WEANING OFF EFFEXOR XR 150MG DID ANYONE ELSE GET EXTREMELY TIRED DURING?

[farmingmother]

I ALMOST FELT SEDATED IT IS DAY 5 OR 6 GOING OFF THE EFFEXOR XR I DID IT COLD TURKEY THOUGH.  I CALLED MY DOC TODAY, I AM STARTED A GRADUAL TAPPERING OFF THOUGH MY HEAD KEEPS DOING THAT ZAPPING THING THOUGH.

[AutumnEchos]

I want to start by adding my 2 cents to "Whodunnit" Bull crap people are blowing these side effects out of the water!! They ARE as bad as what these people are saying! Effexor ruined the last 6 months of my life. I forgot everything!!!!! I was in the car driving and my mind just went blank like I forgot how to drive or something. I get cold sweats, horrible brain electric like feeling zaps, my sentences are so unstructured, I'm exhausted, my legs hurt, my heart pounds, I can't sleep, I can't eat which makes it hard to take Effexor EVERYDAY because I had to take it on a full stomach. Kinda hard to get a full stomach on Effexor. I cann't even type all that happeded, it was pure hell. The shaking was awful too. Did not effect my sex drive tho. SNRI's seem to not effect that, SSRI's however, killed my sex drive.HERE's the catcher!! I'm not even weaning yet!! I have all these side effects PRIOR to weaning. I take my pills late and this is what happens. I'm only on 75mg and today is my first day weaning. I have the pressed pill, not capsule. I will shave a bit off the pill gradually, I'll post as i continue to wean off this awful drug.

[pjj43]

I am on my 2nd night coming off (cold turkey) from150mg of Effexor XR which I have been on for 2 years. I was told by doctors I would never come off the drug, must admit I thought they were fantastic until recently, having suffered from hives, redness from my chest upwards and itchy skin etc for the last 8 months or more and putting it down to going through menopause then having a blood test last week and finding out my hormones were fine and being up most of the night 1 night last week feeling like i could rip my skin to bits with the itching I HAD ENOUGH.  Like said 2nd night and OMG the nightmares are like nothing I have ever experienced plus having to get in the shower at 2:30am as I felt like i was getting out of a bath not my bed being in a pool of sweat.  I am a personal assistant with a typing speed of 95wpm and fantastic grammer, that has gone out of the window at present god knows how long it has taken me to type this and its as though my fingers and eyes are moving and the words are coming out in slow motion. I am lucky I have a very supportive husband and family but can anyone tell me if the worst will be over in 5, 6, 7....etc days so I at least have some idea.
I am sure like some of you I tried to contact my doctor at the hos to ask for there help, I was a severe suicide attempt 5 days in ICU 2 years ago hence being on the Effexor and being told it was for life but the response I got was now I do not live in the caption area anymore I have to go to my GP get a referral to another hospital, I am sure some of you know what I am getting to.  By the time I could have done all this and waited, what 2,3 or more months before seeing someone and them having to know my case 1st I could of ended up back in the hospital and gone crazy with no skin in a worst position, so I have to do this cold turkey even though I tried to do the right thing by calling the doctor first and being turned away even when I told them my intentions.  Sorry if I do not make much sense but my god it is so hard typing this at the moment.
I would love to hear from anyone experiencing the same at present.
Thank you

[Shellyinoz]

OH MY........
My dose of effexor is huge! I am on 300mg at night.
anyone else on this dose?
I want off this medication. its not helping my depression at all. I have been on it now for 5 years.
I am back at the point where all i want to do is sleep and forget the world, although i have severe problems sleeping.. any advice?

Rochelle

[danib20042003]

my name is daniel, i am 17 years old, and currently completing my year 12 and i have been prescribed Effexor XR 150mg by a doctor and i have been hit with extreme side effects, for eg. but not limited to; nausia, irritablity, unability to concentrate, suicidal thoughts and feelings. needless to say my work has slipped drastically and now instead of graduating with my year 12 class i am going to graduate mid year 2010, that is if i get at all better. i want to get off this stuff but when i told the doctor about my side effects at the start of the treatment he simply said your getting the side effects because its not the right dosage then went on to prescribe the 150mg dose as opposed to the 75 that i started on. i have been on this now for a period of four to five weeks including the 75mg dose and i haven't been feeling at all better. the depression i had before i started this medication was nothing compared to the depression i have gotten 4 weeks after. also i feel as if im starting to develop anxiety. my shrink has told me just hold out with the treatment and all will be better within another 2-3 weeks and the side effects should subside.... What do i do?? has anyone else experienced what im going through? (i mean concerning the doctors, not so much the side effects)

[RLbeckett]

DO NOT OPEN THE CAPSULES! This will negate the effect of the drug!!! It will be almost like going cold turkey. I am currently taking 37.5 mg every 15 days...I am going through horrible side effects of weaning as I write this (which is why I can't sleep and found this forum). Heart beat issues, head zaps, anxiety, sweating, irritation, digestion probs, body shocks ETC ETC!!! It's hell, people. Sheer hell. But I think I will beat this. Just please, don't open the capsules. Your time will be a waste. I did, and had to start over. PS: if you take a couple benadryls before trying to go to bed, it helps...I am going to take a few tonight. LOts of love to you all.

[tomhuxley]

I began taking Effexor about 7 years ago to help me with irritability.  And it worked very well for me, providing me with the time needed to develop more robust coping strategies.

I have learned to practice mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) through Jon Kabat-Zinn's program.  I have been able to manage my reactions and to live a more balanced and accepting life.  

This past month I have weaned myself off Effexor.  There have been some adverse reactions (swings in emotions, "zaps" when I move my eyes - anyone know fro sure what those are?, tiredness and lack of motivation.  I'm confident that I'll weather these things and that new coping skills will help me to lead a happier and more contented life.