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Update On My Withdrawal From Effexor XR
It is now nearly 9 months since I started to withdraw from 150mg daily of Effexor XR. With my doctor's backing I have very slowly reduced.
I have not had one bad day, and feel really well. I am now down to 3/4 of 37.5mg. I have been on anti-depressants for over 20 years, and am 72 years of age, so if I can do it, I believe most people can. Take if VERY, VERY SLOWLY. I don't mind how long it takes me.
I know if depression rears its head again, then I will have to go back on medication. I will see how I go, and update you. I am so pleased, and so is my doctor.
I have not had one bad day, and feel really well. I am now down to 3/4 of 37.5mg. I have been on anti-depressants for over 20 years, and am 72 years of age, so if I can do it, I believe most people can. Take if VERY, VERY SLOWLY. I don't mind how long it takes me.
I know if depression rears its head again, then I will have to go back on medication. I will see how I go, and update you. I am so pleased, and so is my doctor.
Latest update. Whilst on Effexor my moods were very steady all the time and I could not cry. Now in my 9 month of withdrawal and on a very low dose I have become very emotional.
It is a strange feeling to have my emotions all over the place and to be crying. I am not crying with despair or anything like that. I have been with my lovely family and got all emotional about how lucky I am to have wonderful children and grandchildren. Can't stop stroking my dear little cat.
I am struggling with money, but it doesn't matter. I keep thinking things could be so much worse. It is as if this old lady (me) has so much to be thankful for. Another weep. Send my son a soppy text telling him I had such a happy time with him the last couple of days and my two youngest grandchildren. Tell him how lovely they all are. Don't know what my 45 year old policeman son will make of that!!
Today I go out with my daughter and my two oldest grandchildren. I hope I don't weep all over them!! Gosh I have became an emotional heap these last couple of days.
I still haven't had any other withdrawal symptoms except mild headache and tummy ache. No zaps, nothing else. About 3-4 weeks to go before I am completely withdrawn.
It is a strange feeling to have my emotions all over the place and to be crying. I am not crying with despair or anything like that. I have been with my lovely family and got all emotional about how lucky I am to have wonderful children and grandchildren. Can't stop stroking my dear little cat.
I am struggling with money, but it doesn't matter. I keep thinking things could be so much worse. It is as if this old lady (me) has so much to be thankful for. Another weep. Send my son a soppy text telling him I had such a happy time with him the last couple of days and my two youngest grandchildren. Tell him how lovely they all are. Don't know what my 45 year old policeman son will make of that!!
Today I go out with my daughter and my two oldest grandchildren. I hope I don't weep all over them!! Gosh I have became an emotional heap these last couple of days.
I still haven't had any other withdrawal symptoms except mild headache and tummy ache. No zaps, nothing else. About 3-4 weeks to go before I am completely withdrawn.
Down to half generic 37.5 pill and just beginning to feel a little different, but nothing much. Bit of tummy ache and tiredness, but nothing else.
You must be really ready to give up taking Effexor. If you want to be like me and have no withdrawal side effects, then you must take it really slowly. You will need your doctor's help with this.
Make sure you are really fit. I eat very sensibly and take supplements, which I believe have helped a lot. I walk a lot so my body is very fit. I have put on weight whilst taking Effexor, so the exercise and sensible eating have stopped me putting on any more weight.
You must have a very positive frame of mind, and be determined to succeed. It has taken me 9 months to be where I am now, and I expect it to take another 2 months.. Does not matter how slow you go. That way you will have no withdrawals. Keep active, and socialise. Both these have helped. I didn't want to tell people what I was doing, only a couple of close friends and family. That way I carry on with my busy social life, don't laze around at home. That does not help at all.
I eat live yoghurts and take probiotic drinks and pills. That way you have a healthy gut. No junk food, or takeaways. Plenty of good wholesome food.
I garden and read and do crosswords when at home. I seldom sit down for long. I am up and doing something or other. My cat is my best friend, and petting him and talking to him has also helped my mental state.
I have a caring family, which also helps. I have good friends. I love my senior citizen classes. I may be 72 but I am active, despite arthritis and failing eyesight.
Mandy do all that, get support, take it slowly. Eat well and keep active. Be positive. Tell yourself you will do it, and feel better for it. If I can do it after 20 plus years on antidepressants, and at my age, then I think anyone with a positive frame of mind can do it.
It has been easy for me, and I am amazed at just how easy. I did go off cold turkey once before. I have read many stories on this site how difficult people have found it to withdraw from Effexor, and yet here I am with absolutely no withdrawal effects at all, and feeling really great. I am proud of myself. I have approached this with my doctor's help (well until the very end) and when I saw her last week she was so pleased with me. I told her how I was managing the last stage, by cutting up pills, and she thought that was a great idea. I did not like her suggestion to take every other day.
No I will take smaller and smaller doses every day until I am completely withdrawn.
Good luck and if you follow my guiedlines, you will do as well as me.
Make sure you are really fit. I eat very sensibly and take supplements, which I believe have helped a lot. I walk a lot so my body is very fit. I have put on weight whilst taking Effexor, so the exercise and sensible eating have stopped me putting on any more weight.
You must have a very positive frame of mind, and be determined to succeed. It has taken me 9 months to be where I am now, and I expect it to take another 2 months.. Does not matter how slow you go. That way you will have no withdrawals. Keep active, and socialise. Both these have helped. I didn't want to tell people what I was doing, only a couple of close friends and family. That way I carry on with my busy social life, don't laze around at home. That does not help at all.
I eat live yoghurts and take probiotic drinks and pills. That way you have a healthy gut. No junk food, or takeaways. Plenty of good wholesome food.
I garden and read and do crosswords when at home. I seldom sit down for long. I am up and doing something or other. My cat is my best friend, and petting him and talking to him has also helped my mental state.
I have a caring family, which also helps. I have good friends. I love my senior citizen classes. I may be 72 but I am active, despite arthritis and failing eyesight.
Mandy do all that, get support, take it slowly. Eat well and keep active. Be positive. Tell yourself you will do it, and feel better for it. If I can do it after 20 plus years on antidepressants, and at my age, then I think anyone with a positive frame of mind can do it.
It has been easy for me, and I am amazed at just how easy. I did go off cold turkey once before. I have read many stories on this site how difficult people have found it to withdraw from Effexor, and yet here I am with absolutely no withdrawal effects at all, and feeling really great. I am proud of myself. I have approached this with my doctor's help (well until the very end) and when I saw her last week she was so pleased with me. I told her how I was managing the last stage, by cutting up pills, and she thought that was a great idea. I did not like her suggestion to take every other day.
No I will take smaller and smaller doses every day until I am completely withdrawn.
Good luck and if you follow my guiedlines, you will do as well as me.
Yes I am doing really well. Feel great. Not long to go now until I am not on any medication at all.
No I don't have any questions. I know you are still moaning about your niece, and nothing has changed with you and her. But it never will, will it?
No I don't have any questions. I know you are still moaning about your niece, and nothing has changed with you and her. But it never will, will it?
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