Effexor Withdrawal Problems (Top voted first)

I was perscribed Effexor XR 75MG for one year after suffering from depression after the death of a family member. 10 days ago I stopped using this medication and I have had strange side effects I contribute to withdrawal. I get waves of tingling throughout my body. Like an electric shock feeling. I wanted to know if anyone else has had this feeling after discontinuing Effexor XR.

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Sadly, these waves will continue and no one knows how long because the doctors don't even know. There is hope though. I am fortunate not to have to work, my husband works, but everything else in my life has been and will be on hold until I can do anything other than the below. I'm on day 11 of no EFFEXOR XR. the last dose was at 75mg for a few weeks. As I said my life is on hold. All my responsibilities etc. Are either not being done or my mom comes over to help out (note I am in late 30s and have a teenager too). So, here is the remedy for each symptom I'm going though. Brain Zaps - lay in bed as much as I can not moving. This helps them to NOT happen. If they do, I take a washcloth drenched in refrigerator cold water on my forehead and to hold gently on my eyes to keep them from moving and causing it more. (Note: STAY HYDRATED - doing that has made the brain zaps slowly get less - still randomly there believe me, but so much better! Body tingles, zaps, shocks and cramping: again, lay down!, hydrate hydrate hydrate - pedialyte (the nausea and vomiting will manage this hand- small small sips and eat chicken broth, mashed potatoes, different types of crackers: this actually helps keep the zaps down as you move further into being effexor free!) Leg cramping and body shocks with hot/cold spells: first I sit in a ball holding myself kinda tight - this helps with those random body zips and electrical shock. Have a very warm blanket on with two washcloths with that cold fridge water - one over back of neck and one on forehead and holding my eyes (this keeps my eyes from zapping which makes the brain shivers bearable until the wave slows. Nausea/vomiting: sea bands on my wrists, stay hydrated (pedialyte is the best while water, gatoraid, or tea just makes me feel more icky - think the sugar makes the zaps worse! I've had no caffeine for 8 days - it helps. Then I take a little more than lukewarm bath (temp changes too big cause the zaps to happen more and the body tingles/shuffles and nausea too) the warm bath makes my muscles relax from the shock fit. Then I take 1 Naproxen Sodium (like tylenol) either before or during my bath. This takes the nasty flu part that happens next away. Then I literally lay flat on my belly on my bed with one foot on the floor - to make sure the nausea is gone before I try to move anywhere. I try to eat anything I can every 1 to 1.5 hours to keep my stomach from turning acidic and making me nauseous again. I haven't really left my bed much. All my drinks are in a cooler at my bedside with ice chips - these will make you feel sooooooo good during that fuzzy nausea moments!!! All my crackers (table, buttery, and grahams) are next to my bed, my washcloth (I now have worked to alternate) are wet, on a small pillow next to me in bed - under the fan on low to keep them cold. I also have. Chair next to the bed - has a pot for vomiting, a cell phone, and paper towels to help with sweats. I have to keep the top half of me warm, my feet cool and uncovered, and my head very cool. Make sure you are going to the bathroom, output is important, this is how I realized staying really hydrated and always have something in my belly kept the nausea and vomiting away. I still have SMALL bouts of nausea with every wave. I only had one time that was day 8 that I had to go to a friend for two tokes of pot to stop it. For the anger, anxiety, stress, crying, etc: 1 daily prenatal chewy (I'm not pg), 1 fish oil cap (highest dose I found), stay in bed away from anyone I can. Note: stress at day 11 - brings on brain zaps and body shocks very quickly!

