Pregnancy + Effexor

[Sweettooth]

Did you see my post above with the link to info. that will HELP you get off the medication with minimal to no withdrawal? Even if you are not completely off by the time your baby comes, at leaast it will give you a start to being free of the Effexor. It will also help the drug come down more gently in your baby's system. I hope you'll give it a try.

Breaking Free wrote:

as they cannot get off the meds and are pregnant...<quoted text>

[tina australia]

Im 8 weeks preg with 3rd child,ive been on 75mg effexor for four months.Ihad no side effects when i started.Saw my doc today she told me to stop it ,no need to wean myself of effexor.Im hoping i dont go back the way i was and have no side effects.Ill update to tell how iam going.Goodluck to everyone.

[Katie]

I'm doing great-battling with the guilt of taking this med and dreading the 2nd attempt to wean off again! Do you have a name breaking free? lol I hate to keep addressing you bf..How are you feeling? What mg are you on now? Let me know what Dr. says. I also lft message with my kids peditrican to ask her wht kind of effects has she seen post delivery with antidepressant use. I'll let you know what she says. See if Dr. can prescribe the tab for you, you can break that up in all sorts of pieces-

[Katie]

Breaking free- whats that site you were talking about?

[Breaking Free]

Sweettooth - There is no link posted. You mean "check out the blogs about tapering from prozac" comment? I've tried many many ways to taper off and quit. My panic attacks while off the meds put me on them in the first place. As soon as I wean myself off, within days I am panicking and it doesn't go away with time. I was off effexor for almost 2 years (about 5 years ago)and suffered greatly. Lost my job, friends, lost touch with a lot of family, almost lost my now hubby.....I can't leave my house, I can't function. This is why I went back on...

Now I am on 5MG a day....5mg...if that!(as some may be filler) so YES I am hoping to go off before the 6-7 month so my baby will not "possibly suffer"...but I'm sorry, isn't my (and other mother's) well being important?
Please post this link you speak about :>) I cannot locate it.

Katie - I did not have a link posted, maybe it was Sweet you were refferring to? I can however find you one for another forum with woman who have had babies on effexor, and 90% of these stories are positive. Hope your doing well. Oh and my name is Sara :>)

Sweettooth wrote:

Did you see my post above with the link to info. that will HELP you get off the medication with minimal to no withdrawal? Even if you are not completely off by the time your baby comes, at leaast it will give you a start to being free of the Effexor. It will also help the drug come down more gently in your baby's system. I hope you'll give it a try.
<quoted text>

[Breaking Free]

Hi Tina - Hope you are doing well....please consider tapering very slowly off the med just in case....the withdrawal was enough for me to relapse...now I'm back on, counting beads from the capsule...I'm at 17 beads/day (approx 5mg)- just enough to keep me sane and able to function.

There are many great suggestions posted on the "Effexor Withdrawal - any suggestions" topic.

Are you on XR capsule with beads in it?

First week - take out 5-10 beads a day for a week, then the week (week 2) after taking out 15-20 beads, then the next week (week 3) taking out 25-30 beads etc etc...depending on how you feel, you could go slower or faster. If your on the tablet form, you have to slice off a tiny piece gradually, taking off more each week.

Remember to take your prenatal V, omega 3's, get lots of rest, exercise (if you can), lots of fruits and veggies, and drink lots of water. Have tylenol on hand for headaches.

Let us know how you are doing :>)

[Katie]

Hey Sara! How was your Dr. apt?? How are your withdrawal symptoms? Are they lightening up at all? Do you work? Right now I dont but I need to get a job sooner then later, I am so worried that when I taper down again I wont be able to function~So stressed about this stupid med :<

[Breaking Free]

Hi Katie :) Dr appointment went really good. She said anxiety and depression are way worse than any med. She said I could stay on effexor but for anxiety she's rather treat me with Zoloft. She switched me to the smallest dose of Zoloft as she said she has had many patients take it with no harm done to the fetus, plus very little if any meds come out through the breast milk. I will start taking it tomorrow as I took my 5mg of effexor this morning.

As I am still on 5mg of effexor I've had no withdrawal symptoms (my system is very sensitive to meds)...we'll see how it goes with the new med...

Yeah I do work, I took 5 days off when I tried to go off effexor last week....I couldn't leave my house due to withdrawal and due to the panic attacks I have while off the meds...luckily I had vacation time banked.

Even if you have to stay on 37.5, everything will be okay. Maybe ask your OB about a safer meds? Although all anti-depressents are class C so I'm not sure if it would make a difference. My doc seems to think Zoloft is the best for pregnancy.

I hope you find a good job that you like :) I'm sure you will. Keep me posted. i'll let you know how I react to Zoloft.

Sara

[Breaking Free]

Me again...I've decided to continue to wean off the effexor and not start the Zoloft right away.

