Effexor XR Side Effects, withdrawal and alternatives

[alainb1]

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

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Everyone reacts differently, and by your description you are very sensitive.   Even though the drug is no longer active, the target cells have their own changed reactivity to naturally occuring serotonin, so there is still a withdrawal issue to consider.  You should consult with your psychiatrist, but experimenting with the schedule you suggested will probably work..also remember that as you lower the dose you are also lowering the side effects directly attributable to the medication.

[jafco]

Check out this link. http://www.crazymeds.org/effexor.html
If you have any questions write back

[alainb1]

Thanks for the link, more or less confirms what I already knew first hand. Simply can't believe that a med that, at least anecdotally, has such a bad discontinuation syndrome would be so casually prescribed, much less allowed to go to market.

[Tzabawa]

Wow! how right you are, I am in your same situation and would like to get off but not sure how. I have also ran out and have been without it for several days and the side effects are awful lots of vertigo and nightmares,I have also gained weight and just don't feel like when I do take it like I and suppose to which is 99% of the time that it is all that great . My Dr. told me nothing about how difficult it was to come off of and I am pretty upste about it, sorry I dont have any answer for you but if you figure it out let me know thanks!

[alainb1]

Since I've experienced these side effects I've done considerably more research, both on and off line and I am appalled at how much information is already in the record and how ignorant, negligent or lazy my psychiatrist was in prescribing this drug so quickly while not informing me of the serious difficulty of withdrawal. Wow. Best as I can determine, there is really no way to avoid the withdrawal effect, cold turkey, tapering, or substitution of another drug don

[Nathalia]

I took Effexor for a few days, but I was feeling awful, I quit after three or four days, I know is not enough time for it to work but it was enough time for the way it was making me feel.  Nothing was real, I felt like I wasn't in this world, and it made my panic attacks feel stronger.  I actually not taking any medication, but I  started to do more things with my life, and my children, I usually look for new ways of fighting this attacks, and each day I come to realize that this is from within, and only us can fight all this feelings.  When I start getting an attack I talk to myself and keep on telling myself that is only panic no more than that, and that panic is not going to kill myself.  I also laugh a lot and watch movies that make me happy, and if I need to cry, I cry lots, this also helps me clean my soul and feel much better after.  I know what all of you are going through, and I wish none of us should feel this way, but I thing this makes us go into another level, that not mahy go through in life, we just have to find a way to get out of it, to free ourselve.  Have a lot of faith, and be thankful for life as we have to make the best out of it.

[diamond116]

I totally agree with you that the docs are prescribibg this med way too freely without really explaining any of the effects. I had an awful experience with this. I had the shakes and tremors, I felt spaced out half of the time, and I even got to the point where I was suicidal. I simply stopped taking it after only one month , and oh my goodness. I have never had to withdraw from anything in my life until that. I thought I was really "crazy". I was nauseated, had severe nightmares (I rarely dream at all), snapping at the slightest thing. It was the worst thing I had to experience. Now I am back on Lexapro and feel pretty much back to normal. Good luck with this...

[Aruba417]

As far as side effects go, I've been doing really well on Effexor XR. I know that unusual dreaming a side effect of Effexor, but I have taken it for 5 months now with night after night of constant dreams. I remember every single dream that I have during the night and wake up exhausted and annoyed. Could this really be a side effect even though I've been on it this long? I can't remember if the dreaming started before or after taking Effexor. I had this problem of constant dreaming a couple years back, also while on Paxil, but it went away after awhile.

[alainb1]

Quick update, decided to go cold turkey. Yeah I know, I know, but regardless of the advice on this and other forums about tapering, substitutions etc. the questions that remained were: Did I want to continue taking this drug, possibly forever and the answer is HELL NO! I fully apprecite the value of SSRI's in managing depression and I may take another drug in the future, but not Effexor. Secondly, could I tolerate the withdrawal symptoms. Well I suppose time will tell. One of the few benefits of a mispent youth growing up in the late 60's and 70's is a very clear understanding that "normal" and "reality" is a plastic concept, the brain is quite malleable and I am capable of functioning under less than optimal circumstances. As an aside, while I chose not to include the doctor that originally prescribed this med in this decision, all my MD's are on speed dial, I have a supply of the drug if the effects become unbearable. I have also completely stopped drinking any alcohol and seriously cut back on caffiene. I might also mention that I'm currently not working [not directly related to depression or meds] so I do have the time to "check out" as needed. That would not be the case in a month or so when I'm back at work, which is why I chose this time to withdraw.

