IstherelifeafterEffexor: Life after Effexor

[IstherelifeafterEffexor]

I got off Effexor 3 months ago with Prozac then just cold turkeyed off 20 mg of Prozac. Been on SSRI's/SNRI's for 20 years. Effexor since 2012. Toughest thing a person can possibly do. Nobody is out there except a few outliers telling about how hard to get off these drugs are? I read too many books by Robert Whitaker, Kelly Brogan, Charles Barber, Joesph Glenmullen, Peter Breggin.

 

I am having trouble controlling my mood/anger without the drugs still. Everything bothers me. The world is a much more hostile place. I use SAMe, l-tryptophan, 5-HTP, herbs, acupuncture, mindful meditation. It ain't always working.

I run 6-10 miles every day. I walk a lot. Nothing works as good as when you get that Effexor working really well.
 

 I have had life threatening reactions going up on the dose or trying to withdraw from these drugs. They are dangerous drugs and are not safe. They suppress libido, sexual desire quite a bit. They impair brain function like memory and mental sharpness. They numb you so you don't feel as much. My mom died, my pet died, my girlfriend left me. No big deal.

 

Where is the support groups for folks who try and come off these drugs? There's cocaine/narcotics/alcohol anonymous. There's bipolar/depression support groups. Where is the SSRI/SNRI withdrawal support group?

 

Good luck out there. The world is a hostile place and things are really rough without my antidepressant.

[IstherelifeafterEffexor]

I've been off Effexor using the Prozac bridge for only 3 months now. Been on these drugs 20 years and Effexor the last 5 or 6 years. Hoping it gets better. My doctor suggests going back on Effexor since I tell him that the world is a more hostile place and have trouble controlling my mood/behavior/anger/state of mind/negative thoughts/self defeating thoughts including suicide thoughts and images. We'll see how long I can hold out.

[mammaP]

Hi there, welcome to SA, in answer to your question, yes there is life after effexor! I was taking everything that was thrown at me for over 20 years, having adverse effects and being very disabled by them. Ending with effexor  for 13 years.  The prozac bridge just does not work, it might help some people if they switch gradiually and then slowly taper the prozac but not when it is so fast and then cold turkey prozac. 

 

It is possible that reinstating can help you but at a very very tiny dose. Do you have any effexor left? If you open a capsule you will find either tiny beads, or little tablets inside. If it is tiny beads you can take a few of those, how many to take depends how many are in the capsule. Mine were 75mgs and had around 400 beads,   It is a pain to count those little blighters but will be worth it in the end.  I stabilised on just 4 beads, which was just less than 1mg. When you have been off for a while the brain often no longer tolerates the same dose and can have adverse reactions as you have discovered.  After reinstating you would take the same dose every day, you can just take trhem as they are, or put them inside a gel capsule. It will take 4 days to get a steady level in your blood. If you have a reaction you should stop immediately but reactions at such a low dose are often mild and eased with a reduction of just 1 bead. This happened to me, I reinstated 5 beads then dropped to 4 when I had a reaction. (pins and needles in the face) 4 made such a huge difference it was unbelievable.  If the tiny dose has no effect but does not cause a reaction in a week you can increase by one bead at a time. When you are stable you can then start to taper that timy dose. I can explain how to do that when you are more stable. I can't tyoe for very long right now. I tapered the last 1mg and took 18 months,  it seems like forever but the time soon passes. I have been off for 3 years now and had no withdrawal; after the final bead.  

 

 

We don't recommend sam E, tryptophan or 5HTP in withdrawal, they can cause problems. The only supplements we universally recommend are fish oil and magnesium which seem to help many of us.  

 

I will get some links for you to look at. 

 

First, we ask all our members to fill in their signature, we need drugs, doses and dates for recent drugs, just the name of drugs and rough dates for those going back years. We don't need side effects or reasons, just the drug names, dates and doses . You can find instructions with a link to the signature box here...

 http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/settings/signature/

 

About reinstating to stabilise

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7562-about-reinstating-and-stabilizing-to-reduce-withdrawal-symptoms/

 

How to taper effexor. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tapering-off-effexor-venlafaxine/

 

Here you will find links to all the important topics on tests , supplements including Sam E etc, also links to topics on fish oil and magnesium which we recommend. 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/topic/606-important-topics-about-tests-supplements-treatments-diet/

 

[powerback]

On ‎01‎/‎02‎/‎2018 at 10:56 PM, IstherelifeafterEffexor said:

I got off Effexor 3 months ago with Prozac then just cold turkeyed off 20 mg of Prozac. Been on SSRI's/SNRI's for 20 years. Effexor since 2012. Toughest thing a person can possibly do. Nobody is out there except a few outliers telling about how hard to get off these drugs are? I read too many books by Robert Whitaker, Kelly Brogan, Charles Barber, Joesph Glenmullen, Peter Breggin.

 

I am having trouble controlling my mood/anger without the drugs still. Everything bothers me. The world is a much more hostile place. I use SAMe, l-tryptophan, 5-HTP, herbs, acupuncture, mindful meditation. It ain't always working.

I run 6-10 miles every day. I walk a lot. Nothing works as good as when you get that Effexor working really well.
 

 I have had life threatening reactions going up on the dose or trying to withdraw from these drugs. They are dangerous drugs and are not safe. They suppress libido, sexual desire quite a bit. They impair brain function like memory and mental sharpness. They numb you so you don't feel as much. My mom died, my pet died, my girlfriend left me. No big deal.

 

Where is the support groups for folks who try and come off these drugs? There's cocaine/narcotics/alcohol anonymous. There's bipolar/depression support groups. Where is the SSRI/SNRI withdrawal support group?

 

Good luck out there. The world is a hostile place and things are really rough without my antidepressant.

HI ITLAE,Welcome to SA ,for me and many members once I got into the swing of things on this site I don't need to go any were else for the support I need but I understand if your referring to a more physical support network ,I was relying on family/partner but thankfully I don't have to any more because it nearly ruined all my relationships.they simply can not understand the torment we suffer .  

I relate to a lot you have written ,ive been on the Effexor ,I am on and tapering the dreaded V ,its been hell .

 

Good luck out there. The world is a hostile place and things are really rough without my antidepressant.

this is a very apt statement ,its brutal .

Best of luck and nice having you .

when the world is getting heavy ,come here and vent .

Take care .
 

[HopeSprings]

Hi,

Just wanted to let you know i'm also coming off effexor atm. Came down too quickly from 75 - 45 and have WD effects ever since. Then tried a prozac bridge, but didn't work, I think due to a combination of prozac side effects, already in withdrawal, and possibly did it too quickly. How did you do your prozac switch? (immediate change or taking both for a week or month etc.?)

I'm hoping to stabilise on about 55 - 60 mg effexor, then hold and start to taper down again, bead counting method. My drop from 225 - 150 gave no issues, but 150 - 75 took ages and I got impatient. Hopefully if my system settles down on 55mg then i'll start a low taper in a month.

Sorry to hear that you ended up on this rubbish drug too!!!