Side Effects of Getting off Effexor XR

[Berly]

I have been on Effexor XR 75 mg for 12 months.  Two weeks ago I went to my doctor and discussed the possibilty of becoming pregnant in the near future, and if I should get off the medicine first.  He said I need to get off the medicine first, and now for two weeks I've been on 37.5 mg which the Dr. said to do for a month, and after a month go back to decide whether then to get completely off it, or if I should take one every other day.  For the last week, however, I've been having awful muscle cramps and spasms in my legs that are painful, and preventing me from sleeping through the nite. My legs jump at nite and its hard to relax them.  I am using a heating pad and I now take a Tylenol PM at night to help with pain and to help me sleep.  Is this a withdrawal symptom from Effexor?  Thank you.

[edgygirl]

I have just joined this thread and I wanted to say to anyone/everyone trying to wean off Effexor or any other anti-depressant - (I took Paxil for 5 years and I am now taking 300mg of Effexor XR for almost a year) - if you have ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, no matter how dumb you think they are, ASK YOUR DOCTOR!!!  And try to get information on your own as well - the main thing is the doctor's definition of "weaning" is usually not the same as your body's definition and everyone is different - if you are not switching to something else, that is the hardest thing to do - and yes, all of those symptoms happen and it's a living hell but the key is to TAPER, TAPER, TAPER - i don't care if you have to take one granule from inside a capsule out once a week and reduce it like that, you have to make it so GRADUAL that your body doesn't go through so much trauma - it shouldn't have to be that awful - make it as easy on yourself as possible - i have been told that with Effexor, if you need to half or quarter what is in a capsule, you can ask a pharmacist to compound it - or buy veggie caps and pour half of what's in a capsule into one of those and reduce slowly that way.  Just keep SMALL reductions happening at regular intervals - it will take a lot longer but it won't be as traumatic.

Now here is my question to anyone out there, have any of you had problems with your blood pressure increasing with Effexor?? I had read about it but my doctor never said anything about it.  Then one day I had a physical and my b.p. was 150/110 !!!!! (that's high for someone who is always normal 120/80) - I now may have to switch off of Effexor which has been very effective for me - has anyone else had this problem with blood pressure?

[emma jay]

hi, i was on prozac for about 3 years ( im 22 by the way), when i felt it was no longer helping my depression the doctor switched me to effexor 1x75mg daily. i must admit i no longer feel as depressed, but i have been experiencing really bad episodes of dizziness, tiredness and sickness. Anyway i never thought it could be the tablets, so i went to my doctor who took some bloods to check for things like anaemia and thyroid trouble. The results were normal. I haven't seen the doctor again.
It wasn't untill i came on this sight that i have realised that it may be the tablets ( i am actually quiet upset that the dr didn't even realise or chech that this was an option).
My symptoms have been:
nausea
dizziness
a feeling as if my heart is beating really loudly and hard
a 'weird' feeling in my head, that i get when i get up or move my head quickly, kinda as if my brain is dancing about
i have been really emotional without been depressed, for example, iv been crying at the silliest things on tv

do u think these may be related to me taking effexor?? and do u think i should go back and see my doctor ( i dont want him to think im being a pain in the bum)

[babynikki]

Hello, i have been on effexor for probably 2 years now, and i've suddenly had to get off due to insurance problems.
Ive turned into a psycho.
i didnt think this had bad side effects while trying to get off, i thought it was mainly all my xanax, wich without insurance is only 17 bucks.
I dont know what to do..this is just my first day so far, and i've done a total circle and now i feel like i did at 18 (totally helpless and not exactly sane)
i'm now 22, have been on almost everything. but getting off this one is a huge kick in the *ss.
does anyone have any info on what i'm supposed to do now, or what i could do?
thanks so much,
-Nikki-

[johnquinn]

Missa,

I know exactly what you are feeling.  I was on 150mg for 2 yrs and last month I wanted off.  I talked with the Dr. and I did 75mg for a week and 37.5mg for a week.  Well it didn't work.  At this moment I have a horrible feeling in my head that is similar to a popping feeling and sound, this happens when I blink or turn my head or do nothing.  I constantly have a sick feeling.  I am so on edge it's not funny and I just want to be left alone.  I have experience the emotional feelings also but not the crying.  I haven't cried in God nows how many years, right now I could if I tried just a little.
I hope this all goes away soon.  I feel like I can't handle it!

John

[missa21]

Hello everyone. I was on Effexor XR for about 2 months to help treat my OCD,  and my doctor has weaned me totally off of the 37.5 dosage. Now I can bearly even stay awake, the side effects are awful, I constantly feel dizzy during the day, my heart beats really irregular, all I want to do is cry.  I feel like Im losing my mind, Im only 21 years old and it feels like Im going crazy, now the doctor has put me on Xanax to help with these effects, but it is not working. If anyone has been in a similar situation I would really like to hear how long this will last, I feel like I will end up in a mental hospital my emotions are out of control! Help!

[SER]

I have been on Effexor SR 150 mg for approximately 3 years.  I tried weaning following MD recommendations...took 75 mg for 1 wk then 37.5 mg for one week.  Have now been totally off for 4 days.  During the weaning my mood was fine, but now that I'm taking nothing, the side effects are awful:  vertigo, my brain feels like it is "sloshing" in my head, ears are ringing, nausea, tremors, abd and leg cramps, diarrhea, can't focus, can't comprehend what I hear, and feel on the verge of just falling down and seizing.  I believed my depression was situational so decided to forego changing meds.  It is so bad, that I changed my mind and just took the first Lexpro in my sample pill pack...am afraid this is a life-long disease and will be on meds til the end...