Comming off Effexor XR

[Schitzo]

G'day. About 6 months ago i was put on effexor xr because of depression / anxiety. I started @ 37.5mg then to 75mg now i'm up to 150mg. I've never found that any of this has helped. I've asked my doctor if i can stop taking them because i'm affraid of the withdrawl symptoms getting too bad later on. I've decided to try and lean myself off it myself, without the approval of my doctor / psychiatrist.. I've started by skipping every second day. By the end of the second day i generally feel awfull. My question is, am i wasting my time by doing this or should i be getting lower doces and leaning off them that way. My doctor(s) don't seem to want to lean me off, rather they keep wanting to up my dosage :(. The only thing i've ever found that has actually helped me is smoking marijuana. This is the only thing that ever calms me down to a point where i can control these panic attacks. It also helps me to sleep at night, otherwise (happening more often) i have a very hard time to sleep at night.

Thanks for your time.

p.s i was also on paxil for a while but was taken off because it was causing my face to go numb!

[Dr. Yasser Mokhtar]

Dear Schitzo,

It is absolutely necessary that you never stop taking a medication that your doctor prescribed for you without going back to him first. If you don't want to be continued on a certain medication you should talk to your doctor and come to an agreement with him.

There are certain medications that should never be stopped by the patients unless under strict medical supervision.

The maximum dose of effexor xr is usually 225 mg/day and in certain studies with severely depressed patients up to 350 mg/day. The usual dose for anxiety disorders is 225 mg/day as well. i am not sure though whether the dose that you are getting could be increased to 350 mg/day or not as every patient differs from the other.

The way to wean effexor is to take off 75 mg per week. Meaning, you are currently taking 150 mg/day. Your drop your dose by 75 mg (so that you be taking 75 mg/day) for 1 week and then continue to take 75 mg/day for 1 week and then you could stop it.

The information that i gave you is not meant to replace your doctor/pschiatrist instructions. You have to consult with them now as they might think that you should be tappered over a longer period of time as they are more aware of your medical condition.

One more thing, you are not supposed to take any other product that could interact with the medication that you are taking and may be causing some side effects. If you intend to take other products whatever their nature, you have to tell your doctor.

i would strongly urge you to get back to your doctor regarding your wishes to discontinue effexor.

Thank you very much for using our website http://doctorslounge.com and i hope that this information helped.

Yasser Mokhtar, M.D.

[mrcastor]

Has anyone encountered sexual side effects, as in no sex drive, due to coming OFF of Effexor?

[emconner]

I am answering "mrcastor's" question about the side effects of coming off of Effexor. You still may have limited sex drive while coming off of it. I am encountering a lot of headaches and head pressure and still having the same sex drive (a little). I am not so much worried about my sex drive as I am my temper and anxiety issues.

[p8nzm8t]

I have tried weaning myself off Effexor on several different occasions. Missing only one doze (150 mg one time daily) creates awful symptoms. Within four hours of taking the missed doze I regain the ability to get out of bed, etc and return to my normal routines. During attempts to wean off 'the stuff' I become so physically ill that I become totally bedfast. Without Effexor I become lethargic, sleeping heavily. The nausea, stomach pain and fever (flu-like symptoms) make it impossible to even get out of bed! The body tremors and dizziness are horrible! I become so weak, so sick, that I can't function. My thought pattern becomes so fuzzy that I am unable to reason or even speak. So, after each attempt to free myself of this drug I have no choice but to give-in and take the med so that I can function...go to work...so I can afford "my habit". My doctors tell me they have never heard of such withdrawal...and appear to take on the attitude/opinion that I am a Hypochondriac or loony!! :roll: I have tried switching to Wellbutrin XL, only to find myself back to Effexor Withdrawal! I choose not to use my vacation time from work to experiment with what might happen after the 4th day of pure hell! I have often wondered if I would eventually begin to recover...but after reading the posts on this site, I am even more skeptical. Years ago, I had the same problems with Paxil, being told I must first "wean" off the Paxil before taking the Effexor. After moving to Ohio and finding a family doctor I learned that I could take the Paxil 'today' and start the Effexor 'tomorrow' (of course, discontinuing the Paxil from that moment on). I just want off Effexor! I am willing to switch to a different medication but...to what medication?