I know someone who teaches yoga and meditiation and I want to try exercising and eating healthier before just trying a new drug. Dr said 5mg of effexor is basically like taking nothing so I'm going to go from 17 beads to 14 for a week, then 11 for a week then 8 etc/...I have 13 almost full capsules left so they should last me long enough. I just don't want to give up and take meds so fast.

If I do start having panic attacks off the meds again I will not hesitate to take the Zoloft. But I want to try without.:)

I will keep you updated and good luck!

Sara

[tina australia]

Its day 3 now since my doc told me to stop taking 75mg of effexor-xr.I ve only been feeling little sickness and tired,no brain zaps,no dizziness,no panic attacks so far.Im taking parental vitimins.Im hoping i can stay off this drug my doc told me nothin about this drug only that it was a good anti depressant, which i donot agree with.Ill keep in touch in next couple off days.

[Breaking Free]

Tina- how are you doing?

Katie- how are you?

I'm doing really good, day 2 of 14 beads. I'm still short tempered....but that's all....I wonder if I have already experienced all the withdrawal? Unless the 3-4 mg or whatever is keeping withdrawal at bay.

I'm taking omega 3 (prenatal) and calcium magnesium supplement (I dont eat much dairy or foods w/calcium so I should anyways - but I've read magnesium helps with the withdrawal) and my prenatal V.

Still holding off on the zoloft. Hoping I don't have to take it, but if my panic attacks come back I will have to...

Take care all. Sara

[Katie]

Sara-I am so glad you are not experiencing any withdrawal symtoms. I have Dr.apt tomorrow with effexor Dr. I am going to see about getting on the tablet form and wean down that way since you can break them in half- I'll let you know what happens. Other then that everything is great- I have virtually no more nausea, a little heartburn but I feel better everyday! Thats why I dread tapering off again! If you almost off of effexor I would try my hardest to hold off on the zoloft- I know exercise/walks help me A LOT! Well keep me posted

[Breaking Free]

Katie - how are you? I'm good, still on 14 beads/day....I think tomorrow I'm cutting down to 10. See how that goes....I agree with you about zoloft, trying my hardest not to start another med! When do you think you'll try and wean again? TTYL!, Sara

[tina australia]

im still feeling really tired no more sickness.i did have tingling around mouth and lips.i feel like crap as i also have a tootn ache and ear aches so not sleeping at all pain is to much.how long dose it take for effexor to leave your body.

[Breaking Free]

Hi Tina and Katie, how are you both?

I've been on 10 beads/day for 3 days and feel good! I think I could almost stop but am too paranoid. I will continue with 10 for a week then down to 7....then 4...then maybe 0? we'll see how I feel!

Tina - not sure how long it takes it Effexor leave your body, I hear it can store in fat cells?(not sure if this is true) I wonder the same thing....hope your feeling better!

[Katie]

Hey Sara- glad you are doing good. I am now taking 75mg alternating with 37.5 e.o.d. and i'll do that for a month. Then go down to 37.5mg. So far its o.k. I am doing a lot better then before. I am actually getting out there and doing things vs.being bed ridden! Still looking for a job~ I'll keep ya posted- You guys are in my prayers
Katie

[Breaking Free]

Katie - Good to hear form ya! Sounds like your doing good.:) Good luck with the job hunting.

I tried about a week ago to go without the beads for a day and a half...but got the dizziness, nausea and mild brain zaps after about 36 hours.....went back on 10 beads/day.... time to wean down even more...pretty soon I'll be on 1 bead a day (LOL)

I am starting 7 beads/day tonight for the next 1-2 weeks.. I go to my Dr today ....I know she is going to ask if I started the zoloft but I haven't and don't want to...only if I start having extreme panic attacks/anxiety...I hope she will understand, she's a great Dr. Trying to get out and exercise but having a tough time getting the energy..this weekend I plan on a good 45 min walk, it SO sunny and nice here.

Tina - how are you doing?

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Sara

[tina australia]

im feeling great now all symptons have gone, i would say the tiredness lasted for 1.5weeks sickness was for a few days and tingling around mouth and lips lasted also for a few days.Ialso had 2 wisdom teeth pull out and ear infection gone so now im enjoying my pregnancy without effexor.im 10 weeks preg today.

[Breaking Free]

Tina - sounds like your doing great!! So happy for you. I was at 8 days off effexor and couldnt drive or leave the house at all as I was so dizzy and anxious....hopefully once I wean down more I will be okay!

I actually fell asleep last night and didn't take any beads...so it's been 38 or so hours...I may take my 7 beads now and every day for the rest of the week...maybe I can quit after 7 beads/day for a week....I hope so!

[JRM]

sweettooth-
i am the one that started this topic and that is also the type of info i was looking for. ty for posting it. maybe i'm an idiot, but it seemed like the articles were saying that after a short time (w/in 2 weeks) the babies were as healthy as the babies that were not exposed to ssris. is that correct? to katie, breaking free and jessica, ty for sharing your info as well!:) if donna is still out there, can you let us know how your baby is doing??