Effexor Withdrawal

Effexor Withdrawal questions and answers

Learn more about Effexor Withdrawal, When Will It End @ SaysUncle Learning.

Q: effexor withdrawal??
how long does it take to live without withdrawal ?? i was taking effexor 75 mg since oct. 2006 for depression i stoped cold turkey, its my 3rd day without any dose and i feel pretty good. day 1 and 2 , i was dizzy and couldnt sleep but nothing major. today i feel pretty good, im less dizzy and mentally i feel like im waking up to life again,im not depressed at all. so i wonder why i dont really have much problems when many people have horror stories about withdrawal?? i know we all react different , i was really ready to take this crap out of my system. please if you read this and your doctor want to give you effexor, dont ever even consider taking this drug!! oh and while on effexor, i gain 20 pounds ( mainly on my belly which is kind of weird...) will that go away?? also my libido was pretty bad, i hope its gonna come back to normal!!! anyway i will keep it up im really determined!!

A: im not sure for effexor in particular but usually physical drug withdrawl lasts 1-3 weeks, you can ask your doctor to write you a script for the non-extended release version and taper you off slowly which can help, or like the other guy said switch to a different antidepressant like prozac for a month and then quit

Q: How long do Effexor withdrawal symptoms last?
I am coming off of Effexor after 2 years, following my doctor's program to come off of it over the course of several weeks. The withdrawal wasn't too bad - the occasional "brain shivers" thing but not too often. Last week I was down to less than 20 mg (half of a 37.5 mg pill). For the past three days, I have been totally off of it, and suddenly the withdrawal, especially the brain shiver thing, has been terrible. It's like a shock running head to toe for a split second, pretty much every time I move. I'm at the point where I can barely stand it. How long does this side effect last? I have been totally off it for abt 48 hours now - will the brain shivers keep happening for weeks, or can I expect that they'll end soon?

A: You can really get into long term withdrawl problems if you are not careful. Severe withdrawal symptoms can develop from patients on any level of dosage, so if you're taking a low dose don't think you're necessarily safe. Effexor withdrawal symptoms can easily last two months or more, and some people don't feel back to normal even after a year of discontinuation. Because effexor has a 'half-life' of about five hours, withdrawal symptoms can develop from missing only one dose. (The half-life refers to the amount of time it takes the body to metabolize one-half of the drug.) Five hours is a frighteningly short half-life for a drug of this nature. It almost guarantees problems. One Harvard study found 78% of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing effexor xr making it the only drug worse than paxil in this regard. http://www.join-the-fun.com/effexor-with... http://www.doctorslounge.com/psychiatry/... Edit for your update on question: As withdrawal time increases, so does the frequency of the shocks, before they wane completely. At their peak, "brain shivers" have been associated with severe headaches. They may last for a period of several weeks after the last dose, but usually resolve completely within a month. However, the effect may only last a few days. There is hypothetical and anecdotal evidence that Omega 3 supplementation can be very helpful to alleviate the symptoms of brains shivers. Best of Luck!

Q: What are symptoms for effexor withdrawal ?
my mom has been taking effexor for about 8 years now. She was at 150 mg normally for many years, then about a six months ago she went to 112 mg, and today her doctor told her to go to 75 mg. what withdrawal symptoms should she expect?

A: Here's some info. from the website

Q: Effexor withdrawal?
Has anyone else had a bad experience. I was given a very low dosage for hot flashes, but because of the cost decided to take it at a larger interval than 24 hours. What a mistake!!!!

A: yes--Not me but a guy on my 360 page--there is currently a petition from thousands of people on the negative effects of it--withdrawals. I thing the company that makes it is called Werth--go to my 360 page and click on the guy called psych and he has a huge blog about it all. You should sign the petition or find more information about it. You are right! Good luck

Q: Is this Effexor withdrawal or something else?
I have run out of my perscription and have to wait for the doctor to approve the refill. I haven't taken anything in 2 days and I am feeling sort of light headed and dizzy and sort of nauseous, are these the typical withdrawal symptoms? I don't know if this is b/c of the effexor or if I am getting sick or something.

A: Yes these are the symptoms of Effexor withdrawal. I hope you won't allow this to happen again. It is so important to take antidepressants as prescribed and not miss any doses. Please take care. The first one that you take when you get your refill will quickly stop the symptoms you are having.

Q: Can someone PLEASE help me with my Effexor withdrawal symptoms?
Please help! - I'm 23 and have been taking the anti-depressent "Effexor" for about 2 months to help deal with depression. I do not have enough money to renew my prescription so I have not been able to continue taking the medication. I have not taken the drug in 3 days and the side effects of that are just awful!! -> I have a sick stomach, dizziness, shivers constantly, I am soooo moody and I dont know what to do to help the situation ... I honestly feel like some big herion addict or something going without his "fix" --- is there anything I can do to help alleviate the withdrawal sideeffects??????????

