quitting effexor xr 150mg cold turkey

I am on day two of quitting effexor xr 150 mg cold turkey and i feel like im going insane, i am feeling very dizzy, tired all the time, seeing shadowy things for a second and then they dissappear, irrattic behaviour and insecurity and feeling depressed in terms of anxiety and thinking what am i going to do if...... this happened or that. scared of being alone . and headaches all the time. i dont want to go back on effexor as my friends told me all this bad stuff about it and what it does to you. i even googled it and i didnt know effexor was so bad for you. my dr isnt helping at all he was suppose to monitor my intake of effexor but never did and im now thinking this is the only solution to go cold turkey. i just want to know how long these side effests are going to last.

[whodunnit]

What on earth were you thinking?

If you Googled this med you would know that it is one med you do NOT go cold turkey.

No one can tell you how long your symptoms will last, it varies. Anything from 2 weeks to several months for some of the symptoms.

As to Effexor being bad for you, it's not. Giving it up without doc's advice is bad for you. Most threads on this topic on this site tell you to wean yourself off gradually and try to minimise any bad effects.

Next time perhaps a little research may be appropriate as would a discussion with your doc. If the doc's not listening then stop seeing the fool.

You say your friends all told you about this but they didn't say it happened on wthdrawal did they? Because they don't know and just repeated bad withdrawal stories as being a part of the Effexor use. It's not.

Good luck.

[bosnianworrier]

whodunnit is right

ALL antidepressants should be weaned off when quitting but effexor especially. I am in the process of weaning off effexor right now and I have no withdrawal symptoms.

I suggest you see your doctor (if he is not supportive find another one) and tell him/her you want off effexor and they will help you to quit gradually.

[Mike5709]

Stacy...

I have been on Effexor XR 450mg daily for over 2 years. At the same time Buproprion 450mg  a day. I had become very uncomfortable on that dosage and have changed doctors (long story). In any case he is weaning me off. I am taking the generic Effexor (Venlafaxine Hydorchlorie) 75mg for one week, 37.5mg for one week. At the same time, he has started me on Pristiq 50mg and continue with the Buproprion.

My point is that these drugs are so serious that I would never modify dosages or medications without the advice of the doctor. I have to put my trust in them.

Good luck...

Mike

I have treatment resistant depression and have yet to find a solution. I've been recording my journey for a little while in my journal if you are interested. You might fnd it helpful to realize you are not alone....

[4Maddie44]

Hi, I have found that Effexor is the right drug for me with few side effects, the worse being weight gain because I craved carbohydrates.  I dound withdrawal from it last year lasted 10 days, and was very difficult.  I have now asked to go back on it.  I have tried quite a few other drugs, but find Effexor is right for me.  Reading all the side effects is very distressing, and it may not happen to you.  It is not bad for you if it helps your depression.  Always go back to your doctor if you find a drug has too many side effects.  We are all different.  For example, Prozac suits some, but it was bad for me.

[whodunnit]

Hi Mike,

You put it well mate. These are very serious drugs that interact with our brain chemistry and we need advice from those that have been trained in the use and application of them.

To see a doc, get a prescription and then decide yourself to do something the doc has not been made aware of just defies logic. No, not all docs are good but if they aren't why see them? Change to a good doc and stick with what your advice is. Anything else is inviting problems.

[Hensley258]

Don't try to stop at 150Mgs. Too high a dosage to stop.

If it makes you feel better, the symptoms your having are normal.
Trust me they will go away, but with a cold turkey discontinuation at 150Mgs a day you can expect to feel that way for 6 to 8 weeks.

Don't worry it will go away it just takes time. Taper down slow to 37.5Mgs and the try to stop. Your experience will be a little easier then.

I stopped with a taper from 300Mgs a day that I was taking for 4 years. You can do it to.

[Abbasgril37]

I am only on 37.5 mg and am going through horrible withdrawal. Vomiting, sweats, chills severe mood swings, panic attacks, irritability, headaches, crazy dreams, tiredness to name a few. And I used this drug for dream suppression not depression. It is a nasty drug and they should tell you how addictive it is prior to use. I never would have started. Glad to know I'm not alone. But please remember even at a low dose such as mine it is recommended to go off very slowly. I opened up each capsule and counted out 90 mini balls in each instead of approx180 and am doing every second day. It is torture for me and my poor family.