![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 6108 to 6132 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by creeppedOutWendy on January 14, 2004, at 14:20:08
In reply to Re: How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by ankh on January 14, 2004, at 14:14:34
Thank you for your suggestion. But if I don't do anything about it and just deal with the symptoms, would it ever go away. and how long would it take?
> > It has been a week since I quit Effexor completely. I have been expereincing pretty much every symptoms posted by others. I was taking half dosage of what I was taking for three weeks before I quit it completely (My doctor recommended this). I'm taking it ok, but not sure how much more I can handle this. Does anyone know how long these withdrawal symptoms would last?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
>
> OK, I can speak to this from personal experience -- I tried a different antidepressant every winter for years.
>
> Effexor was by far the hardest to quit, and the one I most wanted to quit because of the bloody dreams and migraines (though I will always be grateful for having experienced migraine auras during that time -- somehow we can forget pain and remember beauty even when they happen together -- a good thing for me to have learned).
>
> But about getting off this stuff:
>
> Here's what finally worked for me -- taking 50 milligrams per week of Prozac for three months.
>
> Yes, I mean that -- a tiny amount, once a week, and that held off the Effexor withdrawal.
>
> I get winter depression (and recently diagnosed attention deficit, maybe from childhood concussions plus a recent one). So I was on the upswing through the withdrawal period anyhow --February, March and April.
>
> My mood was going up anyhow, and it was time to quit the winter's drug, but just INCREDIBLY hard.
>
> Fortunately my doctor had heard whispers about this in the hallways between presentations at psychiatric meetings -- this was before withdrawal was admitted to be a problem.
>
> ----> So, short answer -- consider asking for
> ----> a very, very, very small dose of Prozac,
> ----> which is a persistent drug; a fraction of
> ----> the usual daily dose taken once a week
> ----> got me off Effexor.
>
> Good luck.
Posted by ankh on January 14, 2004, at 14:41:18
In reply to Re: How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by creeppedOutWendy on January 14, 2004, at 14:20:08
> Thank you for your suggestion. But if I ...
> just deal with the symptoms, would it ever
> go away? and how long would it take?I am not a doctor, so all I can offer is personal experience. I think I did the usual taper-down-to-zero, as you did, then went maybe six weeks with the tingles-and-willies before my doctor suggested the low-dose Prozac. Each week (for three months) I noticed the Effexor withdrawal reappear, and I took another tiny dose of Prozac.
Then one week, no tingles, no electric shocks, no silent invisible kicks in the head, I felt good.
Now for me, that's what getting to summertime is like anyhow, getting past winter depression.
So -- I can't even guess what your experience will be. For me, I had been through difficult withdrawal from Zoloft, and from Prozac itself, the past two years, and my doctor knew when I said the Effexor was a whole different kind of problem I wasn't kidding, and came up with that approach. He knew me, knew I'd done my darnedest to get through it without help.
"Your mileage may" -- will -- "vary" as they say.
Might be that continuing a thread here about the withdrawal day by day will attract other people whose stories may be helpful.
I don't know if our host comments on such matters, but there is no doubt a lot more to this withdrawal issue known now than when I was facing it.
It may be wise, if this is troubling you, at least to tell your doctor it's happening to you, eh? Could be it's a known problem by now!
Posted by KimRN73 on January 14, 2004, at 15:39:33
In reply to Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope » Paco, posted by KimberlyDi on January 12, 2004, at 13:10:39
Can someone PLEASE describe these Brain "zaps" people keep referring to? I think that is what i get but id like to know what they entail if anyone can describe them???? THanks!!!!!
Kim
Posted by tetheredcat on January 14, 2004, at 21:08:44
In reply to How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by creeppedOutWendy on January 14, 2004, at 9:47:31
Its been 10 days now since ive had effexor.. though im still a bit tired, as if im getting over the flu or something.. i havent felt any brain zaps today!! at least not any strong enough to make themselves know or to create that much of an impact. another sife effect that is still lingering is that im forgetful. i was forgetful before-ive always said that my mind is like a seive. but this is like.. words on the tip of my tongue type of forgetfulness. however, though it is still a problem, i have noticed it getting better as well. i guess i lucked out on the side effects i was dealt.. i hope you get to feeling like you again soon.. cuz i gotta tell ya-it feels great.
