GETTING OFF EFFEXOR, Here is the Cure to Withdrawl!

[Master Demise]

Step One. Before trying to get off your med go to your local natural health store, or anywhere they sell herbs. And buy Malic Acid and Magnesium Hydroxide

Step Two. Buy some light sleeping pills, and gravol

Step Three. Try to tapper, I went cold turkey and this worked, so if you can tapper do it.

Step Four. Take 3 Malic Acid first thing in the morning, and 3 half way though the day, use your light sleeping pill to go to bed, and gravol to settle your motion sickness.

Step Five. Once you are feeling better, find your doctor and an Effexor Rep, and smack the crap out of them for not telling you how bad the withdrawal effects are with effexor.

So you all know I was a 2 year doper of effexor, and my withdrawal was nasty. So I know what it’s like, but the grace of God I found a cure for it!

[ARTUR]

thats nice man.........tapper of......ppl dont know how to tapper of....they go half dose right away. no mater what you take you will still get those withdrawl symptoms. did u get of symptom free? im pretty sure u felt like complete sh*t for about 2 weeks. did you like it? if u really want to get of the medication email me at [e-mail] i got of 100% symptom free.:)

and u thank god? man........ come on LOL

[ada]

my husband feels like he is going crazy...he has the brain squeezing and pulsing pressure feelings...dizziness...moodine ss to a great extreme...and he took this medication to feel better!! Sex? that is a fond memory, yes, it is better now that he has tapered off the drug, but with the mood swings and the aches and brain dings...well...we don't have that very often...and we are fairly newly married. I wouldn't recommend for anyone to take this drug. He can't get it together to go back to work and when he works at home it fairly wipes him out...needs to nap...all this and he's just been off for a week now. Not to mention how awful it's been the past 8 months....And this drug HELPS WHAT??? The 1 in 30 ??? I am stressed and so is the family...we are on edge all the time trying to gauge what the current 'mood' is and try not to set anything OFF!!! The anger that he experiences makes him sick and takes a few days to recover from...he is sad alot and feels helpless...What a mess this medication has made of us!!!

[Effects Zor]

Hello, here is what I have found out through trial and error.

37.5mg is the lowest dose they supply. To get a lower dose, you can open up the capsules by twisting them open. Then just snap the capsule back together! Cut the dosage in half (at most!!!) every week untill you are taking 10mg or less. I have found that 37.5mg to zero has been way too big of a drop for me.

Also, I have found that caffiene does not help brain shivers. Just an fyi.

[Christine]

I feel for everyone...who would have known that a little pill that is so loosely prescribed could cause all of these symptoms.(and I am a nurse...go figure???) I was on 75mg & have tried to stop all together...well that did not work. All I could think about is how bad it must be to withdrawl from "street drugs" Well I spoke to my Dr that gave me the 37.5mg. I took for a week & now I have been completely off for almost a week. I have had all of the symptoms: Dizziness, the spins, diarrhea, nausea, spaciness, trouble concentrating, vivid-crazy dreams.
I did find one thing that help me quite a bit. It may sound simple, but the other day while I was out, I picked up a "Rock Star" energy drink(diet). At the time I was feeling really bad...well after I drank it, I had such a great feeling. It really lifted my mood. Maybe it was all of the vitamin B. Whatever it was, I love this stuff! I don't drink it every day, but if I am feeling a little down, it seems to do the trick! Dramamine will help with the spins and overall sea sick feeling.

I hope this will help others out there that are going through this too.

Keep positive...I really does get better!

[dawid]

just went of the drug after 5 years. feel all the normal post effects. light headed the worst. above all feel down and depressed. am wondering if i endure the after effects, if its worth waiting or should i staty on this stuff for life?

[Jo - UK]

Couldn't find the message I read it in, but someone suggested high does Omega 3 oil to help with the brain zaps - which were really bad with me. Went out, got some, and they have really improved. Now on day 8 being Effexor free, and only getting the odd zap in the evening now. Not sure if it's all down to the oil (which I started taking on day 3), or the fact that I am slowly getting better. Now if I could only find something to help with my temper......