Today is the third day and probably the best way to describe it is I feel very "stoned". No nausea, no crying jags, no "electric shocks" though I am experiencing some vertigo. The most dramatic effect has been on my sleep. The first 2 nights I experienced extremely vivid, but not unpleasant dreams. Like a multi-cinema with all screens going at once. Last night was different. I experienced very real nightmares, the kind where you wake up in a panic, thrashing around, flailing and I hallucinated a ghost [first for me], however after I woke up I simply lay in bed for a couple of hours watching TV and fell back asleep to vivid but not unpleasant or scary dreams. Odd as it sounds I actually believe that TV shows I watched before I fell aslseep influenced the flavor of my dreams. Before I fell asleep the first time, the last thing I remember watching was the beginning of the 2 part Godfather saga, where Vito Corrlene's family is murdered in Sicily and he immigrates to America, the last thing I remember watching before I nodded off the second time were infomercials for Girls Gone Wild. Go figure, but I guess it makes sense, what goes in effects what comes out. Today I'll concentrate on positive visualizations.
I don't want anyone think that I'm sitting around, a drooling, quivering puddle of nerves. I prepared an elaborate Mexican dinner last night and I spent some time in the woodshop. I just had to be a little more deliberate and mindful of what I was doing. I endure this experience chastened for my unquestioning acceptance of this medication from a "professional" who should have at least been more forthcoming re: side effects and withdrawal. I also draw comfort from the posts in this and other threads in the forum because its helped me know what to expect. That understanding has made the process much more bearable. I share my experience with the hope that it might also open a window for others.

[lynneuk74]

I tried to go 'cold turkey' giving up effexor - on the advice of a doc who knew basically nothing about the effects.

I felt like death warmed up - as some of you will relate to.  I got to the stage where I had to decide (after about 5 days) whether or not to carry on withdrawing or whether to go back on the tablets.  I went to another doc who couldn't really believe I'd just been told to stop them (I was on 150mg).  

He advised me to gradually lower my dose.  I was sceptical but thought that it couldn't be worse than the way I was feeling.

I basically went back onto 150mg for a month, then a month of alternate days 150mg and 75mg.  After that a month of 75mg, a month of alternate days 75mg and 37.5mg etc.

Unfortunately, for me, when I got down to just 37.5mg a day, I started to get weepy and irrational so decided to go back up to 75mg.  I am fine on that dose, have much fewer side effects than I did on 150mg and am happy to continue long term.

Everyone is different but I definitely found the gradual reduction approach MUCH better than just stopping all at once.

Hope that helps.

[skipy]

I have been on effexor xr for almost 2 weeks now.  I have not really been diagnosed with anything specifically as of yet except for OCD and depression.  My OCD habits cause alot of anxiety in my life while the actual obsession doesn't last long I think about it all day.  For the last 6 years I have become withdrawn from everyone to the point now where I do not even feel to be apart of my family.  University has so far been very difficult for me due mainly to the fact that I am unable to concintrate for more then 10 seconds before my mind either begins to race or obsess about anything at all (usually something sexual).  I am never "happy" in fact I feel nothing, the only feelings I ever get are extreme anger and hatred with violent thoughts.  I am pretty good at holding in these violent feelings physically but release them verbaly.  My main question is just how effective can effexor be to someone with my symptoms?  Anyone know?

[BMorgan]

I have been on Effexor 150mg for about a year.  Prior to that I had a terrible experience with Zololf.  I am being treated for depression.  Prior to using these medications I had some issues with job and personal life.  Little did I know that once on Effexor my problems would esculate into major issues.  My doctor didn't give me any information about these drugs nor did he seem the least bit concerned with the side effects I reported.  He just started changing the dosage which made matters worse.  In all the time I've taken these medications I have never felt worse.  I cam current coming off of Effexor and took the last 37.5mg tablet today.  My doctor wants me to start Lexapro but after reading actual patient's experiences I have vowed to take myself off of all these medications and persue counseling instead.  My wife can't understand why I had no emotions, spent days in bed with terrible headaches, and just plain didn't care about anything.  This all happened while on these medications, not coming off of them.  If I caould do it all over I would seek out counseling before ever getting into this medication nightmare.

