Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

[keeta]

hey all who will read this.

I have not been doing so well as some of my late posts will indicate.
I am AF...the trouble is due to my own screw up I ended up having to cold turkey from Effexor.

Last night I was uber hopeless...and felt suicidal yet not if that makes sense...the sensory withdrawl symtoms are driving me insane.
The emotional withdrawl feelings are even worse.
It is like this weird double barraled assault on my senses. It is almost more than I can take.
I have called a few hot lines...one pharmasist said if he was close by he would give me effexor to relieve my symptoms with no prescription, as they(pharmacists???) know how bad cold turkey is with this drug. He said you can NOT cold turkey this drug.

BUT, I said...I want off this drug...can you give me a light at the end of the tunnel (my exact words)..how long will I feel this crazy....a day more (been three now)...two...three...he said up to two months more...I started sobbing to this poor 800 number pharmacist on the phone saying I simply could NOT take this another month...he said...get more effexor?????

I don't want any more...it was no longer helping my depression...it was there despite the drug, so it WAS time to get off...my dosage boo boo fucked me up...but...do I really want to get more to ease this...OR...hang in as best I can...I DO honestly feel like I am going crazy...RJ...any experience, knowledge...hints on this hellish drug???????????????????????

drowing in effexor withdrawl
Kim

[Victory]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

See your Dr for advice

Keeta you need to visit your Dr for advice. normally with antidepressants you have to withdraw slowly by taking ? of the normal dose then halving and eventually quartering the dose. It literally means getting a knife and cutting them up. You can get off this stuff but the key is doing it slowly to avoid what you are feeling now.
Best wishes Aunty Vic :h

[boycie]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Aunty Vic is right that is the only way I could get off mine and it was effexor so I know exactly why you want off it it is a foul drug. Hang in there get to the doc and get some smaller doses and come off easy. Best wishes Boycie

[Noelle]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Keeta, you can't go cold turkey on that stuff. You need to get more so you can lessen the strength. Or....you can go to a doctor and see if they will give you Librium. It would work for the withdrawl from effexor just like it works for alcohol withdrawl.

Good luck sweetie.

[magic]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Hi Keeta,

I am tapering down from Effexor right now, very slowly and still having adverse effects.

The only way out of this is to get back on it, a smaller dose and taper down.

Effexor can be combined with other anti depressants which may help your withdrawal from Effexor.

See your doctor sweets,

magic xxx

[jinja]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Hi Keeta

We haven't met before as I am still quite new here. I have been on Effexor for 4 years and know how it feels. My doc said that to come off it is a very slow process. After reducing the dose you must stay there for at least 6 weeks before taking it down again etc. Please get a new script and do it slowly!! It is so dangerous to drop antidepressants too fast. My friend's sister-in-law committed suicide as she wasn't monitored and couldn't cope with the phsycological impact.

Please take care!!
:h

[Cinders]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Keeta,

I don't and never have taken Effexor but I just wanted to say how sorry I am you are going through this. It must be awful!!

Take the advice of others and titrate down slowly.

We all love our Keeta and do not want you to hurt yourself. :l

Cindi

[memarcie]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Keeta, I quit effexor cold turkey as well. I didn't do it intentionally, but realized after 3 days I hadn't taken it and then just suffered through withdrawals for the next few days. My withdrawal symptoms were not as bad as yours sound. You should definitely see your doc.

:l

[Fresh Hope]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Keeta,
Sadly, I consider myself an expert on effexor withdrawal. You must find a way to go back on effexor and stabilize and then very, very slowly taper. I tapered over 7 months because of the side effects. I still occasionally have the sensory withdrawal symptoms you refer to and I have been effexor free for 2 years. Most people feel a dramatic lessening of the withdrawal effects if they go back on stabilizing dose. How much were you taking? Consider going back on half of your dose and just give yourself a chance to stabilize.

Also, consider something for anxiety, but only as an occasional support for particularly bad times. Some Doctors prescribe anxiety drugs as a 1 per morning and 1 per afternoon ....I used them 2-3x per week and they gave me what I needed to get through rough times...I did not want to dive into another drug habit, but they did help me over some horrible days. They might also help with the emotional withdrawal feelings.

I also encourage you to exercise, if you can. The sensory effect does make that hard. Hell, it is hard to bend and tie your shoes with out feeling like you left the back of your head floating away when you move... and then it comes crashing back into your space and you feel like you are going crazy.

You will get through this, I promise and I will do anything I can to help you and guide you. Keep posting and PM me if you want to. You are not alone and this will end, it just takes time and it will be awful, but slowly you will see improvement.

You are in my thoughts and am sending all my best wishes to Western Canada

FH :h :l

[formenow]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

I too had a bad reaction to Effexor and am now weaning off of it. You really should get a few more to help you not have this horrible withdrawl. My heart rate shot up on it and blood pressure got very high. I then saw my Dr and cut my dose in half and took it every other day and that went pretty well. People have told me they had a very hard time when stoppin g abruptly. Hang in there. This is not your fault it is the quick withdrawl and will pass. Help yourself by backing down slowly.
Good luck

[meditation mama]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Oh, sweetie.. I feel so bad for you right now. I also went off Effexor cold turkey. My decision as I had tried to go off it for months and just felt like I couldnt. I just planned on a week down. I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS, but I did make it through it. It lasted for about 5 days for me.

PLEASE stay in touch with us, OK?

All my love and strength,

MM

[keeta]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

morning every one!

