[marko]

hey was reading a thread about effexor, since its popular. here's my take:

took it year ago for the first time.

didnt improve, ended up in hospital (not due to the drug) was put up to 300mg a day plus Lithium plus seroquel, plus zispin.

found myself high as a kite on effexor, hence the stablers..

remained on effexor until a month ago. stopped taking them without warning.

side-effects, constant dizziness (think i may faint soon), heartbeats off the wall, trembles, pins and needles, general feeling of despair.

its the only way i will get off these though. i'm sure these will pass, cannot continue on this medication as it devoids you of your own feelings, it makes you numb to a point you dont know who you are anymore.

you may think i'm nuts for going "cold turkey" but no doctor will let me come off them.. i'm trapped.

i'm starting to feel again, its not a good feeling but at least i know what it is, unlike being a drugged up zombie.

i'll check back and let you know how i get on.

story is: 150mg a day is fine for MILD depression.

300mg a day is not good for anybody.

its like talking E, i swear to god... stay away from more than 150mg per day. you will get hooked.

[asylumgardens]

Effexor never gave me a high feeling. I was on 225mg, but right now I'm currently going through the cold turkey withdrawal. I didn't feel like it helped me at all when I was on it, but I'd continue to take it, but my doctor isn't being at all understanding with me about the costs. It's such an expensive medicine! I'm trying to work out the free program, but he won't even call me back, so here I am, feeling like I'm dying due the the Effexor withdrawals.

Do you get the "brain zaps" or whatever? I've only had one, but it's not pleasant. I have all those other symptoms you listed too, it's crazy. I am also going through extreme sleep deprivation, though, so I am having a tough time telling what's from the Effexor and what's from the sleep, but neither are helping each other..

Definitely keep me updated on how you're doing.

effexor nearly killed me. i am five feet tall. i lost 38 lbs.

everyone else has heard this here, but i want you to know you have a "partner"........

doc wouldn't react to my losing 11 lbs in 3 weeks. wouldn't help me. he was right or else. my pharmacist and i opened those freaking little capsules and counted, yes, counted, the little balls inside.....took me MONTHS to taper off. had zaps, nausea, headaches, head felt like it was full of moving rocks, etc.

while on it, at first, it helped a lot. and bam! i quit eating, once every two or three days, and i worked in ER then. 12-1/2 hour shifts.

i quit the med, quit the idiot doctor and became so depressed i thought i would die.

p.s. i lost down to a size zero pant. people stared at me and i'm sure said i was anorexic. and i was, technically.

[marko]

Hey,

When I was on it I didn’t have any sudden brain jerks or epileptic kind of feelings.. I just was in the same sense of semi-happiness.. some people like this, but I found it gave me a huge tolerance for the mediocre.. they are the stereotypical happy pills.

I floated rather than lived… really not nice.

Anytime I try to do something in a hurry now or use my brain in work (or now!) I get dizzy and faint like.

It does pass and once you admit to yourself its just your body reconfiguring itself, its tolerable.

I have a very good understanding of my illness and have come to the conclusion that meds “lifting a cloud, re-wiring your brain” blah blah blah is rubbish…

It gets you to a level of numbness and stops you wanting to hurt yourself. This is ok for severe cases of depression, not my illness… that’s what annoys me most.

I used to sweat A LOT on the meds, that was a nightmare especially if it was actually warm outside!

Re the bad dreams.. mine have been chronic lately.. again, this is purely down to the feelings (natural) suppressed by the medications ingredients. They slowly start to come out usually in dream form when asleep… they will also pass.

Its hard at the moment.. the temptation is there to go back on them, but I’m seeing this through… hopefully my body will thank me though.

[asylumgardens]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
fayerody said:
my pharmacist and i opened those freaking little capsules and counted, yes, counted, the little balls inside.....

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I know this is a serious thread, and your experience is bad, but LOL. This one statement killed me. Everytime before I took a pill I would shake it, and I always wanted to break one open and see what was inside. I wish I had saved one just to do this.

I have noticed that I don't eat much, I didn't really think that I might have been related to the drug, but now I guess it might have been. That's crazy that no one helped with that side effect..

Another thing is I have had had EXTREME mood swings. I will literally go from laughing hysterically one moment to lying in a ball sobbing the next moment. It only happened since I've stopped, so is that related too?

[marko]

Understandably the side effects of this are broad.

But to me, the physical cons outweighed the mental pros.

When in hospital I noticed that the people suffering from serious depression were not prescribed effexor…

Yet I was, plus FOUR stabilizers as my moods were aggressive (not me at all by the way) manic, extreme high / extreme low…

And the physical sides… my god… I don’t want to go there.

I mean, they put my on 4 stabilizers just to get the “balance” right for the meds i.e. Effexor is damn strong at a high dosage.

I dropped the lithium with no side effects, likewise the seroquel and zispin… but the effexor is the tough nut to crack.