Sleep,sleep, sleep. The first 3 days I had trouble - I took 1 tab of melatonin (3mg) each night. Also, I then and still now use youtube guided meditations for sleep and anxiety before I go to sleep (with headphones turned down because any sound could set off a bad wave of symptoms) Also, my room is dark - I keep all lights off because it keeps the zaps down to a minimum. Any type of light, random pitched sound, temp change makes the waves come back. I am still in bed, it's taking me forever to type this on my phone with the back light down so low. When a window of somewhat okayness happens (the duration of lower symptom windows ARE getting longer)
Please KNOW - that I'm saying it gets worse before it gets better is KEY here!! It's very true. While I'm still not even 75% better, the symptoms peaked at 9 days really really bad and have gotten better (as long as I stay hydrated and follow all these relief things I've mapped out for each symptom so before it comes on, I know what to do and I don't freak out.) Deep breathing whenever i am awake in bed laying here. Deep tummy breaths. Not slow like it will make you more dizzy, but enough to get clean o2 in your brain and body - srsly this keeps you calm, but you HAVE to do this regularly throughout the day! I also have just started being able to drink small sips of ensure - has to have ice chips or I would get nauseous again. I'm also just today trying to slowly eat baked chips to get some carbs back in me. When I say I'm eating little bits - it's NOT cause I want to.. I'm starving and keep getting theses food cravings that I keep mentally thinking will make me feel good - but trust me - after two times of falling for this you will be sorry! Keep any sensory things very bland and to a minimum! Like I said, watch for loud or high pitched noises, unnatural light, eat crackers, soup broth, rice, baby food (pears are the best so far) ice chips, pedialyte, light gatoraid, a vitamin you can stand, tylenol!, fish oil, and don't read or watch TV unless you know you have an open window of reprieve, however I try hard to use this time to keep relaxed, sleep, or to meditate so I can keep level headed instead of freaking myself out about how long this will last. That scares me most so I have to make sure I keep reminding myself of how far I've come. Try different things to try to relieve each symptom, keep what works, toss the others... it's so easy to lay in bed crying and puking and not knowing what to do because your brain isn't functioning like it should - I did this during my first three days of bad waves of symptoms. If you try to relax and come up with a plan for each symptom - it makes this easier... NOT EASY - EASIER. I'm still bed ridden and feel horrible back and forth, but I have found ways to help each symptom of withdrawal I hope this post finds who needs it... I know how it feels to be going through this and I know I scour the web for tips on relief when I can look at my phone. Not even dr.s know how to deal with all this, but I pray everyday it gets better. Wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy!!

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a comment for Lori Aston

I have been taking Effexor for about 4 years. I get my meds for free from the state program I'm on. The reps that bring the meds have been irrisponsisble in getting the meds there on a regular basis. So there isn't ever a constant supply. Therefore I had to go over a week at a time without my meds, and I take 300mg once daily. The withdrawl symptoms were something I could never explain. It was just that bizarre of a feeling. Not only was i suffering from nightmares that kept me up for hours at a time but I was experiencing the same thing you were too. The electric shocks were strong. They were constant throughout the day and I couldn't function or even think straight! The worst part was, and I don't know if it affects you this way but, they would disrupt my path of vision! When a wave would come over me my eyes would get fuzzy and then go black, I couldn't see anything. Also my hearing would go out and a great buzzing or ringing would be the only thing to hear! Granted this didn't go on for hours or even minutes at a time but the few seconds it did happen were always scary. Especially when driving in traffic and needing all the clarity I could get. These withdrawl symptoms are serious and no one should ever stop taking meds abruptly. Unfortunately, I didn't have a choice. This was a result of the representatives that were supplying the doctors office. You were on effexor for one year at 75 mg per day, and you experienced those shock waves I was on them for 4 years at 300mg per day, so you can imagine the intensity of these shock waves

Sometimes the worst part about taking medicines is when you don't need them anymore.

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My daughter was on a low dosage of Effexor two years ago (13yrs) for depresion. She stayed on it for one year. When she was better and wanted off of it, her doctor weaned her off of it slowly over the course of one month. She did not have any problems and is still doing well two years later. Hope this information is helpful.
Shelly

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Never quit Effexor cold turkey. I was on a 150 mg per day. My dr. had me cut down by 37.5 mg for 2 weeks until I was off. Any side effects were tolerable.

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i was on effexor for nearly 4 years, a dose of 150mg i had somewhat intense withdraw that lasted for a couple of weeks. i had to comae of them slowly.