> It has been a week since I quit Effexor completely. I have been expereincing pretty much every symptoms posted by others. I was taking half dosage of what I was taking for three weeks before I quit it completely (My doctor recommended this). I'm taking it ok, but not sure how much more I can handle this. Does anyone know how long these withdrawal symptoms would last?
>
> Thanks
>
Posted by tetheredcat on January 14, 2004, at 21:28:17
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by KimRN73 on January 14, 2004, at 15:39:33
ok.. let me see.. this is how i described it to my computer geek bf: have you ever turned a monitor on? you know that zzzzzzungzzzzz sound it makes.. imagine that, inside your head.. and you feel the electric waves or vibrations inside your hard or on various surfaces of your head and face. he got what i meant.. lol i hope that helped at least a little.
> Can someone PLEASE describe these Brain "zaps" people keep referring to? I think that is what i get but id like to know what they entail if anyone can describe them???? THanks!!!!!
> Kim
Posted by Sad Panda on January 14, 2004, at 22:05:50
In reply to Am I the only one here that likes Effexor?, posted by Paco on January 11, 2004, at 19:48:27
> I just started looking at this board again after being away from it for a few months....
>
> I've been taking Effexor XR for about 10 months and it has been working just fine. No side effects, normal life, just the med I had hoped for.
>
> I avoided all meds for years after bad, actually terrible, experiences with Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil. I thought nothing would work, and I assumed all meds would bring about these awful side effects. I didn't want to experience this again, so I avoided all meds and just lived with depression. When I couldn't take that life any longer I finally gave up and went to my doctor and tried Effexor XR. What a difference it has made.
>
> I saw my doc the other day and he suggested I taper down to 75 (I'm on 150) this spring or summer. I had a taste of the brain zaps recently when I took a dose a few hours late, but I swear a few days of that would be worth the comfortable life I've had this last year.
>
> Not sure where I'm going with this other than I've had good results with Effexor, have no side effects, and only had about four days of relatively light side effects while going on it. Some of these meds work for some of us, others don't. Just keep trying and find out what works for you.
>
I like it. Not looking forward to withdrawing from it, but I like it.
Posted by KimRN73 on January 14, 2004, at 22:59:38
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by tetheredcat on January 14, 2004, at 21:28:17
thanks for writing a description! About Midday i get this "woosh" sensation in my head when im walking or if im turning my head to look at something, sometimes i even feel a 'woosh'in my right foot as well at the same time. Also, if i close my eyes and squeeze them tight , i can feel the "woosh" in my head,,,,,does this sound like the "zaps"??????? Please write back !
Kim
Posted by readingboy on January 14, 2004, at 23:35:36
In reply to Re: How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by tetheredcat on January 14, 2004, at 21:08:44
Wow. It's good to find a group to discuss these issues with. I couldn't imagine going what I went through without finding these posts.I've had a difficult time with my psychiatrist and decided to stop seeing him and find another. Previously, he prescribed Effexor XR and I've gradually gone to 150 mg. dosage, which did wonders for my depression and pain through my break up and divorce (a couple years ago). I stopped going to my psychiatrist recently, thinking that I'd find another soon enough. It hasn't happened and my prescription ran out yesterday morning.
Holy Mother of God! -- brain-flashes, dizziness, a slight nausea, and my skin began to feel electrified. I wasn't warned about these being side effects (not that I remember several years after being prescribed it), but knew it was Effexor withdrawal. It came on struck increasingly over a few hours. I didn't notice at first, the main is the dizziness and brain flashes, which happened when I'd move. When it really began to hit, I had to excuse myself from work. There wasn't any way I could be in public feeling like this.
