KellyS: Off Meds for a week!

[KellyS]

ACK! I am hesitant because I really don't want to take it again and I know that a small dose will do nothing to help me sleep. After all I have been thru with withdrawing for the last 3 weeks, I am almost AFRAID to take anything again. Seriously. Maybe I will ride it out? What is the worst that could happen? I am on vacation from 9/6-9/16 so maybe I will even out?

[Skyler]

ACK! I am hesitant because I really don't want to take it again and I know that a small dose will do nothing to help me sleep. After all I have been thru with withdrawing for the last 3 weeks, I am almost AFRAID to take anything again. Seriously. Maybe I will ride it out? What is the worst that could happen? I am on vacation from 9/6-9/16 so maybe I will even out?

 

Hi Kelly, I'm sorry for your distress, but a small dose may help you to sleep if the insomnia, which seems likely, is a withdrawal symptom. The last three weeks are nothing compared to long term withdrawal, and many of the folks on the forum are having to cope with this eventuality. Withdrawal can go on for months, sometimes years. Were I you, I'd be more afraid of not taking trazodone. The odds are greatly against this 'evening' out. It's your call, but you are making a mistake. The drug is not out of your system until your body stops acting as if it were still there, and as long as you have withdrawal symptoms, that is just what it's doing.

[Altostrata]

Kelly, did the trazodone help you sleep? How did you go off it?

 

When you have withdrawal symptoms, generally it's not a good idea by rocking the boat by changing another drug. You want to keep things as steady as possible.

[Skyler]

Kelly, did the trazodone help you sleep? How did you go off it?

 

When you have withdrawal symptoms, generally it's not a good idea by rocking the boat by changing another drug. You want to keep things as steady as possible.

 

Alto, do you think it ill advised to reinstate trazodone.. even though it was ct the same day as the effexor?

[Altostrata]

I don't know. Kelly said it stopped working, but that might have been Effexor withdrawal.

[Skyler]

I don't know. Kelly said it stopped working, but that might have been Effexor withdrawal.

 

I was taking effexor xr 150mg 2x a day, tapered off it over about 6-7 weeks, 2 weeks at only 150mg a day, then 2 weeks at 75mg a day, then 2 weeks at 37.5mg a day. My DR helped me wearn off it, so I am not sure I did it the wrong way? Today is Day 7 with no effexor.

I was taking Abilify .05mg once daily but went off it 2 months ago. Trazodone I was taking 200mg a night for sleep just stopped taking it after I stopped the anti-d because it wasnt working anymore. Thanks for your insight!

 

Hi Alto, I cut and pasted the post I had in mind above.. it's my understanding trazodone was prescribed to counteract the activating properties of wellbutrin that were interfering with sleep. Not the right move? According to Kelly, the reinstatement of wellbutrin helped with most of the withdrawal symptoms, but the insomnia persists.

 

Kelly... you presented insomnia as one of the original withdrawal symptoms when you first posted. Has the insomnia changed since you went back up to 18.25 mgs of Effexor?

 

I have having withdrawal symptoms: caffeine and sugar make me extremely anxious, sleeplessness, nausea, hot flashes, some mild dizziness, I cry at the drop of a hat, restlessness. these are just a FEW symptoms! ACK

Does anyone have any suggestions for natural supplements and a special diet that helps with these symptoms?

[Altostrata]

We've gotten ourselves tangled up here. Kelly wasn't taking Wellbutrin that I can see.

 

Kelly, did the trazodone ever help you sleep?

 

Sleep problems are a common withdrawal symptom, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/53-sleep-problems/

 

Did your sleep change at all when you went back on 18.25 mg Effexor? What is your sleep pattern now?

 

Melatonin can help, but if you take too much, it can do the opposite! Try only .5mg, a little piece of a tablet.

 

It may take a bit for the reinstatement to help here.

[Skyler]

We've gotten ourselves tangled up here. Kelly wasn't taking Wellbutrin that I can see.

