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KerryMM: Discontinuation Syndrome - withdrawals


KerryMM

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Hi everyone

 

This is my first post on here - I have joined this forum especially for one reason only - I am desperate for advice about withdrawals from Effexor. I cannot live like this.

 

I was on antidepressents for around 8 years - during which time I changed brands and dosage a few times. I think I was on Effexor for around 2 years, maybe more. Anyway, I noticed that I had very bad side effects from it, including night sweats, bad dreams (talking in sleep) and weight gain of over 20kgs. Therefore, I was really keen to stop talking it - my depression and anxiety had stabled so I thought I would be ok.

 

With doctors advice, I tapered down over 6 weeks and had my final dose in January of this year. Over the following week or 2, I experienced all the expected side effects upon stopping, including flu like symptoms, chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, etc. However they all settled down after a couple of weeks except for 1 of them - which I still am suffering from now - 4 months later!

 

That is nausea and vomiting. Every day I am nauseaus if I don't take motion sickness medication twice a day. If I take the meds a little later than normal, I will get nauseas and vomit. Without fail. And this is regardless of whether or not I take part in any motion (eg car, boat, walking, etc).

The doctors and pharmacists are of no help. I am so frustrated that I just want to visit the Effexor manufacturers and go mad at them for doing this to me!

 

I can't live on motion sickness medication - that's ridiculous. And I also don't want to continue on an SSRI or SNRI to make this go away either - because it will just reappear if I stop again in the future.

 

Can anyone help or give me advice please? I am really going crazy and don't know what to do about it.

Thanks so much in advance.

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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  • Moderator

Hi Kerry-- welcome to the group. I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling sick all the time, very unpleasant thing to go through.  We have a lot of people tapering effexor here and I can tell you that your doctor did you no favors with the taper schedule you used.  It's an excellent sign that you're only feeling the nausea and getting sick.  That's not to negate how you're feeling, but to point out that things could be a lot worse.  To make any real suggestions we need a little more information, primarily what your dose was when you started the taper.  If you would fill in a signature block with all the details you can remember it would be very helpful.

 

Please put your withdrawal history in your signature

 

Then here are some links that will help you understand what is happening.

 

What is withdrawal syndrome? 

 

About reinstating and stabilizing to reduce withdrawal symptoms 

 

Why taper by 10% of my dosage?

 

Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine)

 

Give those a read and then ask us a lot of questions.

 

20 years on Paxil starting at 20mg and working up to 40mg. Sept 2011 started 10% every 6 weeks taper (2.5% every week for 4 weeks then hold for 2 additional weeks), currently at 7.9mg. Oct 2011 CTed 15oz vodka a night, to only drinking 2 beers most nights, totally sober Feb 2013.

Since I wrote this I have continued to decrease my dose by 10% every 6 weeks (2.5% every week for 4 weeks and then hold for an additional 2 weeks). I added in an extra 6 week hold when I hit 10mg to let things settle out even more. When I hit 3mgpw it became hard to split the drop into 4 parts so I switched to dropping 1mgpw (pill weight) every week for 3 weeks and then holding for another 3 weeks.  The 3 + 3 schedule turned out to be too harsh so I cut back to dropping 1mgpw every 4 weeks which is working better.

Final Dose 0.016mg.     Current dose 0.000mg 04-15-2017

 

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can loose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general."  Stephen Hawking

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Hi Kerry Welcome

You might like to consider joining the class action suit you can read about it here

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/6284-australia-members-please-check-in-here/

 

Are you taking other meds too at the moment apart from motion pills?

 

Don't worry you are not alone we are all mad here ...at pharma that is.

 

nz11

4.30

Thought for the day: Lets stand up, and let’s speak out , together. G Olsen

We have until the 14th. Feb 2018. 

URGENT REQUEST Please consider submitting  for the petition on Prescribed Drug Dependence and Withdrawal currently awaiting its third consideration at the Scottish Parliament. You don't even have to be from Scotland. By clicking on the link below you can read some of the previous submissions but be warned many of them are quite harrowing.

http://www.parliament.scot/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01651   

Please tell them about your problems taking and withdrawing from antidepressants and/or benzos.

