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effexor xr withdrawls how soon will it go away along with xanax

hi i been on effexor xr since july 2006 in jan i had a ovary and tube removed and 2 weeks later i had a bad panic attack i then went to my family dr he gave me xanax 1 mg 3 times a day in feb i stayed on them then in may i was in walmart and had a very severe attack but this was all due from too much stress on me at once i dont like the effexor xr 75 i started out on 37.5 they made me feel great then he upped them to 75 then 150 well the 150 was too strong so im now back on 75 i sleep nonstop im awake some but most times i fall asleep i cant sleep all throught the night i wake up in the morning and im very shaky and nervous so i have to take a xanax i take the effexor at night i tried stopping them once and i was so scared and i cried and cried my husband had to come home and stay with me cause i couldnt handle it im at the point where i want to go to a mental hospital untill i can get off them for good cause i cant do this alone unless it dont last long i may be able to do it it did help with my panic attacks and my depression and being afraid of being home alone but i feel like im all better now i have no life on this medication cause alls i do is sleep i have no energy no motivaction i never leave my house i cant get nothing done cause im too tired i feel like i slept for days and i just dont do nothing i have 2 girls 14 and 10 and a husband and i need help getting off theses meds i go back to my dr dec 29th 2006 and also i go for my yrly checkup in jan 2007 i was due for my period this month but nothing so far my last one was in sept thanks
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973741 tn?1342342773
Sometimes medications can stop working in a patient and what you describe almost sounds like a resurfacing of original anxiety symptoms.  Just a thought----- . Sorry, it sounds like it is really terrible for you now.  I would work closely with your doctor, they should be able to get you off the med.  But I would consider that you may be currently experiencing symptoms of panic disorder and anxiety again and this will get worse without any medication.  Stay close to your doctor for help.  Isn't it terrible how one turn in our history such as your pregnancy can change everything?  Good luck and I sincerely mean that.  
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Avatar universal
Wow.  I know u posted ur first blog about 3 1/2 yes ago, but I just came across it today and cannot get over the fact how similar our stories are.  In 2005 I had an ectopic prgnancy in my left ovary which lead to me getting my whole left ovary and left tube removed.  Just so everyone will know why I started getting panic attacks after this ectopic pregnancy.... It's because I was bleeding internally and externally for one month straight before a doctor could figure out what was wrong with me.  Weird huh? Even tho all the doctors I went to were OBGYN's.  Well anyways...   After all that was done and over with I started getting the worst panic attacks ever!!! Anxiety hell!  I have never experienced such mental pain!!!  Finally after 3 months of struggling with anxiety, stress, fear and missing souch work.. And going to the ER every 2 days thinking something wad wrong with me.... Cancer or some life threatening disease... I finally decided to see a psychiatrist.... I was a little afraid cuz I was scared what my family would think of me... But I wad also so tired of the anxiety, panic attacks and sleepless nights.   After a discussion with the doctor, he diagnosed me with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Great. All because of the ectopic pregnancy.... I was so affraid.  The doctor introduced me to Effexir XR and explains how it works.   After I was amazed by how he described this magic drug, I decided to go on with the treatmeant.  He started me off at 37.5mg a day for 2 weeks then 75 mg for another 2 weeks.  After the 36.5 mg trial I wad feeling great.  Soooo back to normal... But u was warned not to stop without instructions from my doctor.   So me thinking I wad completely cured... I stopped the effexor after my 1rst month and stopped seeing my doctor.  Well let me tell u... U should have listened... 4 days after stopping I was back in ER with a panic attack.... Wnt back to the doctor and this time started me at 150 mg for about a month.  Then he increased to 300 mg a day.   It's 2009! And I'm still taking 300 mg a day.   When I first started effexor, I loved it.   I was cured... Went backro work, went out with my girls again AND lost weight.   NOW i wish I never started it.  This medication has taken over my life!!! Everytime I try to get off if it... It just doesn't happen!  The withdrawals are horrible!! Upset stomache!! Dizzy spells! Hot flashed!! Fever! Chills! Crying for no reason! Unable to drive! Want to stay in bed alll day! Migraines!  If I would have done my research... I wouldn't be typing in this forum today!!!  I know how u feel Vickie 44.  It's so hard...    It's 2009 now!  I hope ur doing great! With effexor or without! :)   Im glad I got to read ur story and share mine aswell! :).   Kay0584
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Avatar universal
hi well went to the dr today and he's weening me off effexor xr 75 mg he said to take 1 75 once a day for 2 weeks and in 1 week start 1/2 a tablet of zoloft for 2 weeks then the following week take 1 effexor every other day and a whole tablet of zoloft which is 100 mg he said after i skip every other day on the effexor for the 2nd week then stop and take the zoloft so after that im stopping the zoloft too if its safe i hope cause i felt better before i got on the effexor i mainly got on them from stress i had too much stress in my life all at once so i think the effexor is making me feel this way my head hurts all the time now my stomach hurts i just dont feel myself so im hoping once im off the effexor i will be back to myself again right now i cant do much of anything i cry for no reason im tired alot i have no energy when i just had my surgery i took just xanax and i went places yes i was a little scared at first but i was going places after awhile and i was taking a bath and cleaning since being on the effexor it seems my life is worse i no longer have any stress in my life i want to enjoy life again and i honestly think if i get off the effexor i'll feel better then i can get off the xanax if not sooner cause im more nervous and shaky on them then with the effexor then when i just took xanax alone  i did sleep when i first got the xanax but only for about a month .so is this a safe way to do this you know take the zoloft for about 2 weeks then stop or does zoloft have side effects too? plus for some odd reason my blood surgar was 63 and i fainted 3 times not sure why but i think i was feeling like this because i wanted off the meds i have a good life we moved to a new home in a new town in july and nothing bothers me except for the fact that i couldnt do anything and i was allways tired and cried and i read on webmd that effexor can stop your periods my last one was sept and i havent had one since and im not having any kind of menopause symtons.
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Avatar universal
hi well since i last posted about effexor and xanax i been worse im not trying to stop cold turkey now i'll let the dr help well the effexor isnt helping it is and it isnt what i mean is now i been having fainting spells and i dont know why and yes i take my xanax 3 times a day cause i really need them and i sleep in the morning sometimes if im tired and sometimes i fall asleep in the evening but i dont everyday yes i wake up 2-3 hrs before 6am and sometimes i dont but when i do i feel very nervous and shaky  when i was a child about 3 i use to faint for no reason the dr never knew why and yes im going to my dr tomorrow i wrote everything down to show him whats happening to me im not sure i like the effexor i dont think i do because i been on them 7 mos and i cant do nothing now im starting to have fainting spells which is scarring me plus i checked my blood sugar at my moms just to see it was 63 and just before i faint i feel really bad my stomach hurts i get dizzy and my head hurts really bad so im hoping my dr can figure out whats wrong with me and yes the removal of my ovary scared me to death i didnt want that surgery done its been a whole yr since i had that and my right ovary i feel pain once in awhile but my last period was in sept .does anyone know why id be fainting does panic attacks do this only it dont feel like a panic attack but it could be.vickie44
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Avatar universal
AJC
I hate SSRI's, Please do your research about them before taking them! Especially lexapro. It really depends on your physiology. Some it seems to really help, but it has put me out of work for 3 months due to horrible side effects. Please be very cautious.
Tony
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Avatar universal
AJC
I forgot to mention, xanax realy works for me well. I've heard good things about other benzodiazepines too.
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Avatar universal
I have to admit that I HATED Effexor and was ready to get off of it.  When I stopped, I felt so sick that I couldn't get off the couch.  In my case, I was already on Klonopin as well, but that didn't ease the withdrawal symptoms.  I was so mad at the psychiatrist who had put me on Effexor.  