[DeLWolcott]

It is so good to see that weaning off of these medications is being shown to be important. The side effects should be monitored by a physician, but there are so few out there that acknowledge that these medications can have such intense withdrawals for some.

Thank you again, Dr. Mokhtar, and may those weaning or tapering (or making the decision) know that the road could be bumpy along the way, but the destination is attainable. Keep in close contact with your physician. Let your family and friends know what your are going through and what the possibilities of emotions are so they will understand should they encounter you in an emotional outburst. Withdrawal for some is non-symptomatic, while others have an emotional rollercoaster ride. Unfortunately, I was on the rollercoaster going cold turkey from an SSRI. Even more unfortunate is that the doc's that had put me on these medications knew nothing about withdrawal.

For the third time, thank you, Dr. Mokhtar. Best of luck and wisdom to those in need!

De Lyn Wolcott, CPhT

[Humbly Helper]

I have been taking Effexor (37.5 mg) for many, many years, at least 10 (or even when they first got approval from the FDA). I have tried to get off the drug by weaning but found it impossible - the side effects from the withdrawal were unbearable. After reading these postings I'm glad there is finally a description for the feeling I had always described by saying my head and my body feels like "sheet metal that someone is banging on constantly, with every small move I make." I couldn't last more than a day off the drug, and because I work full time, resumed taking it to avoid the side effects. It would work within hours to get rid of those awful side effects...and I felt like a failure.

What really gets my goat is doctors prescribe these medications so freely without explaining how horribly hooked you can get on them. I am 48 years old and I have two nephews in their 20s taking Paxil and Effexor, respectively, and it really angers me.

My question is this: can someone recommend the best and most successful course of action to get off this medication? I have absolutely no sex life, I don't cry, I feel nothing. I want my old life back. If it's counting beads, offsetting with something else, can anyone out there offer their own success story?

[John Smith]

Hello All:

I have been taking Effexor XR 37.5 mg for about 6 weeks for anxiety. The medicine has caused a large increase in my blood pressure, so I need to step off it. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to do this?

I have read all the adverse reactions people have gone through, so I am very concerned. My hope is that the dose is low enough and the duration short enough to minimize any side effects.

I was thinking of trying to take it ever other day. Thank you in advance for your comments.

[John Smith]

Hello All:

I have been taking Effexor XR 37.5 mg for about 6 weeks for anxiety. The medicine has caused a large increase in my blood pressure, so I need to step off it. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best way to do this?

I have read all the adverse reactions people have gone through, so I am very concerned. My hope is that the dose is low enough and the duration short enough to minimize any side effects.

I was thinking of trying to take it ever other day. Thank you in advance for your comments.

[DeLWolcott]

A tapering dose down is the best way to go if you want to withdraw. Discuss this with your physician before attempting this as they will be able to give you prescriptions for the appropriate dosage for each step down. During withdrawal you need to keep in regular close contact with your physician so they can monitor your withdrawal symptoms. You may be one of the lucky ones who do not experience these, but they need to see this also.

To the person who was trying the every other day route: The half-life of these medications vary, but 48-hours can throw your brain into cold-turkey withdrawal. Another option to discuss with your doctor is alternating your current dose one day, half dose the next day, continuing this routine for about a week before dropping to the half dose daily for a time period before you attempt the next drop. This works for some, but not all, so again TALK TO YOU PHYSICIAN. During this time of withdrawal you have to listen to your mind and body. You have to convey to your physician exactly what you are feeling with each dosage change and work together to find the most comfortable and safe way for your personal withdrawal.

Good luck, patient and best wishes to all of you!

