Posted by Jiggitykid on November 16, 2004, at 14:20:53
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal symptoms! » Americk, posted by deon on November 16, 2004, at 10:10:40
Your doc either didn't know or didn't believe it. Regardless, I'm SO SORRY for the situation you are in! Trust me - I've been there. This horrible drug nearly destroyed my marriage. One year ago, we were talking divorce, and I had no idea why he was so unhappy with me. After I stopped taking the drug, "I" came back, and he loves me the way he used to. I'll never be the person I was 15 years ago when we married - neither will he, of course - but I'm a functioning, loving person again. When I was taking the effexor, I kept telling the doc and the counselor I was seeing that I was feeling worse, so they advised upping the dose. I got worse - the doctor wondered if I was really, truly mentally ill. Once I stopped taking the drug, I became me again.
I know reading the withdrawal symptoms is scary, but you've got to get off of this drug before it destroys your life and your family. There are ways to cope that make it easier that people have been kind enough to share here. The big thing is that you've got to either educate your doctor, or find a doctor who is already up to speed on this, and figure out the best plan for you, whether it be tapering off or quitting cold turkey (which is what I did, because I had no help at all. I thought I was losing my mind until I found this board. Thank you, Dr. Bob!). Some recommend Prozac during withdrawal. Benedryl helps some. Some prescription pain killers and Ibuprofen help, but you need to be careful when dealing with the pain meds, of course.
Perhaps most importantly of all, you need to have your spouse read this site and understand that what you are going through is NOT YOUR FAULT, and that it is the medication's doing. She needs to be educated about what to expect while you are quitting the medicine. She needs to understand that you AREN'T the person you were, but that you will be once you get this evil drug out of your system.
Check in, and let us know how you are doing. We all support you!! Please, take care of your family. Let them love you.
> OK...I wish my Doctor would of told me about this evil drug!!! Since day one of taking this pill, haven't been same. My wife has said that I am not the same man i used to be...in other words...this drug hasn't helped me at all. I've been on it for 1 month at 70 mg and it almost destroyed my relationship. I stopped taking it since yesterday. She also prescribed me Lorazepam .5 mg and i found out that taking this stuff with Effexor can cause some major side effects. I"M FREEAKING OUT HERE!!!!!
> The brain shakes are awful and I feel so lost. Reading your posting has made me emotional. I can't stop crying because I'm afraid of what's ahead.
> I don't trust my Doctor anymore. I'm so angry!!!
poster:Jiggitykid
thread:12459
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041113/msgs/416734.html