Hi All,
Its taken about 2 months for all withdrawal symptoms to subside, but they are gone, thank goodness. The last to go were the brain zaps.
Cold turkey was the best way for me, but I did gain 10lbs a month. yes, 10 lbs a MONTH. I gained 40 lbs in 4 months. Devastating.
The Ab Cuts didn't help at all. They did not help belly fat that accrued, what seems like, overnight. In fact, I continued to gain weight rapidly while taking them. so I stopped taken them after a month.
Once the vertigo/zaps went away, i was able to go to the gym again without fear of falling off the treadmill or elliptical. I walk about 2 miles a day and work out about 3 days a week, but I'm not losing weight yet. I bought some Zaggora Hot Pants to enhance my workouts.
Its taken about 2 months for all withdrawal symptoms to subside, but they are gone, thank goodness. The last to go were the brain zaps.
Cold turkey was the best way for me, but I did gain 10lbs a month. yes, 10 lbs a MONTH. I gained 40 lbs in 4 months. Devastating.
The Ab Cuts didn't help at all. They did not help belly fat that accrued, what seems like, overnight. In fact, I continued to gain weight rapidly while taking them. so I stopped taken them after a month.
Once the vertigo/zaps went away, i was able to go to the gym again without fear of falling off the treadmill or elliptical. I walk about 2 miles a day and work out about 3 days a week, but I'm not losing weight yet. I bought some Zaggora Hot Pants to enhance my workouts.
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This is an update - last week I posted about my terrible experience withdrawing from Effexor. This week is much better. After my psychiatrist was finally informed of my situation, I had an appointment with him and he gave me Cymbalta. It is in the same category of meds as Effexor but without the awful withdrawl symptoms (supposedly). After the first day my dizziness, vertigo, nausea, and brain zaps started going away. It is 4 days later and I am now free of all symptoms except for some fatigue and headaches. I can't believe how bad the Effexor withdrawl is, and I give a lot of credit to those who quit it cold turkey. I'm still eating more than usual but my appetite is decreasing slightly. Since decrease in appetite is a side effect of Cymbalta, I hope to lose some of the weight I gained on Effexor. Either way, I hope everyone going thru this can make it thru and come out better. I already see a major difference in my mood now that I'm off Effexor. Best of luck to everyone - I will still be on this site to interact, so if anyone needs support or anything don't hesitate..
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It took me over five full weeks to withdrawal from effexor. I really benefited from reading all the stories about different effexor withdrawal symptoms people have been suffering.
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Another update - spent all of Saturday last weekend in the ER b/c of severe chest pain; It hurt so bad to breathe. They ran all kinds of tests and said it was just another Effexor withdrawl symptom. After this kind of pain every night for over a week it has finally stopped. Now I don't feel any more withdrawl symptoms. I don't believe that the Cymbalta I was put on to help the withdrawl has really kicked in yet - it's been 2 weeks. All I can say is, Effexor is not worth it.
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Omg, this is the Worst stuff in the world. I have been slowly tapering off from 150mg per day for 8 months. I'm finally down to 37.5 but can't stand to miss one day. It's killing me. I'm trying at the moment to alternate days and I've now been off work for almost 2 weeks. I can't sleep, I feel like I have the flu, hot flushes, nausea, headaches and the brain zaps - WTF? I thought I was having a seizure!!!!
So i went back to my doctor today and get this - she give me Xanax!!! I'm trying to get off meds, not take more! I don't know what to do.
I need to get back into shape as I'm going to lose my job because of all the time I am taking off.
Any suggestions to help with the withdrawals. Please! I'm desperate to get off this c**p, but I can't afford these horrid withdrawals.
Thanks.
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Ok so its good to see that i am not the only one. I have not even been taking this toxic waste for very long but the withdrawel is ridiculous. I had to taper down for sure and am now on about a week without it but im still feeling all the symptoms everyone else has been talking about on here. I didn't even know what the hell brain zaps were until now. However, i have found a few things that have helped me so far. The first is a natural pill called passion flower, you can find this in any vitamin shop pretty much. It has pretty much been my savior, although i am still getting withdrawel symptoms they are much milder. The second is my diet, sugar is a big no no during this time. And the last would be exercise, im pretty sure exercise is going to be the ultimate cure.
I have been prescribed to every pill under the sun to try and rid myself of the anxiety but in the end i have found that natural cures are by far the best thing (no sever side effects, especially sexual side effects or urination side effects) which really makes me wonder why providers keep shoving these c**p anti-anxiety/anti-depressent pills down peoples throats. Take the advice of a person who has been diagnosed with general anxiety disorder, DON'T take this pill it will only make things worse in the long run. My advice is to go all natural, live a healthier lifestyle and this so called disorder disappears awfully quick.
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I am ready to cry. I was only on Effexor for 5 months and am now weening off. I took effexor several years back for about 4 years and forgot how terrible I felt when I went cold turkey. This time my psych is weening me: from 150 I went to 75 for 2 weeks, then 37.5 for two weeks, then 37.5 every other day for 2 weeks. Even the every other days (when I wasn't taking 37.5) my headaches started. I have not taken any effexor for 3 days and I am completely miserable.
My brain feels like it's swollen and pushing against my skull, my eyeballs feel like they are going to pop out of there sockets, I have disgusting night sweats (woke up in a puddle the last 2 nights).
Nothing helps this damn head pain. I don't have enough energy to workout. I gained 11 lbs in 3 months (both my psych AND therapist said it's not a side effect, wtf?). I was constipated while taking it and now it seems as if I can't get off the toilet. I have nausea, but that comes and goes and easier to deal w/ than the head pain.
