cindylou03 Posted May 24, 2018 Share Posted May 24, 2018 I took some time to taper off Effexor. I decided to quit taking it after I forgot my pill one night and ended up crashing in the middle of a ski hill and being hauled down on a toboggan. I was wrecked for the rest of the weekend. My doctor recommended taking a pill every other night for 2 weeks and then stopping, but I choose to open the capsules and take out one little ball every night until there were none. I didn't have too many withdrawals symptoms and when I felt bad I just didn't remove additional balls that night. So, I off Effexor now, but I am concerned about the extra 15 pounds I am carrying. I have "emergency" xanax in case of anxiety and I am still on 10mg of lexapro. I'm an active person and my diet is generally good. I have always been small so this is uncomfortable for me. I know 15 pounds doesn't seem like a lot, but to me... it just is. I'm hoping to find experiences on here that will help me understand my situation and options. :) Thanks for listening! Link to comment
Moderator Emeritus Petunia Posted May 24, 2018 Moderator Emeritus Share Posted May 24, 2018 Welcome cindylou03, Well done for making your own decision about how to taper off Effexor, we recommend the method you used as being much safer and easier on your nervous system. Many doctors recommend the skipping doses method, but it often fails, so congratulations for successfully getting off Effexor by thinking for yourself. Unfortunately, weight gain is a common side effect for many of the antidepressants, including Lexapro. It was very difficult for me to lose any weight while I was taking it. But going low carb and increasing exercise helped. You may find some tips here in this thread: Weight gain, weight loss and appetite changes - Symptoms and self ... If you would like to taper off Lexapro or lower your dose to see if that helps, we can help with that. Please be careful with taking Xanax too often, it can cause dependency in as little as 2 weeks if taken regularly. I'm glad you found us, please stay in touch and let us know how you are doing. Petunia. I'm not a doctor. My comments are not medical advise. These are my opinions based on my own experience and what I've learned. Please discuss your situation with a medical practitioner who has knowledge of tapering and withdrawal...if you are lucky enough to find one. My Introduction Thread Full Drug and Withdrawal History Brief Summary Several SSRIs for 13 years starting 1997 (for mild to moderate partly situational anxiety) Xanax PRN ~ Various other drugs over the years for side effects 2 month 'taper' off Lexapro 2010 Short acute withdrawal, followed by 2 -3 months of improvement then delayed protracted withdrawal DX ADHD followed by several years of stimulants and other drugs trying to manage increasing symptoms Failed reinstatement of Lexapro and trial of Prozac (became suicidal) May 2013 Found SA, learned about withdrawal, stopped taking drugs...healing begins. Protracted withdrawal, with a very sensitized nervous system, slowly recovering as time passes Supplements which have helped: Vitamin C, Magnesium, Taurine Bad reactions: Many supplements but mostly fish oil and Vitamin D June 2016 - Started daily juicing, mostly vegetables and lots of greens. Aug 2016 - Oct 2016 Best window ever, felt almost completely recovered Oct 2016 -Symptoms returned - bad days and less bad days. April 2018 - No windows, but significant improvement, it feels like permanent full recovery is close. VIDEO: Where did the chemical imbalance theory come from? VIDEO: How are psychiatric diagnoses made? VIDEO: Why do psychiatric drugs have withdrawal syndromes? VIDEO: Can psychiatric drugs cause long-lasting negative effects? VIDEO: Dr. Claire Weekes Link to comment
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