success ☼ MrAnxious: 3 months off Effexor XR (6 years on)

[MrAnxious]

Hey Martin,

 

I know that feeling the way you do right now it is hard to believe you will stabilize ... be able to sleep ... and then do a slow taper off of Effexor, but you will.

 

You know when I suffer anxiety it is hard to believe that I ever won't feel anxiety again, but then when I hit the calm, peaceful state it is hard to believe how anxious I was before. Peggy has said the same thing.

 

Give it time, stay the course. You will get better. As JR said you can find PS or seriphos at the health food store. I've used 400 mg - 600 mg PS before to sleep, but the guidance about starting with a low dose and progressively working up is probably the best advice since your system is sensitized.

 

Hang in there - you will get better.

 

Karma

 

 

Hey Karma , thanks for the reply

 

 

What are you saying about starting at a low dose and then going up? I am hoping to stabilize at 37.5 and then slowly taper off? Is this possible or do I have to go higher ? I am only on Day 6 right now of 37.5 and feel alright..not good and not really getting out of the house.. I did feel better though off the medication, felt like turning the corner might have been a couple more months away. I will stick to the course though , cause I'd rather have a easier withdrawl this second time around, just worried I will have to go through another 6 months + of withdrawl hell once I come off this drug again? What is withdrawl like the second time around?

[peggy]

Martin, i think Karma was referring to starting a low dose of the supplement and then increasing it.

 

Karma is right - it is hard to believe that things will settle -but they will. I know how hard it is, but the most important thing i have learnt here is consistency and patience!!!! Unfortunately patience and anxiety don't see eye to eye.

 

I can say for certainty though that reducing slowly you wont feel the same level of withdrawal hell as you felt doing a fast taper. So, don't worry about that right now...

[jr1985]

It will take longer than 6 days for the drug to kick in. Remember it probably took a few weeks for it to start working the first time. Whatever you do, don't keep changing the dose because it will just cause more problems. I'd say stay on 37.5mg for at least 2-4 weeks, then try a higher dose if it doesn't help.

 

Once stable you should be able to manage withdrawal as long as you go slowly enough. The symptoms you have are caused when you shock your nervous system by removing the drug too rapidly, so as long as you go much more slowly you shouldn't have too many problems.

[Karma]

Martin, i think Karma was referring to starting a low dose of the supplement and then increasing it.

 

Karma is right - it is hard to believe that things will settle -but they will. I know how hard it is, but the most important thing i have learnt here is consistency and patience!!!! Unfortunately patience and anxiety don't see eye to eye.

 

I can say for certainty though that reducing slowly you wont feel the same level of withdrawal hell as you felt doing a fast taper. So, don't worry about that right now...

 

Hey Martin,

 

Peggy correctly interpreted my message. I think you should stick with 37.5 mg Effexor a bit longer to see if you feel any relief. I was talking about starting the PS or seriphos supplement at a low dose and gently working up. PS or Seriphos can help reset the body's normal cortisol rhythm and that may help you sleep.

 

Karma

[MrAnxious]

Day 7 at 37.5 and starting to feel leveled out tonight , still have a little headache and eating lots/ noticed a little bit of sleep last night , if that sleep is having nightmares does it count? So I think maybe I should be able to stabilize on this dose. I have been hesitant but I gotta do what is best for me and right now that is to get better and not feel like I have to fight, I want the least amount of withdrawl and be able to function in society.

 

So because I am on 37.5 and stay on it for a couple months, ill get my doctor to give me the 37.5 that is beads, cause right now I am just splitting the 75mg which have 6 tablets in them, i take 3. I take it the beads will be easier and i can just remove a certain amount each day to stay at a consistent dose for the month and then take out more for the next month so on...

 

Have people actually been successful coming off effexor because I really don't read too many stories ? Been looking for them , I know there are a few on this site but they don't really involve effexor... any where else to look?

 

 

Definitely have to look into the seriphos !

[peggy]

nice to hear you are starting to level out a bit.

there are a few of us that are currently reducing effexor - so stick around and we can read each others success stories in a couple of years!!!!

[MrAnxious]

nice to hear you are starting to level out a bit.

there are a few of us that are currently reducing effexor - so stick around and we can read each others success stories in a couple of years!!!!

 

 

I am not going anywhere and yes we will all succeed ! If we have tips we should spread them around,

 

 

Peggy how do you feel tapering? are you able to function good? on a scale of 1-10 how bad is it? kinda excited about my taper and how long do you plan the whole taper to be????

[peggy]

at the moment i am feeling about 9 or 10. I have no anxiety and am feeling joy again. I was feeling this good in my last taper (it was a bit fast) until i hit 15 - i had reduced from 22ish down to 15 by about a mg per week. I should have stopped at 17 or 18 and let it catch up, but i was feeling cocky. I have had to do this twice now - i am a slow learner.