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I've been on effexor xr 75 mg for awhile. I've had the same tingling feeling when i've forgotten to take it for a few days. the print out you usually get when you fill a script says you're suppose to taper off the effexor. going off it can make you depressed again becuase your cutting something cold turkey out of your system. i've gotten dizzy light headed feelings, anxiety attacks, etc...when i stopped taking mine. even last year when i became pregnant the dr. tapered me off. you should call your doc & say you want to go off, they'll give you a script for 37.5 mg & after taking that for a bit then you can stop from there. :) good luck! :)

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Wow! I thought I was the only one going through this withdraw thing.I was taking 150mg and slowly went down to nouthing. Thats when it all started. dizziness, vomiting,chills.I truly felt like I was going to die. I felt as if i was on a mery go round, and someone kept spinning it around and around. Hang in there whoever is out there going trough the same stuff. It will go away.....I hope.

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Keith,

Whatever you do, taper off effexor and continue on wellbutrin. I have an entry above from 6/20 and the only thing i am still on is wellbutrin. I was overmedicated before now and I am so much happier. Now I take one pill a day for depression and it helps with my ADD. Which I think was a side effect of all the drugs I was on. Certain drugs you are going to need regardless, like pain pills, but the more pills you're on the more you will need to combat other symptoms that become present. One thing that has helped me is a man named Mike Brescia. google his name, his info will be like the bible to you. it has been for me anyway. check out www.thinkrightnow.com and let me know what you think. The best thing to do is to think positive thoughts, even of you son't belive them. eventually you will trick your brain into thinking that is how you really feel and you will feel that way. Also whenever you feel down or like giving up just smile. Smiling makes the brain produce endorphens which are natural anti-depressants. Since we are all on so many anti-d's our body doen't need to produce them since we take meds. But if we smile alot our body will produce them and we wont need to take as any meds anymore. like i said check out the website Mike Brescia is awesome. It will really help you in every aspect of your life.

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Wow, awesome how so many of you are providing advice and similar experiences for each other.

I would just like to add some more information for you, that may help you all to understand why you are suffering from these problems.

First off, there are two things that can result from regular drug usage of any type, even legal prescription drugs. They are addiction and dependence.

Now, addiction, of course, occurs when someone is abusing a drug, they are using it for the high effects, they like the way it makes them feel. Now, since this is just a side effect of the drug, this eventually wears off as your body builds tolerance to the current dosage or usage amount. So to get the enjoyable effects, they have to keep using more and more of the substance in question.

Now, for those of us, like myself and you who have been posting in this thread, who use the drugs exactly as prescribed and do not abuse them, we do develop a dependence.

Dependence can occur with any substance that you put into your body regularly for a long period of time, it doesn't matter if it is your morning cup of coffee, that lunch time Diet Coke, or your prescription medications.

Your body gets used to having this substance and basically forgets how to regulate the chemicals that these substances effect on its own.

So any time you stop these substances abruptly you will experience some, milder, withdrawal effects. It will not be as severe as the person who was an abuser, but the effects are real and bothersome, nonetheless.

So yes, you can experience these problems if you suddenly stop taking something, without tapering off, or if you miss enough days worth of pills so the substance has been processed out of your body.

To minimize the effects, weaning slowly off of something is often your best option. While you still may suffer some effects, a gradual tapering will help to minimize them as much as possible.

I do understand that for some people, this tapering is not possible, either because your doctor will not help, or your insurance will no longer cover your medication.

In these types of instances, it is best to try to relax as much as possible, get plenty of rest, drink lots of fluids and use medications such as Immodium, Tylenol or Advil to try and alleviate the worst of the problems.

Over the counter items such as Benadryl or Dramamine (or their generic/store brand equivelents) can help with any dizziness, nausea, and etc. that may occur.

Some doctors and patients have also found that the prescription blood pressure medication Clonidine does a lot to negate the withdrawal effects.

So remember, this is a big difference between being addicted and being dependent on something.

And please, if you are experiencing symptoms that are out of control, and you have no treatment to help you, please see your doctor or go to the nearest emergency room, the doctors and nurses there will know how to help you.

Don't be shy or embarassed, this happens to more than 99% of people who take a prescription drug regularly for a long period of time. So medical professionals do understand, at least the ones who are human and not suffering from the GOD COMPLEX and they will be able to help you.