I dropped to 125mgs per day with ease (little to no effects) now that I have stopped its like my body has started to shut down.

Again, I could get angry and down or be strong and realise that my body will pull through this… and hopefully my head will too.

its good to be able to get this off my chest, thanks people.

no way could i tell my doc or others... but hey, i'm in work now and its sunny in ireland on a friday for once!

thanks

[asylumgardens]

Yeah, I'm glad to see that there is someone else dealing with this at the same time as me. What are you on now?

I have also been hospitalized, and no one there was on Effexor either. I told my doctor I didn't think the Effexor was helping me, and his solution was just add Wellbutrin, he also said that the mix would find the right balance.

This seems like a crazy drug. I stared on 37.5mg and within a month I was put up to 225mg (increasing in smaller amounts, of course) but no antidepressant should really hurt you this much to just stop taking, I think..

[marko]

hey, i'm not on anything at the moment until i clear the effexor out of my system then i'll try something with more caution. drugs have their benifits, but you also need a standard of living that is more than just floating.

anyway, off home.

will check back in monday.

have a good wknd.

[asylumgardens]

You're right.. "floating" through life can be just as bad as going through it depressed.

Hope you have a good weekend and the effects don't hurt you too much, physically or mentally.

Well, here's an opinion you probably don't see very often...

I've been on Effexor XR for just over 4 years. I've had various doses all the way up to 450mg daily. Currently I have been stable at 150mg for 3 years. I wouldn't think of going a day without it. Unfortunately there has been a day or two here and there where I have misloaded my medication organizer and failed to take the Effexor. Horrible! Just one day without it and I felt horrible. Many of you have commented about the 'numb' feeling you get with the Effexor. I totally appreciate this feeling. Given the choice between how I was before the Effexor and how I am now I don't even have to think twice about not taking the Effexor. I have no desire to discontinue the medication. I'm on other psychiatric meds as well and they all serve their purpose, but I do feel the Effexor in particular has been a lifesaver for me.

i think A LOT of people respond well to effexor. some of us just weren't that lucky. i'm very happy for you.

yes, counting out those little balls was more fun than a barrel of monkeys......

[Danialla]

I am one of those who have responded well to effexor. I have taken this med for 7 years now , and it is by far the longest I have been able to take a med with positive results.

I have a particularly severe, at least for me, form of treatment resistant clinical depression with psychotic features. For me, that means I can go from zero to suicidal, really crazy suicidal , in no time at all! For that aspect Effexor as been a life saver for me!

I currently take a very high dose of 600 mg (I have been on that dose for 4 yrs)....along with welbutrin, provigil and my anti-psychotic, clozaril.

I know the feeling of floating through life and Prozac was the med that did that for me........I HATED it!!!! But we are all different, and how meds make us feel are different also!

The only thing that I feel VERY STRONGLY about, is NO anti-depressant is a "HAPPY PILL" for someone who suffers with this illness. To refer to any medication as a "happy pills", in my book is to cloud the picture of how devastating this illness can be to a person and their family, along with adding to the overall stigma associated having this illness and asking for help.

I am sorry for the above rant, and it was not directed to anyone.....it just is a very personal thing for me and others I am sure, so thanks for listening .

[asylumgardens]

I'm not against taking the medication. I would still be on it now if I could afford it, but I can't and my doctor seems unwilling to help me as I KNOW I can get it for free, but he has to be the one to give it to me.. However, I also know it wasn't helping me that much. I was only on it for a little over a month and a half, so I also know that maybe I just didn't get all the affects of it yet. I will get back on it when I am back at school and will be given it for free, but until then, I don't have any other option..

Danialla, I'm curious about the Effexor Wellbutrin combo. That's what I'm supposed to be taking now, if I could afford it. The Wellbutrin I can get is generic, so I might at least buy that and take it alone. I have never taken Wellburtrin, this was my first month to try it. Maybe the combo will relieve more of my symptoms.

[toocute]

Do the withdrawal symptoms go away? I was on Effexor for 4 years up until about three weeks ago. I found Effexor to be very effective for my depression. The only side effect I had was dry mouth for a few weeks. Oh, and you just CANNOT miss a pill on that medicine. I never experienced a feeling of disconnection or "happy" though. Maybe my depression was just so bad that I was glad to be somewhere else.

Effexor was effective for about 3 years, but we didn't want to change because I was pregnant and then breastfeeding. The doc took me down from 300mg to 150mg to nothing at the same time he put me on Abilify (and I quit breastfeeding; I'm crazy, not stupid). I've been off it for two weeks now and I'm still as dizzy as I was two weeks ago (no pun intended). I'm also hungry all the time and my blood sugar is low. Reading some of the other withdrawal symptoms here, I wonder if part of my problems with metabolism and severe vertigo are from getting off Effexor. My question is...does it go away?

[marko]

Hey Guys

Just to give a brief update..

