Effexor Withdrawal?

[dogzr#1]

I was wondering if anyone had to go through this and how long it lasted. My mom was doing fine on the medicine, but when she heard that it might have had some part in what Andrea Yates(sp?) did to her children, wanted to get off of it. She went to her doctor to see if she could switch medicines. The Doctor said for her to switch cold turkey over to Welbutrin(sp?). The Doc said that since it was the same dosage, she wouldn't have bad symptoms. It wasn't as easy as the Doc thought, I guess because she has been having some very bad symptoms. She's been having some vertigo, uncontrollable crying at random things, and even some hallucinations. She has been having trouble sleeping and was scared at night for some unexplainable reasons, something she calls 'brain zaps', and a few others. If anyone had to go through this, then you will know how bad it is. So just wondering if there is anything you did that helped with these, and how long it usually lasts. Thanks very much!

[K9soul]

Oh boy, yes I did. I had all of that except I didn't have hallucinations. The "zaps" were the worst for me. The first two weeks was the worst, it got more bearable after that. It took me about six weeks to have no more symptoms, but I was on it a long time and was taking no other SSRIs. There is a petition in regards to this to the manufacturer (Wyeth-Ayerst) http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/

It's really different for everyone, but the first week or two seem to be the most unbearable. She has my sympathy on going through that. I know what it feels like.

[JenBKR]

I cannot believe that her doctor told her to go cold turkey - absolutely horrible advice. She should have tapered off of Effexor extremely slowly. Typically it takes about a year to completely taper off. I'm just in shock that her doc told her that.....I missed one pill once and had all of those symptoms - it's miserable. I can't imagine going through that for long. If she does decide to go back on the Effexor to taper off before going on the Wellbutrin completely, PM me, I can give advice on tapering off.

On a side note, I sincerly doubt that any antidepressant would have anything to do with what Andrea Yates did. It sounds more like schizophrenia, since she claimed to hear voices. Typically, depressed people don't tend to hurt others, they are more likely to hurt themselves. Post-pardum depression is a little different though, so it may have played a part, but I believe that Andrea Yates claimed that Satan was talking to her and she drowned her kids to 'save' them from hell (I think that's what she was claiming).

Good luck to your mom, and I hope that she can get through this!

[Donnaj4962]

I take Effexor now, and have for about 5 years. I was up to 150 mg/ day, but at my last doctor visit, asked my doctor if I could reduce the amount. Her first question? "Well, how will others around you feel about this?"

My doctor was a pharmacist before she got her MD, so I trust that she knows what she is talking about. She suggested that I finish my current prescription of 150's by taking one every other day. If I felt okay, then I can get a new prescription of 75's. She then told me that this is the best way to gradually get off of the medication... but she also told me that I may have some withdrawl symptoms (just as you described your mother having) and that if I did, to call her IMMEDIATELY!

I agree that the advice given by your Mother's doctor for her to go cold turkey on quitting the Effexor was poor advice. From everything my doctor has told me and from what I have read online about Effexor, the dosages should be gradually reduced, and depending on the dosage, and how the patient reacts to the reduction, that could take some time!

My sympathies to your Mother. I hope that she finds something that she can take and feel comfortable with. I agree that Andrea Yates killing of her children had nothing to do with her taking Effexor. MANY people take anti-depressants, and they don't hurt others. In fact, I think that the Effexor is what keeps me from hurting many of my co-workers! LOL

[4 Dog Mother]

I too can't imagine a doctor telling a patient to go cold turkey off effexor. I had a friend decide on her own to do so and she had everything that your mother did - a very bad decision on her part. Actually no anti-depressant should be stopped cold turkey or even changed without tapering off the first one. I have been on meds for a number of years now and that is how my doctor has handled it when I needed to change.

And I have to agree with the others. You are more likely to hurt yourself than others when on meds. When you are off meds is when you want to harm others and why some of us stay on those meds. LOL

[dogzr#1]

Thank you for the kind replies! My mom had a panic attack and couldn't take it anymore so she called her doctor. Her doctor said to come by and get a pill for the medicine, and some more effexor. So now she has to take both Welbutrin and Effexor, but I think the Effexor is a milder dosage of the one she was taking before. I know it's not good to take both of them, but that was what the doctor said . My mom has an appointment on Thursday with a doctor who specializes in depression and antidepressents, I forgot what kind of doctor that is though.

Again thanks very much, and if I need any more help I will gladly PM you.

[JenBKR]

It should be fine for her to overlap the medications for a little while. I'm glad she got some effexor, I know how hard the withdrawal symptoms are - they are so miserable it's hard to cope. Good luck!

[Catty1]

YEP! that happened to me - went off one antidep and went on "Hellbutrin"

She should get back to what she KNOWS will work.

Hey - maybe "Andrea" was on the "WRONG" med for her.

She is NOT Andrea. She is HER.

hugs

catty1

5http was for me good for withdrawl. Check with doc or pharmacist...you can get it at health food stores

Glad to hear she is seeing a meds specialist - likely a psychiatrist. They are medical doctors.

[smokey the elder]

I'd ask your doctor about taking one pill (150 mg) every other day. Meds have something called a "half life." By taking 150 mg every other day, you could have wild cycles of high dose down to no dose in your system, and feel really rotten. Taking 150 mg every other day may not have the same effect as splitting the pills in half and taking half every day.

[JenBKR]

I'd ask your doctor about taking one pill (150 mg) every other day. Meds have something called a "half life." By taking 150 mg every other day, you could have wild cycles of high dose down to no dose in your system, and feel really rotten. Taking 150 mg every other day may not have the same effect as splitting the pills in half and taking half every day.

That's true - what I did was take 150 mg one day, then 75 the next for a little while, then down to 75 mg/day. It's a much easier transition.

[.sarah]

I was fainting while on Effexor. My doctor didn't think it was the medicine but my mom did so she tapered me off and as soon as I was done with it the fainting stopped.

I also have vertigo and brain zaps, but they aren't related to the medicine as far as I can tell. I've had them since I was little.

[moosmom]

I've been on Effexor (nasty stuff) and Wellbutrin. Effexor is NOT to be stopped cold turkey. The withdrawal is awful. Causes vertigo, nausea, vomiting, headaches. Wellbutrin (or as Catty1 put it "Hellbutrin) caused me to have suicidal thoughts. Like Catty1 said, everyone's system is different. Some people can take Wellbutrin with little or no side effects.

I'd tell your mom to get a second opinion on the meds. There HAS to be something she can take that will help her wean her Effexor meds.

I am currently on Paxil CR, 27.5 mgs/day and doing fine.

Good luck and keep us posted.