 

Kelly, did the trazodone ever help you sleep?

 

Sleep problems are a common withdrawal symptom, see http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/53-sleep-problems/

 

Did your sleep change at all when you went back on 18.25 mg Effexor? What is your sleep pattern now?

 

Melatonin can help, but if you take too much, it can do the opposite! Try only .5mg, a little piece of a tablet.

 

It may take a bit for the reinstatement to help here.

 

Oops.. I meant effexor. Apologies for the confusion, sigh.. I was trying so hard to make everything clear and made a dunce like switcheroo on the name of the drug.

[KellyS]

My sleep is terrible still even with the effexor added back. Its like my brain wont shut off, feels like my eyes are wide open even when they are closed when I am trying to sleep. I've been taking 25mg benadryl for 2 nights and its helped but it wears off after 4 hours and I wake up so I take another dose. Should I try the trazodone at 25mg tonight to see what happens? Thanks for all your feedback this page has been a true god send for me!!

[Skyler]

My sleep is terrible still even with the effexor added back. Its like my brain wont shut off, feels like my eyes are wide open even when they are closed when I am trying to sleep. I've been taking 25mg benadryl for 2 nights and its helped but it wears off after 4 hours and I wake up so I take another dose. Should I try the trazodone at 25mg tonight to see what happens? Thanks for all your feedback this page has been a true god send for me!!

 

Kelly, Alto will be giving you further feedback on the trazodone.. for me, I just want to say it's been a pleasure having you here! Now if we can only help you get some zzzzzzzs.

[Altostrata]

kelly, if the trazodone helped you sleep before, you might try 25mg. If you don't get a bad reaction from it, take it steadily for a week.

 

Having gone off both drugs at once might have increased your withdrawal symptoms.

[KellyS]

OK Thanks. I'm almost put of meds and have no DR so I'm thinking if contacting the withdrawal Dr you had listed in PA for an apointment. I feel like I need help and cant do

It on my own

[Altostrata]

I think seeing Dr. London is a great idea. Please give her my regards and let us know how it goes.

[KellyS]

Thanks! I left her a message. I'll let you know what happens

[KellyS]

I wanted to mention all my withdrawal symptoms are gone just a little insomnia now. Its Day 5 back on effexor xr 18.75mg. No nausea or anything else. I'm hesitating to take the trazodone again. I'm afraid to.

[Skyler]

I wanted to mention all my withdrawal symptoms are gone just a little insomnia now. Its Day 5 back on effexor xr 18.75mg. No nausea or anything else. I'm hesitating to take the trazodone again. I'm afraid to.

 

Heyy, if you feel better... hold back. Very very glad to hear you are doing so well. Really GREAT!

[KellyS]

I need help with the counting of the beads for effexor xr. I have 75mg, 150mg and 37.5 mg pills. How many beads =18.75mg and do all the beads regardless of dose of pill I have=the same mg? I'm trying to stretch all the meds I have left because I have no refills and no DR right now. Help!!

[Skyler]

I need help with the counting of the beads for effexor xr. I have 75mg, 150mg and 37.5 mg pills. How many beads =18.75mg and do all the beads regardless of dose of pill I have=the same mg? I'm trying to stretch all the meds I have left because I have no refills and no DR right now. Help!!

 

Sounds like you would be counting a lot of beads. Have you considered a scale?

[KellyS]

No I havent I'm low on cash right now can anyone just tell me how to count out the beads for now?

[Skyler]

No I havent I'm low on cash right now can anyone just tell me how to count out the beads for now?

 

Check this out: http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tips-for-tapering-off-effexor-and-effexor-xr-venlafaxine/page__st__30

 

I used this string to search in Google: site:survivingantidepressants.org count effexor beads

[KellyS]

Also its the generic I'm taking Venlafaxine I should have mentioned that

[Skyler]

Also its the generic I'm taking Venlafaxine I should have mentioned that

 

You can tweak the search by changing the terms. Works good!

