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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by MaryG on April 3, 2003, at 8:07:37
Hi -
I've been on Effexor for a couple years now. I think I was at 225 at the highest point, but didn't stay there for long - cut back to 150 which felt better for me.
I've been having lots of sleep problems - enough so that my doc sent me to a sleep doc, I did the whole sleep lab thing (twice) and he thinks I have narcolepsy, he put me on meds for it and they do help a lot. I didn't doubt what he said, because I think my father has narcolepsy, and I was having problems before the Effexxor, but just not as bad. The sleep doc thought that maybe the Effexor was contributing to my problem, so he had me go off it. I went to 75mg for a week, no problem, then 37.5 for a week, then tried doing every other day and started getting those horrible things that I have seen people here talk about - the "brain shivers" or whatever they are.. for me, if I turned just my eyes to the side I would get these terrible electrical jolts running through my face and down my arms to my fingers. Freaked me out, so I stopped doing the every other day thing and I have been at 37.5 for probably 3-4 months now.
I talked to my PCP, told her about the withdrawal symptoms and she looked at me like I had two heads. Luckily for me, she is very cool, she seems more like a friend than a doctor, so she didn't just dismiss my comments - even tho she thought I had two heads she believed me ;)
So she gave mne a script for one more month of effexor at 37.5, then another 30 pills, and the intention was to start taking one every other day, then 36 hours, 48 hours, three days, then finally go off.
Well, it ain't working! ;) I still get those terrible electrical things when I miss a dose. They freak me out, and I end up taking my next dose.
I read a post here about someone opening the capsule and removing some pellets every day, I might try that.
But what I think I really have to do is just quit - cold turkey. From various posts I've read here, people say that the worst of the withdrawal is over in 4-7 days. Do other people agree with that??
I am having surgery on my hand on April 18th. I'm not sure how long I will be out of work, I figure at least a week, maybe two. So I'm thinking this might be the best time to just go cold turkey. I'll probably be pretty out of it anyway, will get some pain killers so maybe I'll just be sleeping a lot, especially the first 3 days or so. So maybe I'll feel so crappy that the withdrawals won't really affect me too much. Besides, I'll be home and can just lie on the couch and not move my eyes.. a luxury that I wouldn't have if I was trying to get off while I was going to work every day.
So - what do you think? Is that a good plan? I am at the point where I am almost wanting to say I will stay on this med for life, because going off it is so terrible. But - there is no way I can do that.. if going off it is this bad for me, then what the heck is it doing to my brain??
I have to get off it, but the withdrawals are killing me. If anyone has any feedback on my "plan", or advice for making the withdrawals easier, or any other advice, I would love to hear it!!
I'm also interested to see if my sleep problems just go away after I get off it.. maybe I don't have narcolepsy at all!
thanks -
Mary
Posted by Sean9 on April 3, 2003, at 9:57:49
In reply to going off Effexor, would like feedback on my plan., posted by MaryG on April 3, 2003, at 8:07:37
Mary,
I would not recommend quitting cold turkey. The withdrawal is very painful and the symptoms you were experiencing will be at their most extreme. The best plan seems to involve tapering down 37 mg each week over a period of 4 weeks, with the last week being one 37 mg pill every other day (I think the every other day gets your body used running on zero Effexor). After that the symptoms suppsedly last another 2 weeks, but not as severe.
Talk to your doctor about this stuff: You can take Benadryl as needed to relieve some of the withdrawal symptoms like electric shocks and vertigo, also Allegra-D is supposed to help and Dramamine. Low dosage of Prozac can help relieve symptoms as prescribed. Also there is a drug used for treating naseua in chemotherapy patients that apparantly can be prescribed to help. You may want to consider switching to another med (like Prozac) as you come off Effexor. Prozac is supposed to be much easier to quit if you decide to. Effexor is really tough to quit, sounds like you already know that. Be careful and read up on all the postings dealing with Effexor Withdrawal, there is a lot of information on this site. Good luck, you can do it, and the symptoms will pass (no one has ever comlpained they are forever).
Posted by MaryG on April 3, 2003, at 20:36:59
In reply to Re: going off Effexor, would like feedback on my plan., posted by Sean9 on April 3, 2003, at 9:57:49
Hi Sean -
I meant going cold turkey from my current dose of 37.5 per day, which is the lowest dose available. I've been at this dose now for maybe 3 or 4 months, but when I try to skip a day I still get those awful symptoms. So I kind of feel like going every other day is just prolonging the agony, ya know?
thanks for the other tips tho - I hadn't heard of Benadryl or Dramamine helping - I'll definitely try them :)
Posted by fayeroe on April 5, 2003, at 8:59:54
In reply to I've actually been on 37.5/day for few months now, posted by MaryG on April 3, 2003, at 20:36:59
> Hi Sean -
>
> I meant going cold turkey from my current dose of 37.5 per day, which is the lowest dose available. I've been at this dose now for maybe 3 or 4 months, but when I try to skip a day I still get those awful symptoms. So I kind of feel like going every other day is just prolonging the agony, ya know?
>
> thanks for the other tips tho - I hadn't heard of Benadryl or Dramamine helping - I'll definitely try them :)mary, i cut from 75 to 37.5 cold turkey and am having little shocky things in my neck. but i'm going to try to stay the course for awhile. i was having horrid sleep problems on the 75 but didn't tie that in until i read your post. thanks. pat
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