Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 118 of 140}

NO SIDE EFFECTS OF WITHDRAWAL WHILE USING 5-HTP (200mg X 2or3/day)

Background information first:
I am a Male and Began Taking Effexor XR 75mg at age 31 for ANXIETY
I have been taking between (1) 37.5mg to (3) 37.5mg per day for 5 years now…

Finally Decided that I wanted to quit the Effexor and here is how I did it without any “Brain Shivers”, believe me…I know exactly how it feels and it is no fun to say the least….

1.#1 - Goto a “GOOD” NaturoPathic Doctor and have them work with you to first get the following items in order:
a) Get all your Organs and Glands “Talking to each other again” using a Bio-Feedback Machine (ie. Inergetix or SCIO)
b) Use HomeoPathics to Get your Pineal, Pituitary, HypoThalmus, Thyroid, Adrenal, Liver & Lymphatic Systems back in Shape again (Effexor very slowly begins to shut down communication of the Organs and Glands in your entire body)
2. Raise your Body PH Level back to Normal (ie. 7.0 is normal) although I am still stuck at a 6.0 (most likely due to the Highly Acidic Nature of Effexor and ALL Prescription Medications…!!!)…notice how they call them “Medications” and do not use the word “HEAL”…!!!!!!..THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAL US, BUT PROLONG OUR RELIANCE ON THEM…THEY WANT OUR WALLETS….$$$$$$$$

3. Taper off slowly from whatever dose that you are taking down to 37.5mg and begin taking “5-HTP” and offset from your daily dose of 37.5mg (yes they say it is dangerous to take the HTP, but that is only when you are taking large doses of Effexor, ie. 100mg and over).

4. 1st ….Week: Begin alternating days of Effexor (ie. begin with skipping the Effexor 37.5mg every other day for the first week and taking the 5-HTP steadily throughout the week)…don’t forget that it takes at least a week for the 5-HTP to begin building and working in the body. The dosage will vary for everybody (I took 200mg 2 to 3 times daily throughout the 3 weeks that I was tapering off of the Effexor

5. 2nd ….Week try 2 day lapses without Effexor “or” for as long as you can before getting “Brain Zaps”

6. 3rd ….Week try 3 day lapses without Effexor or for as long as you don’t get the “Brain Zaps” and just keep going longer and longer with the help of the 5-HTP…until you no longer require the Effexor anymore….Remember….the KEY is to first see a “very well qualified”(15+ Years of Experience) NaturoPath to repair the damage that the Effexor has done to your body….PERIOD…

7. You will most likely have “Crying Fits” or other unusual behavior which means that you are “TOO HIGH ON SERATONIN…CUT BACK ON THE 5-HTP…!!!”

8. If you have any questions…feel free to ask them on this site…as I will check back now and then…

NO EFFEXOR XR WITHDRAWAL WHILE USING 5-HTP (200mg X 2or3/day)

Background information first:
I am a Male and Began Taking Effexor XR 75mg at age 31 for ANXIETY
I have been taking between (1) 37.5mg to (3) 37.5mg per day for 5 years now…

Finally Decided that I wanted to quit the Effexor and here is how I did it without any “Brain Shivers”, believe me…I know exactly how it feels and it is no fun to say the least….

1.#1 - Goto a “GOOD” NaturoPathic Doctor and have them work with you to first get the following items in order:
a) Get all your Organs and Glands “Talking to each other again” using a Bio-Feedback Machine (ie. Inergetix or SCIO)
b) Use HomeoPathics to Get your Pineal, Pituitary, HypoThalmus, Thyroid, Adrenal, Liver & Lymphatic Systems back in Shape again (Effexor very slowly begins to shut down communication of the Organs and Glands in your entire body)
2. Raise your Body PH Level back to Normal (ie. 7.0 is normal) although I am still stuck at a 6.0 (most likely due to the Highly Acidic Nature of Effexor and ALL Prescription Medications…!!!)…notice how they call them “Medications” and do not use the word “HEAL”…!!!!!!..THEY DO NOT WANT TO HEAL US, BUT PROLONG OUR RELIANCE ON THEM…THEY WANT OUR WALLETS….$$$$$$$$

3. Taper off slowly from whatever dose that you are taking down to 37.5mg and begin taking “5-HTP” and offset from your daily dose of 37.5mg (yes they say it is dangerous to take the HTP, but that is only when you are taking large doses of Effexor, ie. 100mg and over).