 

As far as I know, each Effexor XR capsule (the kind with a lot of beads) has a slightly different number of beads. The number of beads varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and from dosage to dosage. The number of beads in a 37.5mg capsule is not half the number in a 75mg capsule, even from the same manufacturer.

 

Alto may be talking about generic here even though she says effexor unless there are different manufacturers for effexor. Give Google a shot and just use survivingantidepressants.org count venlafaxine beads. Maybe someone else can chime in with a first hand account, but I know this has been an ongoing discussion.

[KellyS]

Its venlafaxine er

[KellyS]

Ok

[Karma]

Do you still have your prescription bottle from your last prescription of venlafaxine extended release? You could potentially go to a walk-in clinic and get a doctor to authorize a refill. Alternatively you could request a refill through your pharmacy and they will fax your former doctor for a refill - might work.

 

Karma

[KellyS]

My Dr I just stopped seeing wont authorize any refills he left the practice he was in. I think I can get by with the meds I have left and just counting the beads. I realize now I'm not back on 18.75mg like I thought but ONLY 6mg!! I was couting the beads wrong for the past week! BUT, I'm only having mild insomnia, all my other withdrawal symptoms are gone except for some mild anxiety which I can deal with. I'm hesitant to go up in dose because 1. My limited supply and 2. If I am feeling ok on such a small dose should I bother only to taper again anyway?

Maybe the 6mg mistake is a good thing

[Altostrata]

If you can get by on 6mg or a little more, that's fine. Whatever works!!

 

Also good to hear the insomnia is lessening some.

 

The problem with counting beads: The number and size of beads in a capsule varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. Even from the same manufacturer, the number of beads is not proportional from dosage to dosage -- a 150mg capsule will not have twice as many beads as a 75mg capsule. Ooof.

 

(There's also slight variation between the number of beads in a capsule in one dosage. If you got 30 capsules, some might have xxx beads and others a few more or less.)

 

What you can do is ask your pharmacist to weigh a few capsules and tablets, figure the average weight (write it down!!), and figure out your dosage by percentage from there.

 

(Use the tablets last because they're regular Effexor -- right? -- the capsules are Effexor XR.)

 

Then use a digital scale to measure your dosage out.

 

I wish this was easier, believe me.

[KellyS]

I only have capsules no tablets at all

[Altostrata]

Oh, I thought the 37.5mg pills were tablets.

 

Well, don't mix the dosages up, the beads may be of different strengths, but you'll figure it out.

 

Which capsules are you working out of now?

 

Don't worry about getting another prescription. Any doctor can prescribe, such as a gyn, and generic Effexor is very inexpensive.

[KellyS]

I was counting out 10 beads from a 75 mg cap no idea how much that is I think 6 mgs but I could be wrong, can anyone tell me how much mg is 10 beads and 20 from a 75 mg cap, I'm terrible at math. Thanks again

[Altostrata]

kelly, I think you're going to have to open a fresh capsule and count the beads. Do this on a dark cloth so they won't bounce around.

 

Let us know how many beads are in one of your capsules.

[KellyS]

There are 70 beads in a 75mg cap i just counted a few different ones some have a few more but approx 70

[Altostrata]

If you take 10 of them, you're taking 14.29% of 75mg, or 10.71mg.

 

One bead would be about 1.07mg.

[KellyS]

Your a lifesaver Thanks!

[KellyS]

I'm going to stick with the 10.71mg dose for a few weeks then step down slowly off it. What do you recommend? Taking 2 beads out stabilizing on that a few weeks then 2 more till I'm off it? I've found out the hard way I'm extremely sensitive to this med so any suggestions?

[Altostrata]

Definitely stabilize for at least a month. If you're extremely sensitive, try a ONE bead reduction and see how you feel.

 

If you don't get any withdrawal symptoms over a few weeks from a 1 bead reduction, you might be able to decrease bead-by-bead more quickly. Let's see how it goes.