Send by email to petitions@parliament.scot and quote PE01651 in the subject heading. Keep to a maximum of 3 sides of A4 and you can't name for legal reasons any doctor you have consulted. Tell them if you wish to remain anonymous. We need the numbers to help convince the committee members we are not isolated cases. You have until mid February. Thank you

Recovering paxil addict

None of the published articles shed light on what ssri's ... actually do or what their hazards might be. Healy 2013. 

This is so true, with anything you get on these drugs, dependance, tapering, withdrawal symptoms, side effects, just silent. And if there is something mentioned then their is a serious disconnect between what is said and reality! 

  "Every time I read of a multi-person shooting, I always presume that person had just started a SSRI or had just stopped."  Dr Mosher. Me too! 

Over two decades later, the number of antidepressant prescriptions a year is slightly more than the number of people in the Western world. Most (nine out of 10) prescriptions are for patients who faced difficulties on stopping, equating to about a tenth of the population. These patients are often advised to continue treatment because their difficulties indicate they need ongoing treatment, just as a person with diabetes needs insulin. Healy 2015

I believe the ssri era will soon stand as one of the most shameful in the history of medicine. Healy 2015

Let people help people ... in a natural, kind, non-addictive (and non-big pharma) way. J Broadley 2017

 

 

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Welcome Kerry, from another effexor taperer.

 

Brass has given you the good links.  I only have one extra to add:  http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/3413-digestive-problems-nausea-diarrhea-bloating-gerd/.  I'd also like to say that reinstatement of a small amount is worth considering as the least painful way out. 

 

I hear you on the anger!  I see NZ has given you an idea for where to take some of that...

 

Welcome to s/a,

Karen

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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Hi Karen,

Thanks so much for the response.

 

I will have a look at the articles and also complete the background info part.

Starting again on Effexor seems to be the only advice I have found on forums... I am really opposed to that, because I feel that if I did start taking it again, not only will the weight gain and all the other crappy symptoms start up again, but I will actually have to go through the whole thing again  - when I eventually taper off again. Its like doing it all over... starting from zero again, so I just don't see the point or benefit of doing that..

 

I see you are feeling better now - awesome to hear! What helped you with the nausea and vomiting?

 

Thanks again!

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hi Kerry,

 

Welcome to SA from me too.  I can understand, as can many of the members here, that you don't want to go back on the drug.  What a lot of people don't realise is that the drug changes the brain and when the drug is taken away too quickly the brain gets busy trying to regain balance or homeostasis.  This is what causes the withdrawal symptoms.  You may be surprised by the wide variety and types of withdrawal symptoms that people can suffer.  Dr Joseph Glenmullen's Symptoms Checklist.

 

The idea is to reinstate a small amount to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and hopefully not get the bad side effects, stabilise on the lowest dose possible and then do a 10% taper to allow your brain to adapt to not getting as much of the drug.  These helped me understand why 10% tapering is recommended.

 

Brain Remodelling (Rhi's Description of Brain Healing)


Video:  Healing From Antidepressants - Patterns of Recovery

 

I dropped my dose by 50% a couple of weeks before I found SA and it was suggested that I increase my dose to reduce my symptoms.  After about 4 hours my foggy brain started to clear and I was able to type again.  I mention the typing because I am a professional typist and it was a measurable way for me to recognise that updosing had worked.  I have been successfully tapering since the beginning of the year and finding that I am feeling better being on a lower dose without getting the bad withdrawal symptoms I had been having.  In my case I have had to reduce by less than the recommended 10% of the previous dose because I tend to get very bad ear pain if I drop too quickly.

 

If you do decide to reinstate I suggest you let us know and then the mods can suggest was dosage to take.  We will also need to have the drug history before this can be done.

 

You can use your Intro/Update topic to ask questions and to journal your progress.  Click FOLLOW (top right) and you will be notified when someone responds.

