Please help

I was taking effexor xr for about 4 months getting all the way up to 300mg a day. I just found out I am pregnant and me being the anxious person I am, refuse to take anything while pregnant. I stopped effexor cold turkey 3 days ago and the withdrawal is HORRIBLE. Like nothing I have ever experienced. I am crying, jittery, dizzy, my equilibrium is off, etc. Does anyone know how long this withdrawal will last before I start to feel like myself again? I am worried the withdrawal is maybe worse then just continuing to take the medicine?!

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You should talk to your doctor about this, it is actually dangerous to go off that dose so quickly.  Try going back on  the smallest dose you can to stop the withdrawals, then wean your self off of that over two weeks, the last week using the smallest dose every other day before you stop altogether.

[obichoc]

Also, consider going on Prozac temporarily, with the Effexor, as you taper. It helped my a lot. Other stories vary. Prozac has a longer half-life so it's easier to get off of after your off Effexor. Also it will take several weeks to feel clean of Effexor.