Lespaul19: On 75mg effexor xr for 12 years, bridged prozac need help

[lespaul19]

I started effexor 75mg in 2001 for GAD,never had a terrible time on it, in July 2012 I lowered my dose to 37.5 and didn't really have any problems aside from very minor brain zaps, my goal was to quit when I was feeling comfortable about it and my doc told me to bridge with prozac to make it easier.

 

I quit taking the effexor oct 5th and started on 10mg prozac oct 6th and took it for 8 days without any problems. On nov 10th I was having major panic attacks and decided I needed to go back on effexor, I took half a 37.5 and went and saw the doctor the next day and she said it would be ok to go back on my full dose, so I've been taking that for the last 4 days with mixed results, first 2 days was nauseated and tired, bed ridden and no appetite with insomnia and anxiety, next 2 days had a bit more energy ,foggy mind, unable to concentrate,my feet and hands feel weird, slightly numb and it makes me fidgety ,jaw clenching, able to eat a little but still had bad insomnia.

 

This is where I stand now and would like to hear opinions on what I should do? I just found this site and I'm so upset my doc said bridging prozac would be a good idea after being on effexor this long I blindly trusted her and when I started to feel bad I did more research , I freaked out and reinstated ASAP because I've read on here about reinstatements not working if it's over a certain period of time, any opinions appreciated please!! Did taking prozac for 8 days ruin my chance at reinstating the effexor?

Edited November 17, 2013 by Petu
Added member name to title and paragraph breaks

[Petunia]

Hi Lespaul19,

 

Welcome to the site and thank you for posting an introduction.  I'm sorry you have been feeling so unwell since stopping Effexor, it sounds like you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

 

I'm a bit confused about the details of what you have taken.

 

Did you stop taking the Effexor cold turkey on 5th October, then take Prozac for 8 days, then stop that cold turkey and were completely medication free until Nov 10, when you took half of a 37.5?

 

What are you taking now?

 

It would be helpful if you put details of you drug history and withdrawal so far in your signature, that makes it easy to see your situation at the bottom of each post.  Instructions for doing that are here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/893-please-put-your-withdrawal-history-in-your-signature/

 

Once we have a clearer understanding of what you are taking now, we will be able to offer suggestions.  But I don't think taking Prozac for 8 days has ruined your chance to reinstate, but it may take a while for your nervous system to stabilize again once you decide on what dose to take.  When you do stabilize, which may take several weeks, possibly a few months, you can begin a proper taper, we recommend no more than 10% every 4 - 6 weeks, depending on your symptoms.

 

Information about tapering Effexor can be found here:

 

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

 

Several members are tapering Effexor and will be able to share their experiences, you will find a lot of friendly help and support here.

 

Petu.

[lespaul19]

Thanks for the reply, yes you got it right, took half of 37.5 Monday nov 11 then a full 37.5 everyday since

[mammaP]

Hi Lespaul, I have been taking effexor for about 12 years now and my doctor did the same thing with me a few years ago. Tried to switch me to prozac. It was horrendous and I did the same thing, stopped the prozac and re-instated effexor. I was ill for maybe a week or so after reinstating but soon settled again. I had nasty side effects with effexor and decided to taper. I had started with 75mg but dropped to 37.5 by splitting the capsule. After a few years on that dose I started to taper by counting beads. I have now been tapering for around 20 months and am at 3 beads.  My taper was relatively easy, and pain free until I got to 5 beads and stopped. It was too soon and I was hit by withdrawal. I reinstated and it took 7 months to stabilise enough to continue but I am fine now. PATIENCE is the key. Prozac didn't help me one bit but doctors often prescribe it for tapering from effexor. 

I hope you feel better very soon. 

[Lexy]

What I've read on other people's Is that you need to wean off effexor and at the same time build up Prozac. I feel for yours I know all about the WD symptoms. I hope you start feeling better soon.

