Effexor XR withdrawal

patti3 · Newbie Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

I was taking Effexor XR for a little over a year at 75mg per day for anxiety. A couple of months ago I started feeling like it wasn't working anymore and called my doctor who increased my dosage to 150mg. I took that dose for about a week and started feeling worse. I felt like I had no feeling at all. I began to feel that I didn't care what I looked like and decided I would be happy if I never had sex again and weighed 400 lbs! I decided to stop the medication cold turkey. I haven't taken it for 10 days and the withdrawal has been horrible. Brain Zaps for me feel like the Ah Ah Ah Ch Ch Ch from Friday the 13 every time I move my head too quickly. Nausea, diahrea, angry outbursts, speech slurs. I told my doctor last Thursday that I quit cold turkey and asked how much longer I'm going to go through this. She said at least another week. I've had sweating so bad in 32 degree weather that I've felt like stripping off my clothes and lying on the cold floor! This drug helped me for a while but I will never take it again!

Ellavemia · Newbie Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 3

Hang in there everyone. I'm off it; still having neurological issues, but I'm done with the Effexor for real. No more of those types of side effects at all. Only the Parkinsonesque part. When I get insurance again, I'll be sure to have it checked out. Till then, at least I'm off the drug.

heggelund · Newbie Joined: 20 Jan 2008 Posts: 1

i am going on day 4 of stopping my effexor cold turkey. I was on 300 mg and taking 20 mg of pexeva. I am stopping cold turkey after being on this medication for three years. The withdrawls are terrible, i don't know why any doctor in their right mind would ever prescribe this medication for anyone. I have those wonderful brain zaps every ten seconds, the only thing that momentarily makes me sane is food, as if the 30 pounds this medication has gained me aren't enough, stopping it is going to pack on another 30. I am a bundle of anger and rage directed at anyone within distance. I am at the toilet every night waiting and praying that I can just throw up. When I finally can fall asleep I am jolted awake in a puddle of sweat having just had yet another nightmare. And when I say nightmare, I mean the kind that have me screaming outloud in terror waking my husband. Minor daily tasks are ignored due to the fact that putting one foot in front of the other is too much to handle. I can't stand this feeling and only pray for the day that it will stop.

Sally222 · Newbie Joined: 08 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

I wanted to write about my experience here because, like many of you, I faced the shocking realization a few months back that getting off Effexor was going to be a difficult, scary business. I had almost lost hope that I would be able to come off the drug, due to severe, crippling cognitive dysfunction every time I tried. But I want to share with you my story of being able to dicontinue the drug completely, without losing the ability to function, work, and think normally. In fact, my withdrawal has been almost symptom-free.

I have been on Effexor for 2 1/2 years, after suffering a bout of major depression. At first it didn't work, and so my psychiatrist put me on a small dose of lithium to boost the effectiveness in what she called drug-resistant cases. I also have a family history of depression, my mother being depressed since she was 30, but now fully recovered on Celexa/Lexapro. This was my first incidence of depression.

After about a month on the combination of two drugs, I felt fantastic. I felt satisfied for the first time in my life. This feeling was amazing, but it didn't last. Soon, I was dealing with short periods of depression again. On top of this, I was craving sweets and alcohol like I had never done before and had gained at least 20 pounds. I also started to experience brain shivers, disorientation and confusion when I missed a dose. At first I thought it was due to the lithium, but in researching both drugs, found that although lithium was probably responsible for the weight gain, the Effexor was the culprit for all the other symptoms. I went off the lithium due to major self esteem issues resulting from the weight gain which were not helping my condition. I decided to stay on the Effexor, at a 225mg dose.

After many months, I started to work down from 225mg to 150mg and then finally 75mg. I didn't feel as though the drug was actually effective, and the more I experienced the cognitive malfunctions after missed doses, the more certain I became that I didn't want to be messing with my brain in this way. We know so very, very little about how the brain works, and why these drugs are even effective (when they are). I felt resistance from my psychiatrist when I tried to explain my symptoms and doubts, and she seemed very ill-schooled in their existence. I turned back to research on the Internet and found, to my horror, that Effexor withdrawal is among the most widespread and painful processes associated with anti-depressants.

But I decided I needed to get off them completely. As I said, I didn't think they were doing any good anyhow, and the side effects were increasingly difficult to cope with, including the cravings for alcohol and sugar, and the loss of libido. I had been able to lose some of the weight from going off the lithium, but some was still remaining. I also started to notice at this time that if I drank caffeinated coffee, I became incredibly, incredibly irritated, a side effect I had never experienced before. I would also start to experience the brain shivers, confusion and disorientation after drinking coffee. My theory about this is that caffeine stopped the usual workings of the Effexor (look at a brain scan showing the effects of caffeine on the brain and you will see how this is possible), which precipitated a mini-withdrawal, along with classic withdrawal symptoms.

