Posted by T_R_D on March 17, 2003, at 13:11:04
In reply to ANYONE who has taken Effexor and since stopped..., posted by Andy Drinkard on March 14, 2003, at 19:56:25
> Please! If you have taken Effexor XR for any extended period of time and then stopped (advised or unadvised), please answer the 9 questions below (even if you did not have any problems with the drug).
> -- One-word answers are preferred when possible...no long explanations are necessary.
> Any other comments are definitely welcome after the questions. THANK YOU.
>
> 1) How long did you take Effexor XR?I was on the drug for about 4 years
> 2) What was the highest dose taken?
375mg per day that was augmented with Wellbutrin for a few months and then with a thyroid drug called Cytomel for the remainder of those 4 years.
> 2) Why did you stop the medication?
I was having sexual problems...no drive.
> 3) Did you "taper off" or stop "cold turkey"?
I stopped cold turkey but then switched to another drug, Manerix (I'm just off that now and trying Serzone...the Manerix didn't seem to help with my depression.)
> 4) Did you experience withdrawal symptoms (Y/N)?
YES! OH MY GOD YES!!!
> 5) If so, was "brain shivers" one of these symptoms (Y/N)?
Yes indeedy...just terrible!
> 6) If applicable, what was the single most unpleasant withdrawal symptom?
Probably the "shivers" but really, I had severe nausea and fatigue as well. I wanted to crawl out of my skin!
> 7) How long did the withdrawal symptoms last from the time of stopping?
Probably about 2-3 weeks...again, I was switching drugs, not completely anti-depressant free.
> 8) If applicable, did you consult a medical professional about the withdrawal symptoms? What was his or her advise?
I didn't seek help...I knew or rather learned that this was a consequence of stopping Effexor.
> 9) Are the withdrawal symptoms enough to make you wish you had never started Effexor (Y/N)?
Yes and no. It feels like hell at the time but it is only temporary. If I don't have any luck with other drugs I'll probably have to go back on it.
> (The point of this is that there has been a lot of discussion about Effexor's during-treatment and after-treatment side effects, but it has been difficult to figure out overall what portion of Effexor users go through withdrawal symptoms.)
poster:T_R_D
thread:209176
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030314/msgs/210037.html