* NO LONGER ACTIVE on SA *

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED:  (6 year taper)      0mg Pristiq  on 13th November 2021

ADs since ~1992:  25+ years - 1 unknown, Prozac (muscle weakness), Zoloft; citalopram (pooped out) CTed (very sick for 2.5 wks a few months after); Pristiq:  50mg 2012, 100mg beg 2013 (Serotonin Toxicity)  Tapering from Oct 2015 - 13 Nov 2021   LAST DOSE 0.0025mg

Post 0 updates start here    My tapering program     My Intro (goes to tapering graph)

 VIDEO:   Antidepressant Withdrawal Syndrome and its Management

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hey Kerry,

 

Trying to remember back to what helped my nausea, and basically it was time.  After my initial 10% drop proved too much for me (and since I simply couldn't understand that I'd be better off reinstating) I waited about 3 months - mostly on my couch - until my system settled enough that the nausea dropped away.  It was horrible.  Since then I've done very small drops - 0.4% - which has kept symptoms fairly minimal. 

 

I can see now that reinstating would have been less painful, but I just couldn't see it when I needed to.  And now I find myself telling people I think they should reinstate.... :blush:

 

CC outlined why we think it's a good idea, so I'll leave it at that, as I'm sure you know we're here to discuss it more if you want to. 

 

Karen

2010  Fluoxetine 20mg.  2011  Escitalopram 20mg.  2013 Tapered badly and destabilised CNS.  Effexor 150mg. 

2015 Begin using info at SurvivingAntidepressants.  Cut 10% - bad w/d 2 months, held 1 month. 

Micro-tapering: four weekly 0.4% cuts, hold 4 weeks (struggling with symptoms).

8 month hold.

2017 Micro-tapering: four weekly 1% cuts, hold 4 weeks (symptoms almost non-existent).

2020 Still micro-tapering. Just over 2/3 of the way off effexor. Minimal symptoms, - and sleeping well.
Supplements: Fish oil, vitamin C, iron, oat-straw tea, nettle tea.

2023 Now on 7 micro-beads of Effexor. Minimal symptoms but much more time needed between drops.

 'The possibility of renewal exists so long as life exists.'  Dr Gabor Mate.

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hey Kerry!

 

Welcome to SA!  I haven't read this yet - I just wanted to let you know I sent you a private message (we are neighbors) to tell you about our SA lunch.  If you look at the very top of the page on the right, you'll seen an envelope.  It should have a red number by it to tell you that you have a message.  

 

That's from me.

 

I'll read this when I come back, but I'm have a couple of days in the "real world," and I see that you are in very good hands here.

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Hey Kerry - 

 

we'd love to hear from you - 

 

Please fill out your signature - it's vital for us to understand (in the signature, which is everywhere you post): 

how long you were on the drugs, at what dosages

how quickly and when you tapered

what is your last or current dose, and the date & dose of your most recent taper

 

If you are using a mobile, here is how to do a signature from there:

Complete your Signature from Phone or Tablet

 

When we know these things, we are more likely to make suggestions which might help you.

 

I live in the reinstatement camp - I know you are worried about weight gain, but withdrawal can be a much bigger bear to battle than weight gain, and I think (without seeing your signature) you are in the "window of opportunity" for a successful reinstatement.

 

Like Chessie said, you would only reinstate a small portion of the drug, like 10% of your last dose - just to see if it is going to work for you.

 

This is way below the amounts that the pdocs call "therapeutic" and yet, it often seems to be just enough to stave off the worst of the symptoms.

 

You were tapered much too quickly, and symptoms are a clear indicator of that.  90% of serotonin in the body is in the gut - is it any wonder your tummy is upset?  (I'm a fan of Deglycinated Licorice, or DGL)

 

So - tell us a bit about your pdoc - is s/he receptive to your needs and wants?  Does s/he recognize that this lingering (tardive) nausea is from a too-fast taper?  

 

Do you have a supply of the effexor?  Do you need to go back to the pdoc?  How do you feel about that?

 

Also, you may wish to consider:  That Acid Reflux Pill May Be Causing Your Health Problems

 

Welcome to SA!

"Easy, easy - just go easy and you'll finish." - Hawaiian Kapuna

 

Holding is hard work, holding is a blessing. Give your brain time to heal before you try again.

 

My suggestions are not medical advice, you are in charge of your own medical choices.