I tried to come of the Effexor several times cold turkey from 75mg, but after 2 days the symptoms were so bad I couldn't cope. It felt as though my brain would turn off for 1 second every 10 seconds. It was similar to the experience you get when you fall asleep and then suddenly awake with a start, but constant throughout the day. My ability to concentrate on anything rapidly deteriorated, and it became almost impossible to string two thoughts together, or even finish a sentence. Work was completely impossible, since I rely on my brain so much. I also started to feel nauseous and had an experience of vertigo whenever I moved too suddenly.

I was despairing since I knew the lowest dose was 37.5, which seemed hardly at all different from 75mg. Nevertheless, I got the new prescription and started to take it daily. I then dropped to one every 36 hours. Then 40 hours. Then 44 hours. Then one every two days. Then one every two and a half days, three days, and finally four days. I was skeptical of this approach because it seemed to me that as soon as I took a dose, I was back at square one. But this was not the case. Every time I spread out my dosages, I started to experience symptoms later and later. As soon as the symptoms became somewhat apparent, I would take a dose. But it became easier and easier for that period to extend itself in time. After going 4 days, I didn't notice any particularly major symptoms, only a slight awareness of my brain, so I decided to go another day, then another, then another. I am now at 10 days and counting, and I know I have broken the back of this and will never have to take another Effexor pill.

I am still more aware of my brain, the back of it down near the base of the neck, where I always felt the symptoms (the cerebellum I suppose). It reminds me not to turn my head too fast. But in general, I have no cognitive symptoms to speak of. I expect that feeling to fade too, although it may take some time. But I am fully functional, able to work, and in fact very productive at the moment.

The only other potential symptom I am experiencing is growing irritation. It is similar to the experience I would have when I was on Effexor and drank coffee. I am not the most easy-going person, and so it is difficult to pin it to the withdrawal, but my irritability seems far more persistent and deep-rooted than that which might be considered normal. Having read others' experiences, I feel this may be another withdrawal symptom. However, without the crippling cognitive symptoms, it is one I can live with and I am sure will pass in time.

I feel a huge burden has been lifted, and the incredible fear I had that I would never be able to get off this drug is over. I wanted to share my hope with others out there, because I know when I was researching this, I couldn't find a single story of long term discontinuation of the drug without major withdrawal symptoms. I strongly recommend the process I used in order to minimize if not completely eliminate withdrawal symptoms--work down to 37.5 mg, and then start taking the dose at more and more extended time periods.

Good luck!

Jackson444 · Newbie Joined: 09 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

**Possible Solution for Effexor Withdrawal**

I have been on 150 mg.'s of Effexor for about 6 mo.'s, and after realizing the withdrawal problems when missing a dose by a few hours, asked my prescribing physician to take me off of it. He immediately told me he would switch me to 50 mg. Zoloft for 10 days, and that would be it. The reason being is the "half-life" of the Effexor is very short (missing a dose by the few hours=withdrawals), whereas the Zoloft "half-life" is ~a week. The Zoloft will prevent/minimize the Effexor withdrawals because it is substituting one drug for the other, with a longer "half-life, and not stopping medication all at once. The 2-3 weeks off of Effexor (10 days + 1 week), substituted by the Zoloft, will give me time to ease off the Effexor entirely.

1st week on Zoloft, with no Effexor, there were some withdrawals, but minimal and they passed quickly. 2 days now off everything and I feel fine. The final question will be once the Zoloft is out of my system in a few days.

FYI…my physician, who seems to be experienced and knowledgeable with the Effexor informed me that even if I tried to taper down, I would go through withdrawals. He said “why go through it? Take the Zoloft for 10 days.” Bear in mind, I was only on 150 mg.'s for 6 mo.'s, but talk to your treating physician about the option involving Zoloft.

tag2202 · Newbie Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

Okay, here's my story. I have been on Effexor XR 225mg for 6 years. I just found out I am pregnant and I stopped taking my Effexor completely. I have two daughters already (ages four and 1 1/2) and stopped taking the Effexor immediately while pregnant with them as well. I am on Effexor for severe depression and high anxiety. With the past pregnancies, quitting has been very difficult as I cannot function very well without the medication. The whole pregnancy is very difficult on me as well as my family as they have to go through it with me. The longer I go w/o the Effexor, the worse I get and usually in the last tri-mester I become very emotional and start having bad thoughts that become increasingly harder for me to control. Then, somehow I make it through til' the end and have a beautiful baby and begin taking my medication as soon as possible after delivery.

When I found out I was pregnant last week, I again discontinued the Effexor immediately. I went through the whole withdrawal thing with all the symptoms everyone else has had only three days ago, once the headaches were finally starting to subside a little, I began shaking. It feels like when you go outside in the freezing cold and you just can't get warm and you begin shaking so much you cannot stop. I was wondering if anyone else has felt this?

