whats what

I am weaning off Effexor and quit after one wk at 37.5mg.  I ended up in the ER with a MAJOR panic attack.  I am having all of the side effects, dizziness, flu-like symptoms also.  When I began weaning from 225mg Effexor I began 20mg of Prozac which I had taken several years ago.  I was 3 weeks into the prozac when all of these symptoms came on.  Does that mean that the Prozac isnt working bc I had such a big panic attack.  I have had 3 in the last 3 days and am living in fear of the next one.  Is it the Effexor withdrawl (withdrawal)?  Is the Prozac not working?  I am also on 200mg Lamictal.  I do not think that I am bipolar.  Doc said that the panic attacks may be manic symptoms and so she told me to take zyprexa 2.5mg at night, stop the prozac and take 37.5 of effexor until she gets back in town.  She told me that she thinks that I am bipolar but I don’t understand why.  She said that she thought my panic attacks were manic episodes that manifest as irritability and panic.  I don’t get it.  I do have ups and downs but just like anyone else I think.  I have always done well with just an antidepressant but they always seem to poop out after a couple of years and that is why she put me on the lamictal.  She said that “poop out” could be another sign of bipolar.  Could the Lamictal be causing any of these problems.  Please help.  Im lost here!

[MJIthewriter]

Could it be Effexor withdrawl (withdrawal)?  I quite c/t on that because I didn't think it was helping and didn't believe it would cause problems. That was 2001.  I think because I wasn't on it very long and being on a smaller dose and lucky, I wasn't crippled by it when I came off.  I don't even remember if I felt under the weather that time or not... I just remembered what happened when the psycho upped my dose once, and that was hell...for two days. I went right back down to the old dosage. I figured the med was doing nothing but causing headachesand dizziness just about every other day and needed to stop.

Several people don't seem to be as lucky coming off.

[Tenny]

I was asking my dr. how long I'd need the Effexor..he explained that part to me..each case is different, it depends on how many relapes I've had and the likeyhood of having more.  But told me not to stop c/t.  That Effexor needs to be dose reduced slowly; if not it is not pleasant, "it will make you feel like you have been bitten by a flu bug taking steroids".  So I can imagine how bad you felt physically.  I don't have the panic attacks, so I have only the depression issues for the past 7 years so so.  I starting on the first anitdepressant, Zoloft was a rather unpleasant experience.  I couldn't sleep, my mind raced all the while I was trying to fall asleep, my head pounded, I over talked-I guess those are very manic like symptoms.  So medicine alone can do strange things to our minds and bodies!  After I got used to the drug the dose was upped.  I've since had to change to several different ones because about every 2 years mine poop out too.  I've never been told I was bipolar, just that I needed to try something else that might work better.

Hope you feel better real soon.  Are there other things you do to help yourself, you know, good diet, walk or exercise, find one thing you are good at that you really enjoy, or used to enjoy doing and just do it?  That helps me, even though I still have down/quiet/don't want to do anything at all days.  

I haven't tried to come off Effexor but I hope to be one of the lucky ones and won't need it anymore!