Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 258152

Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work

Posted by Louisa on September 8, 2003, at 18:24:48

I've been on Effexor for a few months and need to get off it. First off, it isn't working properly, though I've increased the dosage etc -- I sink into a huge deep funk anytime anything bad happens (like I spill ink!). Secondly, I want to start trying to get pregnant, and I DEFINITELY do not want to have to get off this cold turkey!!!

So I'm wondering if the Prozac trick will work for me. Unfortunately, since I moved away from Chicago a year ago, ,I don't have a pdoc, and live in a very rural place. Thus, I tend to have to help my regular doctor with meds questions. I have an appointment tomorrow, and would like to be able to advise her...

Thanks

Louisa

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work » Louisa

Posted by Gabbix2 on September 8, 2003, at 20:44:28

In reply to Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work, posted by Louisa on September 8, 2003, at 18:24:48

Prozac was the charm for me. It was recommended by another Babbler bless her, because I was in withdrawal hell. It made me completely functional within a day or two. I still got the sweats occasionally, and blurred vision but NOTHING like the withdrawal hell that preceded it.

Good luck

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work

Posted by ant on September 8, 2003, at 21:50:40

In reply to Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work » Louisa, posted by Gabbix2 on September 8, 2003, at 20:44:28

I have been on Effexor for about 5weeks now and am getting worried about how hard it is to get off.
My depression wasn't that bad "in my eyes" to be put on what seems to be a very hard medication. Is there any time frame of how long you need to be on it before it becomes difficult to get off.
Any comment would be appreciated. My Doc wants me on it for at least another 5 months. I am on 150mg of XR.

Thanks ant

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick » Louisa

Posted by loolot on September 8, 2003, at 22:09:42

In reply to Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work, posted by Louisa on September 8, 2003, at 18:24:48

I just came off effexor. i found benefryl to be very helpful.
I am from Chicago too, and I am actually looking for a new PDoc. Did you like yours when you lived here? Mine never calls back :(

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick

Posted by theo on September 8, 2003, at 22:21:15

In reply to Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick » Louisa, posted by loolot on September 8, 2003, at 22:09:42

Yes it does but I would also take an antihistimine like Benedryl, regular type that makes you kind of drowsy, somehow it takes the edge off or at least it did for me.

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work

Posted by calaway on September 10, 2003, at 23:19:03

In reply to Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work, posted by Louisa on September 8, 2003, at 18:24:48

I recently decreased my doseage from 225 to 150 with very little problems. Heres what I did. I usually take 150 in the morning and 75 at about 1:00pm. On day one I took my regular 150 in the morning, I didn't take my 75 until about 6:00pm.
Day 2 150 in the mid morning, 75 at 9:00pm. Day 3 150 mid to late morning no 75 at all. Now I did wake up with quite the headache, so I took the 150 right away. I also took the 75 that night at bedtime. The next day took the 150 late morning, no 75 that day. Woke with a headache and took the 150 right away. From that day on I didn't take the 75 again.
I say judge your body, if I could feel a headache comming on take the med, but space them out by even a few hours and then eliminate it one day and take the next, then two days and take the third eventually your body will come to not depend on the effexor at all. I also used this method while changeing from Paxil to effexor and it worked great, a side from a headache (sign to take the med, then it goes away til your body need a slight boost again) no other side effects.
Slowly lower the dose and then come off. Again with the paxil, I took it one day and then not again until I felt that slight withdrawl syptom and then took one or part of a dose again. Eventually I took some once every three days, then four, than done. Dont quick cold turkey, it never works.

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick

Posted by Louisa on September 13, 2003, at 13:23:56

In reply to Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick » Louisa, posted by loolot on September 8, 2003, at 22:09:42

Sorry this took so long. Psycho-babble had an old email for me, so I never got the a message saying anyone had responded.

I did like my pdoc, but he's up in Evanston, and may or may not be convenient for you. His name is Thomas Rebori at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare.

Best,

Louisa

 

from Effexor to Zoloft: how low do I have to go?

Posted by Louisa on September 13, 2003, at 13:30:33

In reply to Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work, posted by Louisa on September 8, 2003, at 18:24:48

Thanks everyone for your responses. I didn't get the notifications since my old email isn't forwarding anymore, I guess.

Anyway, I didn't suggest the Prozac trick to my gp, since I wasn't sure. She wants to try me on Zoloft, since she thinks it's a reasonable option while pregnant (I'm not pregnant now, but hoping to be so soon). So I'm trying to cut down the effexor slowly, but I'm running into a problem that I (stupidly) hadn't anticipated! I dropped from 150 mg to 75+37.5 as of Tuesday, and haven't had any horrible withdrawal symptoms, which is great. HOWEVER -- I'm getting depressed! It's the beginning of the school year (I'm a college professor), and this is killing me. I started to cry a few minutes ago when my husband asked me about a tomato that had gone bad...

How low do I have to go on the Effexor before I can start taking Zoloft? I hope I don't really have to make it all the way down to zero, because I'll be a basket case.

Thanks,

Louisa

 

Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work

Posted by slinky on September 14, 2003, at 17:37:39

In reply to Re: Getting off Effexor -- does the Prozac trick work » Louisa, posted by Gabbix2 on September 8, 2003, at 20:44:28


It's working for me.


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.