Posted by Jiggitykid on September 20, 2004, at 22:16:15
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal symptoms!, posted by AIK on September 20, 2004, at 20:15:23
"Brain Zaps" feel like electric shocks that start in the brain and feel like you've been suddenly shocked. Mine went from the top of my head all the way to my feet. It was periodic, and quite frequent, for the first several days, and began to lessen as the second week ended. It truly felt like electric shocks in my brain and in my body.
I don't blame you for doing what you have to do, but the time will come when you'll have to quit. I know how hard it can be to take prescription drugs for real conditions and have to be constantly vigilant to monitor and watch. What I've discovered in my personal experience (have to throw that in - I'm not a medical pro) that most people with REAL pain disorders are very, very careful and don't get that high from painkillers and other medications because the medication does what it is supposed to do.
I did find that the pain medication helped in the withdrawal. It helped me cope with the body pain that the effexor brought on. Also, ibuprofen helped. Bonine helped a little with the dizzies. I had to wear my glasses constantly because of the vision disturbances.
I'm facing a procedure tomorrow that is potentially painful. I'm frightened, but I know that I've got to do it, that others have done it and that I'll come out on the other side okay. That's the only way to face getting off of the effexor. The "reward" you'll get is that you'll get YOU back. I truly felt like the real me had died and disappeared forever when I was taking the effexor. I'm back, and finally moving forward. My marriage was nearly wrecked because of what the effexor did. Now that I'm off of that drug from hell, we just celebrated our 15th anniversary. Life isn't perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than when I was on the zombie drug.
The main thing is to know that you are NOT crazy, you are NOT alone, your anger and frustration ARE valid and that you must have someone around you who understands what you are going through (refer them to this board and by all means all of you sign the petition). Be an advocate for your customers. Please, take care of yourself and let me, and us, know of your progress. You are in my prayers. I am living proof that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and if I can get through it, you can too.
> I'm unfamiliar with the term "brain zaps". Please tell me what this feeling refers to. Oh, by the way, I had to increase my dose to 1 tab in the am and 1/2 tab in the pm (instead of 1/2 in the am & 1/2 in the pm). I got the symtoms back and couldn't afford to "not be able to function". As the days go by, I keep getting more angry at the doctor who prescribed this stuff for pain. Stupid me, didn't realize it didn't relieve any pain I was having. What it did do, however, has put me in a state of "whatever". I looked upon my husband and others as they could act out their feelings, and I on the other hand, just looked at them as if they were out of control or crazy. La, la, la, as life passed by. I am also on Diazepam (lowest dose Valium), which I do not abuse under any circumstance. I never thought to take any drug other than what was prescirbed for me...and here I am, taking a prescribed drug that apparently I can't get off without sick, ugly withdrawal symtoms. Now to get you all really mad, do you know the drug company reps tell the doctors if you write so many scripts for this or for that, we'll give you something back. For instance, how about a trip for your office staff to go to Atlantic City, or a new computer, and the list goes on. Every month the reps are pushing a new drug for the doctors to write scripts for. Probably the same drug company that has an antidote for the withdrawal symptoms. It's all about money. Think about it; if we have to go to a psychologist or psychiatrist to get off this stuff, or go back in to see the doctor, our money is going to the medical profession. Around and around we go; and who suffers? They gain, we lose. When I do taper down to 1/2 tab every other day (hopefully) you can be assured that I will not start any medication that a doctor prescribes for me before knowing it's side effects if stopped. I feel that I have been undermined and played a fool...or the MD doesn't know a "hill of beans" about this medication.
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> > I'm sorry for what you are going through (I've got FM and IA, too, so I truly, "feel your pain,") but I have to admit that it will be a blessing to others to have a pharmacist, someone on the front lines, who KNOWS what this is like. It is dreadfully disturbing to know that doctors don't know how to deal with this. I hate to tell you this, but you are going to deal with some kind of withdrawal no matter how you taper. This drug is evil, and will "get you," no matter how you wean. Hang in there, check back here, know that your symptoms are, "normal," and that you can get through it. Most of all, be an advocate for the people who will be dealing with this. My pharmacist had no clue. I filled him in, but he basically patted my hand and told me that sometimes "this happens."
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> > > I was put on Effexor 37.5 two times a day about a year and half ago to help with my fibromyalgia since pain medication upset my stomach (reflux, etc). I also have arthritis esp. in my fingers, and degenerative disk disease in my neck and back. Unfortunately, Tylenol just didn't cut it, so as I continued to plea for pain medication and finally got my Dr.'s associate to write a script for Ultram, but said I need to taper off the Effexor (chance of seizures taking both meds). He told me to take the Effexor only once a day for 3 days, then stop the Effexor and start the Ultram. Working in a pharmacy, I repeated back to the Dr. numerous times over the phone if this is what he said. It just didn't sound right to me for weening someone off this type of medication. I asked the Dr. if I shouldn't take one every other day, but he said one a day for 3 days. So, I did what he told me to do. I threw up the first dose of Ultram on day 4, continued vomiting multiple times during the following days, had dreams inside of dreams inside of dreams (thought I was awake, but was in another dream...spooky!), couldn't stay awake, couldn't hold my head up without feeling like falling over. I thought I had contacted a "bug" that was going around, or perhaps the one and only dose of Ultram I took was the culprit. I didn't contact the Dr. that prescribed the above because he wasn't the one I normally see (who was out of town for the week) so I consulted my pharmacist. "You've got to be kidding. You can't ween yourself off an SNRI (seretonin norephinepherine reuptake inhibitor) or SSRI's in 3 days without suffering withdrawal.
> > > It takes a minimum of several weeks." She suggested to take an Effexor to get my head and stomach back on track, and continue with one a day for 1 week, then 1/2 tablet a day for 1 week, then 1/4 tablet a day for 1 week. I'm only on my 3rd day of one tablet a day. After I took one Effexor 3 days ago, within a half hour my sickness went away. I have an appt. with my Dr. in October. I want to find out what his associate wrote on my chart concerning tapering down the Effexor. If any of you out there aren't comfortable with what your Dr. tells you, consult another Dr. or ask your pharmacist.
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poster:Jiggitykid
thread:12459
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040915/msgs/393190.html