I went home, found the phone number, asked my former psychiatrist for help telling him what I was experiencing, got a refill, and several hours later I'm recovered from the symptoms. It really scared me. I couldn't last a day of normal life with the intensity of the effects when they hit full force. I don't understand how I made it to the pharmacy and back (I walked since I couldn't trust myself driving).
I'm so glad to see others are working their way off with success. Really, finding this board helped immensely. I think with my divorce passed and things in my life beginning to look better, I'm probably ready to try life without Effexor XR. I will find another psychiatrist and ask to be taken off this medicine. To be fair, Effexor helped lift my depression and allowed me to live my life at a time when I was worried I couldn't. But now that things have improved, I don't want to stay on this drug forever, but the withdrawal symptoms are startlingly bad for me. If there was no way to get off but go through days of that, I would be taking Effexor for the rest of my life.
I now see that lowering the dosage gradually (it wasn't clear about the dosages and length of times though) along with taking mini-dosages of Prozac as needed is helping some work their way off it. I will definitely suggest this to my new psychiatrist if he or she is unaware of the process.
Thank you all for posting. And thanks Dr. Bob for putting this site up. You all have made a frightening episode much less scary in posting and explaining a lot of things.
-- readingboy
Posted by readingboy on January 14, 2004, at 23:41:50
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by KimRN73 on January 14, 2004, at 23:00:22
Sounds like what I went through today. Are you mildly dizzy too? Does it only happen when you move (especially moving your head)? That's the dizziness I was experiencing.
The "zaps" I got were like wasabi rushes. You know, when you eat too much of that green stuff by accident at a Japanese restaurant. It's a light headed rush that feels electric and is over with in a flash.
Ugh. I couldn't take it. It was too intense. But then I ranted enough in my previous post in another thread.
In short, it sounds right.
-- readingboy
Posted by Mercedes on January 15, 2004, at 0:12:13
In reply to How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by creeppedOutWendy on January 14, 2004, at 9:47:31
Wendy, I read the other responses to your question and I too agree that you may need a little bit of something to help in withdrawing from Effexor. You don't mention how long you were on it.
In my case, I was on a low dose 37.5 for a whole year, then changed Pdocs and he increased me gradually to 300mgs. So two years total. Due to high blood pressure, I had to quite taking it.
It took me 5 weeks to withdraw and had all the brain-zapping, electrical shocks, feelings of needles coming out of my skin, nightmares, etc. But I lived to talk about it.
I hope you don't have the withdrawals as long as I did. This board helps you through it too, cause you are not alone.
Take care,
Mercedes
********************************> It has been a week since I quit Effexor completely. I have been expereincing pretty much every symptoms posted by others. I was taking half dosage of what I was taking for three weeks before I quit it completely (My doctor recommended this). I'm taking it ok, but not sure how much more I can handle this. Does anyone know how long these withdrawal symptoms would last?
>
> Thanks
>
Posted by Mercedes on January 15, 2004, at 1:25:13
In reply to Heart Rate Advice Needed Please....., posted by Gummybear on January 11, 2004, at 19:20:05
It occured to me to ask my doc what a normal heart rate was, last time I went. She said 60-90.
I just looked at this website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003399.htm
It indicates:For resting heart rate:
newborn infants; 100 to 160 beats per minute
children 1 to 10 years; 70 to 120 beats per minute
children over 10 and adults; 60 to 100 beats per minute
well-trained athletes; 40 to 60 beats per minuteMy blood pressure skyrocked while on Effexor and that's why I had to quit it, but after being prescribed BP med, I have normal BP 120/80 and another month I was at 118/58. The doc said it was good.
As far as Effexor affecting memory and/or concentration, it did me. I beleive the side effect listed is "confusion". I also suffer(ed) from lack of comprehension.
However, I'm 54 and taking other meds which may contribute to the above. I still feel quite incompetant, having been an accountant for over 30 yrs, and I still suffer the lack of concentration/comprehension problems.
Wishing you good health, and pls, do see a doc to check your BP and pulse rate if it gets too high.
