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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dr. Bob on August 19, 2003, at 17:51:49
In reply to EFFEXOR side effects...I ONLY MISSED 2 DAYS!, posted by firemedic00 on August 18, 2003, at 18:47:49
> Ok...thank God for this website...I feel I have figured out the reason why I am dizzy, light-headed and ready to throw up all day. My doctor's diagnosis...inner ear infection causing the "vertigo"...My diagnosis...I missed two days of effexor!!!! Not intentionally....just did not have it and thought nothing of it. Thanks to this site I am 100 percent sure this is my problem. MY QUESTION IS: How long does it take to go away after I continue my dose????? PLEASE TELL ME SOON....I CANNOT FUNCTION LIKE THIS MUCH LONGER...It's like I am in a different world.
Posted by jlo820 on August 19, 2003, at 19:18:06
In reply to EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic00, posted by Dr. Bob on August 19, 2003, at 17:51:49
For sure it is the Effexor. This happened to me to whenever I missed a dose. That is why I switched to Lexapro.
Usually took me about 24-hours to get back on track.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 20, 2003, at 2:19:56
In reply to EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic00, posted by Dr. Bob on August 19, 2003, at 17:51:49
Hi there, I have done the whole off on off on off on off on thing with good ole Effexor and what you describe here has happened to me several, several, several times until I finally said enough is enough! I have a strong hunch that once you continue your regular dosing~~~~you will feel A LOT better.
Oh~~~and one more thing, please, please keep on a regular schedule if Effexor is helping you, it is a potent med. Please let me know how you feel (gawd I sound like a doc-and I'm not lol) and if your symptoms get better, like I said, I had the same experience. I really hope that you do feel better once you get that Effexor back into your system:-)
Please keep us posted.
> > Ok...thank God for this website...I feel I have figured out the reason why I am dizzy, light-headed and ready to throw up all day. My doctor's diagnosis...inner ear infection causing the "vertigo"...My diagnosis...I missed two days of effexor!!!! Not intentionally....just did not have it and thought nothing of it. Thanks to this site I am 100 percent sure this is my problem. MY QUESTION IS: How long does it take to go away after I continue my dose????? PLEASE TELL ME SOON....I CANNOT FUNCTION LIKE THIS MUCH LONGER...It's like I am in a different world.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 20, 2003, at 2:22:02
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic00, posted by jlo820 on August 19, 2003, at 19:18:06
I just saw this after I wrote the post above! I'm glad for firemedic00 I wasn't alone, but I'm sorry too jlo that happened to you-not fun eh!
For sure it is the Effexor. This happened to me to whenever I missed a dose. That is why I switched to Lexapro.
>
> Usually took me about 24-hours to get back on track.
Posted by firemedic00 on August 20, 2003, at 19:13:03
In reply to I agree with your diagnosis!!!! Why? see here :-), posted by galkeepinon on August 20, 2003, at 2:19:56
I began to feel normal within 3 hours of resuming the dose. It is pretty scary to think I was going through "withdrawl". I have never been hooked on anything...now the only thing keeping my life and marriage together is the effexor. My wife and I agree..this is a miracle drug FOR ME. I was always too proud to begin drug therepy, thinking..."I am not crazy...I should not need to be on drugs to be married!"...especially when I tried the other drugs and they had no effect...I thought it was all b.s. Within 2 weeks of beginning effexor my life changed from black to white....and I didn't even "see" it happen. My wife just mentioned we had not had any arguments...I could go on forever telling the great things the drug has done for my life though!! I guess the downside though is trying to get off of them....but for now I wouldn't dare stop..."Why ruin a perfectly good life?!" Thanks for your interest!
> Hi there, I have done the whole off on off on off on off on thing with good ole Effexor and what you describe here has happened to me several, several, several times until I finally said enough is enough! I have a strong hunch that once you continue your regular dosing~~~~you will feel A LOT better.
> Oh~~~and one more thing, please, please keep on a regular schedule if Effexor is helping you, it is a potent med. Please let me know how you feel (gawd I sound like a doc-and I'm not lol) and if your symptoms get better, like I said, I had the same experience. I really hope that you do feel better once you get that Effexor back into your system:-)
> Please keep us posted.
>
>
> > > Ok...thank God for this website...I feel I have figured out the reason why I am dizzy, light-headed and ready to throw up all day. My doctor's diagnosis...inner ear infection causing the "vertigo"...My diagnosis...I missed two days of effexor!!!! Not intentionally....just did not have it and thought nothing of it. Thanks to this site I am 100 percent sure this is my problem. MY QUESTION IS: How long does it take to go away after I continue my dose????? PLEASE TELL ME SOON....I CANNOT FUNCTION LIKE THIS MUCH LONGER...It's like I am in a different world.
