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Effexor XR Side Effects, withdrawal and alternatives
52 year old male, moderately high blood pressure, moderately high cholesterol and a history of depression. Taking BP medications [low doses Hyzaar and Cozaar on alternate days]; Lipitor and had been taking 50 mg of Zoloft daily for about 6 years. Also, to offset the feelings of lethargy from Zoloft my GP and I started a trial course of Provigil [modafinil], 200 mg daily in the morning. Started seeing a psychiatrist about 3 months ago in part because I felt the Zoloft had
WELL ITS BEEN ABOUT 6 WEEKS NOW IVE BEEN OFF THIS HELL PILL
I WENT ON WELLBUTRIN, THIS DIDNT REALLY HELP MY WITHDRAWALS. WHICH ARE POSTED ABOVE. ONLY SIDE EFFECTS ARE OCCASIONAL ELECTRIC ZAPS, AND A BIT EMOTIONAL. I ACTUALLY QUIT SMOKING AFTER 21 YEARS AND MY NEXT STEP WILL BE GETTING OF THE WELLBUTRIN, WHICH I DONT THINK WILL BE DIFFICULT AFTER THIS.
THINGS ARE LOOKING UP. I DONT RECOMEND QUITING COLD TURKEY LIKE I DID, I THINK THATS WHY I STILL HAVE THE ZAPS, BUT THEY ARE SUBSIDEING. AND I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ALL ENJOY THIS, I TOLD MY DOCTOR WHAT I HAD GONE THROUGH AND HOW BAD IT WAS, AND HIS RESPONSE.................. " SORRY, DONT KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU"
THATS BEAUTIFUL I THOUGHT. GOOD LUCK
I WENT ON WELLBUTRIN, THIS DIDNT REALLY HELP MY WITHDRAWALS. WHICH ARE POSTED ABOVE. ONLY SIDE EFFECTS ARE OCCASIONAL ELECTRIC ZAPS, AND A BIT EMOTIONAL. I ACTUALLY QUIT SMOKING AFTER 21 YEARS AND MY NEXT STEP WILL BE GETTING OF THE WELLBUTRIN, WHICH I DONT THINK WILL BE DIFFICULT AFTER THIS.
THINGS ARE LOOKING UP. I DONT RECOMEND QUITING COLD TURKEY LIKE I DID, I THINK THATS WHY I STILL HAVE THE ZAPS, BUT THEY ARE SUBSIDEING. AND I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT ALL ENJOY THIS, I TOLD MY DOCTOR WHAT I HAD GONE THROUGH AND HOW BAD IT WAS, AND HIS RESPONSE.................. " SORRY, DONT KNOW WHAT TO TELL YOU"
THATS BEAUTIFUL I THOUGHT. GOOD LUCK
Hi everyone. I have been reading this discussion board and others like it avidly now for about a month. It has been a huge help and support to know that others have expereinced what I have been going through with this awful drug. I was only on Effexor 75mg for 3 weeks, yet the side effects were horrific (chronic insomnia, nausea, migraines, fatigue) that I demanded my doctor take me off it.
She offered me a reduction schedule that lasted 5 days!! After 2 days I rang her and told her I would be doing my own reduction over the next month. What followed was one of the worst months of my life. I had one week off work and I have never been so sick in my life, vomiting, diareaha, nausea, painful heaadaches that dont respond to medication, fatigue, ringing in my ears. I had to go and stay at my mums and was completed incapacitated at times. I stablised on a lower dose so I could return to work, and decided to reduce my dose slightly every Friday and try and cop the worst of it over the weekend. I managed this for 3 weeks and went to work every day with these painful headaches and awful nausea. Nothing I took for the headaches helped, but ginger did help for the nausea.
I took my last Effexor dose 6 days ago. It was a a very low dose of 10 of those little balls from the XR capsule - equivalent of about 3 gms of the drug. I felt ok for the first 3 days, the physical withdrawals more or less have gone, but the last 3 days I have been "out of control". My emotions are all over the place, I cant stop crying, I am having suicidal thoughts (not that I am planning to follow through on them), I feel desperate and have not been able to go to work this week.
