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

[Skyler]

Martin.. you posted this in another place:

I just took 20 beads last night and wow, horrible horrible horrible,sweats, anxiety thru the roof, out of body, cold body..all bad. So I am definitely not taking that again, gonna have to fight through this, i think i am off too long being almost 5 months, cause 10 beads just made me silent /sick etc..

I took the above to mean you had a bad reaction when trying to updose from 10 to 20 beads. I'm concerned as to how you will feel if you take 75 mgs all at once. I'm unsure about how many beads there are in one of the capsules, but 20 beads would be far fewer than an entire caps. Alto, what is your take on this?

[Altostrata]

MrA is following his own plan. I've posted what I've thought before (read this topic again, MrA), it's up to him to do whatever he thinks is best for him.

[Skyler]

Sounds right. Martin.. go back and read this thread again, print it out, underline parts.. You have a good mind, don't just surrender to your anxiety. I understand this is really difficult, that you have far more than your share, and withdrawal only amplifies those feelings. Be good to good to yourself and be cautious.

[MrAnxious]

Well it probably was my anxiety talking, but in the state that I am in, it didn't seem like it would let off for awhile longer, needing a job to pay bills/survive, i need to function , so I have taking the 75mg and so far so good, just feel alot of clicking in my head but no other symptoms right now.

 

I figure the higher dose was needed and now I can taper down from the 75mg once i get my new doctor. Just concerned that midnights aren't the thing for me, you know when you need a job and you have choice but to work, well i am in that right now. Maybe I need to just take a few weeks off until this new doctor see's me and then establish a plan, this all seems very overwhelming at the moment, right now.

 

Please stick with supporting me and not bringing up old post's. I know I have wrote all those it was cause i felt awful and anxious etc. I am trying to find the solution to this and it's my body that will tell me this. Can't just keep taking 10,20,30 beads and feeling ill. Right now at 75mg I actually feel levelled out, but i know the effects now so it's more scarier being on them,

 

 

I just can't deal with the anxiety/insomnia from the fast taper, maybe this is a better avenue to go down? I know if i go off this 75mg I it's all gonna come rushing back, feels like I will never get off a med, once you take them you are hooked.

 

Wierd thing is today a job placement place called me and asked me if i was looking for work.

[Skyler]

Wierd thing is today a job placement place called me and asked me if i was looking for work.

 

I hope you are going to talk with them? Working nights when you are not used to that shift is a guarantee your insomnia may be worse.

Please stick with supporting me and not bringing up old post's. I know I have wrote all those it was cause i felt awful and anxious etc. I am trying to find the solution to this and it's my body that will tell me this. Can't just keep taking 10,20,30 beads and feeling ill. Right now at 75mg I actually feel levelled out, but i know the effects now so it's more scarier being on them.

Martin, I can't respond to you anymore if it's not possible to refer back to previous posts. I will try very hard to be less confrontational, but not referring to questions that have already been asked and answered will skew my responses. I also do not think it's fair to have people use valuable time reentering information that has already been posted. We are all volunteers and give freely of our time, but it is a finite resource. I hope you understand my reasons for setting this limit.

[MrAnxious]

Well so far so good at the 75mg , maybe 37.5 would have been more reasonable, but now I can taper off 75mg. How long do you think I should stay at 75mg for ? Until i am ready to taper?

 

 

thanks,

[peggy]

you need to stay on the dose until you have had a good 6-8 weeks stability before any further change, and then 10% reductions. You must be committed to be consistent this time.

[MrAnxious]

you need to stay on the dose until you have had a good 6-8 weeks stability before any further change, and then 10% reductions. You must be committed to be consistent this time.

 

 

Thank you Peggy, exactly what i was looking for.

 

 

So I will stay on 75mg until Nov 1st and then start to taper.

 

 

How have you been peggy? thing's easing up?

[peggy]

i am feeling very well thanks. I stabilised quite quickly after updosing and will once again begin a slower than before taper

[MrAnxious]

i am feeling very well thanks. I stabilised quite quickly after updosing and will once again begin a slower than before taper

 

 

Peggy How do I know how long to taper, reading so many stories..like should I go extremely slow after I stabilize.

 

 

Like go 5% every 3 months? or will I feel the side effects of the reduction if I go too slow? Looks like you have experience from this? I want to make this second attempt a good one.