 

A lifetime of being prescribed antidepressants that caused problems (30 years in total). At age 35 flipped to "bipolar," but was not diagnosed for 5 years. Started my journey in Midwest United States. Crossed the Pacific for love and hope; currently living in Australia.   CT Seroquel 25 mg some time in 2013.   Tapered Reboxetine 4 mg Oct 2013 to Sept 2014 = GONE (3 years on Reboxetine).     Tapered Lithium 900 to 475 MG (alternating with the SNRI) Jan 2014 - Nov 2014, tapered Lithium 475 mg Jan 2015 -  Feb 2016 = GONE (10 years  on Lithium).  Many mistakes in dry cutting dosages were made.


The tedious thread (my intro):  JanCarol ☼ Reboxetine first, then Lithium

The happy thread (my success story):  JanCarol - Undiagnosed  Off all bipolar drugs

My own blog:  https://shamanexplorations.com/shamans-blog/

 

 

I have been psych drug FREE since 1 Feb 2016!

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HI JanCarol

 

Thanks for your help and support.

Is my signature displaying properly now? Still learning how to use the site properly...

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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Hi Kerry.....just stopping by to say welcome. I have suffered from protracted withdrawals from Effexor 

I also experienced nausea and vomiting for quite a while which I am glad to say has passed. 

I am far from cured but being reminded of that stage I can say that it gets better. 

 

With all best wishes

 

Bruin

Anti Depressants for  25 years. Valium between 2006 to 7 tapered off over a month without too bad withdrawals.

For last 15 years 150 mg of Effexor and 30 mg of Mirtazapine. Occasional short term benzo use without habituation.

March 2015 stopped Effexor after rapid taper. 6 weeks. 

One month fluoxetine June 2015...stopped CT July 2015.

October 2013 to December 2015 Zopiclone 15 mg at night,

Dec 2015 to Early March 2016 Lyrica 75 mg at night. 

Stopped too quickly as  adverse side effects.

January to May 2016 tapered Zopiclone to 7.5mg 

Crossed over to Valium and now ..March 28th 2017 Benzo Free.

Also on 30 mg Mirtazapine and holding until have finished Benzo taper.

IN protracted WD from Effexor.

 

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Thanks so much for your kind welcome. Are you able to remember how long your nausea lasted and what you did to a) help it, and B) cure it.

 

Thanks :-) xxx

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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Also, what was your mental health issue/s (depression?)  and how are they progressing.

Did you experience significant weight gain and other issues from Effexor?

What is your new antidepressant like (in case I need to go back on in the future - hope not!)

Thanks and sorry about all the questions.

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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Hi Kerry.......am so sorry that you are continuing to suffer. I took Effexor for depression but think that I could have 

come off a long time ago but it was difficult and the right circumstances did not arise.

When I did come off I now believe that I tapered too fast...

I did not connect my being unwell with the Effexor withdrawal because the symptoms did not really kick in until

a couple of months after I stopped and I had done a difficult medical treatment the year before. 

I though that it might have been that.

To cut a long story short the Nausea and Vomiting went on for a couple of months .

I did not find a way of preventing it and eventually it just went away.    

 

I still think that I am in protracted withdrawal from Effexor due to tapering too fast after very long usage. 

I am far from well....not depressed but with all the symptoms of protracted withdrawal. 

My aim is to be completely med free which will probably take me another year or two. 

I have learnt that these things cannot be rushed. 

 

If I were you I would correspond with one of the moderators about the possibility of reinstating and doing a very slow taper. 

If it were an option for me I would do it. However at 14 months out it is probably too far away. 

 

All the very best and you will get there. It just takes patience and persistence.

Anti Depressants for  25 years. Valium between 2006 to 7 tapered off over a month without too bad withdrawals.

For last 15 years 150 mg of Effexor and 30 mg of Mirtazapine. Occasional short term benzo use without habituation.

March 2015 stopped Effexor after rapid taper. 6 weeks. 

One month fluoxetine June 2015...stopped CT July 2015.

October 2013 to December 2015 Zopiclone 15 mg at night,

Dec 2015 to Early March 2016 Lyrica 75 mg at night. 