Is this normal? Did anyone else feel like this in the first week coming off the drug? How long does it last? I know that my doctor would say it is the depression symptoms returning but I know that is not the case - I did NOT feel like this before starting on Effexor. My doctors are ill informed about the side effects of taking this drug and coming off it and I feel that they think I have exaggerated the effects I have experienced the last month. It makes me so mad.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and all replied very much appreciated.
She offered me a reduction schedule that lasted 5 days!! After 2 days I rang her and told her I would be doing my own reduction over the next month. What followed was one of the worst months of my life. I had one week off work and I have never been so sick in my life, vomiting, diareaha, nausea, painful heaadaches that dont respond to medication, fatigue, ringing in my ears. I had to go and stay at my mums and was completed incapacitated at times. I stablised on a lower dose so I could return to work, and decided to reduce my dose slightly every Friday and try and cop the worst of it over the weekend. I managed this for 3 weeks and went to work every day with these painful headaches and awful nausea. Nothing I took for the headaches helped, but ginger did help for the nausea.
I took my last Effexor dose 6 days ago. It was a a very low dose of 10 of those little balls from the XR capsule - equivalent of about 3 gms of the drug. I felt ok for the first 3 days, the physical withdrawals more or less have gone, but the last 3 days I have been "out of control". My emotions are all over the place, I cant stop crying, I am having suicidal thoughts (not that I am planning to follow through on them), I feel desperate and have not been able to go to work this week.
Is this normal? Did anyone else feel like this in the first week coming off the drug? How long does it last? I know that my doctor would say it is the depression symptoms returning but I know that is not the case - I did NOT feel like this before starting on Effexor. My doctors are ill informed about the side effects of taking this drug and coming off it and I feel that they think I have exaggerated the effects I have experienced the last month. It makes me so mad.
Anyway, thanks for reading, and all replied very much appreciated.
Hi, I've been on Effexor XR for about 2 months and I've noticed recently that I have been having really vivid and disturbing dreams. It's really weird. And quite disturbing, but it seems the dreams come for most people while they are getting off the drug. Does anyone else have this problem while taking the medication?
Cookie5
Cookie5
METHOD 1:
I have taken Effexor and my highest dose was 150mg XR/once a day (extended release capsules) for 1 1/2 years; I have been tapering for 8 months and I'm now at 28.06mg/for the day (using tablets). I have had minimal withdrawal to this point and I attribute that to the very slow tapering and cutting doseage's at a rate between 5-10% (and no more than that) each time.
Now for the how to's:
Instead of counting out granules (which really isn't accurate as granule capsule contents vary anywhere from 105 - 124 granules per capsule), use Effexor immediate release tablets (don't worry you won't feel any different than using the capsules---I know because I switched from the capsules to the tablets). The only difference is that you will take one half of your tablet dose in the morning and twelve hours later take the second half of your dose.
THE GOOD NEWS: Effexor comes in tablets: 100mg, 75mg, 50mg, 37.50mg, and 25mg. You can purchase a "pill splitter" from any pharmacy--the cost about $4.00 (american money) and split your pills in half, quarters, and even eigths--(with a little practice for the 1/8s). Splitting tablets will enable you to have more control stepping done your medication. When I got to a dose that is in between one of the tablet sizes listed above, I respectfully requested from my doctor a prescription of two different amounts of tablets (for example 37.50mg tablet and 25mg tablet). When I was ready to step down from 37.50mg I did NOT want to go directly to 25mg--that is WAY TOO MUCH of a cut. Instead this is what I did:
---I cut a 37.50mg tablet into eights = 4.66mg/per eight and then cut a 25mg tablet in half = 12.50 mg. I would then take: one 4.66mg plus one 12.50 mg = 17.16mg (morning dose) and then do the same thing 12 hours later. 17.16mg + 17.16mg = 34.32mg for the day. I stayed at this new amount for a month.
