Effexor Withdrawal?

[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.