4. 1st ….Week: Begin alternating days of Effexor (ie. begin with skipping the Effexor 37.5mg every other day for the first week and taking the 5-HTP steadily throughout the week)…don’t forget that it takes at least a week for the 5-HTP to begin building and working in the body. The dosage will vary for everybody (I took 200mg 2 to 3 times daily throughout the 3 weeks that I was tapering off of the Effexor

5. 2nd ….Week try 2 day lapses without Effexor “or” for as long as you can before getting “Brain Zaps”

6. 3rd ….Week try 3 day lapses without Effexor or for as long as you don’t get the “Brain Zaps” and just keep going longer and longer with the help of the 5-HTP…until you no longer require the Effexor anymore….Remember….the KEY is to first see a “very well qualified”(15+ Years of Experience) NaturoPath to repair the damage that the Effexor has done to your body….PERIOD…

7. You will most likely have “Crying Fits” or other unusual behavior which means that you are “TOO HIGH ON SERATONIN…CUT BACK ON THE 5-HTP…!!!”

8. If you have any questions…feel free to ask them on this site…as I will check back now and then…

Worried Wife,

Your husband is a lucky man to have you and your support. I your support will do most of the job. Because, he will be going through lots of emotions and all he needs to get through is love and support.

When I first decided to get off with the support of my husband, he decided to stay out of my way thinking that will help me not get agitated and get through it easily.

However, It was so hard for me. I felt so lonely. I finally got through to him. Then with his love and attention things became much easier. I have a 9 year old whom I told, that I was not feeling well and was edgy due to change my medications. That sweet child put up with my emotions also.

If you have children and friends you can use their love and support while he goes through this. Unfortunately, I found out I was not as popular as everyone pretended me to be.
Nevertheless, all one needs is his immediate family.

Lower your meds slowly, and you will get through it. Take some vitamins and exercise. As soon as you see a weird thing happening, just Google it and you will know it is just the withdrawal.

With all we are going through during this journey, it would be easy to take things personal and/or judge oneself.

It may also be a great idea for your husband to actually read this and some other forums

Hang in there. Good luck to the 2 of you.

high doses of omega 3 are the best for brain zaps!

omega 3 - how high of doses are you talking about? I'm taking 2 a day..... so far with cutting back the 10 beads it's toleralble. The bottle says 2 per day. Can I take more?

Hi everyone,

I'm back and have now been 100% free from effexor for 14 days cold turkey. Last weekend was the absolute bottom for me and I nearly did go back on the drug since I was feeling so emotionally and physically sick. This week started to get better. I have had far less brain zaps, dizziness, vertigo, and nausia. The forgetfullness, crying, and anger are persisting however. I've been taking large doses of fish oil (6 capsels daily) and B complex vitamins which have helped. I'm wondering if anyone can help me understand how long these symptoms will last. I've read anywhere from 3 weeks to a year! I hope to god I don't feel like this for a whole year. I hope you are all doing well and hanging in there.

i'm now about 3 weeks completely off effexor after tapering down over the past several months from 300mg. as i mentioned earlier, the withdrawal got worse after i got completely off the effexor, but per kat1999's suggestion i take a drowsy antihistamine and that seems to eliminate any headaches or nausea for the most part, which i'm very grateful for.

emotionally, that's been harder. i had many crying jags a couple of weeks ago, quit my job after a day, was miserable and suicidal. now i am less emotionally erratic, but still pretty depressed. no crying jags tho. i hope this is a sign that things are getting better, but i still have to wait and see.

i do recommend taking the drowsy (not non-drowsy) benadryl or antihistamine for nausea/headaches. i guess it seems to fog up the withdrawal effects.

i also want to add that fresh air, exercise, a nice bike ride, exposure to sunshine, a warm bath, healthy foods -- in little ways they all contribute to feeling a bit better.

Leonora,

Just remember that the weirdest thoughts come to mind. However, you have to get yourself back in line and remind yourself that it is only the med's withdrawal. Take control of yourself. We need you to get better to direct other people to the right direction.
I had been feeling much better for the last 8-9 days. Nevertheless, today I had that tightness feeling all over specially my knees, again. So, remember it will come and go for a while. You just have to put up with it. Try taking some vitamin Bs.
I will be checking my emails for another 2 weeks before I go on a long vacation (1.5 months). Keep us informed how you are doing.

