EfxDub : looking for help about Effexor withdrawal

[Terry4949]

Hi efxdub , I stopped Effexor 20 months ago and I am still suffering lasting Effexor symptoms which include dizziness which come in waves , I know this is down to Effexor as I have a fluttering noise also that comes and goes , I experienced these while on Effexor and if I forgot to take my morning dose by the afternoon I would be very dizzy and also get the head flutters , it has got better 20 months out but out of the blue I can have a week with it , antibiotics can affect your sensitzed body , antibiotics can have a masic effect on the stomache which contain many enzymes and serotonin which also can have a massive effect on the brain , I cannot say that it is Effexor causing this , do you have any other side effects that you can attribute to the Effexor that are prevalent to your withdrawel,

[EfxDub]

I'm just over 2 years off the Effexor now.

When I was on it, never noticed anything too bad, apart from major sugar cravings.

When I was coming off it over the 12 weeks, that was a nightmare, worst experience ever. Got really bad withdrawal symptoms that everyone experiences, like headaches, anxiety, stomach pains, insomnia...

And then I started taking vitamin b complex and omega 3 and the symptoms seemed to level out, but a few weeks later the stomach issues started. Been for endoscopy and h-pylori tests and seemed ok, noting out of the ordinary.

 

But I don't know what caused the dizzy / lightheaded feeling that only happened 11 months after coming off Effexor. I figured it couldn't be down to withdrawals because it happened 11 months later? Surely new withdrawal symptoms wouldn't appear so long after stopping? The best way to describe the feeling is being slightly tipsy, like after a few drinks. The room isn't spinning, just have that lightheaded feeling, some days it's worse then others, but it's never as bad to say that I'm unsteady on my feet or that the room or my surroundings are spinning. It never lets up, its there 24/7 from when I wake up till when I'm going asleep, total nightmare.

I also have tinnitus too, but I'm 90% sure that was caused by the antibiotic floxing.

 

In regards to the stomach issues, they're still there but much worse now, when I took the antibiotics 1 year ago in Sep 2015, it was like swallowing a grenade and completely messed up my stomach even more. Just been trying to eat healthy in regards to that.

[EfxDub]

Back again after a few months. Had bloods done and all came back ok.

 

Seems like the antibiotic really did a number on me a year ago and now my whole body is shot. My system is a total mess, stomach problems, weight loss, fatigue, tinnitus, lightheadedness...

 

I came back on here to find out if the lightheadedness I started to experience back in July 2015 could have been a delayed withdrawal symptom from Effexor? I can't find any cause behind it, and it just came on me one day out of the blue and has been with me 24/7 ever since with no letup. That's the reason the doctor gave me the clarithromycin in the first place that floxed me, to see if it would get rid of the lightheadedness, but instead it was like pouring petrol on a fire to put it out.

 

I'd been off the Effexor for 11 months at that stage when the lightheadedness started, that was a pretty long time off it for another unexplained symptom to just start? Before that I was just mainly experiencing stomach issues, but could go along and do my day to day activities. After the lightheadedness started and the antibiotic floxing a year ago, that's when the nightmare really began.

 

So can anyone shed some light on this, could the lightheadedness be a delayed withdrawal symptom 11 months later after stopping Effexor? MRI was ok, nothing out of the ordinary. So Effexor withdrawal is another suspect but I'm not so sure?

[Terry4949]

Hi efxdub , antibiotics are notorious for causing stomache problems , they kill all the friendly bacteria , there are many good probiotics on the market maybe a course of them may help to replace some of the friendly bacteria , I suffer with tinnitus from the venlaxafine withdrawel that is one of the side effects many people report that symptom , I'm not sure about your dizzy spell after11 months of , it could be a ear infection , but you would have to get that checked by your doctor , or it could be Effexor these meds can still surprise people many years after stopping , it would be interesting if you had a Effexor capsule and were to take a couple of beads out and see if it stops the problem , I have seen people who have stopped Effexor who have had effects 4 years after stopping

[scallywag]

EfxDub:  Unfortunately withdrawal symptoms can and do show up well after your last dose.  In and around the 1-year mark many people have posted that a wave of symptoms arise. 

