Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
 | 
Getting off Effexor xr symptoms
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Post a Question Back to Forum
MedHelp Member's Question

Getting off Effexor xr symptoms

by seektolearn, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
I have been on Effexor xr for 4 1/2 wks.  It has done nothing for my anxiety and actually feel worse now agoraphobic. They had me up to 150mg which made me feel unreal and out of it so they put me back down to 75mg.  I know its not right for me the side effects are too bad.  My question is how to get off I am so scared of the withdrawl symtoms.  I have had every s/e on it including confusion muscle tension dizziness insomnia agitation to name a few so will the withdrawl symtoms be worse.  The anxiety that has come over me in regards to the withdrawl symtoms is now overcoming my life,  I am truly scared to go off after the horrow stories I have heard.  Since I have been on 75mg for 5 days now what do you think I will experience with withdrawl and what do you think is a good withdrawl schedule.

I use Klonopin 0.5mg for breakthrough anxiety will that help with the withdrawl symtoms also?  just know I need to be med free but am scared to do it now. Thanks for your help. I have heard of sleepiness on withdrawl and that wouldnt bother me at all since my insomnia is so bad, but the rest scares me, help...
Doctor's Answer

by Roger Gould, M.D., Jun 03, 2004 12:00AM
You should withdraw over a 3 week period...and maybe you can switch off the Xr for that purpose..it will be easier...reduce the dose so the last week you are on the smallest dose every other day, and then stop.  Klonopin can be very useufl in this process.
Member Comments (47)

by _Amy_Lynn_, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
To: seektolearn
Hi, I have been on EffexorXR for almost 2 1/2 weeks. The medication information I have is that it can take 6-8 weeks before the full affect is realized. I know it seems like forever but you are so close. Maybe you might want to give it more time. Whatever you do I wish you lots of luck. You are not alone.

by seektolearn, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
To: _amy_lymm_
Thanks for the response in my dread it is appreciated.  But i would like to know the side effects you have had on the Effexor xr?  Do you have some I have explained and did your doctor put you on it for anxiety or depression or both?  I feel like I am in a fog and numb, I couldnt cry right now if I tried really hard and I tend to be a person who can express emotions quite easily. Any feed back will help me in my time of need.

by _Amy_Lynn_, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
To: seektolearn
I'm back, I forgot to mention I am wondering if you are already experiencing some withdraw since your dosage was decreased. Did your doctor tell you of the possibility? Last year I was on Paxil and weaned myself of. I went through extremely uncomfortable side effects. I might at well stopped cold turkey. Anyway the s/e you experience from the effexor should subside as your body adjusts to the medication. I'm going though adjustments myself. Been on it 2 1/2 weeks as mentioned before. Good luck!

by _Amy_Lynn_, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
To: seektolearn
My side effects are: feeling in a fog like state, almost like I am drugged (loopy). After a few hours I begin sweating, dripping sweat. That lasts for a few hours. Then extreme energy just in time to go to bed, so I can't sleep. I even tried tylenol P.M., but that seemed to make the fog worse the next day. I was put on this for depression and anxiety with panic.I am willing to stay on it for 6-8 weeks to see if it helps and to see if side effects go away.

by steph3378, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
I am currently weaning myself off Effexor as well.  I was on 75 mgs for about 4 months for severe depression and anxiety (I was trying to not go up in dosage because of previous side effects with Zoloft) but decided to go completely off of it after mysterious side effects.  Originally my doctor didn't think my symptoms could be related to Effexor (symptoms: constant dizziness and blurred vision on one side of my head; whenever I leaned my head to the side the room would spin and I would become light-headed.)  After various thyroid tests, an MRI for possible brain tumor, MS, and stroke, my MD decided it possibly could be a weird side effect of Effexor.  

I took 37.5 mgs for 7 days, and now have been Effexor free for 5 days.  Until today I really havent had any withdrawel although my dizziness and blurry vision have remained constant.  However, today I am so dizzy all the time, having hot flashes, sweating, and basically feel like I am in a tunnel or under water.  I too am wondering if it is withdrawal symptoms.