To 5-HTP man,
While I appreciate your reply, stating 'do you still not get it????' is a bit condescending. I agree with you that natural would always be the preferred way to go - but in some cases may not be appropriate. I am glad that 5 HTP worked for you, and we will look into it.

'But now you are helping him to take elavil' is just flat out incorrect. I posted that the doc suggested that, I am not 'helping him' to take it. We haven't even taken the Rx to the pharmacy. I do not want him getting on another drug. I want him to feel better and we're taking steps (exercise, acupuncture, good food, supplements).

I just don't appreciate your talking to me like I'm peddling this crap to him. His depression wasn't just a bad mood one day, he has been dealing with it for many years. I don't think anything is 'one size fits all' when it comes to depression and therefore your blanket statements on 5HTP and what worked for you necessarily fits here.

Worried Wife,
Fair Enough...I apologize if I offended you...but some people I see just continue to go back to 'Allopathic Doctors' when they are the Instigators and Drug Dealers that got alot of 'Unsuspecting' people 'Hooked' on this Drug and now they have realized that they prescribed something to many people without even first investigating the consequences themselves....

It breaks my heart to see stories as horrible as yours...

Again...I would agree with you that different supplements work differently with everybody...

5-HTP can be dangerous if used without caution...investigate 'Serotonin Syndrome'...

I weaned myself off according to my previous posts using 5-HTP because it produces Serotonin while going off of the Effexor, thereby taking its place....

I wish you and your husband all the best in your continued efforts to go 'Natural'....as this is the way 'Healing' was intended from the very beginning of the Earth...

The Cure and Prevention of All Dis-Ease has been growing in our backyards from the beginning of time....

Take care and good luck...

I appreciate your apology. I also understand your excitement as you found something that worked for you and you want to share it with the world.

My husband is currently weaning a few pellets at a time and we're bumping up his supplement intake. He's doing ok. From what I've read here the true test will be when he's completely off. (As far as the bad withdrawals). He's down to half of 37.5 and has only had one day when he was driving and felt wonky and had to have me take the wheel.

He is having great results with the acupuncture going once per month. He signed up for a softball league and will be playing once a week too. The acupuncturist is a chinese herbalist and has been told about his desire to get off effexor and he's given him an herbal concoction to help.

Once totally off he's going to go 2 weeks of just vitamin supplementing & acu. and then try SAM-e. I will post of his experiences once we get him totally off this crap.

Wyeth should be ashamed, but I am sure they could care less (obviously).

CORRECTION: That was supposed to be 'acupuncture, once per WEEK'.

i think it's 3 weeks since i got completely off effexor, or close to 3. as long as i take antihistamines i don't feel the headaches or nausea.

my moods are shaky. i'm just always feeling levels below normal, depressed and struggling to climb out. less crying jags, but i feel pretty damn low. my mom was bipolar and her depressions were very very bad. i'm not sure if will have to try another med at some point just to stay afloat. i've suffered w/ it my whole adult life. i wouldn't recommend effexor, but it did help get me out of bed and not feeling like this most of the time.

Hi lenora,
It's Johnnie!
I sorry that you are not feeling weel.
I know there is a biological component to the depths that people like you and I can experience but with out the lows, that effexor eliminated there are also no highs. I am going to imagine that that is one of the reasons you wanted off effexor as well. That you were not experiencing any type of passion, at least it was like that for me. I was no longer interested in my husband, I did not even care if he ate, along with OTHER things, and I knew there was something seriously wrong with that but I just could not bring myself to care .
I did not want to live like an android,no feelings. If something good was happening I had pretend to be excited. I knew I should be excited but I did not actually feel excited. I do not want to live my time on earth this way. I want to feel passion and along with that I have decided to work to understand the lows that I experience. I have been to a lot of counseling. I have unearthed the trauma that initially caused my distrotions. Personal research, in conjunction with the counseling, lead me to Carolyn Myss. Carolyn Myss is a leading medical intitutive and spiritualist of our time, her belief is that therapy is a tool that allows us to cross the river but that when we reach the other side we are supposed to get off the boat. Not sit in the middle of the river our entire life. I reached that time and I got off the boat, but I was still on effexor and when I ran out over the memorial day weekend, I intended to get more after the holiday weekend. I was very disturbed by what happened to me physically. Now, I am grateful. That stuff is a poision.
I have a good life today and it was not always the case. I have a great husband, great kids, the normal ups and downs and so I began to think that the life I lived as a child and young adult may have warranted such lows but this life today does not!