[HopeforBetter1110]

I could be way off the mark, but to go along with others and with you mentioning the antibiotics triggering stuff, it makes me wonder about your gut. Leaky gut? Candida overgrowth? All of these meds wreak havoc on our systems and our gut is like our second mind. Dr. Kelly Brogan is a psychiatrist who talks a lot about the importance of gut health and just came out with a book, "A Mind of Your Own".

[EfxDub]

Got tested for leaky gut and was ok, same for candida.

Did test borderline for SIBO, probably got it from all the sugar I ate when I was on Effexor, horrible sugar cravings.

 

Just did a protocol to get rid of the SIBO a few weeks ago and now onto the probiotics to replenish the good bacteria. Still feel exactly like I did before though, stomach is as bad as ever. I'm also taking some immune tree colostrum every day for the last few weeks to see if that will help heal my gut, it's supposed to be really good for the likes of candida and leaky gut. Think my nervous system is so messed up from the Effexor withdrawal and the antibiotic poisoning that it's going to take a miracle to get me back well.

 

But still puzzled to where the lightheadedness came from 11 months after stopping Effexor, is it linked? I understand the antibiotic messed me up big time when I took it a year ago, **** I'm still felling barely alive right now from it and that was a year ago when I took it.

[Bruin]

Hi EfxDub......good to hear from you but am sorry that you are back with a whole range of symptoms still going on. 

Like you I find it hard to tell what to attribute to Effexor protracted WD but what I do know is that many of the symptoms came on months after stopping. 

Perhaps not as long as 11 months though.  My key ones were extreme fatigue, nausea ,vomiting and weight loss. I went from 85 kg to 72 kg. 

I am a six foot tall male . At this point the nausea and stomach problems have gone and the main ones remaining are severe fatigue and insomnia. 

I am not an expert on the subject but my experience is that once the Central Nervous System is destabilised it can take a very long time to recover. 

Until protracted WD I did not understand how important  the CNS is in all the operations of the body. I had imagined that I might get rebound depression from 

quitting but not the whole physical shebang that I have been through. Like you my Doctor denied that it could be WD and I was put through all sorts of horrible 

physical examinations,  Gastroscopies etc, none of which turned up anything significant. I thought at one time that I had Addison's disease because of the vomiting and weight loss. Hopefully someone will come along who has a better understanding than me but my best guess is that it may well be the  protracted WD. 

Like many on this site I am going down natural routes. I did find that fish oil and magnesium helped with the nausea........I am better than I was a year ago but it is slow going..

 

With Very Best Wishes 

 

Bruin

[dowdaller]

I hear ya, I am still feeling rough a year after stopping effexor.

[EfxDub]

I hear ya, I am still feeling rough a year after stopping effexor.

What are you experiencing? I know my symptoms started about six weeks after coming off Effexor altogether. And when I was coming off the 75mg dose I was on over 12 weeks as told by my then gp, I was having a really rough time, absolute nightmare. Little did I know the effects were only starting, two years later and between the Effexor and the antibiotic poisoning, my body doesn't know what's up.

[dowdaller]

 

I hear ya, I am still feeling rough a year after stopping effexor.

What are you experiencing? I know my symptoms started about six weeks after coming off Effexor altogether. And when I was coming off the 75mg dose I was on over 12 weeks as told by my then gp, I was having a really rough time, absolute nightmare. Little did I know the effects were only starting, two years later and between the Effexor and the antibiotic poisoning, my body doesn't know what's up.

At the minute I am waking up really early sleeping less and as a result more anxious and mood lower, my stomach is also sore, I am hoping it will pass, this time of the year has been hard for me in the past, so just plodding along at the moment putting in days.