>
>
Posted by galkeepinon on August 21, 2003, at 0:52:22
In reply to Re: I agree with your diagnosis!!!! Why? see here :-), posted by firemedic00 on August 20, 2003, at 19:13:03
YAY!!!!!!! Glad to hear you're feeling better!!!
I know, it can be a shock to realize how well Effexor is doing until you miss a dose or 2 or 3..... That med worked very well for me too, I wish it still did. I wasn't so much too proud to *start* drug therapy, as I was to *continue* it!! I was known to be non-med compliant many times. I have learned my lesson lol. It works so much better that way for the doctor and the patient.
Sometimes others, our spouses, friends, etc. see the change before we do, and that's nice.
All the best to you:-)> I began to feel normal within 3 hours of resuming the dose. It is pretty scary to think I was going through "withdrawl". I have never been hooked on anything...now the only thing keeping my life and marriage together is the effexor. My wife and I agree..this is a miracle drug FOR ME. I was always too proud to begin drug therepy, thinking..."I am not crazy...I should not need to be on drugs to be married!"...especially when I tried the other drugs and they had no effect...I thought it was all b.s. Within 2 weeks of beginning effexor my life changed from black to white....and I didn't even "see" it happen. My wife just mentioned we had not had any arguments...I could go on forever telling the great things the drug has done for my life though!! I guess the downside though is trying to get off of them....but for now I wouldn't dare stop..."Why ruin a perfectly good life?!" Thanks for your interest!
Posted by Camille Dumont on August 24, 2003, at 2:20:46
In reply to EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic00, posted by Dr. Bob on August 19, 2003, at 17:51:49
The same thing happened to me ... I forgot my pills for a weekend.
On Saturday morning ... I felt like crap, dizzy and like I was going to puke. And then the nightmares ... vivid and scary and I would wake up wet from head to toe from sweating so much. It became an insane dilema ... I felt so tired but I was also deathly afraid of going to sleep because I knew I would have horrible nightmares over and over again.
Although my dose was 325 mg in the morning ... on Sunday night, when I came home I took my usual dose and went to sleep. I was allright when I woke up and I took my normal dose. It seems only a few hours was all that was needed to get back to normal.
Suffice to say I will NEVER forget those pills again.
Posted by Kacy on August 26, 2003, at 18:05:17
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic, posted by Camille Dumont on August 24, 2003, at 2:20:46
I have worried about traveling and forgetting those pills. I only have about seven to ten hours before I begin getting sick. If I don't take the dose right away, I get progessively sicker until I have trouble standing up without needing to sit down. I feel nauseaus and flu-like.
After taking the capsule, it usually takes up to three hours before I'm fine. However, if during that three hours I lie on my stomach (no pillow) and do not move, then I feel fine, too. Getting up for a minute or even lifting my head and moving it too much starts making me ill again. I have a reduced tolerance for the computer or television lights after I get past the worst of it. I can start feeling something like car-sickness if I do either of those things too soon after I get up.
If I recognize the symptoms of a missed dose immediately and take the medication, I can recover without going to bed. I can't use the computer or watch television for awhile, but I can get around okay.
The longer I go without taking that capsule, the longer the withdrawal recovery takes. Once, I never felt really well until the following morning.
I have not forgotten a dose since I decreased to 75 mg. so I don't know if that will be easier.
The above problems happened at 150 mg. At 225, my withdrawal problems with a missed dose happened on the same time schedule but included strange brain fritzes that I can only describe as interruptions of the visual feed. They happened quickly. I knew it happened when it was over. Life was like an old movie. The scene in front of me jerked to a new picture like some frames were cut out of an old movie reel. The view only moved a little but it was strange. I didn't miss any sound, but my brain definitely lost some visual data or slipped a gear in transferring some.
Don't forget your Effexor.
Posted by firemedic00 on August 26, 2003, at 21:24:28
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic, posted by Kacy on August 26, 2003, at 18:05:17
Scary, Scary!!!! You are right on the money with what I was going through. Did you have any withdrawl effects when you decreased your dosage?.........how about increased anxiety with the reduction?
> I have worried about traveling and forgetting those pills. I only have about seven to ten hours before I begin getting sick. If I don't take the dose right away, I get progessively sicker until I have trouble standing up without needing to sit down. I feel nauseaus and flu-like.