So I say to myself. 'Self, what is up that you feel so down?'
Lenora, I so hope some of this sounds familar to you because I am begining to believe that we, those people with such intense emotions are a extroidinary group of people, not a broken group of people. I believe that we have the ability to change the way we look at ourselves, to quiet that part of us that is incessant and tells how awful and bad everything is. That there is not enough of anything and that everything is lacking. If I can reach this point, this place where my mind is still then all the medication will no longer be necessary. I had that for the first time yesterday.
So, this is where I have been putting my energy in these last few weeks and I am making great strides.
Its me lenora,Johnnie, I came off cold turkey a month ago. I thought about going back on more pills because everything was beginning to feel so emotionally painful during the withdrawl. I remember thinking 'OH NO!' Not this again. If nothing else the effexor brought relief from the despair. But there was no choice this time I could no longer live without experiencing feelings. It was then that I was introduced to Eat ,Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, and , 'A New Earth,' by Ekert Tolle. Please Lenora take the summer and read these books. I think you may find yourself in these book the way that I did.
It was the only choice I had left. I could not take the medicine again and I could not surrender to the despair.
This for me IS an AWAKENING and for me THE ANSWER.The intensity with which I feel things highs and lows makes me an extrordinary human being not a broken one.

johnnie

Hi

It's been around a month and a half since I completely stopped taking effexor. Mike's capsule splitting method was a life savor. Anyways ,is it possible that I could still be suffering from withdrawals? I still get bad days where I feel super tired and moody, feeling like I have cotton balls in my head. And as well after completely stopping I developed 'floaters' in my vision . What a great drug!.. I hope I feel normal soon

ok - I know I went the non-homeopathy way but I was afraid I'd have no hope after what I was suffering. Not to mention I was on prozac before and silly me wanted to try something different because I was selfish and didn't like the sexual side effects. Well, after dealing with the Evil drug, I'm going to wait awhile before it's that important for an orgasm. I'm down to less than 5 mg in less then a month with using prozac from my doctor. I had horrible withdrawals in the beginning w/o, so was afraid to try to quit w/o any help. Prozac helps.....

OK - I know some of you are capable of going w/o any type of serotonin type of med but I'm finding I can't with my family history etc....blah blah. Mother, brother etc.... However, at least to get off the Effexor, unless I'm different, its been so easier. I've only had a few mind zaps that were nothing compared to before tried the prozac, I was losing it. So maybe if you tried the prozac then then weaned off of that after a couple months you'd find it easier.... Just in my opinion. I know after trying w/o I was a basket case trying to function in a professional environment was not a good situation!!!!

Good luck - this drug sucks!

honestly after suffering terrible bouts of depression since my 2 months weaning off of effexor, it has been bad enough that i wish i'd never gotten off of it. i was feeling suicidal and had to go to the health clinic to be put on zoloft. i didn't want prozac because of the sexual side effects, and i didn't want effexor again, so the doctor went w/ zoloft. i actually only took one capsule two days ago but didn't take one today or yesterday, because the one time i took it i felt so jittery and wired that i didn't like it, tho i admit it was sort of better than the depression.

i don't know if there is some residue from the effexor that made the zoloft kick in so quickly, or if it automatically makes you feel jittery and wired. i'm not sure what i will do, if i will try to take the zoloft again or see if i can go without anything. i'm not sure if my serotonin levels need to level out more as i get further away from the residual effects of effexor withdrawal.

Most of you began to take this drug for a reason...what might be this reason you ask...?...well, there can be a multitude of accompanying things...but the primary and most fundamental reason is that your Pineal Gland has 'Calcified' in the worst case and/or it has lost it's 'Full' ability to produce 'Melatonin' and/or 'Seratonin'...

So a word to the wise...before you even think about getting off of any kind of Anti-Depressent I would strongly suggest that you all go see an extremely well qualified Naturopath that can help put these things in order 'BEFORE' weaning off of the drugs....

Otherwise...you will reap the disastrous side effects that come from not doing so in the first place...some a few months to even years...


Good Luck to all....

