take your medication as prescribed and the suffering is gone! I want to know if anyone out there in babbleland has any knowledge of how to successfully get off of this stuff? I have only attempted getting off of Effexor twice, but so far have not gotten past a few days in one case, and 2 1/2 weeks this time. Thanks in advance,
Anne
Posted by AnneL on October 31, 2002, at 0:26:49
In reply to Re: Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round, posted by Alara on October 31, 2002, at 0:12:19
Posted by Ritch on October 31, 2002, at 9:36:46
In reply to Re: Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round » sleepy lizard, posted by AnneL on October 31, 2002, at 0:24:20
> Nah, couldn't be that simple. . . no I fear it is just a simple case of the Effexor Withdrawal Blues. As I said, the cure is so easy, just take your medication as prescribed and the suffering is gone! I want to know if anyone out there in babbleland has any knowledge of how to successfully get off of this stuff? I have only attempted getting off of Effexor twice, but so far have not gotten past a few days in one case, and 2 1/2 weeks this time. Thanks in advance,
> AnneAnne, I read an interesting post about this a while back. I think the poster had withdrew SLOWLY down to 37.5 of XR and then took that for a week or so, then started to take one of the grains out of the capsule, then two, then three, until there wasn't anything left in the last capsule they took. Another commonly mentioned method is to switch to Prozac for a month and then stop the Prozac and let it slowly wash out. Hope this helps..
Posted by AnneL on October 31, 2002, at 22:39:23
In reply to Re: Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round » AnneL, posted by Ritch on October 31, 2002, at 9:36:46
Ritch,
Thanks for your response. I have tried a too fast taper (from 225 to 75 in 5 days - a mistake)
and a slow, precise one from 225 to 150 in 3 weeks. I experienced slurred speech, confusion and uncoordination. Thank God I did not get brain zaps or dizziness! But I was super stupid at work and I just couldn't take it any longer. The real question that begs asking and you can bet that my pdoc will ask me this when I see him on Nov. 12, is why do I feel the need to get off of Effexor? Why am I so resistant to being on medication? I really resent and feel angry that I do not have a choice at this point to stop medication and see where I'am at.
Posted by sleepy lizard on November 1, 2002, at 2:02:53
In reply to Re: Effexor - Back on the Merry-Go-Round, posted by Alara on October 31, 2002, at 0:12:19
Thank you, I really do think that the "mania" that some people observed was a side effect of the Wellbutrin I was taking or of some withdrawal effects (I was only sleeping 3 hours a night for a while). I did withdraw from Effexor after getting to 75 mg per day. I just quit taking it altogether and is was tough with all the withdrawal symptoms, but I was having so many side effects just from being on Effexor XR with Wellbutrin SR simultaneously that it was worth it. I had shocks and other symptoms for over a month. I read that the "electric shocks" that people get during Effexor withdrawal also occur for some people withdrawing from Paxil.
Following is a synopsis of SSRI withdrawal symptoms from Winter 1998, The Learning Centre Highlights Newsletter. http://www.ubcpharmacy.org/cpe/..
Disequilibrium: dizziness, vertigo, gait instability
Sensory Disturbance: paresthesia, sensations of electric shock
Gastrointestional: nausea, vomiting
Flu-like Symptoms: fatigue, lethargy, chills, myalgia
Sleep Disturances: insomnia, vivid dreams
Psycological Symptoms: anxiety, agitation, crying spells, irritability
I have had most of these symptoms withdrawing from one or the other of four drugs: Paxil, Celexa, Effexor, or Wellbutrin. I think, from what I have read, that this is very common. The suggestion is that this is due to a temporary lack of serotonin and temporary lower sensitivity of 5-HT receptors in the brain.
This is the end of the thread.
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