What I ended up doing was tapering off and ramping up on an SSRI at the same time.  My regular doctor did a good job of balancing the two, and I was able to make an easy transition.

I'm not sure how much Xanax will help, and I don't know if you plan on staying on antidepressants.  However, gradual replacement with an SSRI helped tons.

Hang in there!

SWJ
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Avatar universal
I'm taking Efffexor and Xanax as well. I haven't tried to come off of the Effexor, so I can't tell you about withdrawals. But, if you DO want to stay on the meds, why don't you try flipping it around. Try taking the Effexor in the morning and the Xanax at night. The Xanax is a muscle relaxer, so it will definitely make you tired. Are you still taking the Xanax 3 times a day? Because if you're feeling better as far as the panic goes, you probably don't want to take that much. I only take the Xanax when I feel I need it. Which is usually only once or twice a WEEK. I take the Effexor every morning, though.

Also, if you do stop the meds, why don't you try stopping them one at a time? Like, keep taking the Effexor in the morning, but start tapering down on the Xanax. Sometimes I only take half a pill. Especially if it's during the day because I hate how tired it makes me. Good luck!
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Avatar universal
Hi Vickie. I'm sorry you are having such a rough time.  Effexor side effects (or adjustment of Effexor dosing) and/or the withdraw from it can be very frightening. Both the medication and withdraw can cause the symptoms you have described. It can be horrifying for some. And of course, the removal of one of your ovaries, too, can also play havoc on your emotions.

The Xanax should help with the intense anxiety.  Are you also taking it in the daytime (or just in the morning?)

The side effects / or withdraw from Effexor is variable, meaning some don't experience any sides or withdraw syndrome, while others can experience terrible symptoms for days or weeks (and some longer.)  Effexor can also cause drowsiness and lethergy  (and ironically, hyperactivity and insommina.)   You can become exhausted because you aren't sleeping good, and you can experience insomnia at night because you are napping or sleeping in the daytime.  

The good news about Effexor side effects / withdraw is - once a patient who is experiencing these symptoms is totally off the drug, the terribly unpleasant symptoms eventually DO go away, and they report a great improvemenet in their quality of life.  How long this might take is different from patient to patient, but it is usually not too long for most patients.  

Do you have anyone you can call (a friend, a neighbor, a family member who might be home during the day) who you can talk to or you might be willing to come over to your house and stay with you if you begin having these panic attacks?  Just telling someone and having someone available if you need them can help ease some anxiety.  If you don't have someone you can call (or even if you do yet feel like you cannot do this with them available OR alone), by all means - I think you should call the doctor's office before your next appointment and tell them you feel terrible, that you are having panic attacks, and that you feel like you cannot do this alone. Ask to be seen sooner than the 29th.  

Best of luck to you.  
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