I know this doesn't really answer your questions, but maybe it will help to know someone else is going through the exact same thing!  I go back to my MD next Tuesday to see if a trip to the neurologist is next, but maybe withdrawal is to blame and I can put fears of brain diseases out of the way for good.

by _Amy_Lynn_, Jun 02, 2004 12:00AM
To: steph
I was having the dizziness and blurred vision in one eye BEFORE I began Effexor. I had quite a lot of symptoms. Doctor had me have an MRI for MS And an EMG for nerve damage. All normal, including blood work. He decided all the tingles, numbness, memory loss, etc. was due to depression and anxiety with panic. I have a very long history of it. Thats why I decided to take this. In your case it could be rare s/e. But if it doesn't go away, don't let up on the doctors to find out why it's going on. If I begin to feel better mentally but yet the physical symptoms remain then I'm going to have them dig deeper. All of my physical symptoms began 8 months ago. My depression and anxiety began 15 years ago. (I am 30) Good luck and best wishes to all!

by hey3, Jun 04, 2004 12:00AM
I took Effexor XR for 3 months.  I read where you can open the capsule and remove a number of the little particles.  Little by little remove more and more until you are off.  I had no problems with this method.  Hope this helps.



Heyheyhey

by _Amy_Lynn_, Jun 04, 2004 12:00AM
To: seektolearn
I have to say that I am sorry for trying to motivate you to stick with Effexor. I do realize you know what is best for you. I wish you the best of luck. I think I was trying to convince us both that this is a magic pill that would help. Wouldn't that be great? After all these years of being in what can seem like hell, to wake up and greet the day with welcome arms. I think you have gotten very good advice on how to get off this and try something new.

Amy

by seektolearn, Jun 04, 2004 12:00AM
To: _amy_lynn_
Just to let you know I am weaning myself off the Effexor xr and it has been Hell in itself.  It has been a total nightmare with halucinations and a "soggy brain" but now that I am down to opening a 37.5mg cap and taking out some of the granules I feel much better and all the anxiety I thought I was feeling on the drug was just side effects so I feel much better now. Please be careful with that drug. It does help some people very much but I am in the medical field and there is a reason they call it "side effexor" The doctor I see is a GP and I know what the thought is on that but the county I live in (very large one in southern California) this certain GP writes more prescriptions for Effexor xr than any other Md in the county including Psych docs.  He has published two books on the effects of womens hormones and antidepressants so I trust him very much. I really dont want to be on meds but last night I saw him and he said get off the Effexor xr even though its a good drug its just not for me.  I had wayyyyyy tooooo many side effects that only got worse not better.  I am starting Serafem (another name for Prozac) this am and also perhaps a very very small amount of Risperdal at night to sleep to help with panic and insomnia like 1/2 of a 0.25mg tab.  Just some thoughts but I wanted to update you on my situation since you were so nice to write in the first place. Hope all is going well with you and the side effects of the Effexor xr are going away so you can enjoy your life.

God bless Trac

by Baby123, Jun 04, 2004 12:00AM
Hey all, I just got off effexor xr myself.  I was taking 75 mg. (for about 5 months) and my Dr. wanted to up the dose because I was still having breakthrough anxiety and not sleeping good.  I was scared of withdrawals so I had him change me to Remeron.  I am starting week 4 of the Remeron and just took my last effexor yesterday.  He said I should not have withdrawals because I was on Remeron but I was still scared to take the chance.  He told me to drop to 37.5 for one week,  then take 1/2 of the 37.5 for the next week, then 1/2 of 37.5 every other day for the last week.  Well, after the second week I started having more anxiety, some dizziness, brain zaps, etc.  All withdrawal symptoms.  So I actually took apart the capsule (BTW there are 100 granules in 37.5 mg.) and counted them for 3 weeks.  I started at 50 granules, three days later took 40 granules, three days later took 30 granules, three days later took 20 granules, three days later 10 granules, and the last 10 days I took one less until yesterday I took only 1 granule.  I still felt very mild withdrawals so I cannot even imagine what people go through when not being that conservative coming off that drug