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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by margieb on January 27, 2005, at 17:38:27
I am 53 years old and have been taking 75mg Effexor for about 18 months. Had some side effects at first, but got through them. Effexor works well for me but I would like to see how I do with my depression and anxiety without it. The cost is also a major factor. When I skip a dose, the next day I feel like my brain is shaking. I get dizzy when rising from a sitting or laying position. It feels like I've been stunned or that my brain is rattling around in my head. I have pauses in thinking and sometimes my tongue feels numb. If I lie still the "shaking" doesn't happen. I work full time and am very social. I want off, but can't stand the withdrawal. It scares me.
Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Margie
Posted by KaraS on January 28, 2005, at 1:29:28
In reply to Effexor withdrawal, posted by margieb on January 27, 2005, at 17:38:27
> I am 53 years old and have been taking 75mg Effexor for about 18 months. Had some side effects at first, but got through them. Effexor works well for me but I would like to see how I do with my depression and anxiety without it. The cost is also a major factor. When I skip a dose, the next day I feel like my brain is shaking. I get dizzy when rising from a sitting or laying position. It feels like I've been stunned or that my brain is rattling around in my head. I have pauses in thinking and sometimes my tongue feels numb. If I lie still the "shaking" doesn't happen. I work full time and am very social. I want off, but can't stand the withdrawal. It scares me.
>
> Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Margie
My withdrawal from Effexor was not horrible. You have to decrease your dosage VERY SLOWLY and substitute a another serotonergic agent at the end of the taper (or earlier).
When I finally went off of the last quarter of a pill (about 10 mg.) I started to have some problems. I had two very uncomfortable days until I started taking Cymbalta. Then all of the side effects went away. It could have been hellish had I not had the Cymbalta to take. You really need to substitute another serotonergic medication when you're going off of Effexor. It doesn't have to be for a long period of time. Sometimes one 10 mg. of Prozac is all that is needed. Had I taken the Cymbalta a couple of days earlier, I would have had minimal problems with the whole withdrawal. Maybe I was lucky. I don't know, but others have gone off of Effexor with very little problem also. All of them seem to have taken something else with serotonergic activity to help the process along though. (BTW, Prozac is supposed to be great for this because of it's long half-life.)There are other posts on this board from people who have managed the withdrawal successfully without too much discomfort.
Posted by FaithT on January 28, 2005, at 7:55:04
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal » margieb, posted by KaraS on January 28, 2005, at 1:29:28
Dear Margie~
I agree with Kara's post 100%. I too was able to withdrawl slowly from Effexor, by tapering down my dosage. The key here is, you have to take it slowly if you choose to go off Effexor, and follow your Dr.'s advice. I didn't taper to another med.,but I imagine that Kara's right, and it would make the withdrawl easier.
I did go back on Effexor some months later, but not due to any lingering effects of the med.....Just a personal choice. The med. works really well for me.
As Kara said, you can read some other posts on the board to help...Another poster is currently sharing her withdrawl daily, and she's doing great.
Best wishes to you,
Faith~
Posted by margieb on January 28, 2005, at 12:33:33
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal » KaraS, posted by FaithT on January 28, 2005, at 7:55:04
Thank you Kara and Faith. This gives me some hope and "amo" when I see my doctor. Are the symptons I'm describing sounding like Effexor withdrawl or should I be concerned that there's something else going on?
Margie
Posted by not2late4u on January 29, 2005, at 0:22:13
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, posted by margieb on January 28, 2005, at 12:33:33
Hi, sounds like withdraw. but Im not a phd. but it sure sounds like withdraw. The faster you go off, the worse the withdraw, the slower you go off, the less withdraw you have. Faith mentioned a daily diary, Im the one, feel free to go to the thread : renee tapering off effexor. Please dont go cold turkey and please try real hard to not miss your dosage. God bless, Renee
Posted by FaithT on January 29, 2005, at 14:04:32
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, posted by margieb on January 28, 2005, at 12:33:33
Dear Margie~
Your symptoms do seem like what happens when you miss a dosage of Effexor, but ofcourse discuss this with your Dr.to be sure.
Remember, the key factor to minimize any withdrawl effects, is to take it very slowly,and possibly augment with another med. if you need to.... if you do make the decision to come off the med. completely.
Because Effexor does have a short half life, it's not unusual to feel the symptoms that you're feeling, if you miss a dose or are late in taking the med.
Best wishes to you...It can be done Margie, and by following some simple steps, the withdrawl can be made much easier.
Hugs, Faith~
This is the end of the thread.
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