[rowinghippy]

Hi EfxDub,

 

I'm just curious how your stomach and gut is doing? If anything you've tried has helped?

 

I've had borderline sibo for a while, one round of antibiotics didn't do much and I'm about to try again (xifaxan both times). I also have horrible stomach problems, never any appetite and often in pain.

 

Wishing you best.

[EfxDub]

Hi EfxDub,

 

I'm just curious how your stomach and gut is doing? If anything you've tried has helped?

 

I've had borderline sibo for a while, one round of antibiotics didn't do much and I'm about to try again (xifaxan both times). I also have horrible stomach problems, never any appetite and often in pain.

 

Wishing you best.

Hey, that sucks. The SIBO thing is a total pain in the ass, not needed at all.

 

I've heard stories of the antibiotics not working for long, sure they work, but then the SIBO returns soon after. You're just damaging your body more and more by taking them.

 

I had a really bad experience with an antibiotic, clarithromycin. It's left me almost dead, and that was over a year an a half ago and I'm still not recovered from it. So I'll never take another antibiotic again.

 

What I've been doing for the SIBO is following a strict diet for 4-6 weeks and taking herbal antifungal supplements.

Either way if you take the real antibiotic or not, you're still gonna have to watch your diet for a while anyway so that it doesn't come back.

 

I've just finished the detox recently and retested for sibo, I think it's gone now, still waiting on 100% confirmation. And then the next step is get onto the probiotics to get the good bacteria into my gut again. But whatever you do, don't take the probiotics until the SIBO is gone, it'll just make you awful sick otherwise.

 

So I'd go and see a nutritional therapist, instead of a regular doc, and stay away from the antibiotics. They'll put you on a diet and supplements to get rid of the bacteria.

 

For all the info, this is a great site to check out....

 

http://www.siboinfo.com

[Altostrata]

How are you, EfxDub?

[EfxDub]

Hi guys, just a bit of an update since I last posted here. 

This haven’t really got better for me health wise. I’m still struggling with a lot of physical symptoms from the bad reaction I had to the antibiotic a few months after I started to have the Effexor issues. 

 

I’ve updated my story and got it published on a health site, so if anyone wants to give it a read over, feel free.

 

https://www.hormonesmatter.com/nightmare-antidepressant-withdrawal-exacerbated-antibiotics/

 

But the good news is, I’m still off all of these horrible medications. I haven’t too them for years now and never will again. I just don’t know if or when I’ll recover from the damage they did to my body. It’s almost 5 years now that all this began back in 2014 when I started to taper off Effexor. 

[powerback]

Hi EfxDub ,im a fellow Effexor victim and Irish man, im   embarrassed im living this misery so long .

from reading your thread and the piece you've written .from my own experience of withdrawl and antibiotics.my educated guess/opinion  is Effexor was the catalyst for all this misery ,the withdrawl was the start of it and everything accumulates on top of that .your system was in shock and then the antibiotic tipped your body over the edge .I agree with you about the irish health system ,its a joke beyond belief .we can only try and help others in the future that want to listen to us . 

I took an antibiotic in august after trying to clear a chest infection myself for 3 weeks ,I also had a local anistetic after slicing my leg open around the same time ,so this has to contribute to the misery ive been living for months on end [albeit brief windows]

Ive traced my own history of withdrawl the last 2.5 years and coming off/reducing Effexor destroyed me .I have PTSD from this experience now and I don't know what to make of my future .I'm scared beyond belief .oh the irony of the  state im left in now and I was put on drugs after going to the DR to talk about constant urination 8 years ago .oh how I wish I just wore nappies instead .[im surprised myself I am able to joke about it ],resentment is killing me ,I mite have no other choice other than laugh .

Thanks for coming back to update.i wish you continued healing and hope for all of us ,I cant wrap my head around it all .

🙏. 

[EfxDub]

Hey powerback, sorry to hear about your ordeal. At least there’s many out there going through the same problems over these drugs, we’re not alone.

