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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by robz on April 7, 2004, at 13:56:03
Has anyone had good luck coming off EffexorXR????? It seems like everyone has had bad experiences coming off it. Also if you were ok coming off it how many milligrams were you on and did u taper???
Robz
Posted by T_R_D on April 7, 2004, at 14:26:08
In reply to Coming off Effexor, posted by robz on April 7, 2004, at 13:56:03
Hi Robz, the first time (there have been several) I went off Effexor I was on 375mg daily. Needless to say I tapered. It was rough towards the end...what I learned over time is once you're off the drug completely, take about 3 days' worth of Prozac for the brain/psych problems and some Benadryl for the cold/flu-like symptoms. Works quite well at decreasing the negative discontinuation effects as Prozac's half life is very long compared to Effexor's.
Posted by Civ on April 7, 2004, at 14:47:01
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by T_R_D on April 7, 2004, at 14:26:08
The only caution is if one were to react badly to Prozac. Sometimes, that can be worse than straight withdrawal. I added Prozac to a Paxil taper and experienced horrible side effects.
Posted by MsMilly on April 7, 2004, at 14:51:21
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by T_R_D on April 7, 2004, at 14:26:08
My Dr. didn't tell me about the withdrawals either. I was only on 75mg. I missed a few and decided not to start again. My worst symptoms going off or missing for that matter were vivid nightmares. The Effexor was great in helping with my anxiety though.
Everyone is reacts differently and symptoms will be different going off. Good luck!!
Posted by ku4ns on April 7, 2004, at 15:24:43
In reply to Coming off Effexor, posted by robz on April 7, 2004, at 13:56:03
Weaning off of effexor now. My dosage was 150mg, 75, 37.5 mg. I'm using prozac only at this time, and this is my second try. The prozac has made a huge difference (for the better). Friday this week will be two weeks and during that time i've taken one 37.5mg effexor at about day 6. I started the prozac 20mg 1 week before the last dose of effexor. Good luck. John
Posted by John Andrews on April 7, 2004, at 15:40:56
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by ku4ns on April 7, 2004, at 15:24:43
I was on 75mg of effexor xr for 6 months last year and quit cold turkey (had not heard or read any of the stories about withdrawl) only thing i noticed was that my face became numb and stayed that way for about a week.
Posted by Foobee on April 8, 2004, at 13:40:16
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by John Andrews on April 7, 2004, at 15:40:56
I just went to my Psychiatrist the other day to discuss going off Effexor XR and withdrawal. Slightly annoyed that he had little to say about withdrawal--he acted like it was no big deal.
Anywho, I've tapered down from 300mg/day to 225mg/day, and I'll stick with that for a month, and then go from there. All is good, so far, but I'm nervous about the next few months.
Posted by MsMilly on April 8, 2004, at 14:19:10
In reply to Coming off Effexor, posted by robz on April 7, 2004, at 13:56:03
I was on Effexor about 10 months (75 mg) and missed a few days. I started having a lot of disturbing nightmares but decided since I was at that point I wouldn't take the Effexor any longer. It lasted a couple of weeks.
I'm debating about starting it again or using another AD for GAD.
Posted by robz on April 8, 2004, at 18:49:48
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by ku4ns on April 7, 2004, at 15:24:43
John...How long were you on Effexor? was it EffexorXR or just regular effexor? What exactly do the withdrawals feel like? Thats great you are doing so well...Thanks for the input
Robyn
Posted by robz on April 8, 2004, at 18:51:25
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by John Andrews on April 7, 2004, at 15:40:56
Wow....Thats so weird! Didn't that give you anxiety? Why did you quite cold turkey? Are you on anything now?
Posted by MsMilly on April 8, 2004, at 20:44:01
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by robz on April 8, 2004, at 18:51:25
I thought it was contributing to libido problems and had taken it before and quit...same scenario. Unfortunately, quitting didn't help the libodo.
From all I read, I guess I'm fortunate that was the worst of my symptoms while going off of the Effexor. As I said, I need to go back on an AD and am trying Lexapro the last few days 5 mg but not liking the jittery feeling plus nausea that I am having. I'm trying to hang in and give it a chance though but will have to go back to Effexor if this doesnt work. With GAD, when you don't feel well, that just adds to the anxiety one already has.
Posted by ku4ns on April 9, 2004, at 8:29:44
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by robz on April 8, 2004, at 18:49:48
> John...How long were you on Effexor? was it EffexorXR or just regular effexor? What exactly do the withdrawals feel like? Thats great you are doing so well...Thanks for the input
> RobynI was on effexor for a little more than a year. Today is 2weeks since my last regular dose of effexor 37.5 mg. I have been on prozac 20mg now since 1 week before I planned to stop the effexor and am doing fine. No headaches, nausea, or other complaints. My libido has dropped off, but I can live with that as long as I don't have the punishing effects of the withdrawal from effexor. I hope that posting this will help others since this is my second attempt at stopping effexor, and with no side effects this time. Prozac has quickly became a friend. John
Posted by robz on April 9, 2004, at 16:07:24
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by ku4ns on April 9, 2004, at 8:29:44
John...Thats great your doing so well. Prozac is an anti enxiety right? What does it help when your tapering, and why?
Posted by ku4ns on April 9, 2004, at 18:31:33
In reply to Re: Coming off Effexor, posted by robz on April 9, 2004, at 16:07:24
I'm not sure why it helps, but this is my second attempt to stop the effexor. The prozac has reduced/stopped all of the side effects that I had while trying to stop effexor previously. Those of us that have experienced the withdrawal of effexor would be very happy to take anything that would help with the withdrawal symptoms. John
This is the end of the thread.
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