Effexor

Help, Spouse has been on 3 150 mg tablets for a long time. He called in for a refill and they reduced it to two. No calls, no explanation, just reduced it. When he called to verify that it was intentional, it was. So he has suddenly been dropped 150 mg and is dizzy, brain zappy and sick feeling. I think it is outrageous and I am really sick of docs. So, I remember reading in here that when decreasing from these types of newer mixed class SSRIs and ? that taking prozac along with the reduction helps to decrease the brain zaps. Can someone elaborate on this for me. I gave him 20 mgs of prozac that I had from when I did not have insurance. I have enough so that he can take it for a few weeks and wean. He will not take time off from work to go to the doc unless he is too sick to work.

Does plan make sense? I want to call the doc's office and complain but I won't as they have me pegged as a problem patient anyhow.

Let me get this straight, your doctor called a refill to the pharmacy for 150 LESS then your husband was taking......say the day before???? Unbelievable!!!!

Call your doctor and complain......that is crazy!!!

Now besides my rant, I know nothing about the proper withdrawel from effexor.....I just know that when I miss my dose for a day, I am sick with a headache, etc.

Sorry I couldn't help, but maybe, just maybe the doctor's office made a mistake. Please call!!

Effexor can cause some nasty withdrawal effects is some patients if the dose is adjusted too quickly. It sounds like this may be the case. I definitely think your spouse needs to contact his doctor to find out the reason for this change. Effexor XR is often adjusted in 37.5mg or 75mg doses. These doses come in sample packets which many doctors will give out during the adjustment period.

thanks folks. so after doing copious research online I agree it is insane and it WAS deliberate,I called and checked. I am fit to be tied. Spouse is very sick. The things I read said to try benedryl, dramamine, omega 3s. However, no matter how I look at this I see malpractice. Why was he on 3-150 mg pills for years? I never paid attention. Now this drastic overdosing and withdrawal are making him so very ill. I will be calling the doc on call in the a.m. and asking for at least 75 mg tablets, or even if they come in 100 mg. He can go down slowly from there. Even a 50 mg reduction is huge. STUPID STUPID doc or nurse. I'll even tell docs to do the research, speak with the pharmacists, go online. This is just cruel. All I had on hand tonight to give him was excederin p.m. He is sleeping and twitching a bunch. Poor man. I am so upset with what I learned online tonight I am on a crusade. This withdrawal is evil.

Definitely call to complain - Effexor really needs to be tapered slowly, especially if you've been taking high doses for an extended period. It's supposed to have one of the worst discontinuation syndroms of all the anti-D's (pharma won't call it withdrawl because that would be admitting it's addictive) I'm on 375 mg a day and have had periods where I've missed taking it, when I was drinking, and it was pretty awful.

Hope your husband gets through this ok.

--splitimage

Thanks, I am complaining. Called the E.R. and even the nurse thought it was ridiculous. I am tired of people in power hurting me and my family. You had better believe that I want the reg doc to change dose back up. He will insist on seeing him and that is just plain hard because he can't plan ahead with job because with this office you can't schedule in advance, you call the day you want to be seen. ARGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!

I am on 600 mg (4 x 150). The dose of 450 is high, but not unheard of, but either way the reduction of 150 overnight is just plain cruel!

Let us know what the drs office says......good luck!

Take care everyone

Okay so today I speak with the nurse and tell her what hubby is experiencing and she just gives him a 75 mg pill to help. He is to take it for three weeks only, no gradual reduction. I would have preferred he take a 37.5, and a 75, after three weeks reduce by 37.5, 3 weeks 37.5 etc. I am convinced from my reading that these docs are nuts and don't know how to withdraw safely. I do know that three 1000 mg caplet of 277 DHA fish oil or higher taken a.m. and lunch help a lot. I also suspect increasing the B's and E vitamins to be good. However I am not looking forward to this for my sweety. I am on a rampage and want these drugs adequately warned about. I wish we still had a drug person here. I switched from cymbalta to prozac so that I can w/draw more easily. It doesn'tseem to affect me to switch back and forth. I want to get liquid next month and titrate down. Wish us both luck. I am really going to try everything nutritional and herbal that I can. Thanks.

Wishing you luck. But I am really surprised at your Dr., when i was in the psych hospital this summer there was a girl in there who was months coming off of effexor before they could switch her to something else.

Yes split, it seems odd dosen't it? I am trying to do everything I can to support his system while going through this. There is a loton nutritional and other things thaqt help like dramamine. If he gets too sick I will be calling and DEMANDING they give him more of the med and taper more slowly.

Hi Wisewoman,
That was weired, I agree, to reduce meds without seeing the patient, or talking to him. Unheard of and unacceptable. Speak up, so what if they think whatever. That's their problem.
I wish you and your husband the best,
Dorsey

Withdrawal is HORRIBLE!!!! I am still messed up and this is third week off the two my doc cut cold turkey!!! I hope it doesnt last long. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers. melanie