Hi,
My name is Bernadette and I am currently taking 37.5mg of effexor xr. I started at 150mg for 1 year and then down to 75mg for about 6 mos. and now down to 37.5 for 5 mos. I would like to get off effexor completely and I have read Mikemo,s pill splitting method. I have only seen the schedule broken down to day 14 and would like to see it broken down until completely done. I know that I should be able to figure it out based on the first 14 days but get a little nervous and want to make sure I do mess it up. I was originally told to start skipping one day and then continue to add a day after I got used to to but after a month and working my way to day 3 started to have withdrawls similar to stopping cold turkey (which I have done before). If Mikemo is still available to help I would greatly appreciate it!

Bernadette

bernadette,

Skipping days is the worst method you can use, next to cold turkey. The reason it is so bad is it is like quitting cold turkey, again and again and again.

Are you using 37.5mg capsules? Or are you splitting 75's in half? The reason I ask is I want to make the math as easy as possible for you, so I need to know what you have available to work with.

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to check in with you a final time to give you all some good news and encouragement. I quit Effexor cold turkey in late May after taking 150 mg/daily for 6 months for depression. I understand that many on the board think that cold turkey is a bad way to get off Effexor. I chose to do it this way because it seems that no matter how one tapers off the drug, they have side effects. I also couldn't stand the idea of putting that toxic drug into my system anymore. While it was one of the hardest things I have ever done, I can attest to the fact that you CAN beat this drug... even cold turkey. The first two weeks were the absolute worst. Even on the 14th day I was just about to give in and go back on the drug. If you are feeling that way now please don't give up.... it WILL get better! By the end of three weeks I began to feel better and by five weeks I felt normal again. Some suggestions I can offer from my experience:
1. Tell your friends/family what you are going through and educate your closest companions about potential side effects. You will absolutely need their support and understanding.
2. Take fish oil and vitamin B supplements. These really help a lot with brain zaps.
3. Drink lots of water.
4. Try to keep active. Even when I felt absolutely aweful, I found getting out for a 40 minute walk really helped me.
5. Rest. Take naps if you can, try to get to bed early. Your body will need lots of rest.
6. Keep your mind busy and calm. Find activities that keep you distracted from your side effects. Whether you enjoy watching movies, gardening, swimming, or knitting, do something to keep yourself busy and happy.
7. Remember that no matter how aweful you feel, things will get better with time. This is NOT how you will feel forever and it isn't the real you. Sometimes I doubted myself and thought I must be terribly depressed without the drug... when in fact it WAS the DRUG and the WITHDRAWAL that was making me feel sick.

Having taken several SSRI's prior to going on Effexor, I can honestly say Effexor was the worst to get off of. Be patient with yourself, but have confidence to. I believe in all of you! Good luck, I know you can be happily Effexor free too!

I am taking the 37.5mg. I also accidentally pushed the report post to moderator I hope that doesn't mess anything up. I am new to posting messages and replies.

Hello from a newbie.
I have been taking Effexor for approx. 10 years. For the past 3 years I have been trying to ween myself off. I am now taking 1 x .75 mg capsule one day, and the next I take 1/2 of the .75 mg capsule (open and dump out half approx. half the beads). I have been alternating like this to try and get down to a 1/2 capsule daily. By the way, I started out 10 years ago by taking 6 x .75 mg daily as well as Lorazepam and Clonaxepam for my panic attacks. I also took 5HTP before bed.

I have heard that taking the 5HTP can help with the god awful side effects that I am experiencing, so I may give it a try again.

I cannot explain the relief I have felt knowing that the ill health I have been feeling for the past 3 years is not just in my head and yet another reason for my psychiatrist to try yet another drug on me. Needless to say that he does not know that I am weening off and I do not intend to tell him. Once I am down to 1/2 a capsule, I plan to stop seeing him and look into a healthier way of healing my mind and body. Afer this experience, I can assure you that no doctor will ever again have me take a drug that he/she has not taken themselves.

I close by wishing you all the best of health and ask if anyone knows of a lawsuit here in Canada that I may join? I will watch for a response.

Thank you.
JOfromTOronto

Hi Bernadette,
I just noticed that you asked about the 37.5 mg dosage.

There may be a capsule that contains the exact 37.5 dosage, I do not know. I only know that I have resorted to dumping out beads because I do not want my doctor to know that I am weening off. However I do save the beads, just in case.

Good luck

Hello Mikemo,
I am taking the 37.5 capsules.