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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jubilee on October 2, 2004, at 18:20:14
Saved by others info in posts! Was led to look up effeor one day 2 months back and realized I could do it. This is my 3rd try and its going good . Giving myself 4 or 5 months to go down slow. Someone said they were stacked by fast and slow release , so I shake them and pour out . After 2 months and starting at 300mg's I am down now. Take some prozac every time I drop dose. Use a 150mg cap to measure out 75mg for AM and 37.5 for PM.. Save what you dump, every last lump. I pour into my mouth and wash down with water. I got 60 ,10mg's prozac and every time I lower the dose I take it for 5 days. Will end when totally out with also 7 days of prozac. Learned so much on web site sharing and I got hope. 3 more months and tranc's to help with anxioty and insomnia. Benadryl to help with ichy throat. Promithazine or whatever to help with nausea. Anti hystamine spray to stop headaches. This is my 3rd try and almost got locked up the first time and almost died the second from mild stroke as I went off too fast. It has ruined my vision . 3 changes in glasses in less than a year. Had to take meds to sleep for as long as I have been on effexor.(3 years) More later. Can't wait to get my non manic life back!! Jubilee
Posted by Petranella on October 3, 2004, at 15:42:20
In reply to Effexor withdrawal, You can do, posted by Jubilee on October 2, 2004, at 18:20:14
Keep going jubilee - I to am taking Effexor and would love to feel normal again - no tiredness, good love life, etc, etc. But I have tried twice before. GPs advice is that there is no problem coming off Effexor along as you do it slowly (I try to argue (but they won't have it) that there are significant withdrawl effects). She suggested that I take 150mg one day and 75mg the next (i take 150mg a day- currently)- I have tried this and although I don't get the brian shimmers I feel out of it and very clumsey and dizzy. Your advice and all the advice on the posts have made me feel that there is a way to get of this drug. Thanks
Posted by Jubilee on October 3, 2004, at 17:30:49
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, You can do, posted by Petranella on October 3, 2004, at 15:42:20
Hi Petranella, Its so great to get feedback and know I am not alone and that maybe I even encouraged somebody else. We can do all things according to my Big Book, and I feel like God helps those who depend on him, as he set me up pretty good and I wish everybody had the means that I have been given to get thru this hell.
I really embarassed myself yesterday , HA...as Not in my right mind, I took my 37.5 for breakfast instead of the 75 and my roomate got attacked in my temperary insanity! I remembered exactly what I did , had to be revy, and took my 75 and became fairly normal again. I am just dropping down, so I'll let ya know if it gets worse. Save every lump and I suggest folks not going off until they have a sufficient amount to work with in case the dr. doesn't understand. I sure thought mine would but he sure didn't. Go up , stay down, go off. You'll get it.... Go back on if your sick as a dog and start over prepared. I hate to think of anyone going through such hell and I will be patient and go slow myself. I know how dangerous this drug is after my past two experiences, and I am more than happy to patiently wait to get my life back, and be alive to enjoy it. Take it easy. Jubilee
Posted by Colleen D. on October 3, 2004, at 21:02:21
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, You can do, posted by Jubilee on October 3, 2004, at 17:30:49
have you experienced "withdrawal" symptoms every time you reduced your dosage? Today I took 150mg instead of 225 because I don't think the 225 has made much difference in helping me with my OCD/anxiety. I didn't feel a bit different on the lower dosage. When I went off Zoloft a few years ago, I had absolutely no problems with that. Just wondering...