 

 

Thanks Peggy

[peggy]

I will do a 10% taper - i can usually do 3 - 4 weekly - the most important thing is to make sure you have been stable for at least a week before going down again. My usual pattern in the past is that at the 2 week mark i get anxiety. My last two tapers i have made an error with counting beads and inadvertently dropped too much. I am going to get a scale this time to make it more accurate. But the anxiety is much less than when i did rapid tapers years ago and so stabilised much more quickly by updosing.

 

I wouldn't think too much about it for now. Your main priority is to get stable and enjoy some peace.

[MrAnxious]

I will do a 10% taper - i can usually do 3 - 4 weekly - the most important thing is to make sure you have been stable for at least a week before going down again. My usual pattern in the past is that at the 2 week mark i get anxiety. My last two tapers i have made an error with counting beads and inadvertently dropped too much. I am going to get a scale this time to make it more accurate. But the anxiety is much less than when i did rapid tapers years ago and so stabilised much more quickly by updosing.

 

I wouldn't think too much about it for now. Your main priority is to get stable and enjoy some peace.

 

 

Okay Get stable, One more question- How can I get stable when i just started midnight shift stocking shelves which is just physically exhausting at this point and then to get home and not sleep at all, I know midnight's are good for me right now? Do I quit the job for my health and find something in the day time/afternoon? Wow there should be a guide book to all this,

 

 

Thanks peggy( appreciate your time) more than you know !

[peggy]

your sleep will likely settle - working hard will help you sleep anyway

it isn't ideal to be working night shift, but maybe it will help you to keep your mind off everything

[MrAnxious]

So after working 2 night shifts and not sleeping, my body, hips were absolutely ruined, I had to say nights weren't for me, it's more about my mental health that I am concerned about. I found out that there are 6 tablets in the 75mg pill that the emerg doc prescribed me, so I am taking 3 tablets a day which is half 75(37.5). I find this will be a gradual step and already feel leveled out but a little dizzy and nausea but that's just because it's back in my system and has to adjust.

 

 

* Sleep improved/still broken but more periods of sleep

* Anxiety upon wakening is gone

* Most withdrawl symptoms gone

 

 

- Clicks in the head were a little more frequent starting back up

- dizzy/nausea/muscle spasms/dreams

 

So does this mean it was withdrawl that I was going through because most symptoms disapeared?

 

 

So As of August 16th I have reinstated 37.5mg Of Effexor and going to stabilize and then do a slow wean/taper, and I am hoping(hoping)that I can eventually come off this stuff, but want to take it slow, but how slow is too slow? I have heard 6-8 weeks to stabilize and then 10% drops every 3-4 weeks? I just think that is still too fast? But if I go slower due i risk feeling ill from a low dose? How does this work?

[Altostrata]

So does this mean it was withdrawl that I was going through because most symptoms disapeared?

Yes, MrA, it was withdrawal.

 

Yes, you stabilize for a month or so and then taper very gradually off, at the rate your nervous system can tolerate.

 

See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tips-for-tapering-off-effexor-and-effexor-xr-venlafaxine/

 

and Important topics in the Tapering forum

[Karma]

Hey Martin,

 

First you stabilize and then you can decrement slowly to come off ... what is too slow? I have been coming off of Effexor since 2007 ... and it is currently 2012 ... right now I'm sneaking off at 3 mg and soon will go to 2 mg a drop (I have compounded liquid). After the withdrawals last fall Alto recommended that I go to 5% drops. That is what we mean by listen to your body.

 

It may take me another year or two to completely come off, but I intend to be able to function all the way through and come out the other side without protracted withdrawals.

 

Now. You may have some bouts of symptoms flare up over the next couple of weeks, but you need to stay the course with 37.5 mg, ok? Give your central nervous system and your brain time to heal from all the changes you've been through.

 

Hang in there, you're going to make it.

Karma

[MrAnxious]

So does this mean it was withdrawl that I was going through because most symptoms disapeared?

Yes, MrA, it was withdrawal.

 

Yes, you stabilize for a month or so and then taper very gradually off, at the rate your nervous system can tolerate.

 

See http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tips-for-tapering-off-effexor-and-effexor-xr-venlafaxine/

 

and Important topics in the Tapering forum

 

 

Thanks Alto,

[MrAnxious]

Hey Martin,

 

First you stabilize and then you can decrement slowly to come off ... what is too slow? I have been coming off of Effexor since 2007 ... and it is currently 2012 ... right now I'm sneaking off at 3 mg and soon will go to 2 mg a drop (I have compounded liquid). After the withdrawals last fall Alto recommended that I go to 5% drops. That is what we mean by listen to your body.

