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Schizophrenia Community
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| Author |
 Topic  |
| rick
Starting Member
1 Posts |
 Posted - 07/10/2006 : 15:45:25
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| I’ve been off for 5 days now (after 3.5 yrs at 75 mg/day). I have withdrawal symptoms but find them not altogether unpleasant so far with the exception of a high-pitched ringing in the ears. I could not find anyone else who reported the ringing, is this completely unusual? I'm sure it is due to coming off the drug, all the side effects (dizziness, brain shivers, and the ringing) started one day after I stopped the drug. FYI, I also take Wellbutrin (started at around the same time) and have not stopped it at this point in time. |
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| Virginia Ross
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2006 : 19:27:18
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this is without question the WORST drug in the world.
I have never been on an antidepressent.
A doctor recommended it when I was looking at my third divorce, keeping my professional life in check and finishing my undergrad work.
So, he said: "THERE ARE NO WITHDRAWALS, NO ADDICITONS TO THIS DRUG. I GIVE THIS TO FRESHMAN STUDENTS WHO HAVE A PROBLEM COPING WITH COLLEGE LIFE.."
I am 51. Have always handled challenges with a primarily positive attitutde....so why did I take this stuff? I question myself over and over. I WAS a healthy, normally functioning adult.
And now I feel aweful.
Thank you Effexor. Some days I feel the best thing I can do is o.d. on sedatives....get it over. Then I think about my children and my grandchildren....never mind the reconciliation with my spouse.
I only took 75mg / day for about 3 months...and I feel vertigo, nausea, disoriented, and sometimes suicidal. Not every day, but some days are almost unbearable. I read that it takes about 2 months to get through this....up to one year to feel normal again.
What the heck is up with the manufacturer and the information to the medical field?
Virginia
ginny |
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| Virginia Ross
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 07/10/2006 : 19:29:03
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this is without question the WORST drug in the world.
I have never been on an antidepressent.
A doctor recommended it when I was looking at my third divorce, keeping my professional life in check and finishing my undergrad work.
So, he said: "THERE ARE NO WITHDRAWALS, NO ADDICITONS TO THIS DRUG. I GIVE THIS TO FRESHMAN STUDENTS WHO HAVE A PROBLEM COPING WITH COLLEGE LIFE.."
I am 51. Have always handled challenges with a primarily positive attitutde....so why did I take this stuff? I question myself over and over. I WAS a healthy, normally functioning adult.
And now I feel aweful.
Thank you Effexor. Some days I feel the best thing I can do is o.d. on sedatives....get it over. Then I think about my children and my grandchildren....never mind the reconciliation with my spouse.
I only took 75mg / day for about 3 months...and I feel vertigo, nausea, disoriented, and sometimes suicidal. Not every day, but some days are almost unbearable. I read that it takes about 2 months to get through this....up to one year to feel normal again.
What the heck is up with the manufacturer and the information to the medical field?
Virginia
ginny |
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| Oscar the cat
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2006 : 15:52:50
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I was weaning myself off for a period of 2 weeks (every other day, then every 2 days) a dosage of 150mg of Effexor.
I started experiencing equilibrium problems and felt as if I had the equivelent of "medicine head". As when one has a bad cold and is taking alot of cold remedies and doesn't feel right other than just the cold itself. I was having a very emotional time of it also with crying jags and just a "not myself" feeling that was hard to describe. I was trying to change from Effexor to Wellbrutrin and didn't know if it was the "weaning off" problem or something else going on. I was switching to Wellbrutrin and was starting it up on an every other day basis w/o any Effexor. |
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| curiouscat
Full Member (100+ posts)
157 Posts
Gratitude: 19
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Posted - 07/15/2006 : 17:46:19
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im wondering since im on effexor what going off will be like in the future but am not ready to yet. one thing ive wondered is is it only schizophrenics get brain zaps and brain going on and off type symptoms. if so im wondering could it be that the effexor acts supplementary to antipsychotics and that the brain zap thingy is when you withdraw if you other med isnt sufficiently high enough or right if the withdrawl is simply a returnt of the schizophrenic psychosis caused by the lack of augmentation to antipsychotics that effexor was providing in adjuntive to them? this is merely theoretical not a scientific fact. how many of you writing here are schizophrenic who have been having problems with withdrawal? and for those who arent are you schizophrenic and do you think its because your antipsychotic is at a sufficient dosage that you didnt have any withdrawal problems? id just like to know out of curiousity.
sincerley curious,
curiouscat |
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| potterylady
Starting Member
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2006 : 01:46:42
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Hi, just wanted to add my 2 cents.
