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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by wcfrench on July 19, 2002, at 16:30:44
I tapered from 75mg Effexor, which I took for over a year, to 37.5mg for one week, then stopped it. Now I have been having this dizzyness, some nausea and decreased appetite, and a brain swoosh feeling that amplifies sounds temporarily, like the air conditioner.
Has anyone experienced these Effexor withdrawal symptoms, or were yours different? I'm not sure if this could also have to do with the recent adding of Lithium to my combination. Someone please help... Thanks in advance.
-Charlie
Posted by Shawn. T. on July 19, 2002, at 18:25:16
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by wcfrench on July 19, 2002, at 16:30:44
Go to your doctor and get a script for a few prozac. Prozac has a long half-life, so your body can adjust to the withdrawal of an SSRI (Effexor is similar to SSRI's) more easily. I wonder if you could just take one or two of the once a week form of Prozac to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Shawn
Posted by oracle on July 19, 2002, at 18:53:33
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by wcfrench on July 19, 2002, at 16:30:44
One week was too short a time. 1/52 of the total time you were on Effexor is way too fast.
Posted by Essence on July 19, 2002, at 19:29:23
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by wcfrench on July 19, 2002, at 16:30:44
Hi Charlie
Sorry to hear your going through such crap right now coming off the Effexor. I wish I could tell you something positive, but unfortunately, withdrawal from Effexor is pure hell. I won't even get into what I went through, although it's posted somewhere in another post on this board. I tapered over 2 weeks and didn't have any idea what was ahead of me.
They say a slow taper is better, but somehow I think it just prolongs the inevitable. Just hang in there and know it will eventually pass.
Ess
Posted by volswagn on July 19, 2002, at 23:03:37
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by Essence on July 19, 2002, at 19:29:23
It will end -- it takes a while. If you can get past the first week, you're almost there. It almost gets worse for week two, at least for me... Not a lot worse, but I felt dizziness (more like vertigo -- anytime I turned my head too quickly, moved too quickly, etc) more often than not.
I've been about five or six weeks now and it's been a few weeks now since I felt the "swooshes," so at least for me, it did end, even though sometimes it felt like it never would. Hang in there, or as someone else suggested, see if you can get some 'zac until the Effexor effect disappears...
Good luck!!
Posted by ctrlaltndel on July 20, 2002, at 19:20:00
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by wcfrench on July 19, 2002, at 16:30:44
Posted by hildi on July 22, 2002, at 13:23:01
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal - Anyone get breathlesness? (nm), posted by ctrlaltndel on July 20, 2002, at 19:20:00
Posted by Sleepy Lizard on July 24, 2002, at 6:54:44
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by wcfrench on July 19, 2002, at 16:30:44
I have had withdrawal symptoms when taking a drug holiday of 2 days. I take Effexor XR 150 mg. Now I know what those "electric shocks" feel like, and horrible dreams. I could not sleep well at all, on the second night of a drug holiday. I think those shocks are connected with the balance and inner ear because they happen when I change my visual focus. They are unsetteling to say the least. I think the bad dreams and loss of sleep are worse however. Maybe these things intensify when actually tapering off?
Posted by wcfrench on July 24, 2002, at 13:19:34
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by Sleepy Lizard on July 24, 2002, at 6:54:44
Thanks to all for your answers.
The side effects seemed to have gone away. I still, however, am eating a bit less and get nauzeous at the sight of some food, like fish, where I didn't before. But it turns out that I still needed an SSRI because I got the depression back BAD. Now I'm starting Paxil, on the 6th day. Let's hope it gets better from here!
Thanks guys
-Charlie
Posted by hildi on July 24, 2002, at 19:34:42
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal - someone help, posted by Sleepy Lizard on July 24, 2002, at 6:54:44
I only took effexor for 5 days or so. I couldn't handle it- it's been the strongest a/d I've used so far, but the reaction I got were extreme- visual disturbances, mania, total drugged feeling, tremors, and something wierd with my head. My head is STILL all blocked-up-like an inner ear problem, an imbalance in my ears, something. . .My head feels like it's a hundred pounds and filled with cheese. My hearing keeps coming and going louder and softer, too.
Very strange. I havem't taken it for a few weeks and I still feel wierd.
Hildi
This is the end of the thread.
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