 

It may take me another year or two to completely come off, but I intend to be able to function all the way through and come out the other side without protracted withdrawals.

 

Now. You may have some bouts of symptoms flare up over the next couple of weeks, but you need to stay the course with 37.5 mg, ok? Give your central nervous system and your brain time to heal from all the changes you've been through.

 

Hang in there, you're going to make it.

Karma

 

 

Awesome thanks , I keep kicking myself for quitting midnights at walmart, was comfortable around the people and such, but was off meds and now back on them. I just feel like I messed up with a opportunity again..?? Just my head is wonky at the moment trying to adjust. It will get better, gotta have faith ..

[Karma]

Don't beat yourself up for quitting the midnight job - you don't know that being on 37.5 mg Effexor would have made working those hours any more tolerable. I'm sure that kicking yourself for leaving Walmart is part of your withdrawal symptoms. Be kind to yourself.

 

Karma

[jr1985]

It's probably better for you in the long run to not be working night shift.

[Skyler]

It's probably better for you in the long run to not be working night shift.

 

jr I agree.. and probably not so good in the short run either. Martin, you are going to need to stabilize on Effexor before the insomnia fully remits, and it's much harder for folks not used to the 3rd shift to develop good sleep habits. I couldn't do it... and I suspect there are others here who could not either.

[MrAnxious]

Karma, Jr, Schuyler and everyone else.. Thank you very much for calming my nerves, and giving me timely advice, not sure where I would be with out you guys. It's really nice that you take the time to help me out and if I can help you out with anything or you just want to chat, write me a message and i will definitely respond.

 

This kinda stuff doesn't come with a instruction book so it's nice having you guys as friends on here.

 

 

I will be stabilizing on 37.5 on day 3 right now, still feel wonky and never slept really, broken sleep so i tried taking it earlier tonight at around 6:30pm. I am thinking that I should be taking it first thing in the morning?? Maybe it's more of a stimulant for me now?

 

 

 

Thanks again !

[MrAnxious]

Okay so it's Day 5 now at 37.5 and I feel Nausea, feeling of blah, tired, exhausted(probably the fact that I STILL CANT SLEEP) having a real hard time getting out of bed.

 

I was feeling better without taking the effexor but still couldn't sleep. The problem is my brain just won't shut off , I can lay in bed for hours and nothing happens I feel wide awake. Anybody else have this problem?

 

So I went back on the effexor because I thought withdrawls were causing my insomnia and now I feel even yuckier. This is so frustrating !!!!!!

 

Is this actually going to level out or am I going to have to jack up the effexor dose ? to be able to function again. I could function when I was effexor free - just wasn't getting any sleep and still am not.. Feels like the years on Effexor really did a number to my internal sleep - how ever it works. I can be so tired my body and can yawn but my brain just won't go to sleep as it feels wired.

 

 

Help please...just scared...need some opinions ! Have tried melatonin(smalls doses),valerian root, sleep aids..nothing works. I am really starting to feel the 1 hour if that of sleep a night and laying in bed for 13 hours is not helping at all.

 

 

Need multiple angles here !

[Altostrata]

I have no idea, MrA. Could be 37.5mg is too much. Could be you need to give it more than 5 days.

[jr1985]

MrAnxious, it took about 2 weeks for me to start feeling better after I reinstated Effexor. It can take 4-8 weeks for it to fully kick in for some people, which is the usual length of time for these drugs to kick in.

[MrAnxious]

I have no idea, MrA. Could be 37.5mg is too much. Could be you need to give it more than 5 days.

 

 

This is also true, just hard to believe that I will give this more time and then stabilize and then go down and down and then come off? It's hard to think positive about that? when I was already off them but insomnia was my problem? How does one fix insomnia that I believe came from years on the drug?? The insomnia is the reason for feeling so horrible ?

[jr1985]

 

I have no idea, MrA. Could be 37.5mg is too much. Could be you need to give it more than 5 days.

 

 

This is also true, just hard to believe that I will give this more time and then stabilize and then go down and down and then come off? It's hard to think positive about that? when I was already off them but insomnia was my problem? How does one fix insomnia that I believe came from years on the drug?? The insomnia is the reason for feeling so horrible ?

 

Did the insomnia start before or after you quit Effexor?