You got it in one, my body was weakened because of the Effexor and then the antibiotic reaction was the final nail in the coffin. It’s not rocket science, but still, no doctor will even entertain that idea. Sure you know yourself what the hse health system is like over here, a joke.

 

I know a few people back home that have been on Effexor for a couple of years and have been trying to get off it with no luck at all, every time they try they just get horrible withdrawals. So that’s one thing I’m glad of, I’m not taking it at all for a couple of years now. But I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same again after what both of these horrible medications have done to me. Worst decision I’ve ever made was to start taking it.

[EfxDub]

On 3/18/2019 at 1:30 AM, Altostrata said:

How are you, EfxDub?

 

Hi, it’s been a few years since I’ve posted up my story and since this whole mess began and I’ve got absolutely nowhere to be honest. 

I was only seeing some psychiatrist in my country a few days ago and they’re denying all my physical symptoms were caused by Effexor withdrawals and a short time later when I had the adverse reaction to the antibiotic. They’re trying to convince me that I have an anxiety disorder now, which I know in my own heart and soul is BS. So it’s just constantly going round in circles for the last few years. 

Such a struggle to get anyone to believe me or listen and treat me like an actual human being. 

[powerback]

Hi Efxdub ,what are the symptoms your living with .you know yourself what's going on so you don't need there validation but I do empathise with the situation your in  .my thinking is your nervous system is  very sensitized and causing you serious problems .

 

Seen my DR the other week and I was fobbed off when I said about getting an MRI on my nervous system.they simply don't have to do it .our whole worlds are shattered in this process .he was giving me a podcast recommendation about self help as I walked out the door .ive tested hes patience in the past  but ive realised its much better to have a good relationship with a DR than not ,simply because its how it works.enemys closer and all that.  

A lot of members get symptoms of lymes disease ,fibromyalgia,chronic fatigue syndrome because of withdrawl ,maybe it would work for you to have a diagnosis like these ,im close to one  myself .  if I walked into a DRs office with them not knowing my history I would get a nervous system disorder diagnosis .  

Inflammation  is a big factor in this mess were in .

Are you taking omega ,magnesium or any supplements that mite help.tumeric is good for inflammation .

Take  care and we keep at it to spite them all hey . 

[EfxDub]

On 4/19/2019 at 7:00 PM, powerback said:

Hi Efxdub ,what are the symptoms your living with .you know yourself what's going on so you don't need there validation but I do empathise with the situation your in  .my thinking is your nervous system is  very sensitized and causing you serious problems .

 

Seen my DR the other week and I was fobbed off when I said about getting an MRI on my nervous system.they simply don't have to do it .our whole worlds are shattered in this process .he was giving me a podcast recommendation about self help as I walked out the door .ive tested hes patience in the past  but ive realised its much better to have a good relationship with a DR than not ,simply because its how it works.enemys closer and all that.  

A lot of members get symptoms of lymes disease ,fibromyalgia,chronic fatigue syndrome because of withdrawl ,maybe it would work for you to have a diagnosis like these ,im close to one  myself .  if I walked into a DRs office with them not knowing my history I would get a nervous system disorder diagnosis .  

Inflammation  is a big factor in this mess were in .

Are you taking omega ,magnesium or any supplements that mite help.tumeric is good for inflammation .

Take  care and we keep at it to spite them all hey . 

 

I’m stuck with tinnitus, that was caused by the antibiotic reaction, back pain, food sensitivities, dizziness, stomach issues constant fatigue. And I’m super sensitive to all vitamin supplements, the least dose of anything makes my body flare up. And I get the same feeling if I try and go for any physical treatment like massage, physio, acupuncture. It’s definitely my nervous system that’s causing the issues, it’s gone haywire. 

 

I’ve kinda given up on regular doctors at this point. They won’t admit that all these issues I’m having are caused by the medications and just try to fob me off saying it’s all in my head or some anxiety disorder. Then they just want to shove more antidepressants down my throat, not happening. 

