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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
I just started taking Effexor for depression and anxiety. I have a friend who takes it and is trying to stop and she is having horrible withdrawal. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to stop Effexor without bad withdrawal or side effects. The post's I have been reading are really making me worry about what I am taking. Also I have been very tired since taking this medicine. Has anyone experienced tiredness?
Posted by Cindy W on June 14, 2000, at 22:45:11
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
> I just started taking Effexor for depression and anxiety. I have a friend who takes it and is trying to stop and she is having horrible withdrawal. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to stop Effexor without bad withdrawal or side effects. The post's I have been reading are really making me worry about what I am taking. Also I have been very tired since taking this medicine. Has anyone experienced tiredness?
Carrie, I take Effexor-XR 375 mg/day, and I feel energized, not tired. In fact, it makes it hard for me to sleep so I take Serzone 50 mg/night now. I haven't tried stopping it, so don't know about that. Hope it helps you! It has definitely helped me with OCD and depression.
Posted by Kerry on June 14, 2000, at 23:07:06
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
I too had a horrible time coming off Effexor. I was constantly nauseous, dizzy, and couldn't see straight (I'd have to close my eyes and open them again to gain equilibrium) and vomited A LOT. But my pill doctor didn't recommend weaning me off it--in fact, he prescribed Wellbutrin and just told me to stop Effexor and start taking the Wellbutrin the next day. When I started having problems I called the office and couldn't talk to him--talked with the nurse and she was surprised he didn't have me taper it down for a few weeks. It took about six weeks to feel normal (as far as physical symptoms) again. It didn't work for me, but I know it's worked for others. Just be careful coming off it.
Posted by Carrie on June 15, 2000, at 6:30:35
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
> I just started taking Effexor for depression and anxiety. I have a friend who takes it and is trying to stop and she is having horrible withdrawal. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to stop Effexor without bad withdrawal or side effects. The post's I have been reading are really making me worry about what I am taking. Also I have been very tired since taking this medicine. Has anyone experienced tiredness?
Cindy and Kerry thank you for answering my post. I have only been on Effexor for a week and I do feel better already. My doctor told me to expect it to take 4 weeks to notice a difference but I noticed a slight difference almost right away. Also I have noticed a small decrease in my appetite has anyone experienced this?
Posted by Theresa Pye on June 15, 2000, at 7:35:49
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
I had all of the above. I had withdrawal four different times. Twice because I ran out of medicine, one failed attempted at getting off the medication, and the final time when I succeeded in getting off the medication. I have been off the medication for a year, and I am still having problems that started with my last withdrawal.
> I just started taking Effexor for depression and anxiety. I have a friend who takes it and is trying to stop and she is having horrible withdrawal. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to stop Effexor without bad withdrawal or side effects. The post's I have been reading are really making me worry about what I am taking. Also I have been very tired since taking this medicine. Has anyone experienced tiredness?
Posted by Sara T on June 15, 2000, at 12:58:43
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
> I just started taking Effexor for depression and anxiety. I have a friend who takes it and is trying to stop and she is having horrible withdrawal. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to stop Effexor without bad withdrawal or side effects. The post's I have been reading are really making me worry about what I am taking. Also I have been very tired since taking this medicine. Has anyone experienced tiredness?
Carrie-
I had a hard time coming off Effexor too. Dizziness, angry at the world, I crashed (in terms of moods). There are ALOT of threads on here in the archived section regarding this subject.Sara T.
Posted by michael on June 15, 2000, at 13:24:54
In reply to Re: Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Sara T on June 15, 2000, at 12:58:43
Just to add a contrarian view - I think I was up to 225mg/day, and tapered down very quickly - like 3 or 4 days, and had no problems.
And it did make me sleepy. And for me that increased as the dosage increased. michael
> > I just started taking Effexor for depression and anxiety. I have a friend who takes it and is trying to stop and she is having horrible withdrawal. I am just wondering if anyone has tried to stop Effexor without bad withdrawal or side effects. The post's I have been reading are really making me worry about what I am taking. Also I have been very tired since taking this medicine. Has anyone experienced tiredness?
>
> Carrie-
> I had a hard time coming off Effexor too. Dizziness, angry at the world, I crashed (in terms of moods). There are ALOT of threads on here in the archived section regarding this subject.
>
> Sara T.
Posted by Judy on June 18, 2000, at 10:18:08
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
Carrie,
I had a terrible time while taking Effexor - it definitely wasn't *my* drug. I too was worried sick about stopping it and wondered if I could possibly feel worse off it than on it. The good news: I took one pill less the first two days of weaning, one pill less again the next two days, etc. until I was off. Not *one* problem at the time - no retroactive problems either. Take hope. Everyone's different.
Judy
Posted by Carrie on June 18, 2000, at 14:04:04
In reply to Re: Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by michael on June 15, 2000, at 13:24:54
I am feeling pretty good on the Effexor. I find that I don't worry so much about every little thing. Usually I have a tendancy to dwell on things and I am not doing that. Other than sleepiness I feel pretty good. I have been taking it less than 2 weeks though and the doctor told me it would take about 4 weeks to notice a difference. Does anybody like Effexor? I go from 75mg to 150mg next week. I hope it stays good.
Posted by Cindy W on June 18, 2000, at 19:17:16
In reply to Re: Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 18, 2000, at 14:04:04
> I am feeling pretty good on the Effexor. I find that I don't worry so much about every little thing. Usually I have a tendancy to dwell on things and I am not doing that. Other than sleepiness I feel pretty good. I have been taking it less than 2 weeks though and the doctor told me it would take about 4 weeks to notice a difference. Does anybody like Effexor? I go from 75mg to 150mg next week. I hope it stays good.
Carrie, I feel Effexor-XR is really helping me with depression as well as OCD. I've been taking it about six months now, and am on 375 mg/day. My mind feels "quiet" (no obsessions) and my mood is much better, without the depressing thoughts I had before. Good luck to you!
Posted by Cass on June 18, 2000, at 20:55:39
In reply to Has anyone not had a hard time stopping Effexor, posted by Carrie on June 14, 2000, at 18:41:13
I was on Effexor XR for over two months. I had no positive results. I did not taper off, and I am off it now without any withdrawls that I can discern. Oddly enough, Effexor didn't make me tired; it just didn't make me anything. Good luck to you.
This is the end of the thread.
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