[alainb1]

Ten days later - Its ironic and a little sad that after 6 years on SSRI's I can't really remember what "normal" feels like, but I feel pretty good. The worst withdrawal effects have for the most part subsided, I'm still having very vivid dreams, but my waking hours feel like they should. The sense of "altered reality" has subsided to the point where it feels no worse than a head cold; the sweats have passed, as well as the irritation and anxiousness. The, how does Wyeth describe it; Abnormal Male Ejaculation problems are gone. I know this is way too much info, but the guys out there reading this will know what I'm talking about. The elevated blood pressure that precipitated my initial concerns about the drug seems to have settled back down to where it was before @ 120/80. It

[batorama]

While I am very concerned about Effexor withdrawal, I must say
that it has been very effective the 2 times I have taken it.
Both times I was in fairly bad shape and after having tried numerous other antidepressants without success I was simply a mess winding up in the hospital.

I stopped taking it the 1st time because it stopped working. I
was weaned off of it, and frankly don't remember experiencing withdrawal symptoms. I must admit though I could have been experiencing them but due to the shape I was in and that I was
taking many other drugs, a lot of them new, I couldn't say that part of what I was feeling wasn't due to withdrawal from Effexor.

I am currently taking it again. Once again it was the only drug that managed to pull me out of my personal black pit. However,
just recently I came to the realization it is no longer working.
So I asked my inept and incompetent psychiatrist PA to start me
on a new antidepressive. I mentioned to her that I was concerned about the withdrawal but that hopefully the new one would ease the symptoms. She told me she was not aware of any problems with the cessation of Effexor. I told her that it has a wide reputation for being difficult to withdraw from and she said she hadn't heard that. Basically, she blew me off and I doubt she has given it a second thought or even been curious enough to check it out. She didn't even give me instructions on
how to taper off until I asked. I could have gone home and just stopped it altogether had I not known about the withdrawal potential. Inexcuseable.

I have lowered my dosage by 75mg to 150mg 1Xday since Monday
and feel pretty good so far. But then again I may be feeling better due to the new antidepressant, Lexapro I started on Monday, as well.

I don't know if anyone else experiences this, too, but I often have difficulty in isolating just which one of my meds is the one causing any of the bad symptoms I happen to be having at the moment. Frankly, being Bipolar means spending a great deal of time taking medicine, thinking about medicine, feeling awful from medicine, trying out new medicines, finding the money to pay for medicine, refilling medicine, getting prescriptions for medicine, researching medicine, and cursing medicine.

For all the effort, it would be nice to feel somewhat normal for longer than an afternoon here and there. I've been at this 11 yrs. I have yet to be stabilized.

[alainb1]

dear batorama - First I'm happy that your experience withdrawing from Effexor has been relatively painless, though I'm sure that overlapping the old and new meds has probably blurred some of the effects of both. The important thing is that you are comfortable that the meds are doing the job you want them to do. Believe me you don't have to wonder if you are experiencing withdrawals or side effects, they are NOT subtle.
Your post illustrates the sometimes frustrating and always confusing problems of sorting out cause and effect. On 10/7 I came down with a very bad cold/sinus/allergic attack; [103 fever, nose running like a faucet, head stuffed like an old mattress] I was literally flat on my back until this morning when I felt well enough to check e-mail and such. I know my cold/sinus/whatever was not caused by withdrawal from EffexorXR, however I wondered if there was any link. Cold and flu like symptoms are among the withdrawal effects listed by Wyeth, as well as comments in this and other Forums. In my case, I suspect that the stress accompanying the withdrawal, resulted in a weakening of my immune system that made me more susceptible to environmental factors. The point is it's really hard to sort out cause and effect, both for individual patients but also for the drug companies. Drug companies hide behind these ambiguities. It gives them a great deal of wiggle room when responding to complaints or negative results.
On another note one very subtle side effect from 6 years of taking SSRI's that I've only recently recognized was how much my decision making ability had been compromised; not my ability to frame or analyze problems and arrive at conclusions but actually making a decision. Hard to put into words, but one of the reasons I started seeing my current psychiatrist was my in-ability to "pull the trigger", I just could not take the next step, even when the choice was clear. There is an element of self-doubt that creeps into your decision making process when you take these drugs. I'm sure this is in part due to the stigma contemporary American culture associates with "depression" but also to the "dampening" effect caused by the drugs effect on the brain's chemistry. I doubt much research has been done on the effect of serotonin on the decision making process, if anyone reading this post knows of any articles I'd love to read them.
Depression is real. I've known what its like to lay in bed at night and just wish there was a switch you could flip to just turn it all off. SSRI's had an important, life saving role in treating my depression, but these are extremely powerful drugs that are not well understood by those who manufacture, market  and prescribe them. The real clinical trial begins when the FDA approves the drug and we are the study group. There are competent, caring professionals in practice you don't have to accept paternalistic, cavalier of lazy behavior from your health care partner. Make informed choices.

