Anybody else have bad withdrawals from effexor?

[accebernnyl]

My psychiatrist put me on Effexor about a year ago. He had me taking 150 mg twice a day. At first, I thought that it was a great drug and that I finally found something to help my depression. However, about a couple weeks after I was on it, I started having horrible side effects. I googled "effexor side effects" and this is what came up: "nausea, dizziness, sleepiness, sweating, dry mouth, gas, abnormal vision, nervousness, insomnia, loss of appetite, constipation, confusion, agitation, tremors, yawning, palpitations, and increased cholesterol."
I had all of those side effects. I lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks. I was wanting to lose weight, but not in that kind of way; that couldn't be healthy at all. I would twitch constantly and just be very awake. If I did not my daily dose at the same time every day, I would have withdrawal symptoms. I also googled "withdrawal symptoms," and this is what came up: "dizziness, dry mouth, fatigue, major headaches, nervousness, tremors, vertigo, vomiting, agitation, abdominal pain, confusion." Also, I found this:  I even read on a website that effexor has a half-life of 5 hours. That might be why I had withdrawal symptoms while I was still taking the medicine. "The 'zzt' you can feel in your head, an electric sort of vertigo, and it often reverberates in your hands and fingers." The 'zzt' feeling that was talking about would be classified under the tremor part of the withdrawal symptoms. That was the worst part of the withdrawal symptoms for me. Like I said, I would feel all of these symptoms even when I was on it. The worst were the brain tremors like I said, extreme sweating, nervousness and weight loss. Needless to say, I asked my doctor to take me off of it. He never warned me of the side effects/withdrawals. He put me on Cymbalta, which wasn't much better. I then went on Lexapro, which didn't help at all. Right now, I am taking Prozac. I have had depression for about 8 years, and have taken numerous medications for it, and the only one that seems to help is Prozac. A couple weeks ago, I started to feel normal again. It had been about 6 months since I stopped taking effexor. In those 6 months, I thought that I would never feel like myself again, and that I was going crazy and just had the worst depression I've ever had. I am so glad that it has gone away. I read about people saying it took them months for the withdrawal symptoms to go away, and I hated that and just never thought that I would get better. However, I am feeling great now. My advice for anyone going through as bad of withdrawals as I was on is that it does eventually get better. It may take months to a year, but it does get better. I never would kill myself, but I had the worst suicidal thoughts in my withdrawal symptoms. I have read that this medicine works for some people, but I feel like it needs to be taken off the market. I feel it does more people bad than it does good. I would rather be depressed anyday than go through those withdrawal symptoms again. If anybody knows of any kind of petition there is to take this off the market, please let me know by email: ***@****. Anyway I have been wanting to let that off my chest for a while, but for the record I hate effexor!

[Hensley258]

While discontinuing Effexor I also had bad withdrawls, but at the same time I would not trade the 4 full years of remission it gave me. (before it pooped out on me)

It was VERY unconfortable tapering off to another drug, but in the time I took Effexor XR at (300Mgs a day) it did give me 90% remission. For that I am greatful.

Sure wished it still worked for me as it did back in that time.

[LizzieE]

Hi- I take effexor, I have been taking it for over a year now.  If I accidently miss a dose I have terrible terrible withdrawls.  You are taking quite a high dosage.  I was told you are only suppose to take 250mg at the most by my doctor. Also you are only suppose to take it once a day every day at the same time.  I have the extended release caps. though.  Maybe the combination of all the meds you are taking effected your health.  I would say it shouldn't be taken off the market.  I would like the side effects and withdrawls not to be so severe.  I have noticed that if I don't take in on time every day, even if I am off by a few hours of taking it, I start feeling dizzy and angry.  That is not a cool feeling!

[CdnDaisy]

While you may have had a bad experience, I don't know what I would do without my Effexor. It has been my saving grace. To say that it should be taken off the market because it was hard on you is not fair to the rest of us who couldn't live without it. Please mind what you say.

[remar]

I'm so happy that your symptoms went away too. I also took this med and had all alot of the same symptoms you did. It made me very tired though. Your Dr. had you on a high dose in my opinion. No wonder you went through horrible withdrawal. I did'nt have the brain zaps while I was taking it, but when I was tapering they were terrible. What concerned me the most while I was taking it was the high blood pressure and cholesterol. Everything's fine now since I quit taking it. Your email address won't show up on in a post. It will if you give it to someone in a private pm. I'm glad your feeling better and you found a med that works for you. Take care. Remar