Stopped too quickly as  adverse side effects.

January to May 2016 tapered Zopiclone to 7.5mg 

Crossed over to Valium and now ..March 28th 2017 Benzo Free.

Also on 30 mg Mirtazapine and holding until have finished Benzo taper.

IN protracted WD from Effexor.

 

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Thanks so much for your reply. Actually I stopped 4 months ago..

What are your symptoms of protracted withdrawal?

Thanks

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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Hi Kerry....yes I know you stopped 4 months ago,  that might be in range for reinstatement as the Moderators  suggest,

I am 14 months out and had the added complication of taking Lyrica for 3 months during that period. 

So for me reinstatement is  unlikely to work. If you were to reinstate I would work closely with the someone experienced. 

On this site Squirrelly Girl is a Moderator who reinstated Effexor after a number of months and is now tapering gently .

It was a successful strategy for her but , of course, we are all different. 

 

For me protracted withdrawal means fatigue, poor sleep, depersonalisation , generally feeling unwell and difficulty dealing with 

normal everyday things. The nausea and vomiting ceased some months ago. 

 

My sense is that you came off too fast which is why you are suffering. 

I am learning that going slowly with patience and persistence is what works.

 

Best wishes

 

Bruin

Anti Depressants for  25 years. Valium between 2006 to 7 tapered off over a month without too bad withdrawals.

For last 15 years 150 mg of Effexor and 30 mg of Mirtazapine. Occasional short term benzo use without habituation.

March 2015 stopped Effexor after rapid taper. 6 weeks. 

One month fluoxetine June 2015...stopped CT July 2015.

October 2013 to December 2015 Zopiclone 15 mg at night,

Dec 2015 to Early March 2016 Lyrica 75 mg at night. 

Stopped too quickly as  adverse side effects.

January to May 2016 tapered Zopiclone to 7.5mg 

Crossed over to Valium and now ..March 28th 2017 Benzo Free.

Also on 30 mg Mirtazapine and holding until have finished Benzo taper.

IN protracted WD from Effexor.

 

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Oh sorry, I misuderstood. I thought you meant you thought I came off 14  months ago!

 

I am really reluctant to reinstate - I feel that if I do, I will then just delay what I am experiencing now (the nausea.) It may take it away for now, but then it will swiftly return in 6 months again, or whenever I stop it again!

Then I am back to square 1, and have to do it all over again from scratch.

I am just pushing through - I don't really have an option I feel.. I have to pay my bills, put a roof over my head. I can't sit on my couch and cry about it - because the bank isn't going to care about my protracted withdrawals when they come to repossess my home!  

 

Everyone has different coping strategies - for me, trying to keep my mind off it and keep busy seems to make me feel less depressed.  :-)

So I am pushing through with my own business - plus starting 2 new businesses, etc,. etc.

 

I really wish you all the best and thanks again for your support!

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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It will pass and you will heal Kerry..........I hope it passes  soon.

It has taken me a while but making progress. I was on it for far too long .

 

 

With very best wishes for the businesses and swift healing.

 

Bruin

Anti Depressants for  25 years. Valium between 2006 to 7 tapered off over a month without too bad withdrawals.

For last 15 years 150 mg of Effexor and 30 mg of Mirtazapine. Occasional short term benzo use without habituation.

March 2015 stopped Effexor after rapid taper. 6 weeks. 

One month fluoxetine June 2015...stopped CT July 2015.

October 2013 to December 2015 Zopiclone 15 mg at night,

Dec 2015 to Early March 2016 Lyrica 75 mg at night. 

Stopped too quickly as  adverse side effects.

January to May 2016 tapered Zopiclone to 7.5mg 

Crossed over to Valium and now ..March 28th 2017 Benzo Free.

Also on 30 mg Mirtazapine and holding until have finished Benzo taper.

IN protracted WD from Effexor.

 

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  • 1 month later...

Hey guys

 

Sorry about my recent silence - I have been overseas the past 3 weeks. I need some pretty urgent advice.

 

I weaned myself off Effexor, stopping completely in January of this year. I still have motion sickness/nausea/vomiting every day (regardless of whether I actually travel in a vehicle.) If I don't take Travacalm, I will get nauseaus and probably vomit. This has continued now for 6 months.