[dandelion]

I need help! I'm not quite sure what I'm suffering from... depression, anxiety, or "altered brain chemistry after having tried a few SSRI's." I have been sorta in a "pithole" for the last 3 months. I have been having difficulty concentrating, suffering from confusion, insomnia, speech difficulty, and basically not wanting to do the things I once enjoyed. I am constantly worrying, especially at work. This whole thing started when I first tried Zoloft two months. I took it for about two days, then the second day, I had difficulty sleeping. I didn't sleep for about 3 days straight. I went to see a doctor and was diagnosed with "depression & anxiety" and said that it rooted from ending a previous relationship. Anyhow,I was given Ambien for sleep, which I took for about a week. I had to stop it after a week of taking it because I was experiencing some bad side effects --- "feeling like a walking zombie." This was also when my numerous doctor visits came about. To make the long story short, I was prescribed different medications, as some of them didn't work for or maybe I just didn't give them enough time to work. Trazadone, Valium, Klonopin, Wellbutrin, etc. I had to swtich from one medication to another for a period of one month. And I just didn't feel the same person that I was after having tried all these medication. I then decided to go to a Psychiatrist and again the same thing happened. I was prescribed Prozac & Sonata. After having taken Prozac for a week, I ended up developing some bad allergic reaction and I had to stop taking it. Sonata kinda work, it would allow me to sleep for 4-5 hours, but that's it. So I went back to the Psych and again I was switch to another medication - Lexapro and was given Prednisone for the allergies. Bad idea! I had to take the Prednisone for a week and ended up eating anything on sight. The only good thing about it that a week after taking Prednisone w/ Benadryl, my sleep cycle had come back! Yet I had to mess it up all over again when I decided to Lexapro. The first day I tried Lexapro, I ended up suffering from insomnia. So I am basically back to square one! I still don't like myself, I really don't know what to do anymore. I don't know if I'm just suffering from depression/anxiety, I don't know. I feel like I'm not making any sense anymore, and I'm not able to perform the way I was able to at work, again I don't know if this is from anxiety. Please help!

[earthprime]

I am weaning myself off Effexor. Not that bad so far (2 weeks) except for the nausea and lethargy (no nightmares so far). I was taking 75 mg twice a day and I've made it to 1 every 3rd day before the head zaps and disconnected feelings set in. I have also been feeling somewhat aggressive and have noticed myself being a bit "mouthy" (as we say here in the Southern US). I can't wait to be off this drug. My (ex)therapist was quite nonchalent (sp?) about it.

[donats]

I HAVE BEEN ON EFFEXOR XR FOR 5 YEARS, I HAD GAINED ALOT OF WEIGHT, BUT I THOUGHT I FELT GOOD. AFTER SEVERAL RECENT ENCOUNTERS WITH SOME SURPRISINGLY ATTRACTIVE WOMEN I REALIZED I COULD NOT " PERFORM ". I WENT TO MY DOCTOR AND TOLD HIM I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH THIS DRUG AND MYSELF, I WAS LAZY AND UNMOTIVATED. HE DECIDED TO PUT ME ON WELLBUTRIN SR. I WAS TOLD TO REDUCE EFFEXOR TO EVERY OTHER DAY, BUT AS YOU ALL KNOW EVEN IF YOU MISS A DAY IT MISERABLE. SO I DECIDED A.M.A TO QUIT COLD TUREY, I JUST WANT EVERY ONE TO KNOW THAT THIS IS THE WORST FEELING IVE EVER HAD. I HAD THE SHAKES, SWEATS, DIARREHA, LACK OF CONCENTRATION,NAUSEA,SHORT TEMPER AND THE GOOD OLD BRAIN ZAPS. I EVEN HAD TO GO SEE MY BOSSAT WORK AND EXPLAIN TO HIM WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO ME BECAUSE I FELT THAT HE THOUGHT I WAS ON SOMETHING ILLEGAL, WHICH IT SHOULD BE. THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT ME FROM GOING BACK TO EFFEXOR LIKE IT WAS CRACK,IS THAT I KNEW AT SOME POINT THE WELLBUTRIN WOULD KICK IN. I HONESTLY DONT KNOW IF I COULD HAVE STOPPED TAKING MEDICATION COMPLETELY, AND IF ANY ONE IS TRYIG GOD BLESS. I KNOW THIS SOUNDS CRAZY, BUT CONSIDER USING LOW DOSE OF WELLBUTRIN OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO HELP YOU GET OFF THIS HORRIBLE DRUG BUT IM NOT A DOCTOR. NOW AS I WRITE THIS I AM AT DAY 7 EFFEXOR FREE. I STILL HAVE BRAIN ZAPS, BUT MOST EVERYTHING HAS STOPPED OR SUBSIDED, I HAVE SO MUCH MORE ENERGY NOW,MY  HEAD IS FINALLY CLEARING ITS NOT AS IF IAM IN A DREAM ANY MORE. AND MY DREAMS ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR. PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS **** OR IF YOU ARE GET OFF IT. I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN A ZOMBIE  FOR 5 YEARS. PLEASE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS LET ME KNOW......       GOODLUCK TO EVERY ONE

