Effexor withdrawl and symptoms, please help _{Page 18 of 140}

Hi Bonnie, I have been on efrexor for over 10 years. Wellbutrin was added several years later. Zoloft was added by my primary care Dr. about 2 years ago. I went off zoloft first, then wellbutrin, then effexor. I an now back on 150 mg effexor a day. I feel like I'm back to normal. I have energy, and the constant muscle and joint pain is leaving. Today I actually had my normal energy enthusiasm in the classroom. After school I worked out with a trainer, made dinner, went shopping with my husband, worked in my garden.... more than I've done in a week! I do want to find a good psychiatrist to talk with and get more info. I don't think I'm copping out. I do believe I'm a lifer on this stuff. I certainly want to talk to drs. and such and ideally I would get off the stuff, but.. Why would I want to go back to feel like I'm dying?? I would like to see if I could go just on wellbutrin to eliminate the high blood pressure issue and the sexual side effects. Right now I'm not even worried about the weight issue. I'm just so glad to be able to DO - anything and to not be so irritable. I feel like I have my life back. In the meantime. I'd appreciate any thoughts you have on the process. I certainly support you and anyone who can get off the stuff and still feel good. Pam

Ronda I am absolutely fuming right now. I wish I could have a word with this doctor. When I get mad I can be pretty ruthless. What a piece of crap doctor. So much for the Hippocratic Oath huh? I would absolutely contact the medical board and I would write a strongly worded letter to the piece of crap including some of the posts here. I believe we all reap what we sew...Karma... you name it it will come back on him. SOOOO DISGUSTED I COULD SPIT NAILS>>>GRRRR!

I would also find out all the insurance companies that he is a participating provider with and send them a grievance letter they do keep records of that sort of thing and I can not believe you would be the only one with issues with the pri*K (sorry guys really really ticked). ANYWAYS BIG HUGS to you Ronda you deserve them and you deserve medical care from a compassionate physician and also an intelligent one. I think the doctor you saw was NIETHER OF THOSE THINGS!

Jami

Pam I am glad you have found success with Effexor everyone deserves to live fullfilling healthy lives.

I think for me the major issue I had with Effexor is that when a person decides they want to drop this drug that the side effects are so horrible that you question whether or not it is worth getting off of. Also the side effects during the first portion of weaning make you feel like your back in a deep depression therefor you think you need to go back on them.

I really just want healthcare professionals to be well aware of what they are prescribing and let patients know that getting off them may indeed be horrible but very possible. Also for doctors to give the follow up care and support for those trying to stop the drugs. As you have read here that so many physicians blow off the side effects of withdraw and really push people into taking them again. The last thing a person that is dealing with the depression issues of withdraw is someone making them feel unreasonable or needy.

To me it is close to an alcoholic seeking some support from a doctor and the doctor in turn writing a prescription for a beer...wth...makes no sense to me.

All I want is the maker of this medication to be upfront about the withdraw of this drug. I truly think if I had the information I found a month ago on this medicines withdraw I would have been able to stop it over a year and a half ago when I first attempted to get off of it.

Maybe its a cop out maybe not.

To anyone that is currently using this and it is keeping them healthy mentally then AWESOME that is what it was intended to do (I think.. LOL) but just know that if you do ever decide it is time to get off of it that you may have a hard time and seem to move backwards in your depression for a moment or two but that once your passed that you can function without it again.

:)

Jami

18 chattering monkeys HA HA!

Hi everyone! I made it through day 4 w/o Effexor and didn't hurt anyone. My brain feels like it is floating in my head, eye twitches constantly and I'm CRABBY. Stomach is upset, vision is blurred and I'm having the weird dreams. I Can't remember who mentioned dreaming about people from your past - but yeah - I'm doing that. Weird!

18 chattering monkeys - I can't remember who wrote that but you made my day!!!!

Ronda I agree you should turn that dr in. I work in the insurance field (not health) and there is a place for people to lodge complaints; it is called The Dept of Insurance. If you want to pursue this let me know and I will check for an address or phone number for your states DOI. All I would need is your state.

I'm sorry that I can't remember everyone's name and what they wrote - but back some pages someone mentioned a website about pharmeseutical (sp?) grade vitamins. Does anyone remember what it is? My eyes start crossing when I read too much plus my brain doesn't retain anything anyway.

It's 11:45pm and I'm rambling - so I'm off to bed. Whoever lives in Chicago we are sending you rain LOTS of rain! It's been pouring off and on since 4:00pm - plus hail. I'm guessing 5 inches of rain ...