Colleen
PPD, GAD and OCD
Posted by Jubilee on October 4, 2004, at 20:17:59
In reply to Question for you both..., posted by Colleen D. on October 3, 2004, at 21:02:21
Hi Colleen,
It's hard to believe they gave you effexor for anxiety, and I am wondering if I understood you right? Effexor causes anxiety, hypermania, and agitation. You might want to read the effexor petition as its very informative. http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/ . I had every side effect except the high blood pressure. Very dangerous and NOT everybody has bad withdrawals. It might also depend on how long you have been on it. I sure don't know everything but I have been on it 4 years to loose weight from elivil and continue treating my depression, elivil being the safest anti dep. I have ever been on and saved my life from 13 years of agitated chronic depression, with severe suisidal tendencies with out it. I lived a pretty happy normal but chubby life life and thank God for that drug. I don't know about these new modern drugs...as elivil was discovered in 52(the year of my birth) as a TB med that was bringing people out of depression, and it has no withdrawals and helps you sleep and stay calm. God healed me of severe chronic depression on 7-7-02 and I only stayed on the effexor because in trying to go off twice I almost got locked up the first time with triple vision, blacking out in the middle of sentences, manic, and physical problems,and the second time I had a mild stroke going too fast off it so I gave up, until one day I found the petition and this babble site and got hope ,in getting my life back. I have been on seriquil to sleep as long as I have been on effexor and thought I was just having one of my mania difficulties. It just never went away. Effexor gave me hypermania!. I have been on so many different types of meds for different mental issues as a woman who bagan healing from them on 7-7-02 and I speak only from my experience. Fortunatly I have become very eduicated on alot of diff meds by experience.. It was a miricle due to prayer ,so thats why I know the date. I am off almost all psych meds since my healing began and I've done alot of recovery work. I just got syuck on this effexor!
Anti dep's usually make your thyroid stop working in time and that happened to me in 94. I entered a dark hell of wanting to kill myself daily, despite my meds and after 6 months discovered my thyroid quit and that med took me back to normal treatable depression.
In answer to your question, I went from 300mg after 6 months on that raised dose down to 75mg's twice a day for 3 weeks and did'nt have many side affects. Been at this over 2 months and my last drop to a 75am and a 37.5pm made me sick like the flu and an outrageous additude and then I realized I had to take some prozac again.
So I took 2 prozac and some sleep med that day and I felt much much better. I used the prozac before when I dropped for 5 days until my body adjusted to it, using the same principal that I learned from my babble friends about taking 7 days of prozac when you go entirely off.
I wrote a bit long hoping to help others also. Also , I understand that they are giving people paxil for panic attacks, and thats another dangerous one I hear, and I had a bad problem with panic attacks in the late 80's. tMental Health gave me a heart med called inderal, pretty harmless, that I only took when I went to certain 12 step recovery meetings that would trigger them. Heart would race and I'd sweat and shake and I looked like I had the darn dt's. Ha!!!
Anyway, I hope this has helped. By the way, I can't remember what OCD/anxiety is. OCD? PPD?and GAD? Like to know. Take care, Jubilee.
Posted by Colleen D. on October 4, 2004, at 22:11:08
In reply to Re: Question for you both..., posted by Jubilee on October 4, 2004, at 20:17:59
> Hi Colleen,
> It's hard to believe they gave you effexor for anxiety, and I am wondering if I understood you right?My family doc gave Effexor to me for post-partum depression and my anxiety in certain social situations and my attempts to learn to stop my obsessive-complusive behaviors.
I was actually more anxious before I started the Effexor and have never experienced hypermania or aggitation while on it.
I have only been on it since last May and it has made a big positive difference in my life. If and when I am ready to get off of it I fully intend to decrease my dosage very slowly and get some Prozac if I need it to get through it.
My dad is taking Paxil and Xanax for his panic attacks (we apparently have an anxiety gene in our family) and he is doing well on the lowest dosage available.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences.
Good luck!
Colleen
Posted by Organicgrll on October 6, 2004, at 18:20:07
In reply to Effexor withdrawal, You can do, posted by Jubilee on October 2, 2004, at 18:20:14
It is a very hard drug to kick - I am finding out just how hard right now even though I tapered very slowly over three months. I am determined to NOT return to Effexor XR. I am glad for this board so I know I am not alone and can have the opportunity to lend support to others going through this.
It sounds like you have a good plan.
Best of luck to you Jubilee!
Posted by Jubilee on October 6, 2004, at 20:10:42
In reply to Re: Question for you both... » Jubilee, posted by Colleen D. on October 4, 2004, at 22:11:08
I was obsessive compulsive...I liked razor blades and discovered a cure with Gods direction I am sure. I discovered I was psycodic due to extreem emotional pain over having to give up my kids, as I was too ill, and I asked to take Navane a very special drug I discovered in a college book about for Boarderline Personalities. I was a multiple , God healed me,and I had diff per's with different disorders. After 2 weeks I couldn't believe I ever hurt myself. I have Butterfly tattoos on my arms now. It is also given to people who have anger black outs. Anxiety is very hard to live with and I have been there. Do you have real panic attacks or just general anxiety? Jubilee
Posted by Jubilee on October 6, 2004, at 21:39:43
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, You can do, posted by Organicgrll on October 6, 2004, at 18:20:07
Hi Organic...
