I QUITE EFFEXOR!

[amandag818]

Ok i have been on effexor for a while now and really didnt want to quite taking it but i had no choice because of my insurance. So i quite COLD TURKEY about 5 days ago and i seriously didnt knw what to do with myself...i just felt sooooooo terrible and still get that way. can someone please tell me how long this will last??? Its been 5 days and i just cant take no more !! And how bad did it get for youuu?? Anyone?? I could really use some help

[hobeka]

Effexor is a hard one to get off altogether let alone Cold Turkey.  It is not advised by any doctor and I think anyone who has been on it and tried to go off will tell you that as well.  You have to wean yourself off s-l-o-w-l-y.  No more than 10% reduction every two weeks.  Take Omega 3 for the brain zaps and increase vitamin B, Vit. D (I take 3000 iu/day).  I also take L-Tyrosine and Rodiola Rosea for anxiety and stamina.  I've been weaning down from 225mg for the last month and am at 187.5mg/day now.  I haven't had any bad side effects from weaning.  Whenever I felt some brain zaps or some dizziness, I would take more caps of the Omega 3.  You can't overdose on that.  If you need to wean off, you have to prepare your body for it first and arm yourself with some alternatives for when the withdrawl effects kick in.  And believe me, they will kick in if you reduce your dosage of Effexor too fast.

Good luck.

[chickamin]

Stopping cold turkey for any reason should never be done with any antidepressant, esp. effexor as it does take time to get safely off this drug. If there is any way you can find help to get back on this drug , perhaps go to local health or social service offices and explain your problem and try to get enough of the effexor to slowy start to wean yourself off. Otherwise even deeper depression can set in. I was on this drug for over a year, you did not say the dosage that you were on but none the less you still can end up with serious problems quitting cold turkey. I would suggest if you have them or can afford them to take omega 3 oils and even ginko. Vitamins and minerals are helpful in this case as they help put back into your body what you now lack due to the drug. Keeping busy will help.  I esp. found anything I could do outside helped the most, just a good brisk walk or anything like planting flowers, working the soil. Having a pet to spend  time with, perhaps taking a dog for a walk.  Alot depends too on how long you were on the drug and the amount of the dose. If it has only been a month you could be ok without going back on. If there is anything I hate it is telling someone to go back on but some time depending on the amount of time you were on it that is the best course.  I always feel it is best to look for any natural thing that will help instead of drugs like these as I have seen so many people suffer from taking them in the long run. I also would suggest going on the web and looking up information to help you get off these things safely and alternitives to help with the depression. There is so much in nature God gave us to help us through tough times.  I do wish you the best and will keep you in my prayers.. God bless Chickamin

[SamAE]

I'm sorry that it's due to your insurance that you had to quite cold turkey but even stopping meds like that slowly cause a lot of these withdrawal symptoms...if you do it cold turkey it's just more extreme. If it's only been 5 days, I hate to say it'll probably last a little longer. I persoanlly wasn't on effexor long enough to really get wdl symptoms. But I have had to just stop taking my meds for a couple weeks cuz I didn't have the money. Usually people say it takes a couple weeks or so to really see wdl effects. But I usually did within 3 or 5 days. If it's a medication you really do need you're symptoms just may slowly subside as appose to just going away. I know those 5 days have probably just dragged on & felt like FOREVER, but with something like this, my best advice would be to stay busy. Try not to  contantly thnk about this major loss (idk how long you were on it so idk if takn meds is a pain like it is for me lol)

idk if this helped, but I REALLY feel your pain. & I know just how you feel. I have hope for you