[expressiveone]

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I may be going off of Effexor and starting something like Lamictal. I was curious if anyone else has been able to successfully stop taking Effexor? If so, did you need to use another med to aid you to completely eliminate it? My dream situation is to be able to get off of Effexor by weaning off and adding on Lamictal and that Lamictal aids in treating my depression and scaring off my hypomania/mania. I have a pdoc appt on wednesday and since my dr. is not as great as they get I'm hoping my suggestions will aid me.

[choocha]

Originally Posted by expressiveone

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I may be going off of Effexor and starting something like Lamictal. I was curious if anyone else has been able to successfully stop taking Effexor? If so, did you need to use another med to aid you to completely eliminate it? My dream situation is to be able to get off of Effexor by weaning off and adding on Lamictal and that Lamictal aids in treating my depression and scaring off my hypomania/mania. I have a pdoc appt on wednesday and since my dr. is not as great as they get I'm hoping my suggestions will aid me.

Hi. Ya, I successfully weaned off Effexor & started Cymbalta, within a week. I didn't notice any withdrawal from the Effexor & I came off it pretty quickly after being on it for 4 years. Luckily, it was a very smooth transition. I take Cybalta for the depression. I take Lithium & Zyprexa for my mania. This combo seems to be working fairly well at the moment. Just need some dosage tweaking. Hope that helps.

[Beholden]

I weaned off E with good results. I took longer than the doctor suggested, as I really didn't want any w/d symptoms. I stayed on the lowered dose a few days longer and cut tme back even less. I was just very careful and sort of worried about coming off too quickly. I didn't have to worry after all.

My huge mistake was that I thought I could just get off of it without taking something else for my depression. Not a great idea for me.

You should do fine. Especially when you follow what your pdoc says.

I am now on Pexeva for my depression.

Good luck Keep us posted on how you do.

[Moreta]

I came off Effexor, but it wasn't easy. It took 3 months to ween off of it, as my pdoc wasn't replacing it with anything. Once i came off of it, it was 3 weeks of constant crying, I would even cry at commercials. I'm not allowed anti depressants now, as they make me manic.

[Beebizzy]

I've tapered off Effexor a few times in the past (I'm on it again now though) with no problems at all. The first time I was on Lithium as well, which I stopped at around the same time. Otherwise no other meds involved.

Good luck with it! You should do fine.

BB

[AniManiac]

I've gone off Effexor before; it was a pretty unremarkable experience. It would have been immediately replaced with either Zoloft or Wellbutrin, but I just can't remember which one anymore.