 

Not sure how long it will take - as long as it does i guess I took a 3mg drop today down to 32mg. Will stay here for 3 weeks as long as all is good.

[MrAnxious]

Okay So starting to get some sleep back , even though it's dreams , but when I wake up , I am up and usually can't go back to sleep. Upon waking I am getting a headache that really hasn't gone away just a little lesser. 9 days on 37.5 so far and not quite sure how I am feeling.... How do I tell, haven't been outside at ALL since I started back on them , compared to being outside everyday when I was off.

 

Really hoping that this works and that I haven't created a resistance to this medication being off for almost 5 months, still giving it time cause like you said it can take awhile to get back into my system and build up, just feeling lethargic and lazy, not much anxiety but still there at times.

 

Staying the course.

[MrAnxious]

UPDATE ! So I went to my new doctor today. She is definitely understanding about the fast taper. Also she has seen the side effects that Effexor has caused me the 2nd time around taking it, extreme dry skin/rash on face, eating lots, lazy , lethargic...it's not working anymore. So we both agreed on a med change. I am very unstable at the moment. The reinstatment of effexor isn't working and I don't want to updose on it anymore. I am done with Effexor.

 

We have agreed on 25mg of Sertaline to start for 2 weeks and then after that 50mg once a day. I am going to do this for 8-12 months until I can get fully stable, get a job, get my life back on track and I am hoping it works for me with minimal side effects.

 

* The funny thing is this doctor is so in tune with my needs, than my original doctor. She is going to do a physical/ check on me after 4 weeks of the medication, it's more of a small town doctor and I was very lucky to get in with her." She even asked me " how did you get in with me" my gf got me in and asked her.

 

 

So I know this is about to start the cycle of a different drug, but I have accepted this, if not I won't get stable. The pharmacist said it's fine to stop my effexor 37.5 that I have been on since Aug 16th and start the Sertaline tommorow? Is this fine ?

 

 

I can't wait for the day until I taper off slowlyyyy, but going to be fully stable for that to happen and I am in no rush now. Hoping this all works out cause I am in a bad space for the past 6 months...too many..

[MrAnxious]

One more Question - When to take it , morning or night ? I heard it's more of a sedative and if I am having insomnia when is the best time to take it ?!

[Altostrata]

You should ask your doctor, MrA.

 

Why did she choose sertraline and not, say Celexa or Prozac?

[jr1985]

I took sertraline for a week and it made me really hyper, it wasn't sedating at all.

 

What was the problem with Effexor? Did it remove your w/d symptoms (insomnia, etc)? Why were the side effects so bad? The eating and lethargy just sound like normal SSRI side effects to me.

[peggy]

most people take zoloft in the morning

I hope you find relief with the zoloft - but be aware that you will likely feel start up affects from Zoloft and withdrawal from effexor, so you may be in for a roughish ride

[MrAnxious]

She said that Sertaline she found really worked out of all the above and JR now Effexor was having ill effects on me and really not doing much, we both decided that it would be a good time for a change, so i am hoping this works.

 

She did believe the importance of the taper and did agree that I came off way too quickly, which is good. Effexor wore out on me after 6 years and going back on it after 5 months off it, really made me feel ill and i couldn't imagine uping the dose would make me feel any better. So we are trying Sertaline out, also alot cheaper per month which is nice..found that out when I got to the pharmacy.

 

Peggy thanks for the heads up , i know the withdrawl from effexor is gonna rear it's ugly head, luckily I have a month to adjust to it all.

 

 

Wish me the best guys, pretty scary time in my life, just hoping to stabilize atleast and feel better so I can function daily.

[MrAnxious]

I just have to get my brain kicked started again, i tappered off way too quickly, thanks to this site I have realized that, I know that med switches aren't recommended but I need to get fully stabilized in a fresh way, effexor was causing more side effects the second time back that I could handle. I just want a switch and my plan is to get fully stabilized (hope) and then slowly wean off. Now I know what needs to be done and what I will do this time around.

 

 

Thanks everybody for your continued support, at 29 years old and my life in such disarray i really appreciate it. If there is anything I can do for you please let me know !

[areyouthere]

 

Thanks everybody for your continued support, at 29 years old and my life in such disarray i really appreciate it. If there is anything I can do for you please let me know !

 

Please just stay in touch. And keep getting well!!!

[tezza]

Hi mrA

 

You are young and I believe you have a bright future ahead. I'm wishing good things for you.

 

Love,

 

Tezza

[MrAnxious]

Thank you so much Tezza and areyouthere ! it's great to have support through all this and everyone that has helped me through this whole process.

[MrAnxious]

Day 3 of Sertaline and feeling much better than I was feeling on the 15 days of Effexor. Already feel like I am starting to stabalize other than the headaches but i've read they go away after like 1-2 weeks. Head feels fine right now.

