I would love to hear about your experiences with Effexor?

Question

Hi, I have recently stopped taking Effexor XR75 after only four months of use...when my mom was sick, then died, I just needed some help. Now I am feeling like a heroin junkie without it, ie, I am having a lot of the symptoms listed of withdrawal. I also recently quit smoking but I am using nicotine replacement. I love my caffeine as well.

If you are going through any of this, I would love to know how you are dealing with it, whether you have ever felt unsafe (phys or emotionally) from either use or withdrawal of the med. Recently a lot of seemingly isolated discomforts, I have traced them ALLLLLL back to the substances in my body and particularly withdrawal.

It also can't be all that hard to imagine complications from nicotine and caffeine. If that is your story, I really wanna hear from you!

Please let me know how you are doing, any tips to clean up my system safely, what to expect, how long before I feel better...personal experiences only please!

Thank you very much!

Let me clarify a few things:

I am moody and tender hearted but not suicidal so please don't worry about this. I'm pretty safe and as a precaution a lot of people are looking in on me, supporting me, etc.

I really don't want to restart Effexor just to taper off if I can help it. I want off and I don't want to switch to another anti-depressant. I honestly don't think I will ever take psychotropic meds again and I certainly won't take them lightly.

I can tolerate the physical symptoms of withdrawal, but more than anything I wonder if withdrawal ever brings on more serious problems, like heart attack or stroke. If it is just my body telling me to get more effexor...no dice.

Let me also explain about my depression. I am relatively confident that it is situational, even though I was going through a looooooong situation. Most of my anxiety/depression is due to being the caretaker during my mom's illness. Then she died, I was her roommate. I am lonely, etc but very much relieved now that she is gone. I miss her but I don't worry about her, you know? Also, my life is looking up! Lots of stressors but things are good...moving, new job, finances are coming back together, I have and will continue to have a rock solid support system. So my life is getting back on track without her and I am starting to define myself apart from my late mother. Basically this was a situation that was a long time in the making.

My efforts to get healthier are good at this point but I'm miserable. I quit smoking only to need nicotine gums, etc more than I ever smoked. And I have gained a lot of weight. I will try taking better care of myself.

Thanks for the kind words from all!

AND I am part therapist myself. I work in the therapeutic community. I am surrounded by people who can help me deal with this stuff on an emotional level. I'm not IN therapy? But a lot of the people I am friends with help me through it, and I have skills of my own. I am very much aware of my emotional needs at this point. And my grieving is natural, and well monitored by me, and my friends, and all the therapists I work with. So it's not like I'm doing all this in a box.

I would love to keep in touch with any of you, feel free to email me at [e-mail].

Oh and Professor, I don't have much confidence in my doc anymore either. Case in point, I am asking for advice here instead of with him...he was pretty negligent to give me this stuff knowing I am so easily addicted to other things.

Last add on, I promise, thanks everyone for reading and responding.

Answer 1

I can tell you that its a pain in the butt...
I've been on/off of effexor several times. But i can tell you that it does go away!
It just takes time to fully wear out of your system... that can take weeks, honestly. But don't worry! It will happen! Just take care of yourself, and if you feel that you want to take it again, talk to whomever prescribed it for you. Or us. Or anyone.
Its not a bad thing to take it again, provided that its giving you a benefit. : )

What i found helped *because my issue is that I wouldn't take it... I hate taking medications* is reminding yourself why you're taking it.
Or in your case, why you want to stop taking it! Its tough wading through all the different things, but take it in stride. We're here for ye!

Answer 2

I speak of experience as a physician, and not as personal. The things you might expect from withdrawal, are the same symptoms you are describing: anxiety, cravings, in some cases, pain. I have found that in some of my patients, a turn to "the natural" was the right way to go. Herbal teas, a better diet, and an approach to fitness was the way to go. The best thing to keep the mind occupied is exercise. With the change of dieting, they started feeling better in a period ranging from 1-2 months after. Try that, and I would love to hear how it went. P.S: Kick your physician's **** for giving you the Effexor. You did not need it.

Answer 3

My sister was on Effexor and the doctor got her off it by reducing 1 pill to half a pill and so on but yes she had withdrawal symptoms too which dissapeared as days went by. Juste remember something.. antidepressants aren´´t effective if they don´t go with therapy I know this because I´m a psichologist , so just hold on in a fwe days you´ll be feeling better.

Answer 4

You apparently cannot stop abruptly or can get annoying side effected. should be reduced under doctors supervision. Blood pressure should reduce with low dose along with any other side effects that you may experience. If have history of depression should not go off entirely as depression can come back and then have to retake.Drug works good for depression but should be reduced once feeling better.