Concerned,
mercedes
Posted by Dr. Bob on January 15, 2004, at 1:31:59
In reply to Re: How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by readingboy on January 14, 2004, at 23:35:36
Posted by KimRN73 on January 15, 2004, at 5:28:01
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by readingboy on January 14, 2004, at 23:41:50
Yes, Readingboy....they are when i move my head and usually hit me about midday...and if i lay down for about an hour and take a nap, they go away pretty much....Im trying to wean myself off of 150mg/day to 75/day because of this, i do NOT like this side effect, i feel so out of it when it happens....i have been on Effexor for several years and this has just started happening over the past 8-9 months. Kim
Posted by creeppedOutWendy on January 15, 2004, at 7:56:33
In reply to Re: How long would these withdrawal symtoms last? » creeppedOutWendy, posted by Mercedes on January 15, 2004, at 0:12:13
Thank you all for your supports.
I found out about Benadryl on some site I don't remember. I tried it yesterday afternoon and it helps a lot. The feeling like I was having hang over went away. I still haven't get it back yet as of now. Brain-zapping and electrical shocks went away too. I still don't feel 100% of myself yet though. I'm wondering why Benadryl helped so much but I'll take it again if the symptoms come back.
> Wendy, I read the other responses to your question and I too agree that you may need a little bit of something to help in withdrawing from Effexor. You don't mention how long you were on it.
>
> In my case, I was on a low dose 37.5 for a whole year, then changed Pdocs and he increased me gradually to 300mgs. So two years total. Due to high blood pressure, I had to quite taking it.
>
> It took me 5 weeks to withdraw and had all the brain-zapping, electrical shocks, feelings of needles coming out of my skin, nightmares, etc. But I lived to talk about it.
>
> I hope you don't have the withdrawals as long as I did. This board helps you through it too, cause you are not alone.
>
> Take care,
> Mercedes
> ********************************
>
> > It has been a week since I quit Effexor completely. I have been expereincing pretty much every symptoms posted by others. I was taking half dosage of what I was taking for three weeks before I quit it completely (My doctor recommended this). I'm taking it ok, but not sure how much more I can handle this. Does anyone know how long these withdrawal symptoms would last?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
>
>
Posted by Tammi on January 15, 2004, at 12:09:50
In reply to Re: This is scarier than I thought , posted by Gerri_mww on July 8, 2000, at 13:37:35
> > I know that we all react to things differently, but most of the things I have read here have scared me. I took my first dose of Effexor XR 75 mg tonight. The label said that I cannot operate heavy machinery with it, so I took it at night. My doctor told me to take it in the morning. Should I have done that? Do you get better results that way?? I am just wondering if I should deal with my symptoms without this medicine. Yikes.
>I have been taking these meds for about 4 years now. I have extreme panic attacks and anxiety. I started off on Zoloft and am now on effexor xr and have been the last year. It really does help me I think. It has been so long I am confused. I am not sure if I am okay or if the medicine is what makes me okay but I have decided to get off of it. I go to the doctor today. I am scared to death about stopping, I am so afreaid that I will have another panic attack. I haven't had a full blown attack since I started the medication. Sometimes some mild anxiety. I also know the withdrawals are awful. I get this wierd thing with my eyes where it feels like I am not seeing right and I feel dizzy and sick to my stomach. Knowing these withdrawls from the last time I tried to stop I am still going to try again. I know your doctor told you to take the meds in the am but sometimes it is better to take it at night. It has a tendency to make you sleepy. If you have trouble sleeping at night then taking it at night will help. It doesn't matter when you take it as long as you take it at the same time everyday. Hang in there with it, it really does help if you can stick to it. I just don't want to face the chance that I might have to take this the rest of my life. If quitting makes me have panic attacks then I will start taking it again. Good luck
> Jennifer, I haven't read any posts past this one so if this reply is outdated for you, forgive me. Anyway just wanted to say you should take the med in the am like the MD (and others who answered this post ) told you. I have been on Effexor for a couple months now and I just started taking 225mg in the am. I had started on 75 and then increased to 150 when the effects of the 75mg started to wain. I have been on 225mg for about three days now and today I noticed "the change". I actually found myself doing things and *wanting* to do things instead of just xoning out (I have inattentive ADD--couch potato syndrome..LOL). I actually am looking forward to getting some housework done today (and I haven't done that in years!!!--I have lots of pathways to get around but LOTS of clutter). Please do not react hastily to this med. I, too, was very apprehensive at first. I have extreme panic attacks and could talk myself into dying if need be, but I decided to realize that my fears were in my head. Even some over-the-counter meds have warnings about operating machinery. This is a way the company protects itself against any liability. Years ago if someone had an accident they blamed it on the cold med they were taking so now companies put this warning on all products (also they warn against stomach upset i.e. take this with food--- just in case you are sensitive to the meds and it makes you vomit---this way they are protectig themselves).