 

If this drug change is what I needed to do at this time in my life I accept that, because with everything no job, moving back to parents, no money was going to happen well I better have a level head about it.

 

So far so good,

 

 

Will report back later..One day I'd like to taper again and that is my goal but I am going to give it awhile until I stabilize and then talk about this again.

[jr1985]

I'm glad things are looking up for you, MrAnxious! Hope it continues to improve for you.

[MrAnxious]

Well Day 4 on Sertaline 25mg. I am not really sure what to believe, first time in a few months that I have cried? Is this good or bad? Felt really overwhelmed ? Tears just started rolling, is this from all the pain built up when I couldn't cry? I don't feel awful but I don't feel great, in between at the moment.. It's only Day 4, headache is gone. Really not sure what to think......

 

Anybody?

[Barbarannamated]

It's hard to know what's causing or allowing emotion to surface. Generally, SS/NRIs blunt and mask emotion and it resurfaces during withdrawal.

 

For me, crying felt foreign but very cathartic after many years without a tear.

[MrAnxious]

It's hard to know what's causing or allowing emotion to surface. Generally, SS/NRIs blunt and mask emotion and it resurfaces during withdrawal.

 

For me, crying felt foreign but very cathartic after many years without a tear.

 

 

Yah exactly, which is why it's wierd having the tears , they just flowed.. I actually felt sad/overwhelmed - Sad song was playing...so really not sure what to think..it felt good to cry, felt like all the pain i felt when i couldn't feel it came out in the cry...

 

 

So confused what to think... and thanks barb for the imput

[MrAnxious]

Okay I am on Day 5 of 25mg and so far I don't really notice much. I've noticed alot of anxiety/worrying more than usual but the headaches are gone/ insomnia and not sleeping is still there. I have also notice my scalp/eyebrows/beard are filled with dry skin called sub dermatitis ...i didn't have this while i was off the meds but I having a psychological ailment is a symptom of getting sub(short form) dermatitis.. sucks.. usually lot's of head and shoulders, helps a bit but not for face..any suggestions.

 

 

QUESTION: Right now because I have been off Effexor for 5 days, would this be the side effects of being off that , countered with the effects of going on zoloft and will this even out if this drug is going to work?

 

 

Thanks,

[Altostrata]

My guess is it's from your nervous system being in flux. It runs everything in your body, including your skin. Take care of yourself and stabilize.

[MrAnxious]

My guess is it's from your nervous system being in flux. It runs everything in your body, including your skin. Take care of yourself and stabilize.

 

 

Thanks Alto, and yah that is so true, maybe once I am stabilized then it will return back to what it was, clean and clear. Right now I just feel not horrible, but not great, inbetween kind of.

 

I really haven't been stable since probably January , that's along time..probably a few ulcer and pounds later.. 29 feeling like 80

 

 

I will not give up though, can't wait to feel stabile and hope I do...

[Nikki]

Hi Mr. A....

 

I have never taken Effexor, but I understand it is very difficult to get off of. I totally understand your need to stabilize. The Zoloft is a small dose, you don't really have anything to lose and you are off Effexor.

 

There are side effects for getting in and getting off AD's.

 

The majority of people I know who took Zoloft were very satisfied with it. I guess it's always best to keep these meds at the lowest possible dose and you are.

 

Best Regards....

[MrAnxious]

Hi Mr. A....

 

I have never taken Effexor, but I understand it is very difficult to get off of. I totally understand your need to stabilize. The Zoloft is a small dose, you don't really have anything to lose and you are off Effexor.

 

There are side effects for getting in and getting off AD's.

 

The majority of people I know who took Zoloft were very satisfied with it. I guess it's always best to keep these meds at the lowest possible dose and you are.

 

Best Regards....

 

Thanks Nikki, Yah I just couldn't take Effexor anymore, it had wore off a long time(over a year) and I kept taking it and then went off for 5 months,suffered tried going back on it and just felt really really ill,so the new doctor (caring lady)alot better than my other doctor) and I thought it would be best to put it in the past and work to taper off Zoloft eventually after I get stabilized and get a job, settled down etc.

 

I am in a really tough spot right now that would create normal anxiety in the first place and I just want some peace, it's been a terrible rough ride and don't want to do this for life. I hear Zoloft is just as hard to get off but maybe with fewer side effects maybe? She is starting me off at a low dose and after 2 weeks increasing to 50mg, I am hope 50mg will be good enough as I don't want a larger dose, being over medicated is horrible. I just hope 50mg takes an effect and I can stick with that for a year or two and then taper slow.

 

 

thanks for your imput every bit helps..this has been so traumatizing this whole experience.. like aren't the 20's suppose to be enjoyed and now i turn 30 in october..

