decreasing effexor

I have been on anti-depressants for ten years.. Mainly because i had stomach problems and it was the only thing that helped. I want to try and see what i am like without them. I have decreased from 150mg to 75mg. I am feeling sad and wondering if this is normal

[LeftCoastChick]

I would not recommend dropping your dose without speaking to your doctor first. If it's an issue with your stomach, I'm guessing it's anxiety, which can cause lots of tummy problems. If it's beeing working well why get off the drug?

[redneckgirl]

HI, if you want to know what might happen when lower your dose of effexor  type into your goggle    petitiononline.com/effexor    read the petition then go to signatures and read what people are saying about decreasing effexor. about 20 thousand people have signed this petition.  yes you will probably feel sad, this is a powerful drug, but your doctor may not know or understand the side effects of comming off the drug. start researcing how others have come off this antidepressant, by looking at effexor forums.
email me if you would like.

[hoodriver]

I am a 65 year old woman raising a 15 year old grandson.  After the death of my husband 6 years ago my psychiatrist prescribed 300 mg of Effexor daily which I took at bedtime because it made me tired.  On a few occasions I forgot to take a dose & spent the day crying which was what I felt was a good indicator of what I could expect when I got off it.  In the last couple of years I became aware that I was becoming more anxious and less able to go places & do things.  I had been a woman involved with many people & things and have become a person who seems to be trying to "erase myself".  I realized that I needed to get off the Effexor & find myself again.  I asked my psychiatrist & we worked out a program for my reducing my dose & since cost was an issue I would open my capsules to measure lower doses.  The first week I cut my dose in 1/2-1 150 mg capsule & actually felt better.  I was able to make several appointments for medical issues that I had been avoiding taking care of.  It reinforced my opinion that I was doing the right thing.  The 2nd week, however, when I again cut my dose in 1/2 the full package of side effects hit me full on.  

My Dr. had offered me Prozak to help ameliorate the symptoms of withdrawal but I declined not wanting to add another chemical to the mix.  By the 2nd day of the 2nd week I started vomiting.  I assumed that I had the flu but by the third day of vomiting I knew that this was withdrawals.  I was also crying all the time, I couldn't read because my eyes were strange & it made me sick, Sleep was difficult because I was fearful & nervous & if I did fall asleep I had terrible nightmares that woke me, I was cold & my temperature was 96.6.  I finally called my Dr. & accepted a prescription for a suppository to control the nausea.  I could have increased my Effexor but didn't want to continue being trapped by it.  I figured I would just see it through & just stopped taking it at all.  I am now at 3 weeks & the symptoms are much better but not gone.  I still cry a lot but I slept today without nightmares & I am nauseous now from looking at the computer monitor but this is the first time today.  I have hope that this will all be over soon but this has been the most terrifying, horrendous process of my life.

I am writing this because I want you to know that there are others out there feeling the same things you are.  Good Luck,
Chris

[redneckgirl]

many of us wonder if the side effects that effexor has caused will ever go away. some of the side effects are so severe and the withdrawals are unbearable. would like to know how you are doing? have you decreased or stopped yet. let me know