[lespaul19]

Hi Lespaul, I have been taking effexor for about 12 years now and my doctor did the same thing with me a few years ago. Tried to switch me to prozac. It was horrendous and I did the same thing, stopped the prozac and re-instated effexor. I was ill for maybe a week or so after reinstating but soon settled again. I had nasty side effects with effexor and decided to taper. I had started with 75mg but dropped to 37.5 by splitting the capsule. After a few years on that dose I started to taper by counting beads. I have now been tapering for around 20 months and am at 3 beads. My taper was relatively easy, and pain free until I got to 5 beads and stopped. It was too soon and I was hit by withdrawal. I reinstated and it took 7 months to stabilise enough to continue but I am fine now. PATIENCE is the key. Prozac didn't help me one bit but doctors often prescribe it for tapering from effexor. I hope you feel better very soon.

Yeah this is what I'm planning to do, a very very slow taper over some years, the longer we've been on this the slower we should go, just wish I was smart enough to research instead of blindly trust my doc, I was excited that there seemed to be a quick fix and ran with it. What are your symptoms now and what side effects did effexor cause for you? How long were you on prozac and did you go right back on effexor or was there any delay?

[lespaul19]

It's weird, I feel a bit more anxiety after I take my effexor and feel a bit less anxious the few hours before I take it, is this normal? Actually slept last night albeit kind of broken sleep, but I had dreams etc which is such a relief, really didn't want to take another Ativan as I've taken 2 one Sunday and one Tuesday when things got too hard to deal with. Symptoms as of now are anxious feeling, no motivation to do anything, slightly nauseated, not gonna force anything and just take it easy for aslong as I need, thanks for all the comments so far

[mammaP]

 

Hi Lespaul, I have been taking effexor for about 12 years now and my doctor did the same thing with me a few years ago. Tried to switch me to prozac. It was horrendous and I did the same thing, stopped the prozac and re-instated effexor. I was ill for maybe a week or so after reinstating but soon settled again. I had nasty side effects with effexor and decided to taper. I had started with 75mg but dropped to 37.5 by splitting the capsule. After a few years on that dose I started to taper by counting beads. I have now been tapering for around 20 months and am at 3 beads.  My taper was relatively easy, and pain free until I got to 5 beads and stopped. It was too soon and I was hit by withdrawal. I reinstated and it took 7 months to stabilise enough to continue but I am fine now. PATIENCE is the key. Prozac didn't help me one bit but doctors often prescribe it for tapering from effexor. 

I hope you feel better very soon.

Yeah this is what I'm planning to do, a very very slow taper over some years, the longer we've been on this the slower we should go, just wish I was smart enough to research instead of blindly trust my doc, I was excited that there seemed to be a quick fix and ran with it. What are your symptoms now and what side effects did effexor cause for you?

 

We all trusted our doctors, they are supposed to be looking after us and making things better! None of us were stupid to trust them when we needed them, and they probably thought they WERE doing what was best because they were trusting the drugs companies that make all this marvellous,wonderful stuff to make us all better sicker!

 

While on the full dose I was demotivated, lifeless, just existing from day to day. No concentration, just out of it all the time. In pain and sick, rarely left the house and cut off contact with friends and family. Too scared to pick up the phone and would get a panic in my stomach if I heard a car pull up outside. The house was a mess, really disgusting because I couldn't keep up with it. 

I cut my dose by half after a few years, then upped it again when I felt bad (probably withdrawal)  then cut again about 5-6 years ago and stuck with 37.5. Nothing improved though and it is hard to remember if things got worse when I cut because I had a lot of physical stuff going on too and major surgery several times. I started to taper when I walked in front of a car, it was accidental and not a big thing, he stopped and I was ok but I cried because I wished it had hit me. 

 

That was almost 2 years ago, and is when I realised it wasn't doing anything for me and researched how to withdraw from it. I started taking beads from the capsule very slowly and felt better with each drop. There were /are withdrawal symptoms right after a cut, brain zaps, vertigo, nausea, headache, anxiety. But they settles after a few days, sometimes a week or so. I then waited around 3 weeks, sometimes 4, before the next cut. Gradually I started to feel again and my concentration started to come back along with memory. 

 

I stopped too soon though, at 5 beads, and it has taken 7 months to stabilise enough to start tapering again. 

I am much better now but still get 'waves' knowing what is happening helps a great deal. I 'ride the waves' and they settle down

then the windows appear, or 'open' as I say. It takes time and patience, but gets better along the way.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, lespaul.

