Posted by Jiggitykid on May 31, 2004, at 19:15:32
In reply to weaning off effexor after 3 years at 300 mgs, posted by gabby77 on May 31, 2004, at 18:13:23
First and foremost, your sentiment is understood completely, but please remember that death would make the entire world left behind you more difficult. It's not a solution. There were times during my withdrawal that I had similar thoughts, but the faces of those around me who care about me coupled with the knowledge that this is TEMPORARY and will indeed pass kept me focused on staying right here.
Second, clearly your doctor has NO CLUE about withdrawal from effexor. It is horrible. I urge you to check out the archives here and share with your doctor the TRUE withdrawal symptoms experienced. For some, slow weaning with the aid of other drugs made a big difference. For me, I withdrew cold-turkey from 250 mgs per day. It was awful, but the really bad symptoms lasted approx. 2 weeks, with lessening there for about a month. After that month, things began to feel more "normal" for me, and now, after nearly 6 months of being effexor-free, I'm fine, except for some blurred vision (who knows if this is residual or not, but my vision was fine before the effexor). Since I have a pain disorder as well, pain killers helped me through the worst of the physical pain and the brain shivers. Others have said that benedryl has helped the "zaps." Please, until the zaps and the vision problems abate, refrain from driving at night.
All of the symptoms you are describing are "normal" for effexor withdrawal. My heart is breaking for you as I write this, because no amount of support or prayer I offer over the computer can really help make you feel better. Hopefully, just knowing that you are not alone, you are not crazy and you are not making this up will at least give you the support to keep going forward. Please, don't give up. Make sure that those around you know what is going on and that it is REAL and that you cannot help how you are feeling right now. You need all of the support you can get. Again, make noise with your doctor and let him/her know that this withdrawal is not merely the complaints of a noisy few, but a horrible, true condition that the drug companies KNOW about and just aren't telling.
Please, if your doctor refuses to acknowledge any of this as being true, search until you find a doctor who does. Take care of yourself. You are in my prayers.
> I was just diagnosed about 10 days ago with bipolar ii after YEARS of suffering depression. Last thursday my dr too me off 300 mg effexor cold turkey....added 1000 mg depakote and i feel like death...puking...head ache, tears, tired, can't sleep, hungry can't eat, shakes, cold, hot...HELP!!! I feel like death would be less difficult!!
poster:Jiggitykid
thread:12459
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040527/msgs/352490.html