> Tell us if you are continuing with the effexor. I hope to read that you are. For me it is turning out to be a great asset in my life. I am sure as time goes on I will again need to increase the dose (I have heard that for ADD patients most times we need the very maximum of dosage to have an effect---which will be normal for me as I usually have to take double the dose of any meds).
> Good luck in your treatments and remember needing med to help you control something isn't a bad thing. I know even by trying to re-train myself I would never be able to live a normal productive life without the help of meds to help me gain and keep control.
>
> Gerri
Posted by Salty_Dog on January 15, 2004, at 14:18:41
In reply to Re: How long would these withdrawal symtoms last?, posted by readingboy on January 14, 2004, at 23:35:36
I hope you have considered asking your current Dr. to assist you with the withdrawl, I think (S)he would have no proublem with tappering.
Posted by becka on January 15, 2004, at 16:19:08
In reply to Re: This is scarier than I thought, posted by Tammi on January 15, 2004, at 12:09:50
I must agree with Tammi. After reading a lot of these posts, I am scared to death. I have been on different AD for 8 years (zoloft, elavil, celexa and lexapro). I only got off to get pregnant twice. I suffered horrible withdrawls both times. I weaned as the dr. said but I have always gone back to it. (not when I was prego) My main reason for taking effexor xr is to control anxiety. My dr gave me xanax for when I have an attack. All that does is make me want to sleep. I don't see how people get addicted to that--anyway. I just started effexor 75mg once a day about a week ago. So far, so good. I am just scared after reading all of the posts. Am I too probably going to have to up to 150mg a day, and if so, that will be even more difficult to get off if and when the time is right. I don't have any problem taking a pill if it makes me feel better. I just know from experience that after a certain number of months, your body needs more and more and more and ........ Any advice???
Thanks for "listening"
Posted by omegon on January 15, 2004, at 16:53:46
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by KimRN73 on January 14, 2004, at 15:39:33
> Can someone PLEASE describe these Brain "zaps" people keep referring to? I think that is what i get but id like to know what they entail if anyone can describe them???? THanks!!!!!
I only had them in a mild way for 5 days (thanks to switching to Prozac rather than coming off efexor completely), but I'll try to describe what I had. It's probably the weirdest sensation I've ever experienced.
Ever stayed up all night, to the point when you get "microsleeps"? - you momentarily fall asleep (for literally a second) then jerk awake again? For me, the "brain zaps" were like a combination of a _mental_ wrenching sensation, like the jolting disorientation of those microsleeps (without the "sleep" feeling, just that of involuntarily having your state of consciousness sharply altered); with a _physical_ (proprioceptive) wrenching sensation, like the world has suddenly, sharply changed orientation around you (earthquake-like) - not really dizziness, just subjective alteration of position; with an _emotional_ wrenching sensation, similar to what people call your "heart skipping a beat", an instantaneous sick feeling, or one of those "oh-sh*t" moments where you suddenly realise you've really screwed something up irrevocably.
It's very brief and feels kind of "electrical"; a muscle spasm of the brain. You can also kind of sense when it's about to happen, though I couldn't really describe how; rather like feeling a hiccup coming.
On most occasions I didn't have the electric-shock-through-every-nerve feeling that I've seen others describe here, though interestingly I did get that a couple of times soon after I started on efexor, while increasing the dose.