 

I'm sorry the switch to Prozac caused such problems for you. Yes, it's better to cross-taper when attempting this kind of switch.

It's weird, I feel a bit more anxiety after I take my effexor and feel a bit less anxious the few hours before I take it, is this normal? Actually slept last night albeit kind of broken sleep, but I had dreams etc which is such a relief, really didn't want to take another Ativan as I've taken 2 one Sunday and one Tuesday when things got too hard to deal with. Symptoms as of now are anxious feeling, no motivation to do anything, slightly nauseated, not gonna force anything and just take it easy for aslong as I need, thanks for all the comments so far

 

Your nervous system may have been sensitized by the abrupt changes of drug. It sounds to me like 37.5mg Effexor might be too much for you now. You might reduce it slightly -- please read the links Petu posted for you.

 

Are you taking Effexor XR, with tiny beads inside a capsule?

[lespaul19]

Welcome, lespaul.I'm sorry the switch to Prozac caused such problems for you. Yes, it's better to cross-taper when attempting this kind of switch.

It's weird, I feel a bit more anxiety after I take my effexor and feel a bit less anxious the few hours before I take it, is this normal? Actually slept last night albeit kind of broken sleep, but I had dreams etc which is such a relief, really didn't want to take another Ativan as I've taken 2 one Sunday and one Tuesday when things got too hard to deal with. Symptoms as of now are anxious feeling, no motivation to do anything, slightly nauseated, not gonna force anything and just take it easy for aslong as I need, thanks for all the comments so far

Your nervous system may have been sensitized by the abrupt changes of drug. It sounds to me like 37.5mg Effexor might be too much for you now. You might reduce it slightly -- please read the links Petu posted for you.Are you taking Effexor XR, with tiny beads inside a capsule?

Yeah the xr with the little beads, how much would I reduce by? What makes it sound like 37.5 is too much now? Wouldn't lessening my dose atm just shock my nervous system more?

[Jemima]

Switching to Prozac and being off the Effexor for several weeks is enough to increase your sensitivity to antidepressants so that your previous dose may be a bit too stimulating.  Because you feel better when the Effexor begins to wear off it may be that a slightly lower dose will bypass those anxious feelings you get when you first take your dose.

 

I'm sorry to say that most doctors don't know squat about antidepressants, their side effects, or the difficulties we encounter in withdrawing from them. You'll find many people on this forum who feel betrayed by their doctors.

 

Welcome to the forum, Lespaul.  You'll find lots of good information and friendly support here.

[lespaul19]

Thank you for the support! What would you suggest reducing by? I don't have a scale so I'd have to do it by beads

[Altostrata]

Yeah the xr with the little beads, how much would I reduce by? What makes it sound like 37.5 is too much now? Wouldn't lessening my dose atm just shock my nervous system more?

As Jemima said, it seems your symptoms increase when you take the Effexor and decrease when it wears off.You might try taking out one bead for 4 days and see if it helps. If no change, take out 2 beads for 4 days, etc. Save the beads in a clean medicine container.

[lespaul19]

thanks for the reply alto

[lespaul19]

will the brain fog fade eventually? 

[Jemima]

Almost* certainly.  It will probably fade away during your taper. (*I hesitate to say "Absolutely" about anything, especially the unpredictable course of withdrawal.)

[lespaul19]

Here's hoping for the best

[lespaul19]

Had bad insomnia last night, couldn't sleep more than 2 hours

Am I going through wd symptoms or effexor start up symptoms?

[lespaul19]

Anyone have any advice for something to help me sleep? I really don't want to use an ativan

[Lexy]

I take benadryl when I can't sleep.

[Petunia]

Anyone have any advice for something to help me sleep? I really don't want to use an ativan

 

Insomnia is very common in withdrawal and usually improves over time.  Its best to use natural methods to manage it if possible, concentrating on getting rest if sleep isn't possible.

 

Please be careful with benadryl, it can sometimes cause paradoxical effects in a destabilized nervous system, see a topic about it here:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/2352-benadryl-diphenhydramine-for-withdrawal-insomnia/?hl=benadryl

 

For some safer ways to deal with insomnia in withdrawal, you might want to look at this thread:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/555-tips-to-help-sleep-so-many-of-us-have-withdrawal-insomnia/

 

I found that using ear plugs and an eye mask helps.