I was started on Effexor in Oct 2003, and was put on 300 mg rather quickly. I started hearing about the problems with Effexor after the first year. I noticed right away that missing a dose by just 4-5 hours caused the 'brain shocks'. My doctor (a psychiatrist) was not aware of any problems, and looked at my wierd just for mentioning them.
Last year I found a doctor who was willing to help me go off them, we went down by 37.5 mg and after 6 days the brain shivers, depression, anxiety, etc. proved to be too much and I went back to 300 mg.
I found another psychiatrist in May this year and he, THANKFULLY, knows what he is doing. First he ADDED 20 mg of Prozac for one month, keeping the 300 mg of Effexor, this caused some agitation and insomnia but nothing like the Effexor withdrawal of before. Then next month I dropped 75 mg of Effexor (down to 225 mg) keeping the 20 mg of Prozac. I started sleeping better right away (too much actually) but most of the other symptoms were mild. anxiety and some fatigue. This month I am down to 150 mg of Effexor and up to 40 mg of Prozac.
I should say that the Effexor had stopped helping my depression some months ago, it's quite something to be so depressed when taking 300 mg of Effexor, (proves it doesn't always help) Also I am currently unemployed so dealing with the withdrawal is somewhat easier.
Since the most recent med change I am now dealing with more physical symptoms of the withdrawal, dizzyness, distended stomach, abdominal cramps, headaches, extreme fatigue, excessive sleeping, dry mouth and more. I can feel the brain shivers but they are muted. It is still so much better than the last time I tried to get off the Effexor.
Using the Prozac to get off of the Effexor is so much better, if you don't already know this, Effexor has a half life of 4 hours, which is why we feel withdrawal so quickly, it is the worst of the anti-depressants, Paxil is next in line. Prozac has the longest half life, which is why it helps with the withdrawal. I had been on Prozac twice before and stopped with no problems, since it takes so long to come purge from the body. I also think that taking a month between changes is better, yes, it take longer, but it is do-able.
The FDA MADE the drug companies add the suicide warnings and what they call 'discontinuation syndrome' warnings in 2004. The drug companies knew about these problems but did not put the info in their drug info sheets originally. If you look at the drug info sheets now you will see the info on this including the term brain shock. |
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| neversaynever
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2006 : 16:09:40
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| ushi
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 08/07/2006 : 17:01:32
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I was on cymbalta 120mg for almost a month and then when i couldn't stand the side effects from cymbalta my doctor switched me to effexor 37.5mg. My doctor told me i was too sensitive to the norepinephrine in cymbalta, when i read about effexor and realized that it too was a ssnri, i freaked out. The doctor told my husband that effexor was different than cymbalta, and i had to quit taking effexor after only 4 days because my bipolar mania acted up.
This medicine is the worst medicine i have ever been on. I have never felt as bad as i have since not being on effexor. I stopped taking effexor on friday and now it is monday night and i still feel like i want to die. I have been nauseated and dizzy for 3 days now. My dreams are horrible, and i have either been throwing up or having diarrhea for the past 2 days. I have an appt. thursday with my terrible psychiatrist and i cant wait to tell them how awful this drug is and how bad i have felt, but they dont care im sure. I have been diagnosed with bipolar and major depression for only a month and this has been the worst month of my life. |
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| dlstevens
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2006 : 23:16:49
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quote:
Originally posted by Administrator
Dear Members,
BIZARRE NEUROLOGICAL WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS
My patients are reporting experiencing very upsetting neurological withdrawal symptoms when rapidly coming off venlafaxine (Effexor). These vague, but very upsetting, neurological symptoms are hard for my patients to describe. One patient said "it was like my brain was going off and on". One thing was certain, my patients had never experienced anything like this when coming off previous antidepressant medications.