You need to find a good functional medicine doctor to help you. They can do tests on your serotonin levels, adrenal glands, all tests that can give a better picture as what could be going on with your system right now. Regular doctors just take bloods and do standard tests that don’t show up anything wrong, so they assume it’s all your imagination. 

The problem with the functional medicine doctor is you have to pay, it’s not cheap and either are the tests involved, so that’s usually an issue. That’s the only way you’ll figure out what’s wrong with your system and if there’s inflammation going on. 

Its a shame though that there’s not more doctors out there that are more open minded. 

 

I usually can’t take any supplements like I said earlier, but I’ve tried to start back on magnesium recently, so see how it goes. 

And I’ve been taking some probiotics for my stomach too. That’s mostly it. 

[powerback]

16 hours ago, EfxDub said:

 

I’m stuck with tinnitus, that was caused by the antibiotic reaction, back pain, food sensitivities, dizziness, stomach issues constant fatigue. And I’m super sensitive to all vitamin supplements, the least dose of anything makes my body flare up. And I get the same feeling if I try and go for any physical treatment like massage, physio, acupuncture. It’s definitely my nervous system that’s causing the issues, it’s gone haywire. 

 

I’ve kinda given up on regular doctors at this point. They won’t admit that all these issues I’m having are caused by the medications and just try to fob me off saying it’s all in my head or some anxiety disorder. Then they just want to shove more antidepressants down my throat, not happening. 

You need to find a good functional medicine doctor to help you. They can do tests on your serotonin levels, adrenal glands, all tests that can give a better picture as what could be going on with your system right now. Regular doctors just take bloods and do standard tests that don’t show up anything wrong, so they assume it’s all your imagination. 

The problem with the functional medicine doctor is you have to pay, it’s not cheap and either are the tests involved, so that’s usually an issue. That’s the only way you’ll figure out what’s wrong with your system and if there’s inflammation going on. 

Its a shame though that there’s not more doctors out there that are more open minded. 

 

I usually can’t take any supplements like I said earlier, but I’ve tried to start back on magnesium recently, so see how it goes. 

And I’ve been taking some probiotics for my stomach too. That’s mostly it. 

The fatigue is the worst ,I don't even have the energy to research anything these days .its horrific torture .

Its very tricky with DRs because if we need help with going on the sick or anything like that ,we have to play the game ,its a nightmare situation to be in .im furious because dealing with these ignorant DRs is like dealing with the justice system .

 

The fatigue seems to be a big issue with Effexor withdrawl .I did 2 very light walks in the last 2 days and im floored today .maybe only a 10th of what I would previously do nearly every day .

I need a hot water bottle on my feet to keep them warm ,classic thyroid issues.

the reading up I did on inflammation ,it comes down to a total elimination diet witch can take months and months .I am at the end of my tether to be honest.

Take care.

 

[EfxDub]

The fatigue is a killer, laves me impossible to do anything. 

Regular dr’s aren’t gonna help you at all, I’ve been trying for years and got nowhere. All they’ll do is try to pump more meds down your throat, tell you your symptoms are all in your head and deny that you’re messed up from these drugs in the first place. They never change their tune. It’s just a complete waste of time and frustrates you even more. 

 

I did the elimination diet too, made zero difference. Nothing really helped. 

The only difference is I’m not only dealing with Effexor damage, I’m also dealing with the combined antibiotic damage too. So it’s just a mess with having to deal with both damage. 

I’ve been seeing someone now who understands about the damage these medications cause and getting treated, but it’s a slow trial and error process. What works for others might not work for me. So just have to see how it goes. 

[powerback]

1 hour ago, EfxDub said:

The fatigue is a killer, laves me impossible to do anything. 

Regular dr’s aren’t gonna help you at all, I’ve been trying for years and got nowhere. All they’ll do is try to pump more meds down your throat, tell you your symptoms are all in your head and deny that you’re messed up from these drugs in the first place. They never change their tune. It’s just a complete waste of time and frustrates you even more. 