Then I tapered to 31.24mg for the day. I got that by: cutting a 37.50 in quarters = 9.37mg and cutting a 25mg into quarters = 6.25mg. I then took 9.37mg + 6.25mg = 15.62mg in the morning and then same thing 12 hours later. 15.62mg + 15.62mg = 31.24mg for the day. I stayed at this amount for a month.
I currently take 1/8 of a 37.50mg tablet = 4.66mg plus 1/4 of a 37.50mg tablet = 9.37mg. 4.66mg + 9.37mg = 14.03mg. 14.03mg + 14.03mg = 28.06mg for the day.
You can see this is MUCH EASIER on your system than going from 37.50mg to 25mg.
WHEN CUTTING YOUR PILLS of differing milligrams, have some empty, clean, prescription bottles that are labeled (for example 4.66mg on one, 9.37mg on another, 6.25 mg on another, etc.) so that you don't get them mixed up. As you cut smaller amounts it gets harder to distinguish what is what--the labeled bottles will keep you straight. Just be sure to put the correct amounts in the correct bottles!
BE SURE once you step down on a doseage that you remain at that amount for at least 3 weeks, preferably 4 weeks. It will give your brain chemistry a time to adjust to the lower level of chemical serotonin.
DON'T BE SUPRISED as you get lower and lower on your dose that you may need more than 3-4 weeks to stablize; remember your brain is going through a HUGE change--give it the chance to even out. It's not important how long it takes to taper from dose to dose, it matters that you take your time!
ALWAYS take Effexor with food in your stomach and drink plenty of water.
Do NOT eat or drink anything containing GRAPFRUIT, it can create a serious toxic reaction.
NEVER, EVER take St. John's Wort or 5-HTP--they have a serotonin in them. Mixing them with an anti-depressant or taking then after you've been off of an anti-depressant for only a year of less can lead to SEROTONIN SYNDROME - a toxic and deadly condition. Click on the following link to find out about it: http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/serotonin-syndrome-ADF.htm
Drugs that may induce serotonin syndrome when taken with antidepressants (not a complete list)
ecstasy
cocaine
lithium
St John's wort (Hypericum) - herbal antidepressant
diethylproprion - an amphetamine
dextromethorphan - found in many cough suppressants
Buspar (buspirone) - for anxiety
Selgene, Eldepryl (selegiline) - for Parkinson's Disease
anti-epileptics - Tegretol, Carbium, Teril (carbamazepine)
analgesics - pethidine, Fortral (pentazocine), Tramal (tramadol), fentanyl
anti-migraine drugs - Naramig (naratriptan), Imigran (sumatriptan), Zomig (zolmitriptan)
appetite suppressants - phentermine and fenfluramine
tryptophan - an amino acid
NEVER, EVER take Effexor or any anti-depressant every other day--withdrawal will start and you will never get back on an even keel. I know, I know your doctor told you to do this, but MOST doctors are truely ignorant of the hell they are about to put you through doing this. If you are currently on this program get back to taking your dose everyday and after you are stabilized you can start your tapering.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to visit these webpages; they have critical and very helpful information for tapering: http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/reaction.htm
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/taper.htm
****************************************************************
METHOD 2:
WATER TAPERING - makes possible tiny reductions in medication.
***CAUTION*** This method can ONLY be done with tablets. XR (extended release) versions of medications CANNOT use this method; it will lead to overdose.
Here is a better WATER TAPERING method than the previous one I had posted (which I have removed).
Equipment needed:
a tall lab cylinder that holds 250 ml
a small lab cylinder that holds 10 ml
a dropper or syringe
a mortar and pestle
a small battery-operated mixer
a continuing supply of the med. you are using
Process:
Grind the tablet in the mortar and pestle.
Fill the tall lab cylinder to a predetermined amount of water. Use this same amount of water each time you make a reduction. The amount you start with will determine just how small the cut is. Another words the greater amount of water you use, the fewer medicine particles per ml will be suspended in it. The less water you use the greater the amount of medicine particles per ml will be suspended in it.
