@texasduchess I stopped taking ambien May 1 after asking for something different, since ambien is a hypnotic and I was doing crazy things like shopping online of I couldn't fall asleep after taking it. She prescribed belsombra but after reading about it, I decided to not fill the rx. Started taking melatonin, and was also taking benadryl to hold any effexor wd symptoms. After just a few nights without ambien i was doing fine without it for over a month, when the insomnia started again only this time with worse racing thoughts etc that wouldn't allow me to sleep, and almost a fear of going to sleep, and some physical symptoms like I've described, horrible stomach pain like emptiness or a gripping sensation, and couldn't stand up straight, struggling to take a shower etc, that must have been due to effexor withdrawal. But the good news is that a few doses of vistaril seem to have solved that. I think you're right about the fat stores. I read somewhere online that this surge of withdrawal symptoms happens to people who have a higher BMI. Which I do. My question is, after your experience at around 2 months out, did your symptoms then dissipate or did they continue to go away and come back in waves, if so, for how long?