MY PATIENT THIS MORNING
This morning I saw one such patient. Two years previously, she had an excellent response to venlafaxine (Effexor). After a year on venlafaxine, we slowly phased it out over 3 months without any withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. Unfortunately, this year she had a severe relapse, and her depression didn't improve with my restarting her venlafaxine. Thus, after 3 months on venlafaxine, I decided to gradually phase out her venlafaxine over 10 days in preparation for starting a new antidepressant. That proved to be a medical disaster.
I have never seen this patient as severely depressed and suicidal as she was this weekend. In addition, she had these very unusual neurological withdrawal symptoms ("like my brain going off and on"). Yesterday, we restarted her venlafaxine (quickly back to 75 mg twice a day). Within 4 hours of restarting venlafaxine, she was dramatically improved. Today, she was free of the severe suicidal ideation that was so intense yesterday. She was smiling and dramatically less depressed (all in less than 24 hours after restarting venlafaxine).
IS THERE A SEVERE VENLAFAXINE (EFFEXOR) WITHDRAWAL SYNDROME?
The fact that this patient became so suicidally depressed on phasing out venlafaxine, and dramatically (in 4 hours) improved once back on venlafaxine strongly suggests that venlafaxine causes a severe withdrawal syndrome (unlike anything I have every witnessed in 30 years using other antidepressants).
The manufacturer of venlafaxine has not alerted physicians to the possibility of it having a severe withdrawal syndrome. I had never witnessed this severe withdrawal syndrome previously, since I had always taken 2 months to slowly wean my recovered patients off venlafaxine. Thus, I would conclude that this severe withdrawal syndrome only occurs if venlafaxine is rapidly withdrawn (over 7 days or less).
I have apologized to my patient for accidentally putting her through such a severe withdrawal syndrome. I think it is now time for the manufacturer of venlafaxine to apologize for not alerting the mental health community as to the existence of this severe withdrawal syndrome for venlafaxine.
Except for this severe withdrawal syndrome (on sudden discontinuation), I have found venlafaxine otherwise to be a very safe and effective antidepressant.
COULD I ASK FOR YOUR HELP PLEASE
I would like to ask our community members if they have had any difficulty when coming off venlafaxine. Thank you for your assistance.
Phil Long M.D.
Administrator 
donna stevens |
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| dlstevens
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2006 : 23:32:01
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this is my first time on here. i am coming off of effexor xr right now. i feel like i am not going to be o.k. 24 years ago i came off alcohol and drugs. i never thought i would feel like that again. it may be worse. i have been keeping a diary for the last 9 days. i am having brain shifts that are unbelievable. the amount of symtoms i have is unreal to me. i studied alcohol and drug abuse with hazelden school. this is unbelievable that we weren't told we were taking an addictive substance. i have never taken a medication in my life that i didn't research first but 2 years ago i fell and broke my hip. i am
54 years old so i was concerned and very depressed about the fall. i was vulnerable and needed something to make me feel better so i trusted my Dr. and took effexor xr. i was on 150 mg. i usually make more sense than this but i am in the throws of withdrawal and just wanted to throw it out for discussion by someone. thanks for listening.
donna stevens |
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| heathersavage
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/06/2006 : 15:37:37
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| i have been on Effexor for 4 years now. i have tried twice to get off the drug with no success. i had all of the symptoms that are discussed, night sweats, brain zaps, dizziness, etc. So, i quit trying to get off as it seemed easier to just stay on and not be sick all the time. A funny thing though, lately, i have been getting those symptoms of withdrawal kind of like my body is asking for more even though I am on a full dose. has anyone else had these effects? |
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| debp13
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2006 : 16:15:47
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I just started to research how to get off Effexor when I found all of you. Now I'm scared.
