It’s hard to say how long your withdrawal symptoms will last, but given my experience with Effexor and other SSRIs, I’d say about four to six weeks. However, there is hope.
I completely agree with mipiace about doing your own pharmacology. SSRI withdrawal is vastly underrated by most GPs and even some psychiatrists, so you’re pretty much on your own in this regard. Here is the tapering process that worked for me (worked=minimal disruption to life/school/work).
Situation: I was taking 37.5 mg/day Effexor XR.
Phase I
On the first day of tapering off, I broke open the 37.5 capsule and removed five of the little balls inside. I recapped and ate the pill. I did this every day for a week. (I had a small jar in which I stored the little balls.)
Phase II
I uncapped the 37.5 mg capsule and removed ten little balls. I recapped and washed the capsuled down. I did this every day for about two weeks.
Phase III
Remove fifteen little balls.
You get the idea.
Again, if you are having severe withdrawal symptoms, you may need to go longer between phases. The thing to remember is that you want to minimize disruption to your life while working toward your goal of getting off the drug. If it takes you a year, it takes you a year. (Although I think that would be very unlikely). Just keep removing the little balls from the capsules. The time will pass quickly, and before you know it, you’ll be off Effexor. Best of luck…I’ve been there!
Dear Lord. I’ve been on the stuff for a few months, and I want off. I don’t think it’s doing anything much for me.
Some time ago I went from 150mg to 75mg abruptly, with no problems. I was just about to quit the 75mg altogether, but now I think I won’t.
I have experienced Paxil withdrawal too, and I’ve never been sicker. It pisses me off to no end that the docs hand this shit out like candy, with absolutely no thought to how addictive it is. I’m ready to step off the whole anti-depressant rollercoaster ride, and just learn to like being depressed.
I’m on Effexor as well. I have also been on and off it before. Your withdrawal symptoms (let’s call a spade a spade, right?)are more severe than the ones I’ve experienced, but otherwise pretty similar. Are you getting weird chills and skin tremmors as well?
I don’t know if this will help you as your symptoms seem to have already gone on longer than mine, but here goes. My smptoms started on the third day after each step-down in the medication. The increased in severity over the first 16 hours or so and then decreased over the course of another four days. If the reaction is this bad and you can’t get seen right away, have a glass of wine when you come home from work. Just one. Hang on, it’ll get better.
Yes! It’s like I’m freezing, but INSIDE. By that I mean, it’s not really cold, and changing the temperature of my environment doesn’t really help. Yet I’m shivering uncontrollably.
Though, I have to say, I feel MUCH better this morning. I tood everyone’s advice and took two Benedryl and went to bed. I feel pretty dizzy this morning, but not nauseous enough to throw up. Hopefully, it won’t wax and wane, hitting me harder later in the day or something. It would be great if yesterday was the worst of it!!
I took Effexor for a few months several years ago. I can’t believe my doctor didn’t warn me about the addictive effects. I can’t say it did a damn thing for my situational depression, or changed the way I felt in the slightest. Every time I missed a dose I could feel the need to take it or I would be sick.
I weaned myself very slowly over a period of months without consulting my doctor. Never again will I take pills without knowing damn well the side effects. I really hated that piece of shit drug.
i’ve been there, a couple of months ago, i went thru a severe relapse of…of…ummmm…FRIG! i can’t remember for the life of me while i type this what the hell i was on…
…
…
…
…
i DO know that i made a thread about it. that much i do remember.
it
was
AWFUL
i remember sitting at this very laptop and looking out the window being very upset that if i threw myself out this windo to my left, that i would survive (i only live on the 3rd floor). i was pissed.
i had NO idea it was all because of the meds. it wasnt until i had a moment of silence in my brain, that i sat down and tried to figure out why i felt like the world could do without me. then i decided to look for some symptoms online et le voila! it was the meds
so hun, hang in there. it’ll go away soon enough. then after the storm, you gotta sit down and figure out how you’re going to cope with your feelings (if its depression your suffering from). for me, exercise helped a whole lot. keep yourself busy.
I only threw up once today! It’s so sad when that’s an improvement.
I do think taking a Benedryl helped. I don’t know if it’s because it knocks me out so I don’t KNOW I feel lousy, or if there’s some other reason.
I have NEVER had such a reaction to any kind of medication for any reason. I can’t believe a physician didn’t tell me this could happen. I know I’m supposed to educate myself about what I’m taking, but doesn’t the doc have SOME responsibilities? Jeez!
I’m hoping I can make it through a normal work day tomorrow…and I don’t think I’ll have a problem. I just feel crappy now rather than like conjuring up satan. Seems like a big improvement!
I’m glad you’re doing better! P the E hit the wall yesterday and was sick with headaches and stomachaches and oh my did we have attitude or did we have attitude!
Today he’s very unwell, still has headaches and stomachaches and we are having no fun, no fun at all. I’m predicting tomorrow is gonna be even more special. I’m torn between spinning out the last dosages – he says he just wants it over and done with. It’s awful :(.
Primaflora, you are very understanding! How old is P the E? I would feel especially bad for a younger person going through this. And I’m pretty sympathetic with the notion of “getting it over with.” I’m not sure my slow decline of the medication did anything more than drag out my symptoms over a longer period of time before I hit that proverbial wall. At least in MY case, once I hit that wall it really was the worst of it. Hopefully, it will be the same for him!
I’m at work today. Not to be a hypochondriacal drama queen or anything, but I still wouldn’t say I feel GOOD. But I am at tolerable levels of discomfort. I hope P the E gets there soon.
I feel a little “weepy” but it’s kind of hard to tell if that’s from being unable to sleep or keep food down, or if it’s a “post med” reaction. It’s not that bad anyway. I am used to figuring out ways to keep busy and handle crying spells.
Do you think I would get convicted of anything if I threw rotten eggs at my psych docs house? There must be some left over from Halloween.
