Effexor withdrawl

[YlwRose]

Anyone made it through the withdrawl symptoms yet?
Been completely off effexor (after gradual weaning) for 6 days now. that jolting feeling comes and goes - notice it more in the evening, the nausea has gone away but still have these incredible mood swings. they are different than depression - it's like all of a sudden i am just ANGRY or start crying and can't stop!
when does this end?

[sportlover]

Hi everyone.  I just wanted to let you all know that I have now been Effexor free for almost 6 months and am feeling like my old self again.  For all of you who are trying to get off of this drug, please read my previous messages.  I think what helped me the most was I did not rush to get off of the pills this last time.  Once I got down to 37.5 mg, I took that amount daily for two weeks.  Then I started taking 37.5 mg every other day for two weeks.  When the two weeks were up, I stopped but I made sure I still had some pills left over and carried those damn things with me for about a month.  It just gave me comfort knowing I had some just in case.  I would suggest to some of you that you may want to take a 37.5 mg dose every two days after that.....if you feel like you need to.  Like I had previously said, if at all possible, plan to take your final pill the day before you go on holidays....as it is much easier knowing that you don't have to go to work the next day and that you can sleep in if you've had a bad night.

As most of you know, Effexor makes you gain weight.  I have now lost 1/2 of the weight I had gained and hopefully can lose the other 1/2 soon.  I am going to the gym about 3 times a week and that in itself makes you feel much better.

Sandi

[raspa]

Im so glad im not the only one suffering this nightmare from hell trying to get off effexor.  I think I know more than the GP so that doesnt help.  He suggests strategies and they fail, like a lot of you I feel stuck on them, since Ive been on anti-depressants i feel as though I only half alive, kind of going through lifes motions but not really living it.  Anyone else feel like this.

[pearlgem]

I have been on Effexor XR 150 mg for almost 9 years now and about 5 years ago I did try to wean myself off...took the 75 mg capsule and the 37.5 mg tablet for a few weeks and though this helped to not have the crazy shakes/veritgo I did really start to have bad mood swings and crazy anxiety. At that point I did not want to have another depressive episode so I not only went back on the 150 mg of Effexor but then added 10 mg of Lexapro.

While I'm definitely stable mood wise and feel good (mentally) I am always tired, have gained weight, have the night sweats, etc. I would be fine staying like this though I don't like being dependent on drugs but have recently been thinking about becoming pregnant in the next 2 years. I'm getting older, in a great relationship and feeling pretty good.

Both Lexapro and Effexor are not ok to be on while pregnant or trying to become pregnant. So I'm going to make an appt with my psychiatrist to discuss. Very interested in seeing what he says about this. Will definitely share if I learn anything new.

[moodrollercoaster]

I stopped taking effexor xr 150mg 7 days ago. I stopped cold turkey.  The withdrawal is horrendous. I have had severe withdrawals from nausea, vomiting, brain and eye zaps, brain tremors, insomnia even though I am so tired, massive mood swings from rage, anger, irritability, constant hysterical  crying, I am seriously suicidal several times a day, sometimes all day, struggling to keep myself from actually killing myself daily. Violent thoughts towards my most loved ones. My doctor had given me some valium to help with my severe side effects and is hoping they should subside in a few days. I am a full time uni student with essays and exams due. I am a single parent with 3 young children, my eldest child is 8 yrs old as suffers with autism. All I can say is god please help me through this and please stop  this emotional, moody, angry, suicidal rollercoaster ride. Or I will have to stop it myself.

[lulu102]

I find it interesting that most of the people on here who have tried to go off of Effexor, ended up going on it...whether it was shortly after or a year later.  I have yet to read anyone say that they successfully weaned themselves off and STAYED off.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH EFFEXOR:
I have been on it for about 7 YEARS, I take 150mg/day. I've tried to go off of it 3 times now, by slowly weaning my prescription over several weeks, but failed to ever successfully be off of it because I had terrible mood swings, uncontrollable crying, depression and anxiety attacks.  I tried to wait it out and see how long I could go to see if things would get better. I think I went a month without Effexor, but the withdrawal symptoms did not let up so I always ended up going back on.  
The good thing about me trying to wean myself off...was that my tolerance had decreased, so it became more effective once I started taking it again. The bad news is, I'm still on it and don't know when or if I will ever be able to successfully stop taking it. :( And I'm only 25, what if I want to have kids someday :(
Effexor helps me with my depression, but it certainly does not CURE it. It decreases my energy level substantially, but I guess that is a side effect I have been willing to endure to help my depression

[tayantz]

hi i am just like everyone else on the site. i have just gone off 150mg cold turkey and am on my 4th day things are not good. i am going to my docs on wed to see if i can get a prescription for Prozac as i have been reading it helps with the withdrawals. any way just letting you know that i have been doing a lot of research on this and have been reading that the drug you have just started to take has almost as bad symptoms as effexor not that i have been on this drug myself just thought i would give you the heads up. good luck.