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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
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
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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