Friday evening was terrible, the feeling of anxiety was palpable, loads of unrest and not at ease at all.

Saturday: woke up at 09.00am and the feeling of shakiness and faint were still there. I went for a swim in the sea and that actually helped take my mind of it… 2 hours later they returned.

Saturday I got drunk with friends… major stupid thing to do but the feelings in my body were cancelled out by the alcohol and I managed to forget about the sickness I was feeling.

Sunday: dead. Feeling of ultimate low (it was my fault) spent Sunday evening in a ball, not able to stand up.

Today: still same symptoms of withdraws. Drinking was stupid but god, I needed some sort of release from this feeling.

But hey, I’m still alive.

Re; “happy pills” I said they are the “stereotypical happy pills”

“stereotypical” being the operative word. I’m sorry that came across abrupt or wrong.

And in regards to this medication and its pros / cons.. I’m sure people rely on them for getting through life..

my point here is that something so ferocious coming off, should come with a severe warning, not the one on the label.

Or at least give you a viable alternative not just the “once on them, stay on them” viewpoint. Its entrapment.

Currently coming off effexor as well... the highest point i got to was 225 and Im down to three 37.5 mg pills now... and having major zaps and nauseau and loads of the rest of the side efffects. Its taken me almost two months at a time just to drop 37.5 at a time. ITs a slow, arduous process.

The sad thing is that effexor REALLY helped with my severe panic attacks, but I got next to no sleep on it, and at high doses it was making me almost manic or totally numbed out and fatigued... I would switch moods so fast I could barely keep track.

The plan is to get off this one and try something less...well less harsh.

One day at a time I guess.

[toocute]

About taking Wellbutrin alone...from experience Wellbutrin can exacerbate and possibly even cause anxiety & panic. So if you have concerns about anxiety & panic, you probably want to do both meds your doc wants you on. There are other meds out there. Will your doc let you try something less expensive?

Why won't your doc let you get free meds if they're available? Sometimes it takes the right approach, like dealing with a wild animal, you know? Here, doctor, doctor, doctor. Just kidding. But I do find my doc's trying to figure out what's "real" in what I say mesmerizing to the point of annoyance. Keep honest and keep trying.

[pescador]

Ditto on everyone's withdrawal. I NEVER want that med again. Over the years I would occasionally miss a dose then be so sick the next day I could barely walk.

[marko]

doing ok this morning. dare i say it the effects may be easing off a bit... was tempted to cal lthe doctor and take another dosage but that would have opened a can of worms i think...

god i really hope the worst of this is over... i even took travel sickness pills to try and stem the motion sickness sympthoms!

if you are in a low place mentally, i strongly advise not to stop taking these... thankfully i feel strong at the moment and can battle on...

for people reading this thread that dont take pills, this must make for some moaning, grim reading... but i'm being neither i'm afraid.

[toocute]

Congrats on side effects maybe easing off! Vertigo really is debilitating. I found that my motion sickness pills made the withdrawal vertigo and lightheadedness worse.

[asylumgardens]

I'll be starting on Effexor again soon. I don't really know if all my bad side effects were from withdrawal or if they were from pretty bad sleep deprivation. Probably a combination of both. I don't necessarily want to be on that drug in particular because it didn't seem to help, but I'm willing to try it with the Wellbutrin combination at least.

[zapot7]

I don't have a problem with Effexor either. I've come down from 150 to 75 mg day. Was going to go off them, but now I'm headed back up to 150 again. I lost a few pounds at first, but gained it back eventually (too bad!)

The withdrawal everyone hates, I posted about these a while ago. At first it was weird, but I barely noticed the brain zaps after a couple of days. No biggy.

I dunno about "floating", I quite like not being anxious all the time. It helped me get a handle on my life: alcoholic husband, depression, all kinds of situations I hadn't been dealing with. The drugs gave me the strength to deal with things head on. I'm so glad I can do that now.

Your mileage may vary.

[marko]

Hey all, its a week since i posted this thread:

Sickness / Dizzyness: Virtually gone
Feeling of utter dispair: Gone
Appetite: Back
Sleep: Normal.

this is the best i've felt in a long time, i'm so happy i could start to cry (happy tears for once!)

i dont want to tempt fate but at one time, i thought i couldnt get through this cold turkey..

folks, i'm starting to feel quite well again.

i made sure to keep active (way easier said than done), swam evry day for 2 hours, tried to eat proper and get rest...

i think i may have beaten the withdrawals...

PMA is the key in this... now i need to look at the bigger, ling term picture.. but for the moment....

I'VE TAKEN ON EFFEXOR AND WON!

thank you all here and i'm sorry if i'm smug about this, this is the first time i've felt happy in a long time.

peace x

[asylumgardens]

Good job, marko. I'm really glad you are feeling better again!

[recluse1]

coming off of any drug can be hell so i am glad you are doing so well. hope things keep looking up for you. best wishes.

recluse1