I've been taking a 75mg dose for 5 years, I was up to 150mg at one point and when back down to 75mg with no problems. I've just lost my job and insurance so I'm trying to ween myself off with no help from a Dr. So far I've been trying to stretch out the time between doses. I'm used to taking my pill at 7:00 A.M. by noon I feel like I'm cross eyed, exhausted, dizzy & starving. That's when I got on the Internet to see if I'm losing my mind.
How could such a small dose have such a big effect?
I haven't needed this anti depressant for a long time, but didn't stop using it because my family thought I needed and I was afraid of the withdrawal.
Like most of you I started with Effexor because nothing else worked. I felt so much better about life when I started to take this drug 5 yrs ago. It was like the miracle I was waiting for but now its no longer necessary.
I'll be checking in, wish me luck.
Debby |
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| tuesdaytuesday
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/18/2006 : 17:12:35
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Panic attacks were the reason i was placed on effexor 75 mg time release 1 a day. After a while, my doctor upped my dosage to 150 mg per day. I took this for around 10 years. My doctor (who was probably making a lot of money off prescribing venlafaxine) never offered to try another treatment, even when i asked to. While i was on it, i became a zombie-unknowingly.
Once i skipped 2 days of taking it because i had left the medicine in the town where i was going to college when i went home for the weekend. I received my only speeding ticket trying to get back on Sunday for these meds. I was sweating, delerious, vertigo, headache, nausea, etc...
Then last year, it was like one day i woke up and realized how long i'd been taking this chemical. So i decided it was time to come off. I told my doctor and he had me to taper off over a 2 week period. This did NOT work. It took me around 7-8 months, but i finally was clean from the drug. I would wait as long as i could between doses until i did without them at all. Things would look stretched, skewed, and my vision would jump all around while coming off. The vertigo, dizziness, and hallucinations were not fun.
Since i started the medicine, and to this day- i do not have a very good sense of time. I have to repeatedly look at a calendar to remember what day/month even year it is. My memory also became very hazy and still is to this day. I always feel like i'm in a dream- and i do not like it. My mind also wanders quite bad if someone is talking to me for more than 30-45 seconds or so. I could have a little hair loss from the medicine. My panic attacks have come back, although i did have a few while on the medicine- but i'm afraid to take any other medicine because of the withdrawals from effexor. Now the walls, ceiling, ground-whatever always looks like they're 'breathing', 'moving' or wavy like it's liquid (ocean-like). My imagination was very strong before this medicine, and it has been taking a lot of work to bring it back.
Effexor is probably the worst mistake of my life.
I hope this helps. |
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| debp13
Starting Member
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/20/2006 : 19:40:01
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Hi,
I'm down to the 37.5 mg pill.
And like TuesdayTuesday posted, I have the attention span issue. I can barely pay attention to what someone is telling me. I can't wait to be rid of this pill, but nervous still because I am so crabby, I feel like I can snap at anytime. What if really need to be on this? Nothing else ever kept me on an even keel. |
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| swishk22
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/30/2006 : 07:53:37
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Please, Please, Please be aware thaat effexor withdrawal is very ugly, and reeal ( not in your head). Last April of this year I decided to break free of this medicine after being on it for about 2 years with really no good outcome. Little did I know what was in store for me! With no warning at all from my doctor I immediately started coming down like a rocket out of control. My brain and body began doing all kinds of horrible things: Deep-Deep-Depression,Bad-Bad- Brain Zaps and my body seemed to be convulsing, I was nauseous,tired,crying and thought I was going to die! The worst part of it was noone beleived what was going on. I did'nt know what was going on. After about the 3rd or 4th day of living in a terrible state, my family started researching on the internet and found that I was not alone and that thousands of others are and have been where I was and I was not making it up or going crazy. This helped me,(with my families support), get through the rest of this horrible ordeal. I hope that if you are considering getting off this drug ,or are in the process of getting off effexor GET SUPPORT !!!!!! Beleive me your not Crazy!!!!!!!!! This awful drug is............ |
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Is There A Severe Effexor Withdrawal Syndrome?