How to determine the amount of cut you'll be making:
Divide your dose by the milliliters of water you intend to use to find the amount of drug per 1 ml of water.
Examples:
37.50mg Effexor tablet divided by 200ml of water = 0.1875mg per 1 ml of water.
37.50mg Effexor tablet divided by 150ml of water = 0.25mg per 1 ml of water.
Pour a little of the water in the cylinder onto the powdered drug and grind it some more. Then rinse the mortar into the battery-operated mixer, using the water in the cylinder until all of the powder in the mortar and on the pestle has gone into the mixer, as well as the rest of the water in the cylinder. The mortar will become colored from the dye used in the pills, do not be concerned about that.
Hit the spin button on the battery-operated mixer. This puts the drug particles into suspension in the water. There is no need for the pills to dissolve or be water soluble; putting the particles into suspension is sufficient to insure random dispersal for long enough to adjust your dosage.
While the mixer is still ON, take the dropper and remove a small amount of the water. Use the small lab cylinder to measure this amount to 1 ml. Discard this amount and drink the water that remains in the mixer. Then add a little more water from a cup and hit spin again to get all the residue out of the mixer and drink that. The next dose, repeat the process but discard 2mls of water and drink the rest.
The advantage to this method is that as long as you have a sufficient supply of tablets, you can reduce at your own rate and make tiny reductions. The brain doesn't differentiate between very small reductions of dose over a few days, but the cumulative cuts do add up so if you feel withdrawal setting in, STOP and let your body adjust.
Now all you have do is find the equipment. A Power Mixer can be obtained from www.bodybuilding.com. It's called the Personal Power Mixer. Or just go to www.Google.com and type in the words "Power Mixer", I'm sure you'll find lots of places that sell them and then you can look for the best price. The same thing goes for graduated cylinders and mortars and pestles. Here is website so you can at least see what they look like, www.pharmex.com.
Sweettooth
I have taken Effexor and my highest dose was 150mg XR/once a day (extended release capsules) for 1 1/2 years; I have been tapering for 8 months and I'm now at 28.06mg/for the day (using tablets). I have had minimal withdrawal to this point and I attribute that to the very slow tapering and cutting doseage's at a rate between 5-10% (and no more than that) each time.
Now for the how to's:
Instead of counting out granules (which really isn't accurate as granule capsule contents vary anywhere from 105 - 124 granules per capsule), use Effexor immediate release tablets (don't worry you won't feel any different than using the capsules---I know because I switched from the capsules to the tablets). The only difference is that you will take one half of your tablet dose in the morning and twelve hours later take the second half of your dose.
THE GOOD NEWS: Effexor comes in tablets: 100mg, 75mg, 50mg, 37.50mg, and 25mg. You can purchase a "pill splitter" from any pharmacy--the cost about $4.00 (american money) and split your pills in half, quarters, and even eigths--(with a little practice for the 1/8s). Splitting tablets will enable you to have more control stepping done your medication. When I got to a dose that is in between one of the tablet sizes listed above, I respectfully requested from my doctor a prescription of two different amounts of tablets (for example 37.50mg tablet and 25mg tablet). When I was ready to step down from 37.50mg I did NOT want to go directly to 25mg--that is WAY TOO MUCH of a cut. Instead this is what I did:
---I cut a 37.50mg tablet into eights = 4.66mg/per eight and then cut a 25mg tablet in half = 12.50 mg. I would then take: one 4.66mg plus one 12.50 mg = 17.16mg (morning dose) and then do the same thing 12 hours later. 17.16mg + 17.16mg = 34.32mg for the day. I stayed at this new amount for a month.
Then I tapered to 31.24mg for the day. I got that by: cutting a 37.50 in quarters = 9.37mg and cutting a 25mg into quarters = 6.25mg. I then took 9.37mg + 6.25mg = 15.62mg in the morning and then same thing 12 hours later. 15.62mg + 15.62mg = 31.24mg for the day. I stayed at this amount for a month.