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I have taken Effexor XR for over 6 years. It has really helped with obsessive thinking. I have gone off of it twice, both times with the guidance of a doctor and tapering slowly with the dose. Withdrawal syptoms subside, but for me, the obsessive thinking and near-constant weeping that resulted when I wasn't on it weren't worth the misery. I am back on it for good, I hope. I was on 225mg for 5 years and have recently gone to 300mg (the therapeutic dose) because of breakthrough depression. I have also been on 300mg Wellbutrin SR for the entire time I have been on the Effexor XR. I have split the doses of both meds (150mg each) morning and again at night. My new Dr. (I moved to another state) says that splitting the doses of either medicine is unusual, but told me to keep it that way because that's how I've been doing it. I don't know, maybe splitting it has been part of my success with this combination of anti-depressants. I am dependent on antidepressants and that's okay with me. Addiction implies deterioration. Dependence doesn't fit that category, as far as I'm concerned.

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Lori, as others have noted, this is another dirty little secret Big Pharm tried to cover up about some SSRIs. I was on Cymbalta for just One month! & quit. The withdrawal was just like your's. If you Google brain zaps you will find soooo many people w/ horrible effects that there are now class-action suits pending. Finally the company admitted there might be a wee bit of trouble, so now they are making it seem like something minor, and calling it occasional discontinuation syndrome. But it took Years of patient complaints before the 'professionals' would admit it was a fact. Good news is, it doesn't last too long, Good luck! The more complaints, in more places, the better.

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Yes...the pharmacies (&the doctors) keep their dirty little secrets about what these anti-depressants do to U, when U stop them...They push them, saying they're non-addictive...But try stopping them & Bamm !! Happened to me too..Now I've been suffering with unexplained Peripheral Neuropathy for 14 years because of it....I stopped taking imipramine,(Tofranil) after taking it for 8 years for anxiety...I felt better after a lot of other treatment, so I stopped it, after my doctor said I could...Then, when I told him about the after effects...he says he didn't tell me I could stop. Figures, right ? Nobody wants the responsibility...& we suffer. Don't ever take anti-depressants for anything if U don't have to...unless U plan on taking them until U die....IF they don't kill U first.

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I thought I was the only one!!! I get the same thing when I miss a dose. Like you said it almost feels like an electric shock throughout your body, like a huge twitch.

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I have weaned off Effexor gradually (after 10 + years) over the past 8 weeks or so. I went from 150 mg to just 20 grains and I've been off completely for 5 days now. Generally I feel better. I went off it because 1) I think I've been treated long term for what was initially situational depression. 2) though I do suffer from anxiety and have most of my life, I have done a lot of work on knowing the symptoms, understanding how it's effecting my body, having anxiety attacks but being able to just recognize them as physical effects and talk myself out of letting them get the better of me, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, all this being said, I had been feeling just plain "FLAT" emotionally for quite a while and I wanted to try going with out it. Prior to Effexor I was on Paxil for a few years, and in 2011 had a brief and horrific few months on Cipralex (a time period in which I acted erratically but barely remember). The good news is - I feel better.. I'm more motivated to do things, enjoy things more, feel hopeful and not stressed, sad or anxious. I am very weepy (not at inappropriate times, but anything that may prompt weeping from a lost pet reunion video to profound and moving words seem to just bring it on). I've had a little cry every night for a few weeks. It's of note that my elderly mother died last june, and my brother in law of 48 years (I am 51 years old) died of pancreatic cancer on Christmas day last year. I have not really felt like I have really 'grieved' either of these deaths ... it was like I just had to carry on to get through life, get to work, etc.. I have also been a bit forgetful, lost my words while speaking, typed in words in french (which I do not really speak, despite being Canadian and learning a fair bit in school). Last week I put away a bag of frozen food in the cupboard instead of the freezer.. I NEVER do stuff like that. Lastly, I feel cold, sometimes shivering. I am post menopausal so I do not think hormonally there is anything going on, but I think the drug had an effect on my body temp (caused a lot of sweating) and feeling cold is a foreign thing for me. (I bet I only buttoned up my coat 2 dozen times last winter). I wanted to post this because I DO feel BETTER, and I appreciate the posts of others if for no other reason than to know that I'm not alone in my experiences. I do think I'll be okay. It is good to FEEL things again but I hope not to be so weepy s time goes on. I wish for all of us a happy and fulfilling life, whatever that is for you personally.