[lespaul19]

thank you for the links petu, feeling a bit more normal today, a little sedated and unmotivated but i felt that sometimes on effexor before

[Altostrata]

Sleeplessness could be a side effect of Effexor also. Please keep notes on paper of your symptoms and the times your take your medications every day. This will help determine which symptoms are side effects.

[lespaul19]

Sorry for the lack of updates, needed to get away from reading about this as I was obsessing over my symptoms and making myself worse, the last 2 weeks have been pretty good as I've been able to hang out with friends, enjoy life a little. Woke up yesterday with a sore throat, nausea and dizziness so I think I've got a cold or flu, it's made my anxiety a bit worse since I'm dreading going through a flu while trying to stabilize. My symptoms the past 2 weeks have been on and off headaches, some tinnitus and still the weird feeling in my feet, I took altos advice and reduced 1 been so I've been doing that since I last posted, if anyone could chime in and let me know if my progress seems normal or if there's anything u usual that would help a ton, thanks for reading.

[lespaul19]

*unusual, also forgot to mention it's been 3 weeks since 37.5mg and 2 weeks at 37.5mg -1 bead

[lespaul19]

Blah I'm getting waves of anxiety when I try to sleep now

[lespaul19]

Would this be the effexor? Since my insomnia is back, sore throat, anxiety, nausea

[Jemima]

Most of what you describe fits into the whole antidepressant withdrawal syndrome picture, except for the sore throat and possibly the nausea. I know it doesn't seem fair, but we can get sick from ordinary illnesses like colds and flu in addition to withdrawal.

 

I second Petu on wearing a sleep mask, despite how feminine they usually are.  One of our mods tied a large kerchief around her eyes at night instead, and that worked.  Keeping the bedroom as dark as possible also helps, but that often takes a lot more effort than just wearing a mask of some sort.

 

I still have occasional problems with insomnia, and liquid, sublingual Melatonin helps.  Melatonin pills didn't do a thing for me.

[lespaul19]

I'll try some melatonin and a sleep mask. I've also been taking a multi vitamin for the last few months, I was taking fish oil but I had bad insomnia and seemed to do better off it, wondering if I should quit the multi too? My sisters fiancé had a wicked cold the past week and they live in the basement suite so I'm hoping I caught that and this isn't all effexor wd

[lespaul19]

Forgot to mention in my op that I was taking maca capsules and biotin for the 3-4 weeks I was off prozac, but stopped them when I reinstated effexor, would this have any negative effect?

[Petunia]

Forgot to mention in my op that I was taking maca capsules and biotin for the 3-4 weeks I was off prozac, but stopped them when I reinstated effexor, would this have any negative effect?

 

I doubt this has caused anything to worry about.  But do be careful with vitamins and supplements, they often cause adverse effects, like increased symptoms when someone has a destabilized nervous system,  if you do decide to try something new, take a very small amount and see how it effects you.

 

Many members find that magnesium and omega 3 fish oil are helpful:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/1300-magnesium-natures-calcium-channel-blocker/

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/36-king-of-supplements-omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil/

[lespaul19]

Thank you for the links petu, I'm going to grab some magnesium. Curious if I should hold at 37.5 -1 bead or try dropping?

[lespaul19]

Another thing I'm curious about it local anesthetic, my wisdom teeth are bothering me and I'm worried I'll have to get them taken out, along with pain killers after the surgery, any advice or experience with this? Gonna try a search now

[Altostrata]

Local tends to be okay. Ask the dentist to avoid epinephrine, if possible. It can cause palpitations and anxiety.

[lespaul19]

So it's been about 5 weeks since reinstatement, my symptoms come and go and I have windows of normalcy, the most persistent symptom is heart palpitations, weird flip floppy pressure feeling in my brain, minor tinnitus, and the last few days I've been having these waves of cold and hot come over me, it could be anxiety because I get a tingling feeling in my feet and a slight burning sensation on parts of my skin, which I've read is common with anxiety, does this all sound normal alto? Or anyone else with experiance feel free to give opinions

[mammaP]

Hi Lespaul, it's good that you are getting some good windows. Are you still on 37.5 less 1 bead?