I currently take 1/8 of a 37.50mg tablet = 4.66mg plus 1/4 of a 37.50mg tablet = 9.37mg. 4.66mg + 9.37mg = 14.03mg. 14.03mg + 14.03mg = 28.06mg for the day.
You can see this is MUCH EASIER on your system than going from 37.50mg to 25mg.
WHEN CUTTING YOUR PILLS of differing milligrams, have some empty, clean, prescription bottles that are labeled (for example 4.66mg on one, 9.37mg on another, 6.25 mg on another, etc.) so that you don't get them mixed up. As you cut smaller amounts it gets harder to distinguish what is what--the labeled bottles will keep you straight. Just be sure to put the correct amounts in the correct bottles!
BE SURE once you step down on a doseage that you remain at that amount for at least 3 weeks, preferably 4 weeks. It will give your brain chemistry a time to adjust to the lower level of chemical serotonin.
DON'T BE SUPRISED as you get lower and lower on your dose that you may need more than 3-4 weeks to stablize; remember your brain is going through a HUGE change--give it the chance to even out. It's not important how long it takes to taper from dose to dose, it matters that you take your time!
ALWAYS take Effexor with food in your stomach and drink plenty of water.
Do NOT eat or drink anything containing GRAPFRUIT, it can create a serious toxic reaction.
NEVER, EVER take St. John's Wort or 5-HTP--they have a serotonin in them. Mixing them with an anti-depressant or taking then after you've been off of an anti-depressant for only a year of less can lead to SEROTONIN SYNDROME - a toxic and deadly condition. Click on the following link to find out about it: http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/serotonin-syndrome-ADF.htm
Drugs that may induce serotonin syndrome when taken with antidepressants (not a complete list)
ecstasy
cocaine
lithium
St John's wort (Hypericum) - herbal antidepressant
diethylproprion - an amphetamine
dextromethorphan - found in many cough suppressants
Buspar (buspirone) - for anxiety
Selgene, Eldepryl (selegiline) - for Parkinson's Disease
anti-epileptics - Tegretol, Carbium, Teril (carbamazepine)
analgesics - pethidine, Fortral (pentazocine), Tramal (tramadol), fentanyl
anti-migraine drugs - Naramig (naratriptan), Imigran (sumatriptan), Zomig (zolmitriptan)
appetite suppressants - phentermine and fenfluramine
tryptophan - an amino acid
NEVER, EVER take Effexor or any anti-depressant every other day--withdrawal will start and you will never get back on an even keel. I know, I know your doctor told you to do this, but MOST doctors are truely ignorant of the hell they are about to put you through doing this. If you are currently on this program get back to taking your dose everyday and after you are stabilized you can start your tapering.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME to visit these webpages; they have critical and very helpful information for tapering: http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/reaction.htm
http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/taper.htm
****************************************************************
METHOD 2:
WATER TAPERING - makes possible tiny reductions in medication.
***CAUTION*** This method can ONLY be done with tablets. XR (extended release) versions of medications CANNOT use this method; it will lead to overdose.
Here is a better WATER TAPERING method than the previous one I had posted (which I have removed).
Equipment needed:
a tall lab cylinder that holds 250 ml
a small lab cylinder that holds 10 ml
a dropper or syringe
a mortar and pestle
a small battery-operated mixer
a continuing supply of the med. you are using
Process:
Grind the tablet in the mortar and pestle.
Fill the tall lab cylinder to a predetermined amount of water. Use this same amount of water each time you make a reduction. The amount you start with will determine just how small the cut is. Another words the greater amount of water you use, the fewer medicine particles per ml will be suspended in it. The less water you use the greater the amount of medicine particles per ml will be suspended in it.
How to determine the amount of cut you'll be making:
Divide your dose by the milliliters of water you intend to use to find the amount of drug per 1 ml of water.
Examples:
37.50mg Effexor tablet divided by 200ml of water = 0.1875mg per 1 ml of water.
37.50mg Effexor tablet divided by 150ml of water = 0.25mg per 1 ml of water.