OH! Pensacola!!! I love that place - don't be so hard on it. I live in Nebraska - no gulf here!!

Mammamia, where are you in Nebraska? I grew up in Omaha and went to college at the UNL?

As for podunk Pensacola, I own a house there with my sister. It was my grandparents' house, and my mom lived there as a young woman and died there as an older woman, and now my sister and I own it. She has lived there for 10 years and claims she brought the hurricane curse to the area. Erin and Opal her first summer and then this past fall major damage to the house. It has only been a few months since the new roof FINALLY was put on. If you know anyone skilled in plaster work in the Pensacola area, let me know; we cannot find a contractor who knows how to repair the damaged plaster walls. Everyone my sister talks to says "sorry, we don't know how to do plaster." Too many modern homes there; ours was built in 1930 by my stepgrandfather.

Anyway, I'd live to hear more about Pensacola and what it'
s like to live there. I'm afraid it is probably too conservative for my taste and definitely too humid. But I've always had fun visiting. Lots of history, good food, and the Gulf!

Day 9. I need encouragement that this pain will go away.

Laurel

Oh, and Mamamia (sorry about the extra "m" last post), I'm the chattering monkey person. :-)

L.

Hello, all -- just checking in. CatGranny, your post about getting to the bathroom first if you think you just have to pass gas made me laugh! That's now more trendily known as "Sharting". You should probably not use or do that term in conversation.

Also, today is Day 8 for me, after "weaning" for 2 weeks from 150 XR daily to 1/2 pill every third day (last Tuesday was the last 1/2 pill). (If you haven't read my previous post, this is NOT THE WAY TO DO IT and I was instructed to do it this way by a very wrong and incompetent doctor.) I work from home and I've noticed the symptoms are way less in the mornings and -- keep your fingers crossed -- no brain zaps yet this morning! My experiment today is no caffeine and less sugar b/c I think that's aggravating the zaps. I ate the entire cake I made on Friday, so I can finally try stopping the sugar. I think it might make a difference, but I just wanted to update those of you going through it -- I'm an 8-year veteran of being on this awful drug and I'm on day 8 of being Effexor Free (not really, this stuff stays in your cells forever, which is why withdrawal takes so long, even Z-pak stays in your cells at least 2 years). Dramamine has really helped the dizziness -- get the less-drowsy formula. I hate to say it because I'm superstitious, but I'm feeling ALMOST like a normal person again! My husband finally read a full page of these posts because I really needed him to understand and now that he does, he's not blowing up at me blowing up and that makes for a happier household for us and the kitties. Also, if you read my other post I said I might be pregnant and would know this weekend, but I believe I'm feeling menstrual cramps. I'm very disappointed, but now I can try to drug detox stuff and other things without hurting a fetus. We'll try again next month. Thanks for listening -- you guys rock.

Naria, I posted before I saw your post -- we're here because my husband's in the Navy and his tour here is either up next year or we'll be here another 3 years after that. Did your sister stay through Hurricane Ivan or did she evacuate? We evacuated against my wishes because we had to leave the kitties (too much stress on older kitties) but we didn't have anywhere to store the boat. We got very, very lucky and sustained only minor damage and were without power only 6 days. I don't know of a contractor who does that but we're thinking of building a deck on the house so I'll ask. I'd suggest your sister call/go to Home Depot or Lowe's because a lot of those guys have contracting backgrounds and will take a job on the side. Yeah, talk about conservative -- I moved down here from Atlanta last year and it's a world of difference. Fine if you like 4 restaurants and 2 shopping stores to choose from (walmart and target). It's beautiful in places, though, and I'm trying to appreciate that. We went on our honeymoon to St. Lucia last month and didn't care that we saw dolphins because we see them all the time here! I'm also from SC originally, which is the armpit of the South and humid "as all get-out." Pensacola's the only place I've found that compares. Ask me anything you want, although I don't know that everybody else here wants to hear all about it! Feel free to email me directly. :^)

As far as encouragement, I felt like I was dying just a few days ago. How strong are we, ladies? We can do it -- I can't believe the strength of all you wonderful women. It makes me teary but Kinko's commercials make me teary right now.

Hi everyone,
I have had such a busy morning it's ridiculous! And I've been trying to post all morning!
It is a beautiful Sunny warm day here in Canada, and I love it. I woke feeling a bit anxious but it passed after a little stretching and a cup of tea.