Posted by omegon on January 15, 2004, at 16:58:10
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by tetheredcat on January 14, 2004, at 21:28:17
Yes, that's a clever analogy - and the description of the sound as well! It IS rather like that.
> ok.. let me see.. this is how i described it to my computer geek bf: have you ever turned a monitor on? you know that zzzzzzungzzzzz sound it makes.. imagine that, inside your head.. and you feel the electric waves or vibrations inside your hard or on various surfaces of your head and face. he got what i meant.. lol i hope that helped at least a little.
>
> > Can someone PLEASE describe these Brain "zaps" people keep referring to?
Posted by sb2 on January 15, 2004, at 18:53:49
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » readingboy, posted by Salty_Dog on January 15, 2004, at 14:18:41
> been on 75 mgs for 10 days now. is this drug for real. I have been on celexa, paxil,wellbutrin,prozac and neurontin. Celexa was thebest but seemed to quit. with effexor I cannot take in the morning because Iam to drowsy to drive to work. At night I have all kinds of dreams and jerk alot when Iam about to fall asleep. Does the drowsiness go away. Does sleep ever return to normal. I need to be alert. I need motivation!!! will this one do it?
Posted by Mercedes on January 15, 2004, at 18:57:33
In reply to Re: This is scarier than I thought, posted by Tammi on January 15, 2004, at 12:09:50
My Pdoc quit on me Jan 7, 2004! I called that day to tell him about yet another one of these 'mysterious attacks' I was having and I get a "Dear Mary" letter dated that same day. Just to clarify, these 'mysterious attacks' are not the same as Effexor withdrawal brain zaps.
Yea, after seeing this Pdoc for over a year, I get a 'Letter of Discharge'. He could no longer meet my pharmacological needs, is what it said. I wanted to kill myself, goodby cruel world, saayonata (sp?), adios....bye bye.
Fortunatly, my brother took me to see another Pdoc Jan 10th, and this new pdoc took me off Lexapro and put me on Lamictal and another sample of something, I don't remember. Anyway I've had 4 of these mysterious attacks in 8 days. My vision goes, get severe double vision that sticks for a few minutes, I see everything dble, one up one down, and a weird brain tightness behind my left eye. My neuro won't see me till the 27th, cld my primary and I can see her this Monday, told them I need an MRI NOW. I'm afraid I won't make it. Funny how sometimes you want to die, then sometimes you're afraid of dying, well, not really funny.
I'm off Effexor since Nov; had the horrific withdrawals, put on Paxil to help with the withdrawals, was on Topamax, and ended up at dr's office with chest pains. So add nitro to my rx list. BP meds, etc.
I was on Depakote a few years back, put me to sleep, at my desk, in the patio during lunch, had no energy, and don't remember what else.
After all these med's, or maybe these undiagnosed brain attacks, my memory is ? I don't know where I left it, my concentration/comprehension is gone and I just don't know what else to do, who to trust. While on effexor, I also got blurred vision expecially after using the computer (doing research on my illness for goodness sakes!) and had to have my glasses changed six times in 14 months. And I still get the blurred vision. Well, I best get off the computer.
Just venting......sigh
Mercedes
Posted by LenoreW on January 15, 2004, at 19:28:20
In reply to Re: Am I the only one here that likes Effexor? Nope, posted by KimRN73 on January 14, 2004, at 15:39:33
> Can someone PLEASE describe these Brain "zaps" people keep referring to? I think that is what i get but id like to know what they entail if anyone can describe them???? THanks!!!!!
For me, it's a combination of strange sounds inside my head combined with waves of nausea and dizziness; I get these when I shift my gaze, or even move my eyes rapidly when they're closed. The sounds are very faint, but it's like someone is shaking a box of rice with only a few grains left in it. (Usually they only shake it twice, but sometimes it's three or four times.) The rest of the time I just feel like I have a waterfall inside my skull instead of a brain. This is my 15th day off Effexor and most of the other bad stuff is gone, but this part seems to be worse if anything - I was only on 37.5 for 6 months.