[cheryl]

You have an eloquent voice. I also have been on effexor xr 75mg for about 4 months in conjunction with an amphetamine(phentermine)- You have a trauma and how sweet to give you a diet pill too so you can lose that 15# too. I lost at first but never slept litterally for a week. Then down hill. Didn't feel sad and listless but ampted all the time. started smoking and drinking EVERY day, My old problems started to take a back seat to the new ones. Finally quit the diet pill last weekend because i'd rather have my old me back and didn't think much about the effexor. 75mg. Just thought i'll do a detox w herbs, phsyllium & H2O and all will be good. Wow i was wrong. I didn't advise my doctor about my decision and it is rocking my world. Although not so bad as some i'm reading. but bad dreams and definately nerve, shoch tremors. If i just can be assured this is as bad as it is going to get (5 days) I'm good and will just drown myself w/h2o and choice herbs but i am nervous about some other replies, any words of wisdom?

ARTUR wrote:

thats nice man.........tapper of......ppl dont know how to tapper of....they go half dose right away. no mater what you take you will still get those withdrawl symptoms. did u get of symptom free? im pretty sure u felt like complete sh*t for about 2 weeks. did you like it? if u really want to get of the medication email me at [e-mail] i got of 100% symptom free.:)
and u thank god? man........ come on LOL

[cheryl]

Jo - UK wrote:

Couldn't find the message I read it in, but someone suggested high does Omega 3 oil to help with the brain zaps - which were really bad with me. Went out, got some, and they have really improved. Now on day 8 being Effexor free, and only getting the odd zap in the evening now. Not sure if it's all down to the oil (which I started taking on day 3), or the fact that I am slowly getting better. Now if I could only find something to help with my temper......

Have been off for 5 days (75mg) with evil brain, nerve zaps, were you doing anything different besides the oil, i eat so much fish, sardines and fish oil they are practically making sleep outside so i don't offend the dog. how much effex. were you on? did you quit cold?

[Lisa Marie]

Master Demise - I am an Effexor junkie too. It is an EVIL drug! I will try what you said and I hope it will work for me. In the past I have tried to get off the drug, but to no avail. It kills my head with brain synapses and the nasuea is awlful.

[Tabu]

I started taking effexor after I complained to my doctor that I was not able to have an orgasm while on a diet combination of phentermine and fluxetine (Prozac). The effexor was to replace the fluxetine, this helped a little but I started picking up some old habits, drinking and drugging. I decided to stop it all and thats when the real drama started the dizzy spells and restless nights

[jimmythabeast]

zzzzzuuuuurrrppp zzzzzzzzuuuurrrp zzzzzuuuurrrp zzzzuuuurrrp you all know what i mean. sucks,i know.but consider this,go through it now,or go through it later.one way or the other we all want off,and must pay the price... excuse me please zzzzzzuuurrrrppp(another one)... seriously this sucks but we should all man up and get it done.it is truely easier knowing were not going through this by ourselves and it is only temporary.but answer me this how many of you feel a little betrayed by the doctor unto which you have paid so much for this wonderfull experiance that he or she neglected to warn you about?

[MCfromNYC]

Tabu wrote:

I started taking effexor after I complained to my doctor that I was not able to have an orgasm while on a diet combination of phentermine and fluxetine (Prozac).

what??? For me at least - and I think for most people - Effexor is as much of an orgasm-killer as Prozac! If you NEED an antidepressant and worry about sexual side effects, Wellbutrin is the way to go. Do these doctors know nothing about the drugs they prescribe?!

[Ezin]

There is, however one aspect of the Wellbutrin issue that should be taken into account:

"Even the use of Wellbutrin to avoid sexual dysfunction may well be short-sighted. Drugs that increase dopamine are well known to be aphrodisiacs, to heighten sexual interest and pleasure, but only in the short run. With longterm use they too can dampen sexual dysfunction. A leading authority on sexual dysfunction, the late psychiatrist Helen Singer Kaplan, wrote in her groundbreaking 1974 book 'The New Sex Therapy' that when used short-term, dopamine-enhancing drugs have "transient aphrodisiac effects" on "both erotic interest and sexual performance." However, with chronic use, patients "claim they cannot function [sexually] without it" and "experience a diminuation in sexual interest and capability." Indeed, I have now seen a number of patients who lost interest in sex, even developed an aversion to it, after being on Wellbutrin longterm."

p.127 Glenmullen, Prozac Backlash, Chapter on Sexual Effexts of these antidepressants.