[hig94yud]

I have been on about four different kinds of antdepresent (laxapro, paxil, zoloft,prozac) and now effexor.  It has been two weeks since i started taking effexor.  I do not know if this is my wishfull thinking but I think it is working for me.  But after reading some of these posts I am a bit worried.  I mean effexor is my last resort. All other meds did not working for me.

[rah02]

I have been on Effexor XR and Ambien for the past 3 years. This is after trying multiple antidepressants and sleep agents over the previous 5 years. The Effexor and Ambien worked well - felt good, slept good, minimal weight gain, minimal side effects. However, my family began complaining that I would "wander" at night (eat, fall, on rare occasions drink, and become an attention "*****" to quote my oldest daughter).

Over time, I became increasingly lethargic, had difficulty concentrating and felt dazed most of the time. The Effexor XR was increased from 75 mg to 150 mg and Ambien increased to 10 mg with some improvement in symptoms.

Recently I noticed a return in the lethargy, difficulty concentrating, difficulty communicating etc. My family shared with me specifics of my nighttime behaviors, increased irritability during the daytime alternating with blankness and staring into space.  This amounted to an intervention.

I stopped the Ambien and the Effexor XR cold turkey that night.  It has been quite a journey over the last 5 weeks. I suffered severe withdrawal symptoms and was unable to sleep for 4 consecutive nights. After four nights, I began taking Ambien 5 mg. for sleep and immediately felt better. I also began seeing my psychiatrist and therapist again who have prescribed Trazodone for sleep and stopped the low-dose Ambien. I have taken Trazodone for 2 nights now and have not slept. I am irritable and tired but feel much better off the Effexor and on the nights I don't take Ambien, I don't wander. I am hopeful the 3rd night on Trazodone will be better.

The psychiatrist I see is not familiar with the side effects of Effexor XR and the wandering, amnesic effects of Ambien and believes the nighttime activities are related to dissociative disorder. I strongly believe the medications are the culprit as my family noticed the behaviors began when I started the Effexor XR and the Ambien. I did not have those side effects on Imipramine and low-dose Ambien.

Stopping the medications cold-turkey was very difficult but probably one of the best things I have done for myself. I, too, had a visit with my boss about what was going on with me so my behavioral and physical symptomatology doesn't get me fired!
Hang in there everyone - there is life after Effexor.

[Cindybug]

Uh, I hope this is the answer to what has been happening to me the past few weeks, I never even dreamed it was connected. Just this morning I had a light bulb moment and decided to look up side effects to quitting Effexor and brought this site up.
Two weeks ago I came down with a flu bug, was in bed for the whole weekend. About this same time I had decided to start weaning myself off of Effexor for several different reasons. I was taking both Wellbutrin XL and Effexor XR and was just tired of taking so many medications ( I am also on hormone replacement therapy). The side effects I had from Effexor were not that totally bad; sweating and being hot when nobody else was, decreased sexual feelings, not as intense orgasms. I had quit about a year ago but don't remember feeling like this at all. For the past two weeks I have just felt awful, like the flu never went away. The worst part being a terrible stomach ache and being very bloated.  It felt like if I could just throw up or have a bowel movement I might feel better, but I couldn't. I've been very emotional and weepy, dizzy feeling (vetigo)? very loud ringing/buzzing in my ears, being very nauseated, increased migraines and like one of the other people posted on here, feeling like "death warmed over".
Wow, this may sound weird, but I hope the reason I'm feeling like this is due to my stopping Effexor. I've had all kinds of horrible thoughts like, maybe I have stomach cancer or some horrible disease. In fact I have a doctors appointment Monday morning to talk about a few issues, like my increasing migraines and feeling like I have been the past two week. I guess I will just suffer these feelings for another day and when I see my doctor ask him if how I'm feeling could be a side effect from stopping the effexor. But the most important question I have for him if it is, how long will this feeling last???? Because I would rather go back on it than continue to feel like this, thats for sure. I'll post back after my appointment to say what the outcome is.
Cindy