Remember to save all, dont dump any out. Also ,Petrilla, If you have 150's you have alot to spare and streach out.
Anyway, in other threads I have given more info under Jubilee, , but i feel if one is not prepared you must outsmart the doc. Maybe go back on and get 2 months of 150's 2 a day and stay at low dose. When you go off make sure you have enough to go 4 or 5 months. Ask for a month of prozac to help with withdrawels . Tell them you get headaches, because you do ,as it messes up your hystamine levels and you need a anti-hystamine spray for expected headaches you learned about on the internet.. Takes headaches right away! If you are on 150 or more ask to go to 37's to go down slow or wait till youv'e gotten 2 orders of 150's. Next month ask for 37.5's for a month or two and thank them. I found at 52 years old that you can't trust Dr's and they play God not really understanding or they would never put people on this drug. . I really feel that God gave me this wisdom. I was on 150's -2 a day, and dropped myself down and saved all I poured out. I got ahold of two bottles of 37'5's as I had an old refil and dr gave me a new dosing of the same. I measured two 37's in a large 150 half cap and drew a black felt tip pen line for my 75mg measurment. Then I measured a 37.5 into my large cap and drew another line. All I saved in the bottle I measure into my big red cap and hold under a lamp to see measurment shadow.. Where it says 150 on red cap, exactly, is a 75mg. A 37.5 is less than half of that to my surprise. So it added an extra level drop for me which was good. Did have side affects! I know this sounds confusing, but I really want to help people and God has been way too good to me not to do so. He gave me the 60 prozac because my doc wanted me to go from 300mgs to some 37's in one month and just take a bunch of prozac and I would have died and have also gone through the side affects of prozac!!!. I would have been very sick. If you can get a full bottle of 150's at 2 a day say because you can't take the depression anymore, and they love to give pills , except when you could die it seems, so you have a good start. Go down immediatly from 300 to 150 for 3 weeks as a big drop isnt too bad.Start to Take twice a day when as you lower dose going off and do an am dose and a pm dose because of short half life ,whatever that means. Save all pebbles in a bottle. After 3 weeks I went down to an estamated 50mg- 2 times a day for 3 weeks. Then ,I went to an am 50mg, which was a real 75 at the top of the written 10 on the red cap in the am and a exact 37.5 in the pm, which was a real small amount, and I felt that!. ( which is less than a half a red cap amount under where the 150 is written on the cap.!) In 3 more weeks I am going to 2-37.5's for 3 weeks and taking prozak and nose spray my first 5 days. My sleep is a mess like everybody mentioned. ! an hour feels like 6 . I have no nightmares or dizzyness or flue symptoms. Some hot and cold flashes at first , but stuff I can handle , I expect it to get worse as the more effexor leaves my system on the really small doses i'm sure the tougher it gets because our bodies have to start producing two drugs that only effexor provides, thats why you can't replace it. Seritonin and the other one.. .
I feel The truth is...if you dont have enough to go off over 4 or 5 months , then you are not ready to go off effexor and tell your doc that you changed your mind. Asking for something for insomnia or nerveousness , agitation ,anxioty and hypermania that effexor is proven to cause is a good idea too and take xanex or klonipin , which I was already on for insomnia and agitation from effexor and hypermania. Make sure you save 7 days of prozac for when you are finally off all effexor as I have been taught. For new side affect info on the effexor petition web site that address is http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/ as I had every serious affect except the high blood presure .Ruined my vision!
Best drug for me for anxiety has also been Phil. in the bible, 4:6-8. God bless my friends, Jubilee
Posted by Louoicu81 on October 7, 2004, at 19:16:06
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, You can do- -more info ,, posted by Jubilee on October 6, 2004, at 21:39:43
Jubilee,
Thank you for the Bible verse. I am Catholic, go to church regularly, and am a firm believer in the miracles of God. Each day I pray for God to help me feel better and leave everything in His hands. That verse was wonderful. It brightened my day.~Linda
This is the end of the thread.
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