[kaydal53]

Master Demise wrote:

Step One. Before trying to get off your med go to your local natural health store, or anywhere they sell herbs. And buy Malic Acid and Magnesium Hydroxide
Step Two. Buy some light sleeping pills, and gravol
Step Three. Try to tapper, I went cold turkey and this worked, so if you can tapper do it.
Step Four. Take 3 Malic Acid first thing in the morning, and 3 half way though the day, use your light sleeping pill to go to bed, and gravol to settle your motion sickness.
Step Five. Once you are feeling better, find your doctor and an Effexor Rep, and smack the crap out of them for not telling you how bad the withdrawal effects are with effexor.
So you all know I was a 2 year doper of effexor, and my withdrawal was nasty. So I know what it’s like, but the grace of God I found a cure for it!

i too am a effexor withdrawal survivor(so far-33days off) i absolutely agree with STEP 5 - i have written my experiences and displeasure for my former quack to read and filed my complaint with the FDAMEDWATCH people... i would love to smack the hell out of all the effexor reps...

[DOGBOY]

I have been dating a woman on and off for (4) years now. She has recently gotten on Effexor. I've stood by her side as she's battled depression since I've known her. I don't think she's the "worst" case, but somewhere in the middle. I just would like to know if dating a person on Effexor is as difficult as it has been for myself. I am a very laid-back person. I've experienced mood swings, lashing back, constant arguing (I call it the Dr Jeckle symptom).. And I say that not to defend anyone but I literally seem like I don't know this woman at times. The next day, she seems to be back to normal. She drinks while on her meds. It scares me. I want a future with her but I am willing to walk away at this point because I feel helpless. She feels she can have a baby while on this medicine. I told her she couldn;t and would have to eventually get off it. I cringe knowing what my life would be with her off the meds and pregnant. I'm at my last end. It's like I don't know her at times. My family tell me to move on. I want her to succeed, be the person I know she can be. Any comments or advise? Again, I don't mean to offend anyone. As you can imagine though, theres always the other side of the story where the sig other deals with the side effects, but I want to be sensitive to it as well..

[kaydal53]

after all i've read about this med and having exerienced withdrawal after being on it for 2 years, i say NO NO NO DO NOT GET PREGNANT while on this drug... there are already lawsuits concerning birth defects .. research this and show it to her- if she doesn't listen then she doesn't care about you... my opinion only..

[autumn]

Hey Dogboy. so sorry you have be on the other side of this awful med. I am sure you and my spouse could have many interesting conversations about the Dr. Jeckyll Syndrome. I have been on Effexor for 2 1/2 yrs now and am currently on my 4th day off. I have been with my husband for 7 yrs and never had any "homicidal" tendencies towards him until this med. I wasn't really homicidal but my moods swings could be very violent...that is something i am not and thank god neither is my husband cause I am sure i deserved a smack upside the head.
I hope things get better soon on the withdrawal end of this. The nausea is debilitating!

[DOGBOY]

Thanks for the responses, Kaydal and autumn. I really don't want to come across as a victim. I know depression is very difficult to deal with and it effects a lot of people. I just at am a crossroad where we need to make a decision about our future. I don't want to lose her but I have read many stories similar to my experiences, and I don't want to be in a marriage where I'm on pins and needles or walking on egg shells . She really is unreasonable at times and turns every conversation into a fight. It's very frustrating.
Thanks again for the advice. I wish you all well.

[jive]

Its been three months now since i have been off of Effexor 150mg. I did it cold turkey (Bob Marley helped!) and had the symptons of a typical effexor junkie for about 2-3 weeks.(The brain shivers go away) BUT I still dont feel like I am back to normal. Although let's face it, we aren't really "normal" to begin with. Anyway my two main problems now include the inability to concentrate on anything with anxiety/paranoia looming over my shoulders and insomnia. Kind of hard to explain to people what's the matter with you. I was wondering if there is anybody who has been off of Effexor long enough let's say 2-3+ months to share their current status of their mental and physical health.