Gardner off Pristiq

[Gardner]

[transplanted from http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/forum/28-recovery-success-stories/ ]

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to report this about the effexor

Today is my second day to to start the 25 milligram a.m. and p.m. of effexor.

I haven't taken my first dose this morning it's 10 o'clock could not get out of bed. It was like being paralyzed in bed.

Do you think you could possibly move my information site for me.

my brain fog is so bad

I tried last evening too write an introduction section just wouldn't go.

 

I'm going to hold on to the fact that this would be seamless

Wednesday 2 days ago was the end of the every other day 50 milligram pristiq.for 1 week

 

Yesterday Thursday was the best I've felt in 2 months

9 :30 with food I took the effexor 25 mg and felt pretty good and even got a few things accomplished.

We ate late and i really did not want to take a second dose but did: at 9:30

 

Now wondering if I should have even taken it.

I'm sorry my posts are so poor but just can not get the energy to go to computer and doing on the phone is so hard

[Gardner]

I typed this morning I couldn't get out of bed for 3 hours felt paralyzed in bed. nauseous and it' and it's now 1030 and I still h 1030 and I still haven't been able to move around and get my pill maybe this is just all part of the withdrawal thanks thanks againAltso.,,,,

[Altostrata]

Here's your topic, Gardner.

 

It may take a few days before the Effexor reaches a steady state in your bloodstream. If you feel more comfortable, take a half a 25mg tablet in the morning and the other half in the evening.

[Gardner]

You are a God send :-)

Thanks for moving my post and your great advice.

I will do daily posts and hope I can be of help to others on this great forum.

How long do you think this will take to safely stop the tapper?

I know it probably depends on how my body responds.

Is there a site you can chat I did not see, or I just post to someone's post if I want to communicate with someone?

 

Thanks again. You have given me so much support. I!m 71 am used to doing searches but with other medical issues going on I'm really burned out.

[Altostrata]

You'll have to see how you do on Effexor. You'll have to let your nervous system settle down before you start tapering again. That will be at least a month or two.

 

If you want to "talk" with someone, respond to their post or send a personal message (click on the arrow next to your name in the upper right of the screen and select Messenger) just between the two of you.

[Gardner]

hi

Sorry to take up so much of your time but you have sure helped me

I did respond to 1 person I think my problem is I'm on the small phone/tablet you can't see the full screen but your information is helpful

have a great weekend

[Gardner]

Well it's the 3rd day of am/pm 25 mg effexor weaning from 50 pristiq.

today was pure hell

Didn't lay in bed for hrs as I slept till 9:00 but today just can't move from the lounge chair. Feel shaky and so hyper and quivery on the inside. took an hour and a half nap after 2.5 mg

Of Valium as Dr said I could. I just can't seem to calm down and wasn't hyper on pristiq. Could only sleep.

 

Alsto,, thinking I might try your suggestion of doing 1/2 25 effexor tonight. I'm so sensitive to any drugs.

 

Sure wish some folks would come on I could talk to as hate to keep bothering you.

I have asked for 4 people to befriend me. 2 accepted. Will they see my posts.

 

I just want this day to end

[Altostrata]

Everyone who visits the site can see your posts, Gardner.

 

It may be 50mg Effexor per day is too much for you. Try less and see if it's any better.

[Lilu]

Hi Gardner,

 

I did reply to your private message and I also posted some more detailed information about the Pristiq-Effexor relationship. I can tell you that going from 50 mg of Pristiq to 50 mg of Effexor is NOT tapering slowly. That's essentially cutting your dose in half without tapering. Feeling hyper does not necessarily mean that the dose is too high, it could very well be a side effect of lowering your dose so suddenly. As I mentioned in my other posts, 50 mg of Pristiq is equivalent to 100 mg of Effexor. That is the first switch that is made. That was instructed to me by my doctor who has been prescribing my meds for the last 8 years. I wanted to go from 50mg Pristiq to 75 of Effexor, but she said no, start with 100 mg of Effexor.

 

Also, you have to make sure that you are not taking any other drugs that may interact with Effexor.

 

I hope you have subscribed to the Tapering Pristiq Topic. Please read my last two posts on what the tapering schedule might look like.

 

Hope this helps.