LAUREL, oh my did you make me literally laugh out loud! Chattering Monkeys! Ooooo is that ever an acurate comparison! I'm sorry you're so uncomfortable, it does take a while to really feel normal again. Just ask Jami and all those who are finally off of Effexor.
You can do it, just take it one day at a time. It will be better soon!
MAMAMIA, the floating mind comment, I hear that! I have felt very out of it and spacy and I just can't stand it. I hate feeling "not there." But some days are worse than others, and I find that getting alot of sleep helps a great deal. At least lying down and trying to relax when I can.
PAM, If you feel better then that is the main thing. We all deserve to be happy. I agree with Jami though about the w/d making me question whether I needed to go off it or not.That isn't right, we should be able to go off of this E if we feel we are ready to do so.
If you are feeling better Pam, then I am happy for you.

RONDA, let me tell you, I am so enraged at that fraud who dares to call him self a professional. That sickens me, and if he was infront of me well....let's just say I wouldn't be all smiles and sunshine, quite the opposite really. I myself have a rather....ummm....firey temper! LOL When I feel someone has experienced an injustice, then that makes me all the more angry. Check into getting another "real" professional involved. And I hope that it will be a better experience for you. We are all here for ya!
CAT, I am happy to hear that your vision is coming back to normal. I hate that part of w/d. I really find it one of the most difficult parts. Your vision and your equalibrium is extremely important to say the least!
Things are slowly coming along for us, but at least we have each other while we wait!
BONNIE, sorry you're feeling so sore hun! Have you tried an epiosom salt bath? Or perhaps getting a very soft soothing massage somewhere? Just some suggestions. I find when my muscles are sore the baths help as well as keeping as well stretched as possible. Soon we will tackle the next dose drop! And we can do it!!!
JAMI I'm glad I brought a smile to your face from the picture I painted with my description of me dividing up those damn beads. I tell ya sometimes I think it's not far off! LOL J/K of course.
I really found your last post about the withdrawl of the effexor quite enlightening. And I agree with you whole heartedly. There should be more honesty with this drug and others as well! Just the w/d does make you think you need to be back on it because it pulls you into depression for a while. I was feeling that way just last night!!! I thought I would have to be on it because I was getting so depressed! I'm so glad you posted that because it made me feel so much better about the choice I am making.
: )

FRUITBAT Congrats on being on your 8th day Effexor free! Good for you! You're doing great!
I'm sorry you're disappointed about not being pregnant. But this will give you the oppertunity to try out the cleanse, and then you can keep on tryin! LOL That isn't so bad! And I had no idea it stayed in your brain cells for so long after! Yikes! That's awful! Man I am so staying off this garbage! I'm glad that your husband could be enlightened from reading all of our horror stories, at least it will help educate those out there who are unaware of what Effexor can do!

Have a good day everyone!

P.S Thank you to PAGE 626 for the well wishes, and good luck to you as well!
Wondering, hope all is well with you and your daughter: )
And BEE! How are things going with the new job? Have you started training yet? We're thinking of you!

xo Elena

Hi all,

Wow, so much reading to catch up on!

Bee, Laurel congrats on hitting the one week mark. I had vivid dreams to but just ran with them figuring it was another way my brain was trying to re-wire itself chemically. Tomorrow will be finishing my 3rd week of effexor free living and the dreams are dreams and sleep in so much more refreshing now.

Wondering, so glad to hear that your daughter is doing better...the worst is behind her for sure now!

Fruitbat, welcome, welcome. Pushing lots of ice water really helped my body get the crap out of my system along with a well rounded multi vitamin. I'm with you as you continue your journey away from effexor and wish you all the best in becoming a parent.

Darn, I missed out on the chattering monkeys...I just had ping ball brain!

Ronda, so sorry to hear about your twit of of mental health 'professional'. Don't stand for it or his verbal abuse.

I feel like I'm so far behind, just taking a day or two away from this post. I'm so glad to hear that everyone is progressing and keeping positive eventhough the w/d symptoms are unbelievable.

I think we all should write to Dr. Phil about this pill to help educate anyone considering going on this drug.

I played in a soccer game last night. Still don't quite have my feet under me but it was so good to get out run around. The belly bloating is still here still painful but not as bad a before. Only micro-zaps. I'm still a bit sensitive to louder sounds and touch but doing much better in this regard. And of course the happy drive is approaching high gear! ;)

Keep rockin!
Hugs to all, M

Goodday guys I hope everyone is fairing as well as they can today!