[peggy]

Mr Anxious - you weren't functioning when you were completely off - read back over your posts.

 

When you first went back on 37.5 you were feeling much better - i think you really need to stop comparing how you are feeling day to day - it is probably going to take you several weeks to settle down and you will take 2 steps forward and one back all the way - it will most likely be a very gradual improvement..

 

Stick with the plan. Stop thinking what if...

[MrAnxious]

 

 

I have no idea, MrA. Could be 37.5mg is too much. Could be you need to give it more than 5 days.

 

 

This is also true, just hard to believe that I will give this more time and then stabilize and then go down and down and then come off? It's hard to think positive about that? when I was already off them but insomnia was my problem? How does one fix insomnia that I believe came from years on the drug?? The insomnia is the reason for feeling so horrible ?

 

Did the insomnia start before or after you quit Effexor?

 

It started about a 3-4 weeks after I quit and was totally off it, just came on !

[MrAnxious]

Yep i gotta stick with it ! Sorry I just had to quit my job that I worked hard to get because of the insomnia, just really scared/worried.

[Karma]

Hey Martin,

 

It is normal to feel scared and worried at this point in reinstatement. It will get better.

 

These drugs do mess with our cortisol production and it sounds like you have excess cortisol which is keeping you awake. Did you try Phosphatidyl Serine or seriphos? I've used about 400 mg of PS at night and it has helped from time to time when I needed help sleeping. There is a thread in symptoms and what helps http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1852-how-to-reduce-cortisol-both-rx-and-natural/page__view__findpost__p__7352__hl__seriphos__fromsearch__1.

 

Hang in there.

 

Karma

[MrAnxious]

Hey Martin,

 

It is normal to feel scared and worried at this point in reinstatement. It will get better.

 

These drugs do mess with our cortisol production and it sounds like you have excess cortisol which is keeping you awake. Did you try Phosphatidyl Serine or seriphos? I've used about 400 mg of PS at night and it has helped from time to time when I needed help sleeping. There is a thread in symptoms and what helps http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1852-how-to-reduce-cortisol-both-rx-and-natural/page__view__findpost__p__7352__hl__seriphos__fromsearch__1.

 

Hang in there.

 

Karma

 

 

Thanks karma - Gonna look into this, can you buy it at a store? Or does it have to be prescribed?

[jr1985]

The insomnia is definitely withdrawal related, rather than being a side effect of the effexor. It's also possible that the drug could stimulate your hypersensitive nervous system, this is what happened to me, it used to make me drowsy but after reinstatement it was stimulating.

 

I can totally relate to your desire to get fixed ASAP. I was chopping and changing doses to try and feel better NOW but it's only made things worse. Consistency is key - take the same dose at the same time every day. Even tiny changes to the dose or timing can set off symptoms in our hypersensitive nervous system.

 

Good luck MrA, I hope you find stability soon!

[jr1985]

You can buy PS in a health food store, you don't need a prescription.

 

Other supplements that may help are magnesium, arginine and vitamin B6. Be careful with them though, especially the B6 as it can actually be stimulating in some people and make things worse. Buy the lowest dose you can get and take 1/4 tab to see how it effects you. Have a look at the threads in the symptoms forum.

[MrAnxious]

Thanks Jr,

 

Yah before when I was on high dose of Effexor, I could sleep no problem , but also had lots of energy so much it was ridiculous, now i can hardly get out of bed...

 

Day 6 on 37.5 , have kind of a headache , feel drowsy but still no sleep..i can yawn all day and not sleep. Is it okay to be taking over the counter sleep aids and how many a night can I take 50mg they are?says 1 on bottle but thats just a basic for everybody.. I have been taking 2 the past couple nights and got maybe a hour of broken up sleep.

 

* see the problem I had being off the medication was insomnia/sleep- wasn't getting any...now being back on the med it's still insomnia/sleep...so I thought that being back on the medication would bring my sleep back, I almost feel like kicking myself because I really did feel better than i do now when I was off the med, yah i had anxiety/insomnia ...right now anxiety is down but insomnia is still there... I know you guys have been through all this...which is why I appreciate all your imput. Just gonna keep at her !

 

 

This realy is a tricky thing to figure out, I just don't see how I will stabilize on this dose and then just reduce and come back off it? Is this going to be possible without feeling all the crappy withdrawl come back.... I'm sorry if I ask so many questions, this is the worry wart coming out in me , hoping that everything is going to be fine.

[Karma]

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