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Hi... I recently stopped taking this med and went cold turkey.
HOWEVER I researched and took omega supplements , magnesium, and a multi vit daily from day 1 of stopping.
I also made sure I ate lots of nuts, protein, bananas, salmon
The tingling "zaps" we're still pretty bad for the first week - I kept a diary of moods, zaps, headaches etc so that I could see if it got better.
I am now on week 4 and honestly only have 1 or 2 sappy weird moments a day.
I am sleeping better, less anxious and feel better than I can remember.
I would recommend the supplements of omega 3,6,9 and take 4-6 tabs a day.
X

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I am too going through withdrawal from this awful medication. I've only been on for a bout 2 months (praise the Lord not longer) and it is a nasty process to come off. I've just woke up from like a mad nightmare/out of body experience where I'm like half asleep yet not?? I'm now scared to go back to sleep to again experience this highly uncomfortable symptom. My head is zapping and popping and banging and absorts. I'm going back to the doc tomorrow to ask for something to help yet something not as potent as this evil filth I've been putting in my body. Please please do not start this med if you happen to stumble across this post. I believe anti depressants just fog the brain and zombiefy users so the illness is still there yet users are so monged out of it they don't feel nothing! Sorry for the rant, I'm obviously feeling very uncomfortable at the moment. I wish you all well yet am disgusted that this vile stuff is being prescribed to help people??

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I was taking Effexor 150mg for 5 years and decided to quit cold turkey. The withdrawals are insane !!!!! Brain zaps started almost immediately, day 3 brain zaps where constant approx. every 5 seconds. Its been 9 days and the withdrawal effects are starting to lesson. One thing is I am not in need of constant sleep which is awesome. Yesterday I started feeling very emotional for no reason and have now realised I have my full range of emotion back its great !!!

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To all those trying to lower or get off effexor. It is sooooo important not to go cold turkey and to give yourself a much longer timeframe for tapering. For example. If you lower your dose by 37.5 then you should give yourself 6 months to adjust to this. Yes at least 6 months! Everytime i have tried any faster timeframes than this, the results are terrible and i have tried many many times. Once i was on 225mg and am now on 37.5mg. How long did this take? About 4 years. I am willing to take two years to lower gradually from 37.5 to nothing. It is a pain in the a## i know, but super slow is the only way. You will still get withdrawal symptoms and they will be annoying, but they will be a lot easier to deal with than if you go too fast.
All the best to you all.

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Brain zaps drove me crazy. Just know that over time, that will go away. I was NEVER told any of this. The psychiatrist that prescribed this medication along with numerous other addictive drugs, received 5 CONSENT ORDERS from CT. Public Health. He put all 5 of us on Lithium too, and NEVER ordered any required blood work. I almost died. Guess what? HE IS STILL PRESCRIBING. He is very rich and has HALLORAN & SAGE for attorneys.

This behavior of getting us addicted to so many different drugs is criminal. I still cannot find ANY clinic to get me off Klonopin. I was on XANAX 3 x;s a day. The only thing one APRN did was switch me to Klonopin because the chances are, I would have a seizure and die.Nobody wants the liability of another doctor. I went to 5 different clinics and was turned away from all of them. Nobody cares when everything goes wrong and ZERO happened to this quack.

I wish you all the best and pray those wicked side effects leave you soon.

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I have just experienced these bizzare nightmares due to quitting Effexor XR 150 mg once a day, COLD TURKEY. My doctor never told me to reduce gradually?? What a bone-head! Wow??? What a grandioso experience. I feel as if I have been on a Alcoholic binge for about two weeks. I feel like throwing up, my vision is messed up and my head feels like I'm hung over. I figured out for myself that this has to be Abrupt Withdrawl Symptoms, obviously, so I took a 1/2 dose and we'll see if this helps. I sure hope so as this was not a fun experience at all. I was taking 150 mgs. once a day. Never experienced any twitching or shock waves things but the nightmares were very vivid and realistic as hell. Don't ever try to quit Effexor XR COLD TURKEY - Bad idea!! Hope this helps somebody out there who's going through this experience like I am!! Remember they are only Nightmares so don't let them Scare you! God bless, Paul.

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