I stopped taking Effexor Xr cold turkey 10 days ago.
The withdrawals were just as everyone else has stated in other discussions, terrible! I could not eat anything until day 6. My appetite is slowly coming back.
Some of my main concerns now are how tired I am!! My lord I have never been so tired. I do not want to leave the couch. The brain zaps are still here which are not as bad as before, they are more of a vertigo experience for me now. My emotions are on high alert. One minute I have this sudden urge to punch my husband (I never would)... The next minute I'm crying my eyes out. And then there is my memory.. One if the main reasons I wanted off this drug. I feel my memory is getting worse now.
Can anyone who has gone through this same experience give me an outlook on how long I can expect to experience these above listed things ?
I was on effexor xr 150mg for 1 year.
I need my energy back. I need me back. I'm feeling hopeless.
Why did you come off the Ven? I took 75 mg for 10 years and they were great. Unfortunately 2 years ago they stopped working .I didn't have any problems coming off and after trying various SSRIs GP has put me back on them 150 this time but unlike last time I am feeling ghastly. I just wondered if you had problem when you were on them.
As stated in my first post my big concern was the memory loss this drug has caused me. It had me getting my words mixed up. Switching letters around for words. Calling my pets by every other name until I finally got it right.
Oh, it was a good laugh during any conversation.. Harharhar! But not for me it really bothered me that my memory had taken a turn for the worse. I now have to really think in mid conversation what I'm really going to say next. I never put 2&2 together until one day it just clicked and I started reading about effexor xr and memory loss. There is some substantial claims and testimonies that hit too close to home.
That and missing just 1 dose made me miserably ill! Oh man I hated when I accidentally forgot a pill. That following day was Hell!! The withdrawal symptoms were immediate for me. These 2 things alone were enough to make me not want to be on this drug. I thought it can't possibly be good for you!
Did it help me when I was prescribed it for what I needed it for? Yes! But for someone not needing this drug a long time as a physician I would never have prescribed this. It's been a nightmare. They tell you of it's benefits , but not if it's hell in the end when you no longer need it.
I hope for you after going up in dosage you never choose to taper down or go off this drug. It's a terrible experience. I started off on 37.5,than 75mg finished off at 150 for a year.
This drug has left me afraid to ever take a SNRI again.
Oh Ashley you have certainly had horrendous experiences with this drug. I never had any trouble coming off or going back on before. But this time I am feeling worse each day. Very tired andreally down. I was on Mirtazapine before. Th 15 mg worked right away and at least this year we had a good Christmas. But after 2 months they stopped working. I gave the 30 mg 8 weeks on the advice of people on here who had success with it. I was then put on 45mg but that was awful. So the GP said to try Ven again first 75 mg now 150 and I am feeling ghastly. Not so bad as you but very unhappy. What will you do Ashley will you try another drug? The SSRIs are no good forme. I've tried several so I don't know what they will do next. The Medics say that if a drug has worked for you before it will work again but this obviouslyl isn't true.
From my brief reading of other posts on other sites, AND my current experiences, you are spot on with the withdrawal symptoms. WHAT a pain in the arse! First 3 days weren't too bad, day 4 I went for a walk, got to the corner and barfed all over the walking path, Emotional highs and lows, crying jags, shivering inside my body, brain shivers, memory loss, and if I don't choke the living chit out of someone before it is over I will be surprised. Thought sex might help.... duh. I am now at day 7 and will stay the course for today... all the posts say in "due time" it get better. WTF is due time?
I'm on day 5 and the confusion and brain zaps are still there but I am using xanax to take the edge off. I am looking at today as the peak of the mountain and on the downward slope. I have been continuing to work and I am just taking it a day at a time. The effects of drug are no joke and it takes strength to pull threw this. I believe your greatest ally is stubborness to be done with it.
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