![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Teddyk on November 23, 2007, at 0:25:52
I send this message, even though I am literally forcing myself to do so. I have been on effexor for about 4 years now, and I have no motivation to do ANYTHING, which is why I am sending this message (even with my lack of motivation).
My story is different from others', being that I have never been on a dose higher than 150mg, and have been on 37.5 for the past 8 months or so.
I have started weaning myself off the drug by opening up the 37.5 capsules and splitting the pill in half, against my doctors and pharmasists wishes, since its impossible to be accurate as to how much is half when there are so many little granules.
I was splitting the pills in half for about a month (which would equate to about 18 mg per day). Then I stopped taking the drug altogether, and have been effexor free for about 5 days.
While I dont experience any vomiting, nausea, brain zaps... I still am constantly dizzy and disoriented. I dont know how long I this uneasy feeling will last. Should I take half a pill again and then wait 5 days, and take another one? Or should I just deal with the dizzyness and hope that it will end?
This drug has taken over my life, and I want it back.
Posted by mav27 on November 23, 2007, at 3:53:24
In reply to My effexor experience, posted by Teddyk on November 23, 2007, at 0:25:52
Why havn't you tried a useful dose so you have a chance of getting some motivation? For me it took about 600mg but gaining motivation to do things is wonderfull... unless you are like me and will not put up with the sexual dysfunction at all.
Posted by linkadge on November 23, 2007, at 10:50:37
In reply to Re: My effexor experience, posted by mav27 on November 23, 2007, at 3:53:24
You could try wellbutrin/bupropion, which is may be better in the apathy department.
Linkadge
Posted by anonymoose on November 23, 2007, at 11:05:04
In reply to My effexor experience, posted by Teddyk on November 23, 2007, at 0:25:52
I was on Effexor for about two years, and while it did help keep dark, depressive/anxious moods at bay, it also killed what little motivation I had left at the time. I tried all doses between 37.5 and 375, and whatever weak dopaminergic effects it may have had were completely undone by the negative side effects of its serotonergic and noradrenergic action (which I didn't need).
I've had a taste of the dreaded Effexor withdrawal. One time I was on travel and forgot my meds. After 3 days I got the brain shivers. When I did finally decide to discontinue the Effexor, I did the same thing you did by splitting the 37.5mg capsules and titrating downward with smaller and smaller doses of the granules.
I suspect you'll have better results with a more gradual titration of the Effexor granules. I'm assuming you have the 37.5mg Effexor XR capsules. Keep in mind by splitting the capsules you kill the time-release action. So you're not getting a time-released 18.75mg, you're getting it all in an instant hit. Probably not the best for a smooth withdrawal.
I had plenty Effexor to waste, so what I did was empty out the 37.5mg capsule, put half the granules back in, close the capsule back up, and then take that new smaller dose with a the timed-release action intact. Over the course of a week I took smaller and smaller doses with the XR caps intact until I was off it completely. All in all my discontinuation experience wasn't that bad.
Again, my recommendation would be to try for as SMOOTH and GRADUAL a downward titration as possible. Best of luck to you.
> I send this message, even though I am literally forcing myself to do so. I have been on effexor for about 4 years now, and I have no motivation to do ANYTHING, which is why I am sending this message (even with my lack of motivation).
>
> My story is different from others', being that I have never been on a dose higher than 150mg, and have been on 37.5 for the past 8 months or so.
>
> I have started weaning myself off the drug by opening up the 37.5 capsules and splitting the pill in half, against my doctors and pharmasists wishes, since its impossible to be accurate as to how much is half when there are so many little granules.
>
> I was splitting the pills in half for about a month (which would equate to about 18 mg per day). Then I stopped taking the drug altogether, and have been effexor free for about 5 days.
>
> While I dont experience any vomiting, nausea, brain zaps... I still am constantly dizzy and disoriented. I dont know how long I this uneasy feeling will last. Should I take half a pill again and then wait 5 days, and take another one? Or should I just deal with the dizzyness and hope that it will end?
>
> This drug has taken over my life, and I want it back.
>
Posted by anonymoose on November 23, 2007, at 11:16:49
In reply to Re: My effexor experience » Teddyk, posted by anonymoose on November 23, 2007, at 11:05:04
Whoops, I just realized- splitting the capsules probably doesn't kill the time-release action so much as chewing on the granules does. I do remember the literature recommended taking the granules with applesauce if you do split the caps, though probably more to avoid stomach upset than anything.
Nevertheless, I'd still recommend as gradual a downward titration as possible to minimize withdrawal side effects. Feel free to babblemail me if you have any other questions.
> I was on Effexor for about two years, and while it did help keep dark, depressive/anxious moods at bay, it also killed what little motivation I had left at the time. I tried all doses between 37.5 and 375, and whatever weak dopaminergic effects it may have had were completely undone by the negative side effects of its serotonergic and noradrenergic action (which I didn't need).
>
> I've had a taste of the dreaded Effexor withdrawal. One time I was on travel and forgot my meds. After 3 days I got the brain shivers. When I did finally decide to discontinue the Effexor, I did the same thing you did by splitting the 37.5mg capsules and titrating downward with smaller and smaller doses of the granules.
>
> I suspect you'll have better results with a more gradual titration of the Effexor granules. I'm assuming you have the 37.5mg Effexor XR capsules. Keep in mind by splitting the capsules you kill the time-release action. So you're not getting a time-released 18.75mg, you're getting it all in an instant hit. Probably not the best for a smooth withdrawal.
>
> I had plenty Effexor to waste, so what I did was empty out the 37.5mg capsule, put half the granules back in, close the capsule back up, and then take that new smaller dose with a the timed-release action intact. Over the course of a week I took smaller and smaller doses with the XR caps intact until I was off it completely. All in all my discontinuation experience wasn't that bad.
>
> Again, my recommendation would be to try for as SMOOTH and GRADUAL a downward titration as possible. Best of luck to you.
>
>
Posted by Phillipa on November 23, 2007, at 11:57:05
In reply to Re: My effexor experience » anonymoose, posted by anonymoose on November 23, 2007, at 11:16:49
No don't bite them mix with applesauce or yougurt or something soft and good luck. Phillipa
Posted by Fuzzulosity (Wendy) on November 25, 2007, at 8:10:11
In reply to My effexor experience, posted by Teddyk on November 23, 2007, at 0:25:52
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.