 

I did the elimination diet too, made zero difference. Nothing really helped. 

The only difference is I’m not only dealing with Effexor damage, I’m also dealing with the combined antibiotic damage too. So it’s just a mess with having to deal with both damage. 

I’ve been seeing someone now who understands about the damage these medications cause and getting treated, but it’s a slow trial and error process. What works for others might not work for me. So just have to see how it goes. 

Cool you are seeing someone that understands ,ide love to know who it is[I take it, its in Ireland] .PM me if you don't want to mention on your thread .Thanks .

I fail to see a worse condition out there in the world that we are putting up with. Absolute bonkers .

Take care.

 

 

[EfxDub]

I don’t know if my person would be suitable for you, as I’m getting treated for the antibiotic damage mostly. But what I would say, you’re not going to get anywhere with regular doctors, they’re likely to just want to keep you medicated as you know yourself. And the tests they do are non existent, apart from bloods, they never do any.

It’s by going to see a functional medicine specialist that you might get a bit of help, they can do some tests and see what’s lacking in our bodies and possibly treat the issues without the horrible medication, and hopefully give you a better picture what’s going on. They can see what vitamin imbalances are going on and try and help with supplements and other methods.

 

There’s a few in Dublin, but the only thing is they’re usually expensive and then you have to be prepared to go down a rabbit hole of lab tests that cost a good bit too. But it’s the price you have to pay if you want to try and get away from the **** services we have in Ireland right now. 

 

Here’s some to look over and have a read what they’re about, no harm in having a look. And I’m sure you could have a chat with them too and see what they say. 

 

https://www.jennymcelvaney.com/nutritional-therapy/functional-medicine/

 

https://invigorateclinic.com/

 

https://thewellnessclinic.ie/2017/05/22/functional-medicine/

 

Other than those, we’re stuck with the **** hse system. And that’s something I’d rather not be in.

 

[powerback]

On ‎4‎/‎29‎/‎2019 at 11:33 AM, EfxDub said:

I don’t know if my person would be suitable for you, as I’m getting treated for the antibiotic damage mostly. But what I would say, you’re not going to get anywhere with regular doctors, they’re likely to just want to keep you medicated as you know yourself. And the tests they do are non existent, apart from bloods, they never do any.

It’s by going to see a functional medicine specialist that you might get a bit of help, they can do some tests and see what’s lacking in our bodies and possibly treat the issues without the horrible medication, and hopefully give you a better picture what’s going on. They can see what vitamin imbalances are going on and try and help with supplements and other methods.

 

There’s a few in Dublin, but the only thing is they’re usually expensive and then you have to be prepared to go down a rabbit hole of lab tests that cost a good bit too. But it’s the price you have to pay if you want to try and get away from the **** services we have in Ireland right now. 

 

Here’s some to look over and have a read what they’re about, no harm in having a look. And I’m sure you could have a chat with them too and see what they say. 

 

https://www.jennymcelvaney.com/nutritional-therapy/functional-medicine/

 

https://invigorateclinic.com/

 

https://thewellnessclinic.ie/2017/05/22/functional-medicine/

 

Other than those, we’re stuck with the **** hse system. And that’s something I’d rather not be in.

 

Thanks for the links Efxdub .

whats there theory on the fatigue part of the Effexor withdrawl .

I get a strong fatigue feeling in my brain ,my eyes want to close .ive done very small research into narcolepsy to  see does it over lap with this effexor fatigue.[no proper research done ],it could be something to say to your naturopath.         https://invigorateclinic.com/ this link seems to do the most comprehensive tests .have you been ?,my guess is there wouldn't be much change from a grand .

A good thing would to bring some information you have about withdrawl to them ,wed be affectively giving them a new branch to understand for the future .pain wont be in vain and all that.

Thanks for your help .

Take care ,dam we don't deserve this misery .