A: Depending on the dosage you were on, and if you went totally "cold turkey", no tapering, the symptoms should start lessening over the next few days, though may be up to two weeks before they completely stop, and of course, you will also be experiencing the symptoms again that caused you to go on it to begin with. The best thing to do would be to get your prescription filled. Is there anyone that can help you? Can your doctor give you some samples? If you are low income, you may be able to get your meds free through "needy meds" (google it). Salvation army or other charities may help in the meantime. (((((hugs))))) Please do what you need to to take care of yourself.

Q: what are symptoms for effexor withdrawal ?
my mom has been taking effexor for about 8 years now. She was at 150 mg normally for many years, then about a six months ago she went to 112 mg, and today her doctor told her to go to 75 mg. what withdrawal symptoms should she expect?

A: The most troubling symptom of effexor withdrawal is an electric shock-like sensation in your brain. It feels like you're getting zapped. She might also have night sweats and very vivid and disturbing dreams. It's good that her doctor is reducing her dosage slowly, so hopefully she won't have too many symptoms. Even if she does, it's temporary.

Q: Effexor withdrawal...anyone ever had it? Can you help me?
I've been on Effexor XR (150mg) for a little over a year for mild depression and after finding out it was being taken off IBX formulary, I asked my dr. about a switch. While it did help my depression, it also caused an irregular heartbeat and raised blood pressure, so I have more reasons than just cost for a switch. He tried to avoid the tapering thing by just switching me directly to Prozac (20mg) and if the withdrawal symptoms were totally unbearable, he'd taper me instead. They're not quite "unbearable", so I'm one of the lucky ones, but I wouldn't say I feel great (i.e. normal) either. I've felt others, but the main symptoms now are dizziness and nausea. It's my 4th day on Prozac and off Effexor and I'm just hoping it will get better. Anyone out there with any suggestions? With what I've said, do you think it will go away quickly/soon? Help, please? Not to mention, I hate being on medication PERIOD! Oh, and I'm planning on joining a gym to get more exercise and maybe even try accupuncture, so with any luck, maybe I won't need any more meds, right? :-) Any thoughts on this too would be helpful. Thanks!

A: I'm so sorry to hear about more people having this problem. I recently switched off of Effexor, too, and was having all the known withdrawal symptoms. I know it sounds aweful, but if you aren't having that brain shock-wave feeling, than count yourself one of the lucky ones. My doctor did prescribe Prozac, but from what I've read and from questioning my doctor, you aren't supposed to switch just completely to Prozac. The idea is that Prozac has a longer high-life, thus it naturally tapers you off that type of medication rather than you trying to taper off of Effexor slowly. If your doctor said to keep taking the Prozac for a prolonged period, you should definitely call and ask him about it. There is a website that comes up for every google search you can possibly think of for effexor and effexor withdrawal. I think it is the Road Back or something like that. When I broke it down (without buying their product) there were several things that I found I could do without buying their product. One of which is a vitamin supplement called L-Glutathione. You can buy it at the drug store or a healthfood store. It is found in the vitamin aisle. It has helped a lot and seems to have many other positive health qualities. It's main purpose is that it is an antioxidant. Try exercising too. I know it is hard when you feel crappy from the effects, but I've felt better while exercising and I feel like it is helping to work it out of my system. Hope things get better.

Q: How long will Effexor withdrawal symptoms last?
I've been taking 75 Mg of Effexor for about 7 weeks now. The past two weeks, I've been it taking it every other day. The last week, I took a 35 mg, just to hold me over, its been 3 days since I've taken any of it. But I'm getting the "brain shivers". Any estimate on how much longer they should last?

A: I was on effexor so I know what ur going thru. I think after I was done tapering off completely I think the symptoms went away after about a week. If you feel really terrible, talk to your doctor. There's no reason you should walk around feeling crummy all day. Hope you feel better soon.

Q: Has anyone taken lexapro together with effexor and can lexapro reduce effexor withdrawal symptoms?
I was on 150 mg of effexor and am down to 50 mg now. My psychiatrist wants me to start lexapro and keep weaning off effexor. I fear meds and fear serotonin syndrome.

A: Believe me, your psych should know what he/she is doing. They have an MD, and clinical experience. Just follow their directions and you'll be fine, when I said anti-depressants generally shouldn't be combined, I should have added the caveat that the exception to this is if it is done under the guidance of a medical professional. Trust the doc, they know what they're doing, and have likely done the exact same thing for other patients.

Q: Two months of Effexor withdrawal symptoms?
A little over two months ago I stopped taking Effexor after slowly weaning off of it. I had horrible withdrawal symptoms: nausea, fatigue, and dizziness. After two months I don't feel any better. Needless to say, I'm really scared. I can hardly function at my job and am very frustrated and angry. This medication has ruined my life. Waking up in the morning is the worst part of my day. All I have to look forward to is dizziness, fatigue, and attempting to function. How long did you symptoms last? Are they supposed to last this long?

A: Effexor withdrawals usually wrap themselves up within a couple of weeks, less if you wean yourself off. What you're feeling is almost certainly the return of a depressed and possibly anxious state. Fatigue and difficulty functioning is just that. Obviously loss of appetite could be that as well. Talk to your doctor, you may have more going on, but it's probably not anything to do with effexor withdrawals, or you may be experiencing unusual prolonged withdrawal. I've heard some people with slow metabolisms experiencing longer periods of withdrawal, but never heard 2 months. My withdrawals consisted of a few days of strong symptoms, followed by several days of more moderate discomfort, and then a week or so of slight discomfort. About two weeks really.