Vic....yes...I definately did not intentionally go cold turkey because I know how yucky Effexor withdrawl can be for me personally even if I miss one dose. I did not titrate down quickly enough and ran out of my prescription. I live in a tiny hamlet of 250 people, no doctor or hospital, and we had no extra cash until today! Today is my "town day"

boycie...ugh, I can so relate...I will be asking for a new prescription, because I have heard the length of this "horrible cold turkey withdrawl" can last a LONG time.

Noelle....I am hoping that I can get a lower dose and perhaps some thing for the anxiety, etc. I don't know what librium is, but will mention it and see what they say. Thank you!

jinja, and cindi....thank you for posting...thank you SO much for caring.(that applies to each and every one of you out there) I love this place. It is hard to explain...as I wouldn't consider the thoughts suicidal, as much as I just don't really want to feel this way, can't I just sleep and not wake up! Don't get me wrong, I KNOW even this thought process is NOT normal and could become dangerous. We have some great hotlines here...one even manned strictly by RN's...I have spoken with them lots...they have been very informative, understanding, and helpful. The pharmascist they patched me through to said these symptoms could possibly last a very long time up to a year or MORE. After I was done sobbing (yeah, doing a LOT of that lately)...he said if I could get to his pharmacy he will give me an emergency supply, even without a prescription, and he thinks I shouldn't have a problem doing so any where else. Does this just not scream of a drug that has horrible after effects...ugh......:upset: That aside, I promised a friend I would not be jumping off a bridge WITHOUT a bungee cord...and that I WILL get some more of these meds...before I lose it completely!!!!!

marcie...thank you for posting. I have heard that some people do not experience the intense, crazy symptoms I am...and I am SURE glad you didn't. Definately a Doctor is on my list today!!!!!!!!!!:l

Fresh Hope....are you living inside my head? WOW...aren't the sensory things the absolute worst. That and the feeling of not really being "connected" to any thing going on around me...they are driving me koo koo:upset: I was taking 150 mg for 8 mnths (and whatever time before that getting *up* to that dose) I had gotten down to 137.5 for about 5 weeks, when I realised what I thought was supposed to be that dose for 12 weeks, was only supposed to be for 21 days, then down again, to 75mg (for 21 days) then to 37.5 for 21 days, then see how things went. The worst part is no one corrected me. I kept refilling, and no one said..."You shouldn't need your pills at your dose level yet". I am not blaming...it is my life...my responsibility...but it is kinda scary to know they aren't paying attention either!

second....will definately be seeing a Dr...ugh...I have googled and googled. One page of side effects was so long it was scary.(and I found TONS of pages) good for you for taking a stand and not blindly accepting meds that made you uncomfotable. I did a similar thing when I was prescribed a strong anti biotic for a lung infection...being the QUEEN of google (where DID I put my crown????) I looked it up before filling the prescription. It was not something that should really be taken out side of a hospital or under intense medical suppervision, as seizures, and something else scary were a HIGH risk side effect. I didn't fill it, and kinda asked the Doc why would you prescribe that to a girl who lives over an hour from a hospital No real answer was given.

The worst thing is...Effexor initially helped with serious depression...bad panic/anxiety issues (like, I would drive to the store and not be able to get out of the car, so I would turn around and go home) and a little OCD I developed after a bad car accident ( For almost a year I absolutely could not get into any kind of transportation without asking God to get me to my destination safely...every time...if I got out to grab a coffee at a rest stop or for a pee break I HAD to ask Him again, or I was sure something TERRIBLE would happen)

Just in the last little while I have noticed the depression, and mood swings creeping back, so decided it may be time to move on, and try some thing else.
I sure don't want to scare any one, but if nothing else, maybe one person will make a better informed choice when offered Effexor. It does work...but...the withdrawl can be very brutal!

Thank you all for caring. I will up date when I get home tonight, or tomorrow morning, and let you know about new prescription levels, and any thing else that was suggested!

love and hugs
K

[keeta]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

forme.....I think I am going to have to get more meds...and ween down slower...I am feeling just a little too manic to think I could last another week if these symptoms persisted that long with out going truely nutty! My emotions run so hot and cold even my husband feels sorry for me, and he is not big on sympathy or empathy. One minute I am pretty good...coping...the next I am bawling like a bay...sobbing....whew.

MM.....I think I am day four today....two more days I think I could handle, if I knew for sure it would ease off...I wish I felt strong enough to risk it...but, dammit, I just don't.

That, and I know for sure, if this kept up, my AF stint would be over over over. It was a close call yesterday....one because I am an alcoholic...two, having suffered depression on and off for atleast 15 years, I learned to self medicate will alcohol.
BAD combo...so off to get more of the demon pills so I can get OFF them!

Thank you all for all your insight and experiences. It helps!
XO,
K

[meditation mama]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Good luck, sweetie.. It sounds like you are winding down on them. I am glad you can get more today and do it the right way.

I also went on the internet and was appauled by the amount of dangers posted about the withdrawls. If I had known I would have never gone on that specific drug...

I was only up to 75mgs at my highest, so that may the reason it only took me 5 days. I think that the year thing may be a bit exaggerated, so don't hold that too close. You will be done soon and fresh as a daisy... Good for you for staying AF.. You are one tough cookie!

Please stay in touch...

All my love,

MM

[Fresh Hope]

Just me...and Effexor withdrawl

Please do not!! take a dose every other day

Keeta, Please do not!! take a dose every other day...too hard on your mind and body and not recommended from all I have read and experienced...The people that this might work for are likely those that are not as severely effected as you and I. I will post more later have to go out now. Keep posting as you can see we are all here for you
FH