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Long-term withdrawal effects from Effexor XR - HELP!
I have been off Effexor for about 5 months now. I stopped cold-turkey per my doctor's instruction (BIG mistake!). I thought once I was over the initial withdrawal, I would be fine; BUT I only had a couple weeks of feeling o.k. before I started experiencing all sorts of problems. I started with muscle weakness and pain in my calves and stomach pain directly below my rib cage. It then progressed to my arms and now my voice is even weak. Everything is bilateral. Has anyone else experienced these delayed, long-term withdrawal effects from Effexor? If so, did they ever go away? I'm scheduled for an MRI of my brain to rule out anything more serious such as ALS. If my tests come back o.k., the doctor mentioned putting me back on Effexor and then weaning me off of it very slowly to see if that gets rid of everything, but I'm afraid to go back on it in case it just makes everything worse. I am also under the care of a homeopathic doctor and am on several supplements, which have helped greatly with my depression, but my physical symptoms have not gone away. Any advice or help would be appreciated!
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Thankfully, my brain MRI was normal! Praise God! My Lyme test was also normal. Now I just have to hope that these symptoms don't last for several years. I have an appointment scheduled with a different neurologist for a second opinion, but they didn't have any openings until October. My doctor suggested I have them do an EMG. However, from what I've read, most people with the symptoms I'm having go through all these tests, and they all come back normal, so I'm not expecting much. Just wish I knew when I would be "normal" again.
I just had a brain MRI as well and it came back clear. Symptoms: memory pproblems, trouble focusing, brain fog, brain zaps, muscle twitches all over my body, balance issues, mood swings, and bone crushing exhaustion and body aches. I am just now thinking that all of this started within two months of coming off Effexor XR, I;ve been off for 9-10 months and it;s not getting better. Blood work was normal except low Vit D. Lyme test came back clear.
Have you considered trying to resume the Effexor? Sometimes people in these situations give that a try. Perhaps bring that up to your doc, see what he says.
Remember, as frustrated as you are, it's a GOOD thing that your medical work-ups have been negative!
I pray you find some relief soon. Please update us when you can!
Remember, as frustrated as you are, it's a GOOD thing that your medical work-ups have been negative!
I pray you find some relief soon. Please update us when you can!
I havent considered it yet. I literally just realized this could be an Effexor issue. Withdrawal off the meds was bad but then it was over so I thought that was it. I wasn't expecting to have more issues down the road and I am still not completely convinced it's the Effexor withdrawal and not something else. Not sure how I feel about going back on the Effexor though I guess it would give me an answer. Hmmm.........
My doctor mentioned putting me back on the lowest dose of Effexor and then weaning me off VERY slowly to see if the symptoms would go away. I'm not sure I'm ready to risk going through that. Like you, I went through horrible withdrawal and then felt fine, only to get hit with these symptoms a month or so after being off the Effexor. It discourages me to hear that you have been off Effexor for about 10 months and are experiencing all these symptoms. I just want to feel normal again . . . whatever that is.
I hear you.....my doc never even considered the possibility it was Effexor related and thought I had MS or ALS (which have been ruled out). The neurologist didn't link it to Effexor either and thought it was some sort of auto-immune thing and recommended a rheumatologist. I want answers but more tests sound daunting and now that I see so many other people suffering from the med. long term I am more and more convinced that that is what it is. I took fish oil today because I read that can help and *knock on wood* today has been better than yesterday. I won't know anything for a while though as I do have good days and bad days. Sigh.....it's this huge puzzle and trying to figure it out *****!!! I wish more doctors knew about the long term effects of this med. and could be more definitive in knowing what we are going through. Most days I just feel like I am crazy and feel like no one really believes me and they think I am just lazy.
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The vast majority of people who come off these kinds of meds will experience some level of a discontinuation syndrome (aka, withdrawal), but most for people, it is tolerable and short lived. You should have definitely been tapered off slowly, your doctor was wrong to suggest for you to go off cold turkey, unless you were only taking it for a few days.
Effexor is one of those meds that is notoriously hard to come off. There are definitely more horror stories related to Effexor than a lot of other meds. The good news is, even if it takes a lot longer than a person would think, or desire, you WILL get to feeling better. You are doing the right thing by continuing to follow up with your doctor about your symptoms, because another fairly common occurence is that people attribute a lot, or most of their symptoms to drug w/d, when in reality, a lot of times, there is something else going on, even a reemergence of anxiety and depression. It's just always good to keep the assessment process open while you're still experiencing these symptoms.
I would strongly recommend you making sure that the doctor managing this issue is a psychiatrist familiar with these meds. A PCP can manage anxiety and depression to a POINT, but the most optimal doctor to do this is a psych. I also agree that you may want to seek a second opinion from a new doctor, to get a new perspective. Again, unless you were only on the Effexor for a short, short time, your doc should have known that tapering was recommended.
I'm so sorry you are feeling so lousy, and I wish you the best of luck in finding a solution to help get you feeling better real soon! Just try to keep in mind that, while this has gone on FAR too long for you to have to endure feeling so badly, you won't feel like this forever. For some people, and for unknown reasons, it just takes longer for your system to readjust to not having the Effexor on board.
Please keep us updated, we care!