J2020: Uncontrollable crying

[J2020]

I have been on Effexor xr for anxiety several times in the past 4 years as well as a small dose of seroquel at night but always stopped taking after a few months of feeling better. Normally 75mg to 150mg has helped me live life better and feel like myself again.

Yet this time I started on 75mg 4 weeks in took up to 150mg and have been on it for 2 months and still feeling terrible.

 

The last 2 weeks I have found myself crying uncontrollably at the drop of a hat. It's driving me crazy I don't want to cry but just can't seem to stop it from happening. Doctor has put the effexor dose up to the max 225mg which I started today.

But if anyone has had the same experience with crying on effector I would love to hear how others have dealt with it as it is putting a lot of pressure on my day to day life and relationship.

Edited January 2, 2018 by baroquep

[Shep]

Hi, J2020.

 

Unpredictable crying and emotional symptoms are very common with these drugs, especially when there are drastic changes in doses. So that may be what's happening.

 

Here are some links to get you started on learning about withdrawal and withdrawal symptoms: 

 

What is withdrawal syndrome? 

 

Before you begin tapering, what you need to know

 

Healing from antidepressants. Patterns of recovery video (4 minutes)

 

These unpredictable emotions are known as neuro-emotions and they are quite common:

 

Neuro-emotions

 

Here is information specific to Effexor:

 

Tips for tapering off Effexor (venlafaxine)

 

20 hours ago, J2020 said:

Doctor has put the effexor dose up to the max 225mg which I started today.

 

If your goal is to come off Effexor, please do not increase your dose. 

 

Effexor is different than some antidepressants because how it acts on certain neurotransmitters is very dose-related. Per this Wiki article:

 

At low doses (<150 mg/day), it acts only on serotonergic transmission. At moderate doses (>150 mg/day), it acts on serotonergic and noradrenergic systems, whereas at high doses (>300 mg/day), it also affects dopaminergic neurotransmission.

 

So you may be reacting to the varying effects of neurotransmitter activity as you've bounced around in various doses. This is very destabilizing to the nervous system.  For more on how these drugs effect the brain:

How psychiatric drugs remodel your brain

 

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[nz11]

Welcome j2020

So glad you found sa.

I had crying spells for a very long time while in withdrawal.

Check out this list of wdl symptoms notice what number one on the list is...

Dr. Joseph Glenmullen's withdrawal symptom checklist

 

I  want to agree with Shep on not doing the updose.

 

These are not aspirins you taking. You are playing with fire if you treat them as such.

They are very potent brain altering dependence inducing chemicals that have been marketed and approved by very dubious methods. 

Doctors are pushing these drugs by uninformed consent. I guarantee that you were not told of the 2004 FDA warning that abrupt changes in dose can cause suicidal reactions.

Or that it can take many years to taper off these drugs for many people. That there are hundreds of side effects known and unknown. 

 

My new years wish for you is that you would stabilize and then taper safely off and then never ever go back on a psych drug ever again. And never again use the 'a' word or 'd' word in front of a doctor. And that you would find non drug approaches to any form of distress.

 

As requested please do your drug signature. 

nz11

[That was a great post shep I didn't know Effexor hits the dopamine neurotransmitters above 300mg]

 

 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, J2020.

 

Is it possible you forgot a dose or two when you were taking 150mg?

 

Please see Effexor adverse effects at https://www.drugs.com/pro/effexor.html

 

This is a site for going off drugs, how may we help you?

[nz11]

J20

its a new day may I ask what dosing decisions you have decided on.

And what do think about the idea of doing a drug signature?