Effexor withdrawls

[Dipasasky]

My doctor has switched my medication from effexor to pristiq and I'm wondering about the withdrawals I'm going to experience ?I was on effexor for about 2 yrs . I also deal with sleep apnea and started using a mouth piece for it . I'm experiencing extreme fatigue more than usual .I don't know if this is a result from switching medications ? If u can me with this I'd really be grateful thanks !

[nursegirl6572]

Great advice you've gotten above!  I couldn't add anything to that if I wanted to, only to make sure like Paxiled said, the reason for the switch between two very similar meds makes sense.  If the reason for the switch is due to side effects, that's understandable (although not a guarantee, again, like Pax said)...but if the reason is based on effectiveness, then I'm not sure Pristiq is the best alternative.

Either way, let us know how you're doing!

[4Maddie44]

I withdrew from Effexor 150mg daily last year.  It has to be done very, very slowly so you do not get withdrawals, which can be pretty awful.  It took me 10 months, with a doctors help, and I did not have any withdrawals.  Effexor withdrawal has been discussed a lot on this site, and you may want to look up old posts, as people experience different things when withdrawing, but on the whole, many do it too fast.  

I live in Dorset in the UK and there is a Weymouth near where aI live.  Just a coincidence.

You do not say whether you are withdrawing from the Effexor yet.  Reading some people's posts on this subject, it would seem a lot of doctors do not realise what withdrawals people can experience when withdrawing from Effexor.  I do hope your doctor does, and is helping you through the transition to Pristiq.

Paxiled makes sense when he says that as the drugs are so similar, withdrawal may not be too difficult.  I expect you have to experience what happens yourself.  He is right, you must taper off very slowly, going down by small increments.  I did not go onto another drug after withdrawing from Effexor, and am glad I did taper slowly.  

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

[Paxiled]

Why did you switch?  Pristiq is a more expensive version of effexor, it's a little different in much the same way celexa was turned into lexapro.  They just altered the structure some in order to get a new patent and hopefully to have fewer side effects, but over time that usually turns out not to be the case.  I ask because if the effexor was working Pristiq is pretty similar, so why switch?  If it stopped working, Pristiq might not work either as it's such a similar drug by the same manufacturer.  Perhaps it was to reduce side effects?  As for withdrawal, theoretically, since the drugs are so similar, it should be easier to switch between them than between other drugs, but one should still taper slowly off effexor as it's known to be one of the most difficult to stop taking, so slow is best (Pristiq is also difficult, as is this whole class of medication).  So yes, it could be a result of withdrawal or of taking a different med, and if nothing else in your life is any different this is the most likely reason.