 

I have also been having increasing bouts of depression and anxiety that last for days. To add to the stress, I have just found out I am 5 or 6 weeks pregnant (we have been trying for years, but now that we have succeeded, for some reason, I am just so depressed and anxious about it, that I want to terminate and am hoping for a miscarriage.)

 

I am considering going back on a low dose of AD (one that has been confirmed as "safe" for pregnancy) and that may also stop the continuing motion sickness/nausea/vomiting withdrawals - because taking Travacalm every day continuously can't be healthy. Its meant to be a short term used medication.

 

A few that the GP suggested as safe are Zoloft, Prozac, Cymbalta, Effexor. I will never go back on that poison (Effexor) which made me put on 20kgs that I just can't lose. I think I have been on Cymbalta and Zoloft before and I don't believe they gave me bad side effects. Does anyone know if these are likely to make me gain weight.

 

Anyway, I really hope someone can please reach out to me with some advice. I am so depressed and unhappy. In this time, I should be excited but I am just crying and anxious with fear.

 

Thanks

Edited by scallywag
moved from standalone topic in Symptoms

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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  • Moderator Emeritus

Kerry,

 

I've moved your post and question here to your introduction thread. The introductions forum gets more views than others and you are more likely to get responses.

 

We help people safely discontinue anti-depressants and other psych drugs and deal with withdrawal symptoms from them. We don't have the experience to recommend which one would be best for you in your current situation.  I will mention that Cymbalta is in the same class of drugs as Effexor, SNRI = serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, but stays in your system longer: half-life of Cymbalta 12 hours vs 4 hours for Effexor XR or Effexor (immediate release)

 

If you're up to doing some research , try a few searches of the site with google using the search terms:

"survivingantidepressants" "pregnant"  [drugname]

This is not medical advice. Discuss any decisions about your medical care with a knowledgeable medical practitioner.
1997-1999 Effexor; 2002-2005 Effexor XR 37.5 mg linear taper, dropping same #beads/week with bad results

Cymbalta 60 mg 2012 - 2015; 2016: 20 mg to 7 mg exact doses and dates in this post; 2017: 6.3 mg to  0.0 mg  Aug. 12; details here


scallywag's Introduction
Online spreadsheet for dose taper calculations and nz11's THE WORKS spreadsheet

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Thanks so much for your advice. Much appreciated.

I will talk to my psychiatrist too - I have some other things to take into consideration!

Thanks again..

First encounter with antidepressents was for a few months or so when I was 18. A psychiatrist prescribed them, but I had a suicide attempt so didn't continue. I don't remember much about that.

I went back on again in 2008 for anxiety-related issues -  I had just got married and built a house so no wonder was anxious. Over these past 8 years I have been on various brands and dosages of AD - I have changed GPs so don't have accurate notes. I know I have been through Lexapro, Zoloft and all the "usual" ones. I also had a lot of stressful experiences, including our house flooding in the January floods back in 2011, and family death, financial issues, etc, and each time the doctor changed my dose or brand. I ended up on Effexor, and I think I must have been on this for around 3 years before deciding to stop (Nov 2015). I decided to stop because I had put on around 20kgs in weight, had night sweats/shouting with nightmares in my sleep and extreme fatigue and realised these were side effects of the Effexor! I ended up on 150 g, and I think I was on that for almost a year - its obvious now that it was too much for me!

I tapered down over around 6 weeks on GP advice and was completely done in January 2016. The nightmares and sleep talking ended immediately! My fatigue also went away pretty quickly. Now its April and I am VERY slowly losing weight (so annoying) but the worst withdrawal I have is daily nausea with vomiting - if I don't take Travacalm (motion sickness meds.) If I forget or am a few hours late, then I get nauseas and vomit without fail. I can't live on Travacalm, so am very confused and upset about this. Of course - the GP and pharmacists are completely surprised and baffled that anyone would get ongoing withdrawals from Effexor! What an interesting phenomena for them!  I, on the other hand, am so angry I feel like going to the Effexor factory/office and expressing that!

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