Weaning Off Effexor

Just to let you know, I don't think the wierd head feeling is rare. If I don't take my Effexor, I start having that feeling. Lots of people have mentioned that here, too.

As for weaning off the med, I don't really know, but I have heard it is difficult. Hopefully some people will come along shortly and give you more information!

Sorry I don't have a lot of helpful information for you, but I thought I'd share my two cents.

I take 375mg of effexor a day. I have tried weaning off before and it was close to impossible. But pristiq is one of the medications that I think you can go on while weaning, I believe it is a close cousin. But I don't think it is as strong as effexor. I am not sure I might have it mixed up with celexa. They are both similar to effexor, I believe. Either way I hope that your transition goes smoothly. I am sorry that I wasn't much help.

Hugs, Karen

dear scullys'mum.

hello & welcome, i am jamiee, just weaned of the effexor for the pristiq. i am around 2 weeks in. 100mg, okay, but agree with karen will go up. yes, i weaned for about 3 days, was a ***** but feel better 4 it. was on 300mg for 4 years, and occassionally 375mg. since pristiq is a derivitive of effexor weaning to pristiq may well be an option. let me know how you go, if ok.

luv 2 you. jamiee, 37 male, iddm, major depression, severe borderline personality disorder, hormone defiecency, diabetic nuropathy, plumbing issues, back and some bits & pecies!!!

good luck,

apologies to the community for the language. jamiee. it just summed it up well!! sorry will be more careful. jamiee.

Scully'sMom

Welcome to HealingWell and I am Kitt.  You have recieved great comments already and I agree that you can easily move from Effexor to Pristiq as Pristiq is the newest AD and suppose to be an improved version of the Effexor.  You do not have to be completely off of the Effexor and your physician would prescibe your dosing routine so you ease off one while starting the new med.

Effexor is supposed to be one of the ADs that does not cause a lot of weight gain but each person is different.  I took Cymbalta and it was to be a weight neutral med but I gained over 20 lbs on it........... 

Good luck and again welcome to HealingWell.

Kitt

 

Hi everyone, I am new to this site.
I am on Day 2 with no effexor. I had been taking it for 7 years at 150 mg. Last fall the bottom literally fell out... I was close to suicide for the second time in my life. My physician, who has been my prescriber, also put me on 100mg of Bupropion (generic wellbutrin) and 25mg of Trazadone (to help me sleep). It all helped to pull me up a bit, but I noticed that I have sort of plateaued in the melancholy zone, so I finally started to see a psychologist. She teamed up with a medication specialist and they decided to take me off of the effexor. They gave me one week of the 75mg capsules, and told me to go cold turkey after that, while upping my bupropion to 200mg.

Day 1 without effexor was not too bad, it felt like any other day that I had forgotten to take my medication. But later in the evening, I couldn't eat or drink anything without it going right through me. Then, despite taking the trazadone, I barely slept last night. I would doze off for 15-20 min increments only to wake up and start all over again. I finally fell asleep around 6am and slept until noon.

When I got up today, Day 2, my head was and still is extremely buzzy, sort of brain shivers, as I have heard them referred to on other sites. As the day has gone on, the brain shivers have been getting more frequent. And I have barely stopped crying for the last hour.

I have read about the MANY possible withdrawal effects and they scare me. I am in my last semester as a graduate student and I am completely unable to do my work. And I am supposed to start a new job on Monday, and I am terrified that I am not going to be able to do it. These symptoms are only supposed to get worse before they get better. Also, I am afraid of who I will be when I am completely over the effexor. I have been on it so long that I almost don't remember what I was like before it. Besides the withdrawal symptoms, my biggest fear is that my fiancee, who is extremely loving, understanding, and supportive, will not like the person I am minus the effexor.

Side note: I am not a doctor or expert, just sharing my experience. And symptoms may vary.

I will try to keep you all update as I try to break free from effexor.

Shakes

Post Edited (ShakesDarkLady) : 4/2/2009 5:22:22 PM (GMT-6)

I am new to the forum and I apologize for the length of the post. However, I was on effexor (venlafaxine) for 6 years. I've tried SEVERAL times through the years to taper off, but every time I became so ill that I couldn't function and ended up taking it again. The straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, was when my Dr. told me to stop eating Ho-ho's and that I'd probably be on this for the rest of my life. I would have agreed with him had I actually had anything to eat other than salads and lean protein and was exercising my butt off and STILL gained weight. So, I researched the withdrawal extensively and, luckily, was able to schedule 3 days off of work in addition to a weekend. Normally, I would have tapered down, but I'd always gotten sick. So, I figured if I was going to be sick, it might as well be because I stopped taking it altogether. ***Keep in mind this worked for ME, it might NOT work for you or anyone else. ***  I stopped taking it the night before my last day of working before my mini self-imposed vacation. The first 3 - 4 days were hell. I had brain zaps. I was light-headed and confused. I couldn't think of the simplest words to say something to my daughter. I feel floaty off and on and I sweated so much I felt like I was in a sauna. However, I am now OFF and the withdrawal symptoms are gradually decreasing. Listen to your body. Drug reps make money on how many scripts of the drug they get the Dr. to write. Most drug reps have no real training in the medical profession. Take MECLIZINE if you have withdrawal symptoms. It's located near the Dramamine in the grocery store or drug store and it was a godsend. Keep in mind that you can DO this. Make a choice and stick with it. It DOES get better. I haven't felt this calm or this good, all things considered, in years. DON'T lose hope. At the very least talk to another Dr. If nothing else there is a way to taper down, on another site, that seems to have worked for a lot of people. GOOD LUCK!!

Thanks Karen!

I'm glad to know that it works for some people. I think I'm stunned at how well I actually do feel. It's like I said on my post, not everything works for everyone. How long have you been on it?

Thanks again. Have great night!