>
> After taking the capsule, it usually takes up to three hours before I'm fine. However, if during that three hours I lie on my stomach (no pillow) and do not move, then I feel fine, too. Getting up for a minute or even lifting my head and moving it too much starts making me ill again. I have a reduced tolerance for the computer or television lights after I get past the worst of it. I can start feeling something like car-sickness if I do either of those things too soon after I get up.
>
> If I recognize the symptoms of a missed dose immediately and take the medication, I can recover without going to bed. I can't use the computer or watch television for awhile, but I can get around okay.
>
> The longer I go without taking that capsule, the longer the withdrawal recovery takes. Once, I never felt really well until the following morning.
>
> I have not forgotten a dose since I decreased to 75 mg. so I don't know if that will be easier.
>
> The above problems happened at 150 mg. At 225, my withdrawal problems with a missed dose happened on the same time schedule but included strange brain fritzes that I can only describe as interruptions of the visual feed. They happened quickly. I knew it happened when it was over. Life was like an old movie. The scene in front of me jerked to a new picture like some frames were cut out of an old movie reel. The view only moved a little but it was strange. I didn't miss any sound, but my brain definitely lost some visual data or slipped a gear in transferring some.
>
> Don't forget your Effexor.
Posted by Kacy on August 26, 2003, at 23:10:59
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic, posted by firemedic00 on August 26, 2003, at 21:24:28
When I went down from 225 to 150 I had few problems. For a several days, I had some tiny little head fritzes whenever I bent over. There was no visual feed disruption, though. I had only been at 225 for one month. I never felt any benefit from the extra dosage. Nothing was different but the withdrawal effect.
Before I went down to 75, I had been at 112.5 for a few months. When I first dropped from 150 to 112.5, I never had any withdrawal problems. I did get a reduction in benefit from Effexor in that I had a little more "excessive ruminating" issues at 112.5 than 150, but it was not too much of a problem. I traded that for reduced effects on my libido. When I dropped to 75 from there, I didn't have any withdrawal problems at all.
I had begun Straterra and was going to go off Effexor to try it by itself. I dropped to zero after just a few days at 75 and then a few at 37.5. I had some fluish symptoms that were not at all like the times I had missed a dose. They lasted five or six days and I mostly felt ill in the afternoons. I was tired out some for a week. Then it was over, except that three days later I woke up worrying and negative. It was like someone hit a lightswitch.
I waited three more days and knew I needed Effexor with Straterra so I went back on. With Straterra, though, I seem to be getting the 112.5 benefit at the 75 dose. It took ten days to kick in again, and one morning I woke up and that light switch had been hit, again. Amazing. It took me six months, initially, on Effexor to realize any benefit, so I was surprised at the difference it made. I guess I had changed quite a bit, slowly, and didn't realize how much.
In other words, the withdrawal, which I did fairly quickly, was not bad. By dropping a level every few days, I could get off with a few side effects for a week and none of them were as bad as missing a dose.
I hope this helps.
Posted by Honda on November 30, 2003, at 14:24:54
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR side effects MISSED 2 DAYS « firemedic » firemedic00, posted by Kacy on August 26, 2003, at 23:10:59
Well, I'm wondering if anyone has had any PERMANENT problems from Effexor/withdrawel ?? I tapered off very, very slowly in August and even at about 12.5 mg couldn't go to zero without "head fritzes"--so I was put on a once a week dose of Prozac and was fine within 24 hours of taking the first dose. As fate would have it I was leaving for Europe that week. One day after I arrived at my destination I lost the hearing in my right ear. Horrible vertigo ensued and ,needless to say, it was NOT a nice vacation!
I was seen by a doctor there and given all of the correct meds for controlling the vomiting/vertigo, etc. but the hearing loss has not improved . I've seen a couple of specialists since returning to the US but they all say it's possibly related to a viral illness-(I don't remember being ill!) and my condition is being called "idiopathic, post-viral, sudden hearing loss". I can't help but wonder about the timing of the onset of all of this with the withdrawel from Effexor and similar-type symptoms; Ringing in the ears, vertigo,head "wooshes", etc.
(The plane flight was uneventful as far as ear pain or anything that might be a factor.)
I'm currently off ALL meds and just dealing with the nasty tinnitus and 60% hearing loss!! I'd be very interested to hear from anyone with a similar experience or ideas about my "problem".
Thanks!
This is the end of the thread.
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