[scoobers]

Wow, it's nice to know that I'm not crazy.  I have always had similar effects whenever I forgot to take my dose the night before - the vivid dreams especially!  To quote other users, I definitely felt like "death warmed over".  Reading everyone's posts is making me consider saying "bye-bye" to this drug.  Not that I'll do anything drastic, but it's certainly food for thought.

[Lostmyway]

I've been looking for someone on this forum who maybe in similar circumstances to my own.  I'm 46, premenapausal and I've been on Effexor 225mg for one year now.  I previously went off the drug for one week as I was weaned off during a drug study I was involved in so I could get free medication.  Dosage was decreased gradually over three weeks (that went fairly well) and then I was without meds for one week.  I thought I would loose my mind before they got me started on it again.  Got started on Effexor in the first place because personal problems brought back my depression.  The Effexor was a God send at the time.  It totally numbed me out to everything.  Prior to meds I had hit rock bottom.  Crying alot, couldn't function doing normal daily activities.  Ultra sensative to everything.  Couldn't get out of bed, thought life was not worth living....etc.  I was thankful for Effexor as I was finally able to sleep without staying up all night reliving each days problems.  After one year I am now starting to feel like the medication has stopped working.  I have once again become ultra sensitive to everything and everyone.  Each day I wake up I'm not sure what kind of mood I am going to be in.  Will I be happy today or am I on the bottom trying to get up before I can even start my day.  If this med is no longer working then what is the alternative.  I'm not looking forward to going off Effexor as I know from personal experience it is a hard drug to get off of.  But my personal circumstances have not changed much and in some ways are even more troubled.  So I still feel like I need something but I am not really wanting to try another medication.  I didn't figure the depression this time around would be easy or fix quickly.  But if it is no longer working and I'm at the highest dosage where do I go from here?  Also I'm in a very bad place with my weight.  My normal weight is 125-130.  I'm now at 177 and climbing.  My whole body is under stress because of the extra weight which I assume is related to the Effexor. I'm down to one meal a day and I'm still gaining.  Also, I broke my toe and that has hampered me from getting exercise but this weight gain is abnormal.  Another side effect of the drug is the lack of ability to concentrate which is making it difficult for me to decide what to do.  I first called it memory loss but my psych. described it as lack of concentration.  Does anyone else out there fit my profile?  I need someone to talk to.

[sas90230]

I have been on 75Mg of Effexor for 6 years now and one side-effect that I have noticed is that my left eye vision is always seems to be blurry.  I have had Lasik surgery (3 enhancements within one year period, and I'm sure my Doctor is bewildered as to why he can't get me to 20/20 vision, especially with the new Wavefront Technology.)  Last week, I read up on some of the potential side effects of taking Effexor, and blurry vision is one of them.  So, I'm on my 3rd day of coming off the drug.  I read that the Amino Acid, L-Theanine, which is an ingredient in Green Tea, works to keep the brain in an "Alpha Wave" state.  This state is, Awake, but Relaxed.  The other waves are as follows: Delta Wave = Deep Sleep, Theta Wave = Light Sleep, and Beta Wave = Awake, Excited.  I have had anxiety and panic attacks most of my life, so much of the time the chemical imbalance must have placed me in "Beta Wave State."   I am on my third day without taking Effexor (Cold Turkey),and so far I have had no withdrawal symptoms!  None!  I take 200mg of  L-Theanine every 8 hours (thus, 3 X per day).  The only side effect that I have had so far is that my vision is now clearer, like it should have been after the the first Lasik Procedure I had a year ago.  Obviously, if the side effects start to happen, then I will go back on and do the slow withdrawal thing.  I know this sounds too good to be true, but go on the web and check out L-Theanine for yourselfs.  I will keep everyone posted on my progress.  Hope this helps someone!  sas90230