 

All the best.

 

(Sorry if I didn't respond to your friend request. I really dont chat on this site or any site for that matter. I am subscribed to the Pristiq topic, and do try to be helpful.)

[Gardner]

Everyone who visits the site can see your posts, Gardner.

 

It may be 50mg Effexor per day is too much for you. Try less and see if it's any better.

 

Thanks again for your support

I didn't know if it was too soon to drop to 1/2 the 25 /after 3 days. So I guess your answer is OK. :-) think I'll try the 1/2 tonight

 

dentist appointment on Monday morning I don't even know if I can drive theatre as I sure couldn't drive today

[Gardner]

Hi Gardner,

 

I did reply to your private message and I also posted some more detailed information about the Pristiq-Effexor relationship. I can tell you that going from 50 mg of Pristiq to 50 mg of Effexor is NOT tapering slowly. That's essentially cutting your dose in half without tapering. Feeling hyper does not necessarily mean that the dose is too high, it could very well be a side effect of lowering your dose so suddenly. As I mentioned in my other posts, 50 mg of Pristiq is equivalent to 100 mg of Effexor. That is the first switch that is made. That was instructed to me by my doctor who has been prescribing my meds for the last 8 years. I wanted to go from 50mg Pristiq to 75 of Effexor, but she said no, start with 100 mg of Effexor.

 

Also, you have to make sure that you are not taking any other drugs that may interact with Effexor.

 

I hope you have subscribed to the Tapering Pristiq Topic. Please read my last two posts on what the tapering schedule might look like.

 

Hope this helps.

 

All the best.

 

(Sorry if I didn't respond to your friend request. I really dont chat on this site or any site for that matter. I am subscribed to the Pristiq topic, and do try to be helpful.)

 

[Gardner]

Oak lily

Thanks for your support just read after posting to Atos.

I'll re read your kind support

I didn't want to chat don't know what I hit.

[Lilu]

Hi

I'm not sure what button you're hitting, but you dont need to click on Quote. Just click on add reply. Otherwise I wind up getting a whole bunch of emails. As if you're hitting reply multiple times.

[Gardner]

Sorry Oak lily.

 

WANT TO GET MY HISTORY HERE

 

Nov 29 Was on 50 mg of pristiq. wasn't working

Dec 28 50 am/pm

Jan 5 100 and can't remember how this worked as was so out of it. Remember going back down to 100 one day and 50 the next

Jan 21 saw Dr 50 mgs every other day

Jan 30 last day on 50 mg

Jan 31 started 25 mg effexor at 8:00 BUT IN THE AM FELT GREAT BEST IN MONTHS

 

FEB 3 STARTING DAY 4

Worst morning forced myself to get up and still shakes at 10:00. Took pill at 8:00. Last notes 1/2 25 was a mistake

 

last night I felt really good so I did cut my 25 milligram effexor b/c I thought I wouldn't have such a rough morning

WRONG

Worst morning I've had. shakes and quivers and mind spinning.

I had been so lathargic now I'm hyper.

 

Wish some folks would add thoughts here. Feeling very isolated esp since moving to Call

[Altostrata]

oaklily, Gardner spent some time alternating doses of 50mg Pristiq.

 

This put his nervous system in an uproar. He may be sensitized to a full equivalent dose of Effexor, or he may not need it, having adjusted somewhat to a lowered dose of Pristiq.

 

If I were in his position, I would start with a lower dose rather than with a higher one.

[Lilu]

Garder,

All I can say at this point is what i've said before, you are not tapering slowly enough.

 

Step 1: Stabilize your system on Effexor first. Before starting any kind of taper! Then do that for a week.

 

If you feel good on 25 mg in the morning, you need to take that dose, or at least half of the 25 mg tablet at night as well, because half the medication will be already gone within 12 hours. By morning there will be no effexor in your system and you will wake up with withdrawal symptoms. Effexor has a very short half-life. And tablets are not extended release. It is designed to be taken at a minimum twice per day.

 

Step 2: Taper slowly!

 

Here's a link to a complete information resource on how to withdraw from Effexor. These guys have written about it extensively. They combine capsules and tablets which i find a bit confusing, but the important thing that they recommend is:

 

Gradually reduce the level of tablet by ¼ tablet every 3 days down to zero.