Q: How long until Effexor withdrawal effects will stay in my system?
Have been doing this with my doctor, now i am off, i am getting a few shocks however its better over the last few days. I have stopped like 4 days ago. It is a lousy medication. It made me a different person, sleepy, and fake on the outside! Yes. It's not good to go cold turkey especially on effexor.

A: when i was taking it i was always feeling sick but i had no with draw symptoms but i would say that it would be out of your system in a few weeks

Q: How long does Withdrawal effects from Effexor XR last?
I was on 300 Mg of Effexor XR for a while and than I was raped last week and I stopped taking it. The rape has just shattered me to pieces and I am going through hell withthe withdrawal symptoms. I am just about ready to kill myself, the symptoms are making me feel like I am dying. How long does it last and how can I deal with it ? The withdrawal effects are so bad .. I am on the verge of overdosing on every single pill I have around me

A: Why have you stopped taking it? I don't think it's a good time for you to be dealing with withdrawal, and to avoid the severe symptoms you need to slowly wean off the medication with the help of a doctor. If you're going to go through with it, try to distract yourself as much as possible. Focus on things outside of yourself. Exercise, eat, talk with a friend, etc. Good luck and please go to the doctor if you are experiencing suicidal thoughts.

Q: Is there a natural alternative to aid in Effexor withdrawal symptoms?


A: Hi there. I am also on Effexor (XR) and am currently weaning off of it. I was taking 150mg a day for several years. I talked to my doctor about wanting to get weaned off it, so about a month and a half ago she lowered my dosage to 75mg a day. The withdrawal symptoms for me from going from 150mg to 75mg were not too bad... I was more sleepy than usual for about the first 2 weeks, a little dizziness here and there but that's about it. I am now ready to step down to the next lower dose which I believe is something like 37mg/day. One thing is, my doctor said to take the 75mg for 2 weeks to one month, before lowering it again. I found that at one month my body was still not completely adjusted to the lower dose, so I continued to take the 75mg for another few weeks. I find that not weaning yourself too fast (ie: giving your body ample time to get used to the lower dose before going on an even lower dose) helps greatly in reducing the withdrawal symptoms. Basically, the faster you wean yourself off it, the more withdrawal symptoms you're going to have. Your body needs time to adjust. If you take your time and be patient, weaning yourself slowly (over a several month period) is going to help ease those uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. I'm not saying it will eliminate the withdrawal symptoms completely but it will definitely help. I've come to this conclusion entirely based on my own experience. As far as a "natural alternative" to help with withdrawal symptoms, I'm not sure there is any herb, mineral or vitamin remedy that would help. You may find it beneficial to speak to a pharmacist or doctor who has knowledge in natural medicine. I can give you some tips that have helped me however. I've found that getting plenty of sleep (more than usual during the withdrawal period), drinking lots of fluids, eating a healthy diet (that's one I personally have trouble with...lol) and just going easy on yourself. Don't push yourself to do anything physically rigorous during the withdrawal period...just take it as easy as possible. I know getting off Effexor is not a pleasant experience but try to hang in there and know that one day it'll be completely out of your system and you'll feel like yourself again. Good luck! :-)

Q: Have you had weird problems with Effexor withdrawal?
The past five days have been so weird. I am going off Effexor XR, and am having terrible vomiting, nausea, seeing and hearing things that I know aren't there, extreme headaches, and electric shock things in my head and eyes. I am going off it pretty slowly under a doctors care, but I am having a very hard time. How can I minimize the symptoms? I feel so toxic. Can't see very well, and am crying or hyper or exhausted, for about 15 minutes at a time. My eyes feel like they are crossing. Yesterday I had like spider lightning effects in front of my eyes and couldn't see well enough to even find our big Chevy pickup out of three vehicles in a parking lot. Anything moving or with stripes or dots is making me sick. The only time I feel okay is when I first take my Effexor dose for the day (have about three decent hours) or if I am laying on my back on the floor or ground. What to do? I am feeling cold and its 85 degrees out.

A: I know exactly how you feel. I was prescribed Effexor in the early nineties when it was a very new drug and unfortunately no one seemed to know much about the withdrawal effects. I was on the drug for four years and when I decided to stop taking it I had a hellish few weeks which surprised me as it worked so well as an anti-depressants and while on it, had fewer side effects than many others. I felt like my eyes took a second to catch up if I moved my head round, like I had a metal rod from the top of my head to the base of my back, like electrical impulses were going off in my brain, a 'whooshing' sound in my ears and difficulty speaking (my tongue felt rigid). I was nauseous and had terrible headaches. The only cheering news I can give you is that it lasted no longer than two weeks - it does and will pass. Is there any way you can break the tablet in two and take half at morning half at night? I went back on Effexor about six years ago, just for a few months and this time I weaned myself off VERY slowly... Good luck to you, and it WILL get better.