Pour a little of the water in the cylinder onto the powdered drug and grind it some more. Then rinse the mortar into the battery-operated mixer, using the water in the cylinder until all of the powder in the mortar and on the pestle has gone into the mixer, as well as the rest of the water in the cylinder. The mortar will become colored from the dye used in the pills, do not be concerned about that.
Hit the spin button on the battery-operated mixer. This puts the drug particles into suspension in the water. There is no need for the pills to dissolve or be water soluble; putting the particles into suspension is sufficient to insure random dispersal for long enough to adjust your dosage.
While the mixer is still ON, take the dropper and remove a small amount of the water. Use the small lab cylinder to measure this amount to 1 ml. Discard this amount and drink the water that remains in the mixer. Then add a little more water from a cup and hit spin again to get all the residue out of the mixer and drink that. The next dose, repeat the process but discard 2mls of water and drink the rest.
The advantage to this method is that as long as you have a sufficient supply of tablets, you can reduce at your own rate and make tiny reductions. The brain doesn't differentiate between very small reductions of dose over a few days, but the cumulative cuts do add up so if you feel withdrawal setting in, STOP and let your body adjust.
Now all you have do is find the equipment. A Power Mixer can be obtained from www.bodybuilding.com. It's called the Personal Power Mixer. Or just go to www.Google.com and type in the words "Power Mixer", I'm sure you'll find lots of places that sell them and then you can look for the best price. The same thing goes for graduated cylinders and mortars and pestles. Here is website so you can at least see what they look like, www.pharmex.com.
Sweettooth
Been on Efexor 225mg per day for 6 months now. The depression has been beaten but I now have hypertension and high cholesterol which I never had previously. I have never been overweight, eat properly and exercise regularly and have keep tabs on my blood pressure and cholesterol. Is this a common side effect, my Doc now wants me to take medicine for the hypertension and cholesterol. I raised this issue with my Psychiatrist and Doctor and they both seemed rather non-commital in pinning down these side effect to Efexor. Has anyone had similar and rather drastic side effects?
Learning from this web site and others, I realized the horrible withdrawal symptoms of Effexor XR. I have been slowly getting off this medication for the past month. I went from 3 pills a day to 2 to 1...and now nothing in hopes of getting pregnant. I was also taking neurotin (sp?) to give the EXR a boost. The medication worked very well for me against anxiety and panic attacks. I felt as though I had a nervous breakdown earlier this year and left work for two months. During this time, I started taking EXR/Neurotin. Now that I am off, I am concerned with the current withdrawal symptoms: stomach pain, dizziness, sweats, chills, crying spells, buzzing sounds in my head. I am relieved that I found the root of my problems this week. I am upset that I was warned before hand of the horrible...horrible withdrawal symptoms. Then again, he could have mentioned them and I down-played the advise because I didn't know the severity.
Ironicly, my doctor just returned my call and stated it was fine to discontinue the E-XR all together. However, if I wanted to take the edge off the symptoms, he could prescribe a much lower dosage for the next couple weeks. I quickly declined and will continue to go at it cold-turkey. I have three bottles of E-XR and neurotin that I would flush down the toilet if it wasn't so expensive.
On the up-n-up...my husband is very happy to have my healthy libido back and is supportive when it comes to all the negative side affects. It's great having my sex-drive back. That's the one thing that has made me feel sooooo good through all this.
My advise to anyone on E-XR and wants to get off...do it VERY SLOWLY. Good luck to Everyone.
Ironicly, my doctor just returned my call and stated it was fine to discontinue the E-XR all together. However, if I wanted to take the edge off the symptoms, he could prescribe a much lower dosage for the next couple weeks. I quickly declined and will continue to go at it cold-turkey. I have three bottles of E-XR and neurotin that I would flush down the toilet if it wasn't so expensive.
On the up-n-up...my husband is very happy to have my healthy libido back and is supportive when it comes to all the negative side affects. It's great having my sex-drive back. That's the one thing that has made me feel sooooo good through all this.
My advise to anyone on E-XR and wants to get off...do it VERY SLOWLY. Good luck to Everyone.
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