At first it was only at night, but now it goes on for most of the day. My stomach is all knotted and I just can't stop shaking. Both my family doctor and my OB/GYN says to go back on the Effexor, but I don't want to risk my baby's health. Effexor is a class "C" drug which means they don't know if there are any risks to the baby. Which to mean translates to "we're not sure if it will harm your baby or not". I just can't see how I can take that risk. Sure, I may stop shaking and have a more "normal" pregnancy, but what do I do when my baby comes out with all kinds of deformities.

My OB/GYN wants to see me right away to assess the risks (he wants to try to talk me into taking the meds). What should I do? Crying or Very sad

Guest · Guest

I have only been on Effexor xr for six months now and three days ago I ran out and decided not to continue taking them. Let me just say that if you are thinking about taking them, don't. Granted they helped while I was on them, the withdrawal from being off is the worst feeling I have ever felt in my life. I have been nausiated and feeling in a constant disillusioned state of mind. Also, I have been recieving these shock like sensations in my lips and sometimes throughout my whole body. I am consulting the doctor tomorrow and am extremely angry that no mention of these withdrawal symptoms was made at the start of this medication. I am in college and work full time. How am I supposed to do it all when I feel this way?

Conian · Newbie Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 2

I don't know that I have anything useful to add to this thread, however, if anything I have been through can help someone in any way, it would be worth the few minutes typing. I also want to make note that I am male, and, I may be wrong, but the majority if not all of the posts I have seen seem to be from women - I don't know if there are any differences, but I do know for certain the side-affects are the same (at least the main ones).

I took effexor (75 + 37.5 mg) for 2.5 years, and then weaned myself of in - to my recollection - just over 2 months. Not sure the particulars of how I managed that back then but i don't remember the severity of the symptoms of the withdrawals.

I started taking them again at the beginning of last year - initially just 75 but then the 75 and 37.5. I have had enough of this effexor, the results for its effects while on it did not reduce my anxiety noticeably at all, and to have side-effects while paying the exorbitant price for the drugs to me was absurd. I am done with effexor, will not go back on them no matter what.

In January I reduced my dosage from the 75+37.5 to just the 75. Then about 4 weeks ago, reduced it to just the 37.5. All this with minimal bad feelings. Of course there are the brain zapps -the most aweful side effect. In the past few weeks I have felt myself becoming more tense though, and getting angry easy...no patience. And the strange and terrible dreams and uncomfortable sleep have started since I switched to 37.5 every other day.

With the every other day system - on the day I take the pill....zapps ease and fell somewhat okay...still irritable though, but by day two the zapps steadily increase and so does the mood swings.

That is where I am at now. I just decided to start looking online to see if there was any info out there to help me. Thankfully I found this site and this thread. I feel that we all have experiences not just to build our own character and spirit, but to help others who go through similar things.

Over the nest few weeks I will post an update on my withdrawal from this awful drug.

My intention, after reading the posts here, is to start removing 5 balls from the capsule for 1 week, then another 5(total of 10) for 4 days, then remove 20 for 4 days, then 30 for 3 days, then 40 for 3 more days...I will see where I am at this time to further evaluate at what point I will discontinue them altogether.

I will also look to add some omega 3 or 4 (I will see which one it is for sure) because I have heard it also helps, and it is a natural supplement that should be beneficial anyway.

If there are other men out there, as well as the women who i have read of, you are not alone either. I know how it feels to feel useless. I have a wife and 2 children who are depending on me...I run my own business (which is struggling as I am)...and I feel a great burden to be the MAN that they all need and it is incredibly difficult. I constantly feel like a failure. It is only through my faith in God that I am able to keep going, and I know who will get me through this.

I cherish your prayer and will pray for all whoare going through these withdrawals.

~Tim

snoris · Newbie Joined: 04 Mar 2008 Posts: 1

Hello

I am a 29 Year old male who took Effexor XR (75mg) for about 6 months. My doctor prescribed it for anxiety. I too tried to quit several times and went right back to it once I realized that I couldn't function at work. I finally quit cold turkey on February 17 2008. I went through hell for about 5 days but then noticed the symptoms had started settling down. It is now 3-4-2008 and I'm still feeling those brain zaps as others have mentioned. If I roll my eyes in a circle something in my brain just goes boom. My concentration has improved but these brain zaps are really hard to ignore. I also have noticed that my anger and stress levels have elevated.

Does anyone know how long these symptoms last??? I want to forget that I even made the decision to take this drug.

Thanks
Ben

Guest · Guest

coming off effexor doesnt have to be painful. I was on 75mg for 2 years my doctor told me to just stop taking it so I did cold turkey and got the brain zaps. So I went back on it. I went down to 37.5 mg for a couple months then took one every other day for a while then every 2 days then every 3 days eventually you dont need it. It wasnt painful at all. No side effects that way. I learned that from the pharmacist and I'm so thankful.

Effexor XR withdrawal

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