 

http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/anti-depressants-withdrawal/reduction-instructions/

 

and they also recommend that you : Consolidate for at least 5 days to ensure smooth change over between the types of drugs.

 

meaning that when you switched from Pristiq to Effexor you should take the same dose for at least 5 days before starting your reduction.

[Gardner]

oaklily, Gardner spent some time alternating doses of 50mg Pristiq.

 

This put his nervous system in an uproar. He may be sensitized to a full equivalent dose of Effexor, or he may not need it, having adjusted somewhat to a lowered dose of Pristiq.

 

If I were in his position, I would start with a lower dose rather than with a higher one.

 

Alto, thanks again.

I'm a 71 year young lady. :-) :-) :-)

If I read this right my system is totally screwed up.

I should just grit my teeth and do a week of the 25 mg of effexor to see if I can leaval out ? Right.

 

Thanks so so much for being there for me.

Oak lily appreciate you concern and opinions

Hugs to you both

[Lilu]

Gardner,

Yes, you need to stabilize your system. It is insane how you were alternating dosages and playing ping-pong with your system before. Do not take Effexor only in the morning. If you take 25 mg at 8am, take another 25 mg at 8 pm. For a week.

 

Please look at this reduction schedule and adjust it to your own dosages. They use capsules and 37.5 tablets. But you can print it out or copy it into MS Word, and change it to work with 25 mg tablets, if you can. http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/anti-depressants-withdrawal/dosages/

 

Even to the very end, this reduction schedule shows that you HAVE TO take venlafaxine both in the AM and PM. Even when you are down to a quarter each.

 

Please read this resource completely if you are not familiar with withdrawal. http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/anti-depressants-withdrawal/

 

Good luck. I know what withdrawal feels like. I got off Effexor XR once using only capsules and it was aweful. I would go very slowly if i were you. How long were you on Pristiq to begin with?

[Gardner]

Yes agree it was insane!

It was per...Dr orders.

I had to tell him about going to 25 mg effexor.

I started out 6 weeks ago on 50 mg samples and I didn't write the date but think Nov 27

 

So within these weeks it's been an emotional roller coaster.

[Lilu]

If you were on Pristiq only for 6 weeks, i think you probably could have just stopped. or just tried cutting the tablets. seems like a whole lot of trouble to go thru after only 6 weeks. You might have felt sick for one or two weeks, but then you'd be done with the withdrawal.

[Altostrata]

Gardner, how much Effexor have you been taking lately and how are you feeling?

 

The important thing is to stabilize first, before deciding how to taper off.

 

See my comments on the information oaklily pointed to at http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk/anti-depressants-withdrawal/reduction-instructions/ at http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/272-tips-for-tapering-off-effexor-and-effexor-xr-venlafaxine/page__view__findpost__p__42452

 

This seems like a rapid taper to me and I would not recommend it for anyone who's been on Effexor, Effexor XR, Pristiq, or a combination of any of these for more than a month.

Edited February 4, 2013 by Altostrata
added cross-reference

[Gardner]

Altoi can't thank you enough for caring about me.

I have been trying to keep my personal thread updated for my own sake also.

 

I am on day 5 of the 25 mg effexor am/pm and tried Fri nit to do 1/2 the 25 MISTAKE. Sat was brutal

 

I am having very rough morning's but nites are ok

Remind me again how long the 25 mg is active

Was it 7 hrs or 12 ? I think i hive to keep the meds timing close eith no gaps

Also extensive dental work being done and can't use pain meds the info said SO. my body is a mess as well as my mind.

 

Is there a way i can move this in today's personal thread.

I am going follow your advice

Looking forward to your responce

[Altostrata]

You've posted in your own Intro topic. You're doing fine.

 

You're taking 25mg in the a.m. and 25mg in the p.m.?

 

Regular Effexor has, at most, a half-life of about 14 hours, but this varies from individual to individual. It's possible that overnight, your 25mg dose wears off. Try to take your doses every 12 hours.

