Effexor Questions

[Jazz1159]

I have been on Effexor for about 1 year for depression and anxiety. I take 75 mg. per day, which has worked wonderfully for me. I went from living life on a rollercoaster of emotions and at sometimes not even wanting to go on, to being able to deal with life's ups and downs as a healthy, normal person.

Just in the past couple of weeks I have noticed small tinges of the old depression (nothing major), but I'm wondering if my body has gotten used to the 75 mg. dosage, and if I will require my dosage to be increased in order to continue to feel the benefits from it? In the past few days I have been reading things that people have posted on various websites and I see that many people are taking much higher dosages than me. Is this why? Because the lower dosages no longer worked?

I have also seen many postings about the horrific withdrawal when you go off of this drug, which has scared me to death. Can you please tell me what I can expect if and when I decide to stop taking this drug. My family doctor prescribed this to me last year, first in a 37.5 mg dosage, and then increased it to 75 mg so I understand that a similar procedure will be needed to wean myself off of it. If I do this gradually, will there still be terrible side affects? Please tell me what I can expect.

Additionally, I have gained about 20 pounds in the past year, and I am wondering if this is a side affect for this drug? I asked my pharmacist and he said no, but many people have posted things about gaining weight so I am just wondering.

Also, what affects will alcohol have on this drug? Is it okay to drink occasionally, or should I abstain from alcohol altogether? All that I drink is wine and usually not much at a time......maybe one or two glasses. Should I stop altogether, or is this acceptable?

Your wisdom would be GREATLY appreciated!!!
Jazz1159

[mountainhooger]

I was on 150 mg of Effexor, I took 75 mg for 2 weeks, then I took 37.5 mg for 2 weeks. Side effects where bad, I had night sweats and a couple of bad panic attacks coming off the meds, went to the doc and he gave me .5 mg of clonopin and that helped alot.

[mr_wadexxx]

same here i have put on weight and is hard to get off i have calastol problem to never had them
and the think is that i still feel depressed some times and anaxity too
wat does this really for the only thing is i cant get of it i went down to 37.5 milligrams but still i cant get off i tried to buy the effer tablets to break in half but they seem to stop selling that in australia
so i have no idea how to get of this thing. i dont know if the efexor fixed me or i done it buy my self thinking that its working???
does any one know where to get 20 milligram tablets to break it down
thanks

[Heather C]

After the starter pack, my normal dose was 75mg.  When it didn't seem like it was working as well, my dr doubled my dose (normal adult dose 150mg).  I was about 125lb and 5'6 then and I tolerated it well.  I really liked being on the meds actually, but coming off of them is a different story.

My husband was totally against all the medication I was taking and he didn't really think I needed them, until now since I've been off of them for a whole 2 weeks or so.  Anyway, I did gain weight with the meds, but since I completed the tapering process, I have lost the weight.  I'm back to what I was a few months before I went on them 5 years ago.


I tried to get off of them with too many withdrawals, so I stopped where I was at the time (12.5mg).  Basically enough to sustain the withdrawals, 12.5mg isn't enough to help with depression but I couldn't stand the withdrawals, so I continued to take it.  The withdrawals for many, including myself, were horrific.  I was fortunate because I tapered so slowly that I only got the withdrawals for about a week.  That week was horrible.  Brain zaps (weird electrical feeling in the brain), tiredness/sleepiness, irritation/agitation, and dizziness were my main symptoms.  There are a few ways I coped though (if your looking to get off of it, look at my previous questions in this forum to find info).

As far as alcohol goes, I've never been a big drinker, but I did drink a few times while on this drug.  If your only drinking a couple of glasses of wine, i wouldn't worry about it.  Anti-anxiety medications (xanax, valium, ativan, buspar) mix with alcohol to intensify the effects, so if your on these, I would limit myself to 1 at the absolute most.

Did I answer everything?