Elena I am soooo glad that my post about educating healthcare professionals about E and other of this type of drug helpful. I was hoping I could put it into words what about this drug that has upset me and to have it make sense :)

OK sharting is just a disgusting term...GAGGIN lol but then again it really is a disgusting accidental bodily function.

Congrats on all the continuing success in each effexor weaning and effexor free days.


When we were packing up the house for the move last week I pulled out the leftover Effexor pills from the med cabinent. I held them up and asked my hubby what I should do with em and he seriously wanted me to hand them to him so he could toss them. I don't think he wanted to chance that I might just stick them back just in case. He literally walked with me down the hall and watched me flush them down the toilet. He comments so regularly now that he really is enjoying our life together now and is glad to have his wife back....makes me sad to think that the fog I was in effected everyone close to me so much but also makes me happy to know he loved me enough to keep trying when I seemed to be a totally different person then he married. I don't know that I would have been as patient as he was with me ...had it been him that was freakin space case orkind of foggy absent minded b*tchy cat(hiss hiss) that slept all the time thats how I look back and see myself.

RAMBLING AGAIN. My use of the english language and punctuation are creative at best :)


Hugs prayers and a big sloppy lick upside your cheek!!

jami

o.O I believe it was I who posted the pharm. grade vitamins....greatearth.com is the one a friend of mine has used for at least 10 years.


Jami

hi to everyone....all this back & forth is great & you girls are making me laugh, its nice to see though some of you still feel like sh.., you have not totally lost your senses of humor!!! i finally got a chance to check the postings, but there has been so many, i will have to really read through once i get home....there's just a bit too much to read while i'm at the office even though the markets close at 1:15....

day 17 for Steph...she does feel "great", but she has begun to feel "anxious" about a few things....i suggested she see her therapist...she wants no part of her, she is determined to "kick" this by herself & she claims she can talk to me for free & get as much out of the situation...she was talking to a psychiatric nurse via the phone, when she was at school....

laurel....if you would write the names of those 2 books you suggested way back, you would save me from re-reading old postings, i'm having a hard enough time reading the current ones....merci!!

keep up the "positives" girls
~dawn

Hi everyone,

Today, I feel like sh**t. to put it bluntly. Yesterday, I started with a headache and today I just feel achy all over. I really wonder how I am supposed to know what this is. I mean, could it be a virus or the Effexor. I guess it is anyones guess. I hope tomorrow will be better.
Hope everyone is having a great day.
Wonder where cat is today?

Bonnie

Awww, I hope yuo feel better Bonnie! Just put your feet up and take it easy. I know I was feeling achy, but I think it may of been the flu going around my office.
Works done and I'm off to play volleyball! I hope it doesn't rain!

Have a good night everyone!
Hugs
Elena

Awww, I hope you feel better Bonnie! Just put your feet up and take it easy. I know I was feeling achy, but I think it may of been the flu going around my office.
Works done and I'm off to play volleyball! I hope it doesn't rain!

Have a good night everyone!
Hugs
Elena

Thanks Elena, you are so sweet. Have a good time playing volleyball and hope you don't get wet. Looks like rain here too!
Where do you live in Canada?
I have never been to Canada. I hope one day to get there.
Bonnie

Dawn,

Those books are Worry by Edward Hollowell and Embracing the Fear. I can't remember the authors of the latter one, but it's a Hazelden publication.

Everybody, I'm having a terrible time right now. I really hate the pain I'm feeling in my legs, groin, and abs area. I really need to believe it will get better, but right now I'm afraid I've "ruined myself" by taking Effexor. I've also been on a very small dose of Klonopin for anxiety. This is also an addictive drug, especially at higher levels. My dose is very tiny. But I've noticed if I don't take it regularly right now, the intensity of my w/d symptoms increases. I don't want to be taking this medicine either, but I can't go off of it. It also has to be tapered, and my doctors said we'd go there soon.

I just feel like a terrible failure today and a junkie and I don't understand why I'm getting worse not better.

My boss found my crying, and I know he's frankly tired of that. I am, too.