[mama_cat]

I have been on Effexor 75mg for about 6mths. I had to d/c it for a month because I simply couldn't afford it. That was one of the worst months of my life. My gp dr. precribed it to me for mood swings in assoc. with menapause. If I miss one dose of this stuff I get emotional chaos. As for the sexual side effects, (what is sex???) I have never taken a drug for depression that caused this kind of dysfunction. I personally have decided that I will confer with my dr but the Effexor has to go. It's not worth it to stay on it and I will find another way to deal with mood swings. Everything that I have read on Effexor makes me run from it.

[POD]

I'm in the same boat, missing pills is terrible.

I just tried to withraw from my 75mg dosages. Been on 75mg for a while, been sorta okay on every second day, today went for 3rd, made work near impossible. no ability to concentrate, dull eyes, a little nausea, agitation, tiredness etc.

I am going to crack all the pills open and try 37.5gms every second day if I can. I struggle to believe that this drug has penetrated the market and no media outlet (here in Aus anyhow) haven't picked up on it.

No-one warns you of the withdrawal issues etc.

[DeLWolcott]

Some people have even gone to the point of counting out the beads inside the capsules during their withdrawal, going down as slowly as possible.

Most are not warned about the potential (and very common) side effects while taking these medications or about what they now call "discontinuance syndrome". In the physicians' defense, they were not informed of these problems by the drug companies. These problems are now being reported publicly and the drug companies can no longer deny the allegations.

We also have the stigma when taking these medications that there was something mentally wrong to begin with or we wouldn't have been on these medications, therefore the withdrawal effects or side effects must all be in our heads also. It's very frustrating, but the tide is turning.

Be patient during your withdrawal. Listen to your body and brain because it will be evident when a dosage drop is too much or you are ready for your next step down. Do as much research as you can through the Effexor website and any other resource so you will be educated when speaking to your physician, and you will have definite questions you want answered/researched by him/her.

Best of luck to you. Withdrawal is attainable even though it may take longer than you would like.

[asteroids12]

if u taper your effexor every two weeks u will only suffer mild side effects for a week well i did .

[brokensmile]

First off, Im female and 18 years old (19 next month) and have been on effexor since I was 17 (the summer before grade 12).
I was put on effexor by my doctor after I began breaking down at school. I was in his office five minutesone day when he decided to put me on it. I started on 75mg, but it quickly became too little. I then was switched to 125mg and then to 175mg. All of this within the course of about a year, although it was never really enough, at one point I was put up to 200mg. However when I went off to university this year my docotor knocked down my dosage (already hardly working) and put me back on 150mg because he was unable to check in with me monthly. Since I have been at school I ahve had endless difficulties.
They put me on 75 mg when I got here!! Imagine. I was going crazy!
I quickly upped my dose to 121, closer to what my doctor had suggested and soon evend out.
However my biggest problem on effexor has always been how erratic it makes everything.
Inrease in anger, sleep too much or way too little, moody, irritable and if I miss a dose (Im always rediculously forgetful) I feel physically ill (even when I don't realize Ive missed a dose, which excuses the possibility of it being all in my head), and Ive gained so much weight this alone is enough to want to kill myself.
Recently I attempted suicide, this attempt failed miserably, but the thought was there.
As of a week ago I ran out of medication and have been irritable, crying over stupid things. (this being a huge change to the emotionless self I have become used to on effexor ex: hardly laughing, mopey,tired, never able to cry until I reach a breaking point)
HOwever I have wanted to get off of this medication for a long time. The only thing that has really helped me is smoking marijuana. It calms me down, helps me sleep, gives me an appetite (coming off effexor I find I no longer feel the need to gorge like I would before), and generally just gets rid of my stress. I am aware of its classification as a downer, but in my case I find this isnt so..
My true concern is how will coming off effexor effect me (its been a week), what can I do to make myself feel better (this is cold turkey style). How long will I have to wait before I can expect to be normal again?
I keep having moments where my thoughts seem to smash into a wall and I go blank..is this even normal?