Although I'm not as anxious as I was before (still taking Wellbutrin but mostly for my depression after my brother's death last year) I feel like a fat slob (I can't wear more than 1/2 the jeans/clothes in my closet) and this head pain is almost unbearable.
When I went cold turkey 5 years ago I wasn't working so I was able to sleep it off for 5 days. I'm not as fortunate this time.
Anyone have suggestions for the head pain??? I already take an Omega 3 supplement so any additional suggestions are GREATLY appreciated. My nausea isn't too bad, it comes and goes.
My brain feels like it's swollen and pushing against my skull, my eyeballs feel like they are going to pop out of there sockets, I have disgusting night sweats (woke up in a puddle the last 2 nights).
Nothing helps this damn head pain. I don't have enough energy to workout. I gained 11 lbs in 3 months (both my psych AND therapist said it's not a side effect, wtf?). I was constipated while taking it and now it seems as if I can't get off the toilet. I have nausea, but that comes and goes and easier to deal w/ than the head pain.
Although I'm not as anxious as I was before (still taking Wellbutrin but mostly for my depression after my brother's death last year) I feel like a fat slob (I can't wear more than 1/2 the jeans/clothes in my closet) and this head pain is almost unbearable.
When I went cold turkey 5 years ago I wasn't working so I was able to sleep it off for 5 days. I'm not as fortunate this time.
Anyone have suggestions for the head pain??? I already take an Omega 3 supplement so any additional suggestions are GREATLY appreciated. My nausea isn't too bad, it comes and goes.
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taken 400mg of Effexor daily for about 10 years. Insurance just ran out. Thus, so did the pills. So far I have punched more walls than I can count, had the jitters, thrown up alot, yelled at random stuff, broken my alarm clock twice, and had serious thoughts of driving off something very high. Boo for Effexor, boo for depression, and boo for health insurance. -_-
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Hey everyone, I too have been a victim of Effexor, hated the stuff! I was on it for anxiety and depression. Glad to say I am doing 100 times better now and I do not take anything at all. Have any of you tried nutritional cleansing? Feel free to pm me if you would like to know more about it.
Cheers and I hope your having a wonderful day :D
Cheers and I hope your having a wonderful day :D
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Oh my goodness. I am on my way to get the Neurolink. I was on EFFEXOR 75mg for 7 months. Shortly after being put on the drug for hot flashes my I had a trip out of the country. The time change knocked me off the regular schedule of taking the meds. Spent 3 days in bed in Europe due to vertigo. Almost sought out medical assistance. After 6 more months of brain zaps, joint pain, weight gain, increase in blood pressure and cholesterol, flu-like symptoms at least once a week the only culprit was the only med I was on.....Effexor. My general practitioner agreed. This is week 2 of reducing the meds with HORRIBLE dizziness, cold sweats and foggy brain. Went from 75 mg to 37.5, and then broke open the capsules and decreased the dose by half (counting the tiny balls) every day. Trying to skip a day as the general practitioner suggested as a weening technique did not work, due to the incapacitating dizziness. Today I am off completely. Not going well, even after the "counting the balls" technique. This medicine is BAD. Contact the FDA if you have not done so already. Feds must know that this is a HIGHLY ADDICTIVE drug, and the side effects can be deadly, especially if you try to drive a car. I have been taking Omega 3, super B complex, and just added 1000 mg of ginger root with no change in symptoms. Hope the Neurolink helps. Hopefully this med will be taken off the market SOON, or gynecologists will actually research it before they give it to their patients.
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Why do u all wanna get of Effexor ??! That is an antidepresiv and helps milion people to fight against depresion .
I am using it about one year and I am not depressed anymore,this medicine helped me a lot !! I was on the edge ,suicide and since I started to take Effexor my life changed :-| , Now I have not depression periods.
My depression does not exist since I started taking Effexor and I'm happy :-D
If my doctor says I must taking it lifelong ,that's not a problem for me! Now...I ask you all why the hell do u wanna get off Effexor?!
I don't understand that.
I hope someone will answer to the question....
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I'm on day 9 of no effexor. I did the wean down from 225 to 150 to 75 to 37.5 and then every other day. I am not using homeopathic anything but I have noticed that exercising despite the dizziness has made the dizzy spells start later and later every day. And drink a lot of water with enough caffeine intake to counteract headaches. It's really gotten better fast.
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Some people have adverse reactions to being on it, or it quits working. I was on it several years ago, not the XR I don't believe tho, and had no problem going on or weaning myself off when I lost my insurance. My housemate has been on it for a couple of months and had a strange side effect that made it impossible to stay on, and has recently taken herself off of it. She started to taper, and then I think she went cold turkey. I would swear she is having or has had a psychotic break. I fear for my safety and hers. She is forcing me out of the house, even though I have been supporting her since she lost her job 3-1/2 years ago. She had just opened a law office, but that's going to go down the tubes because she is so out of reality. Bizarre reactions.
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Hi Miligram - I have been on it for six years; Paxil for five years prior. I am 32 now and my hushand and I would like to have a baby. Unfortunately, Effexor is one of those drugs with proven evidence of birth defects. I actually have taken a year to come down from 150 mg to 75 mg then 37.5 mg. Today is day 5 without it and has been the worst thus far, but reading these forum posts does help. That's my story of why I am coming off, to help ensure I have a risk-mitigated pregnancy when that time comes.
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