[Lilu]

Judy,

Take a look at this post. This individual describes exactly how he tapered Effexor. Reducing by 12.5 is definitely too fast. In fact I find it interesting that with each lowered dose he stayed on it for a month, before lowering the dose again.

http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-drugs/tapering-how-effexor-method-1-a-32337.html

I hope you find this helpful

[Altostrata]

oaklily, please be aware that Gardner already has had a rough taper, her 71-year-old nervous system is sensitized to reductions, and she's having a tough time reinstating.

 

Please don't confuse her with alternatives where people have improvised their own tapers and posted about their successes. Well, good for them. If those methods had failed, their posts would be very different, wouldn't they?

 

We're trying to keep people from being injured here.

[Barbarannamated]

Gardner,

 

Just wanted to say hello and offer encouragement. I wish i had found this site and Alto's guidance before i completed a too-fast taper.

 

I'm very familiar with Wildomar, have several horse friends there. I'm about an hour north of you ( a mile from the bad bus crash last nite). I'm sorry you're struggling with adapting to a new area during this time.

 

I've watched Alto successfully coach many people through very rough tapers. You've found the best info available anywhere. Hang in there.

 

Barb

[Gardner]

Barb

How great to hear from a neighbor.

Wasn't that a horribly sad crash! There are always people who have it worse than us

 

Agree alto is a god send and a wealth of professional info.

 

Have you done a successful w/d. And if so from what?

Do you have any host of your own?

Hope we can keep chatting.

Judy

[Barbarannamated]

Judy,

 

I tapered from Pristiq also, but did it very sloppily. I got through the taper itself, probably because i was still taking other meds, but protracted (delayed) withdrawal hit me later. I went far too fast for my CNS to handle especially after being on drugs for over 15 years.

 

Your case is very different. Alto will talk you through it to avoid what I'm going through now.

 

I've seen many people come to this site, suffering as you are now, stabilize and make tremendous improvements in a short time. You're in the thick of it now. It will get easier.

 

B

[Gardner]

thanks so much for your support barb

1 week today of 25 mg effexor am/pm

Before was every other day going off 6 weeks of pristiq the week before this

Hope this makes since.

Glad at least your off pristiq right?

[Gardner]

DAY 8

Took 9;39 am/pm effexor

overall the day was pretty good

One hr to get out of bed but then I did get seem to have some energy.

Finally battled the agrophobia and got my haircut.

some nervous spinning/anxiety in the morning but 2.5 milligrams

valium helped.

Had to take 2.5 again before nap at 4:00 and one advil for bone pain about 12:00 w/food.

 

actually can say I am feeling better overall today

[areyouthere]

Wishing you a good day today as well!!

 

RU

[Gardner]

DAY 7

 

Why do I have this parilized feeling for an hr where I can't get

 

out of bed?????

It's 8:00 and will be 12 hrs at 9:30 for the 12. Hr to take pill.

Having total exhaustion and brain fog and anxiety. Is the roller coaster normal ???

 

Pray I get some answers from you all. I really feel like I'm losing my mind! Yesterday was a pretty good day too.

[Barbarannamated]

Gardner,

 

Many of us are FAR WORSE in the morning, especially upon awakening. For me, it was first severe anxiety/panic, then months later changed to a feeling of dread of life. It usually lifts by late morning to afternoon and i feel nearly normal by evening, usually around 6pm.

 

This is due to daily fluctuations of cortisol, a hormone that is naturally highest in the morning.

[Barbarannamated]

Gardner,

 

Many of us are FAR WORSE in the morning, especially upon awakening. For me, it was first severe anxiety/panic, then months later changed to a feeling of dread of life. It usually lifts by late morning to afternoon and i feel nearly normal by evening, usually around 6pm.

 

This is due to daily fluctuations of cortisol, a hormone that is naturally highest in the morning.

 

Here is some info and suggestions to help:

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/33-early-morning-waking-with-panic-or-anxiety/

[Altostrata]

Give it a little time, your system may yet adjust.

 

Did your doctor prescribe the Effexor? If this doesn't get better, perhaps increasing the dosage slightly will help -- maybe to one 37.5mg tablet and one 25mg tablet per day.

[Gardner]

Little long reply to you both and it wouldn't go

Alto..so a week isn't long enough and yes dr told me to do 25 effexor b/c of your suggestion.

 

Barb tx about the? am info

Will read ur links now