ShinyChicken : Effexor 75 mg withdrawal

[ShinyChicken]

I have severe GAD diagnosed in early 2018. After trying to manage it on my own for a couple of months I finally asked my dr for an anti anxiety medication. 
 

she put me on 75 mg of Effexor, and I started taking it on May 2019. It worked incredibly. 
 

in February 2023, my main stressor for anxiety got resolved and wanting to get pregnant soon I decided to taper. I tapered from March 2023 - June 2023 using the bead counting method with my drs instructions.

 

At first I thought I got away with it but I was wrong. Just like many others of us I developed severe insomnia and haven’t been able to shake it off to this date. I reached back out to my dr and worked with a psychiatrist both of whom agreed I benefit from sleeping meds.

 

I tried taking 25 mg of Vistaril and while that worked okay, it made me very groggy the next day. Then my psych decided to switch me to Trazadone 25 mg and that worked ok.

 

Today, I have not been able to sleep at all and it’s too late to take anything. I’ve taken the day off from work and made an appointment with my dr to talk about potentially reinstating — Effexor is not safe during pregnancy so maybe something else. I just don’t feel good in general and am feeling like I’m suffering more than I need to and need something to give. 
 

thanks in advance for welcoming me to the community, we’ll get through this!

[Emonda]

Welcome to S.A. @ShinyChicken

 

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5 hours ago, ShinyChicken said:

in February 2023, my main stressor for anxiety got resolved and wanting to get pregnant soon I decided to taper. I tapered from March 2023 - June 2023 using the bead counting method with my drs instructions.

 

 

That's a quick taper. The recommended approach is to taper by 10%:  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Typical WD symptoms are as follows: Daily Checklist of Antidepressant Withdrawal Symptoms (PDF) 

 

A few helpful links are as follows:

 

Windows and waves pattern of stabilization

 

Emotional Spirals

 

Non-drug coping strategies

 

Melatonin for sleep

 

Magnesium

 

Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil)

 

5 hours ago, ShinyChicken said:

Then my psych decided to switch me to Trazadone 25 mg and that worked ok.

 

Within ~4 weeks, you can become dependent on any new AD/sleeping pill you introduce...you need to be very careful.

 

Avoid alcohol. 

 

Please post any updates here in your thread. It is helpful to keep everything related to your journey in one spot. You are very welcome to jump onto someone else's page and interact with them. The encouragement members give each other on this site is wonderful to see.

 

Sing out with any questions. 

 

Emonda

 

 

[ShinyChicken]

Thanks for the reply and the resources! I've been feeling really down when I wrote this post up, I managed to sleep about 2 hours after this and spent the morning taking it easy on the couch so have a bit more of a clear head now.

 

Quote

That's a quick taper. The recommended approach is to taper by 10%:  Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

 

So how do I decide whether to reinstate, try a different AD, or ride it out? 

 

Quote

Within ~4 weeks, you can become dependent on any new AD/sleeping pill you introduce...you need to be very careful.

 

Both Trazadone and Hydroxyzine worked ok for me, but of course, since I didn't sleep the night before, now tonight I'm worried about not sleeping again tonight and the meds not working and trying to cope with that reality.

 

I've been looking at the forums and the resources so I guess there's no science around how long the protracted withdrawals last... I'm so frustrated by this, because both my GP and my psych are insisting I'm relapsing instead of this still being a protracted withdrawal, how do I make that distinction? At what point am I just kidding myself and need to get back on the meds?

 

[KenA]

Hi @ShinyChicken. I can relate to the insomnia as it was one of my harder symptoms as well. Lack of sleep can make all other symptoms seem worse and it truly is a hard one to deal with.  Here are some general tips and things that may help you with your sleep.

 

What is the sleep cycle?

 

Tips to help sleep -- so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Path to Better Sleep FREE online for everyone from the US Veterans Administration

 

Music for self-care: Calms hyperalertness, anxiety, aids relaxation and sleep

 

White noise devices for sleep

 

Melatonin for sleep: Many people find it helpful

 

TV or computer use in evening can disrupt sleep: Bright light signals the brain that it's daytime

Magnesium, nature's calcium channel blocker

 

25 minutes ago, ShinyChicken said:

So how do I decide whether to reinstate, try a different AD, or ride it out? 

As far as a reinstatement, it usually works best within 3 months of stopping the AD. It looks from your signature that you were off the AD on June 30th, 2023? Here is more information about reinstatement. 

 

Reinstatement predictably works up to 3 months after last dose.  It is best to reinstate as soon as possible after withdrawal symptoms occur. We usually suggest a much smaller reinstatement dose than your last dose.  These drugs are strong, and when reinstating it is better to start with a small amount and increase if symptoms remain unbearable. Your system has become sensitized and If you take too much it may be too much for your brain and can cause you become unstable.  Sometimes it can be hard to regain stability after this happens.  Then, once you've stabilized on that dosage, which can take several months,  you can begin a 10% per month taper down to zero.   Please read:

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms.

 

Only you can decide if reinstating is something that will work for you.

 

Personally for me, acceptance and time were the things that worked for me. I had to accept that insomnia was simply a symptom of the healing process and it wasn't going to hurt me. I had to allow my brain and CNS the time they needed in order to heal. Unfortunately there is no hard science around the withdrawal process. Every one of us is unique and we all heal in our own time and manner. What works for one may not work for another. You just have to find what works best for you!  Keep hanging in there! You are going to be ok!