[strawberry17]

Hi Mr Anxiety

Have kind of been following your thread and now I'm delurking. I was one of those people who was able to switch from one SSRI to another so hopefully you will be able to and given a bit of time and with the zoloft bedding in you will start to stabilize and feel better and be able to get on with your life, fingers crossed for you. I understand that in the States you have liquid Zoloft so at some future point when the time is right you will be able to taper off as slowly as I am if that feels right for you. I was on Zoloft (except it's called sertraline in the UK) and it did work well on depression etc but over here it's only available in tablet so I was unable to come off it. I ended up switching to Prozac and tapering off that, which is what I'm currently doing.

strawberry

[MrAnxious]

Hi Mr Anxiety

Have kind of been following your thread and now I'm delurking. I was one of those people who was able to switch from one SSRI to another so hopefully you will be able to and given a bit of time and with the zoloft bedding in you will start to stabilize and feel better and be able to get on with your life, fingers crossed for you. I understand that in the States you have liquid Zoloft so at some future point when the time is right you will be able to taper off as slowly as I am if that feels right for you. I was on Zoloft (except it's called sertraline in the UK) and it did work well on depression etc but over here it's only available in tablet so I was unable to come off it. I ended up switching to Prozac and tapering off that, which is what I'm currently doing.

strawberry

 

 

Hey, thanks for the info and chiming in strawberry. I am Canada and now I am worried that I won't be able to come off this stuff eventually? Is there another way to taper off Zoloft ? Do they offer liquid form here in Canada? Does my thing say u.s.a or did you just assume either way that's okay How did the Zoloft work for you and what is your story?

[strawberry17]

Hi Mr Anxious

I am sorry I just assumed you were in the US but I can see that you are in Canada. You should have no problem tapering one way or another when the time is right.My story is all in my signature, blog and all, but long story short, I originally had post natal depression, and was prescribed zoloft, after many years of failed cold turkey attempts to come off Zoloft, and a useless doctor, I discovered "tapering" and switched to Prozac, first taper attempt with Prozac failed because I went too fast again, now I am suceeding.

[MrAnxious]

Hi Mr Anxious

I am sorry I just assumed you were in the US but I can see that you are in Canada. You should have no problem tapering one way or another when the time is right.My story is all in my signature, blog and all, but long story short, I originally had post natal depression, and was prescribed zoloft, after many years of failed cold turkey attempts to come off Zoloft, and a useless doctor, I discovered "tapering" and switched to Prozac, first taper attempt with Prozac failed because I went too fast again, now I am suceeding.

 

 

No Worries strawberry ! It's nice of you enough to come and post on my thread. I am so glad to hear that you are tapering properly now I guess it's more like trial and error when it comes to it. Right now I am on Day 7 of Zoloft after switching from Effexor 37.5 I had started taking again. I guess their is a reaction from the Effexor because I am waking up again with terrible anxiety/ruminating and have witnessed a progression from the past 7 days since going off the Effexor. I am only on 25mg of Zoloft to ease my way into it. Right now I just feel blah. So I am guessing I won't notice a difference until I go up in dose which is in another week. Feels like it's taking forever, i just want to be stabilized. Stable is a good feeling. Eventually yes I would like to come off !

 

This merry go round I am not enjoying. Did you take your Zoloft in the morning or night, what worked best for you, right now i am taking it around 2pm because I am sleeping horrible hours like 3am - 2pm because of the insomnia I got from the 5 months of withdrawl... Let me know what worked best for you on this drug please and thank you, have a lovely day and continue the great taper !

[strawberry17]

Mr Anxious

When I first ever started Zoloft it totally knocked me out, but that only lasted a few days, I think I did what your doing, 25mg for a week then 50mg, but don't forget I was starting it from scratch, first ever antidepressant. I used to take it every morning. I am now on Prozac, tiny dose, and I take that in the morning as well, no idea why I just settled into that routine of always taking in the morning.

I look forward to reading that you are feeling stable

[MrAnxious]

Day 9 of Zoloft - Update...Alot of Anxiety in the morning but not as bad as the day before. Feel a little better than yesterday. Sounds horrible but I am actually excited to go up to 50mg. After all this trauma I welcome it.

 

I know what I have to do and am going to do it , to get my life back on track- I will not give up, I will stay my course.

 

 

Could use some online chat friends to support me though ! If you want to send me a private msg it's welcomed for sure : I like friends

[strawberry17]

Hi Mr Anxious

Glad you are feeling positive and know what you're doing, that's half the battle. If you look at my signature I have a page on facebook if you're on there (although I know a lot of folks hate FB) but I chat a lot to people on there, or I'm happy to friend you on my personal FB and private chat about your progress if you like, or just message me on here if you prefer, I'm always open to chatting to new people although it tends to be early morning or evening (UK time as I'm at work etc during the day).

strawberry