Laurel

Laurel, I'm so sorry you're having such a bad day. I hate that you're having to take another drug to counteract the effects of this one (Effexor), but the withdrawal is truly debilitating and I believe you have to do what you can to get through it. Have you been taking the Epsom salts baths with the hydrogen peroxide in them? I take one every night in really hot water for about 20 minutes and I haven't had any soreness, although maybe that's coming. I've also been taking that GNC Preventive Nutrition Cleansing Formula to try to get everything out of my system as quickly as possible instead of letting it linger in all my cells. I also started a new recommended chinese herbal supplement today called HY-C by Nature's Sunshine, aka Bu Yin. It's basically a kidney cleanse (these medicines beat up on your kidneys) and is supposed to help you if you're feeling fearful. I'll let everyone know if I see any positive of negative side effects. I'm "going" a lot from the cleansing formula but that sounds like everyone else here. I should buy stock in Charmin. Hope you have better days coming, Laurel.

Sara

Laurel: Forgot to mention, about feeling like a junkie? I had headaches from Effexor every single day for 8 years and could not get my day started without at least 1 Goody Powder (powdered aspirin with caffeine in it) every single morning. Yes, EVERY SINGLE MORNING. Sometimes I had 2 if the first one didn't work. I haven't had a goody powder or a headache in a week. Who knows if I have a stomach lining left. Effexor/Wyeth-Ayerst turned us into junkies by giving us this medicine that's almost (ALMOST) impossible to get off of -- just like the cigarette companies increasing nicotine because it was an addictive substance and made people unable to quit. I hope this is the hardest thing all of us ever have to go through, but we're not super-humans -- we've been on a horrific drug that has warped and re-formatted our brain drives and most people cannot do this alone and shouldn't. If you need the Klonopin to continue to function, do it and feel stronger because you're taking this stand to regain your life.

Thanks, Sara, for the encouragement. How much HP (hydrogen peroxide) goes in with the espson salt? I have both products at home.

Dawn, _Worry_ is by Edward M. Hallowell, a psychiatrist at Harvard Medical (I believe) who also suffers from an anxiety disorder. I misspelled his name a few posts back. _Embracing the Fear_ really took me to a new understanding of anxiety and did lessen the fear.

Of course, I'm eating a big whopping dose of fear at the moment.

Thanks, all, for your support and suggestions.

Laurel

For the epsom salt/HP baths, do I need the 35% food grade hydrogen peroxide or just the regular 3% drug store variety?

Laurel, I got both my epsom salts and my HP at the grocery store, so I'm assuming the standard variety. maybe more would be more helpful but I'm not even sure why I need the HP in the bath in the first place. I use about 1 lb of salts and about 1/3 large bottle of HP in every bath -- probably more than I need, but I have a big tub and figure it can't hurt. It's really relaxing. Caution, though, I might be the only one, but I can't get all the way under the water because it hurts my chest (the milk ducts take in salt really easily, EW) but if you don't have a problem with ocean water normally, you shouldn't have a problem with that.

Naria I know just how you are feeling. I too feel like a junkie. I take ativan for anxiety. It is very addictive and have been on it for years. So I will have that to go through one day also. Also I have fibromyalgia and I have to take pain pills for that. So don't beat yourself up. One day and one thing at a time. That is what my doctor told me. Once I am off the effexor then we will work on another one. It will get better. No need to make yourself feel worse than you already do. I have been having body aches myself for the past 2 days. Not sure what is going on with me, but I just try to live one day at a time. Hope this helps you some. Please just let it go as far as feeling guilty about taking something to help you get through this awful time.
Bonnie

Jami, Thank you so much for your response. It is good to feel better again. However, I am also very concerned that I cannot get off this stuff. All of you have offered so many suggestions for dealing with this withdrawal. I just want to make sure I have a support system and a game plan before I try this again. What does the epsom salt and hydrogen peroxide bath do? I have a feeling that optiona alone would have helped me immensely.
In the meantime I will keep you and everyone on this board in my prayers. Pam

Pam, I read about the baths earlier in this message board and decided what the heck, it couldn't hurt and geez, I couldn't imagine at the time I started them that I could feel worse. Not sure what the hydr. peroxide does but the Epsom salts are supposed to help draw toxins out of your skin and body. I know I'm way more relaxed after taking the baths and have done it every night since last Friday and have had no muscle pain or soreness. Still have this bloated belly, though, and feel like the michelin man. The baths just seem to be a natural way to help cleanse this stuff out. I hope it helps you out! Some people (not me) use Epsom salts for constipation -- a teaspoon in water or something. No, thank you. I did that gallbladder flush several months ago and had to drink Epsom salts in water and it was horrendous!