I have been on Effexor for a year and a half and am ready to stop taking it, but every time I skip a dose I experience severe dizziness and sometimes nausea that disrupts my daily life. Does anyone have any advice?
2006-10-25 09:55:17 · 9 answers · asked by mrscook13 1 in Health ➔ Mental Health
Hi miscook13.
As a RN nurse, and having experience with this kind of medication, first of all, could it be that the reason you feel you are ready to get off the medication is because you are feeling better? If so, could the medication be making you feel better. Second, Effexor is the type of medication that you need to taper off gradually and under a physician supervision. You can not just stop taking it or you will feel a lot of side effects. Please go to your doctor and tell him your concerns and let him help you.
2006-10-25 10:08:18 · answer #1 · answered by Isabel S 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have taken both Zoloft and Effexor XR. Both were for situational depression. Zoloft helped me and getting off was not a problem. Several years later I was prescribed Effexor XR. Effexor gave me energy, but it also changed my thinking. I am still paying for decisions made during the time I was taking Effexor (8 years ago). It really affected the way I thought and perceived things as well as the way I acted, yet it was subtle enough to go undetected by myself or friends for quite awhile. I had to take it much longer than needed because withdrawal was horrible. Finally, I cut down over a period of 2 months, which were bad, but the 2 weeks after not taking it were the worst. The withdrawal continued for about 3 months after stopping. Additionally, I'd get zaps and dizziness off and on for a year and a half afterwards on occasion.
I would recommend something else. I've known others who had similar problems with Lexapro and Effexor.
Good luck.
http://www.healthy-pharmacy.com
2014-07-16 15:21:59 · answer #2 · answered by emily 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have been on Effexor for about 4 years now and if I miss a day I get really sick : headaches,dizziness, I have even fainted,and also thrown up. It is like going through withdrawals. I have wanted to quit taking it too, but I don't like the side effects from not taking it. Probably should go to the doctor, and try to get weaned off of it. Hope this helps.
2006-10-25 10:13:10 · answer #3 · answered by CHERYL 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm going to start this week coming off of this terrible drug. I've been on 75mg for 2.5 years.
I'm happy to say that I do not start getting withdraws until about 48-50 hours after my LAST DOSE. So I'm hopping that the withdraw won't be too bad if I do the taper down method. There are a lot of web sites out there about this... It's down right scary what people go through. But I do have to remember that everyone has different experiences.
I have heard that Benadryl helps.
Good luck... I will keep you posted on my progress.
2006-10-28 09:44:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have never personally been on that but I can tell you that there are side effects no matter what. Ask your dr about a small dose of klonopin. It will help a alot. Also just realize it takes time to get off this stuff. You may ever relapse a little but stick with it. Try to get to a point of thinking, I can and will get off this and do whatever it takes to keep myself even.
2006-10-25 11:02:23 · answer #5 · answered by bea1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, I did the first time I took it. I had to come off extremely slow over a period of months. I had relapses and the one that bothered me the most was a shooting electrical charge that went up my neck into the side of my head (inside). Strangely though, the second time I had none at all. We all respond differently to these medications and based on my experience even differently at different times. I had a wonderful doctor who was very patient and caring and helped me get off the medicine that first time, thank goodness.
If you are not on the lowest dose already, I would suggest going down by dosage to the 37.5 in increments. They are capsules so it really stinks, but be really patient with each time you go down, give it a lot of time on each level. Talk to your doctor and see if he thinks that is a good plan.
2006-10-25 10:14:20 · answer #6 · answered by Dust in the Wind 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mother takes this medication, she is 75 years old and If she should miss a dose she gets a severe nervous reaction. She begins to shake and she has a hard time speaking. The last time this happened she took her next prescribed dose and the Dr. gave her a low dose of Valium. It took a few days for her to get back to normal. I would like to see her weaned off it because it does not seem to help her.
2006-10-25 10:21:11 · answer #7 · answered by Linda 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yea, the same thing happened to me. I actually went cold turkey after taking it for about 3 months as it wasnt effectively working (yes i know silly to just stop). Very anxious, nauseous, agitated and the occaiaional shakes. This stuff basically alters the way your brain works chemically. When you stop taking the drug... it alters again ( not using all the way back tho... or that would defeat the purpose of taking it in the first place). I think I felt like this for maybe two weeks?
2016-03-19 00:01:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've been on for 6 months. Your input is good to hear. I knew when you do get off any medication, do it under a psychiatrist's supervision, and phase yourself off of it. Don't just go cold turkey. Good luck to you, I can't tell you how inspirational you are to me.
2006-10-25 10:09:42 · answer #9 · answered by Bob Smith 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