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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Please help
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Please help
by alliedm, Dec 21, 2007 10:23AM
I was taking effexor xr for about 4 months getting all the way up to 300mg a day. I just found out I am pregnant and me being the anxious person I am, refuse to take anything while pregnant. I stopped effexor cold turkey 3 days ago and the withdrawal is HORRIBLE. Like nothing I have ever experienced. I am crying, jittery, dizzy, my equilibrium is off, etc. Does anyone know how long this withdrawal will last before I start to feel like myself again? I am worried the withdrawal is maybe worse then just continuing to take the medicine?!
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Dec 21, 2007 04:33PM
, Dec 21, 2007 04:33PMTo: alliedm
You should talk to your doctor about this, it is actually dangerous to go off that dose so quickly. Try going back on the smallest dose you can to stop the withdrawals, then wean your self off of that over two weeks, the last week using the smallest dose every other day before you stop altogether.
Member Comments (2)
by obichoc, Jan 08, 2008 05:18PM
To: alliedm
Also, consider going on Prozac temporarily, with the Effexor, as you taper. It helped my a lot. Other stories vary. Prozac has a longer half-life so it's easier to get off of after your off Effexor. Also it will take several weeks to feel clean of Effexor.