Posted by omegon on January 15, 2004, at 20:00:11
In reply to Re: WHEN WILL IT WORK, posted by sb2 on January 15, 2004, at 18:53:49
> > been on 75 mgs for 10 days now...with effexor I cannot take in the morning because Iam to drowsy to drive to work. At night I have all kinds of dreams and jerk alot when Iam about to fall asleep. Does the drowsiness go away. Does sleep ever return to normal. I need to be alert. I need motivation!!! will this one do it?
Your experience is like mine when I started (see earlier post http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040109/msgs/299903.html). Until I got to 225mg, each dosage level made me very sleepy once the initial dose increase side-effects wore off after a week or so. The sleepiness didn't go away with time; it got steadily worse over 5 weeks at 225mg (3 doses 8 hours apart). I then tried 150mg morning and 75mg evening for 2 weeks, which was worse - MORE drowsy, dangerous to drive to work, less motivation, etc. On return to 3 spaced-out doses, the dose-increase side effects returned much worse (adrenaline rush) and it destabilised my mood enough that I had to quit after two more weeks. (crying for no reason, rage at nothing, etc. I may need a mood stabiliser.)
For me the insane dreams did disappear completely once I'd been at the same dose for about three weeks, unless I lay in / slept during the day - you might like to avoid this; for me it gave hellish dreams and worse mood when I eventually got up. Of course, when you're feeling that sleepy it's nearly impossible to get out of bed even with dreams chasing you ;)
The muscle twitching decreased as well, but was never a major problem for me, just irritating.If you're on a low enough dose not to need to space it out, you could try switching between taking it at night <-> morning. Taking it at night still made me drowsy initially, but I couldn't get a full night's sleep that way - kept waking up - and was still hard to get out of bed in the morning. So I stuck with morning when I was on 75mg.
From the limited experience I've had with this drug, the best advice I can give you is to be absolutely rigid about taking it at the same time every day (set an alarm - seriously) and to be very cautious about changes in dosage or time of dosage. The short half-life seemed to cause major problems for me if I wasn't careful about this. Indeed it seemed to cause problems anyway. Change it slowly if possible and expect it to take at least a week to settle down.
Efexor did help my alertness and motivation a lot - but only some of the time.
Posted by omegon on January 15, 2004, at 20:12:53
In reply to Re: My Pdoc quit on me! scarier than I thought » Tammi, posted by Mercedes on January 15, 2004, at 18:57:33
> While on effexor, I also got blurred vision expecially after using the computer (doing research on my illness for goodness sakes!) and had to have my glasses changed six times in 14 months. And I still get the blurred vision.
I'm wondering if it's not something to do with pupil dilation. I had both. The blurred vision _seemed_ to decrease with time on efexor, but judging by the difference I've noticed coming off it, this may have been purely subjective, "getting used to it" (by which I mean forgetting how it used to be, rather than learning to see as clearly with blurred input). I'm now on fluoxetine, and my pupils seem permanently fixed at HALF their efexor size, as if in rebellion. Shame. I kind of liked my big eyes, drinking in the world - such as I could see, anyway. Now I look disinterested. Feel it, too.
Strangely enough, even while on efexor, people at work often said I have the text size on my computer set very small and they couldn't read it! Crystal clear to me. Can the brain compensate for persistent blurred vision by getting better at decoding blurred symbols, "turning up the sharpness"? I doubt it. Maybe our vision is clearer than we think.
Posted by KimRN73 on January 15, 2004, at 21:10:03
In reply to Brain zaps » KimRN73, posted by omegon on January 15, 2004, at 16:53:46
THanks for the description, everyone is saying they have these "zaps" after being OFF the medication....im still ON it and having them, i spoke to one of the doctors i work with today and she thinks since they start about MIDDAY, it has something to do with how im absorbing the medication and to alter how i take it in the morning and see what that does. Anyone have them as a SIDE EFFECT while still ON the med???
And mine arent really a "shock" its more of a lightheaded/out of sorts feeling?!?!
Kim
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