1. < Depression & Anxiety

RE ADDING EFFEXOR XR WHILE TAPERING EFFEXOR XR

Posted by lifex @lifex, Nov 18, 2023

WAS TAKING 225 mg OF EFFEXOR XR FOR 6 YEARS
THEN MY DOCTOR DECIDED TO LOWERING TO 150 mg
STARTING BY TAKING 75 mg LESS
I WAS FINE FOR 3 MONTHS WHEN MY USUAL DOCTOR LEFT
THE HOSPITAL
I TOLD MY NEW DOCTOR I HAD JUST A LITTLE SESITIVITY
AS A WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOM
SHE ADVICED E TO TAKE 37,5 mg OF EFFEXOR
THEN I REALISED I WAS FEELING MUCH BETTER ON 150 mg
AS ADDING THE 37,5 mg GAVE ME AWFUL WITHDRAWAL
SYMTOMS I CAN IMAGINE
THEY ARE OVER NOW BUT
BUT I WAS SO MUCH BETTER ON 150 MG
THIS MAY NOT HAPPEN USUALY BUT
RE ADDING EFFEXOR AFTER APERIOD
OF TAPERING TO A CERTAIN LEVEL
DID NOT DO ME GOOD
I COULD HAVE USED XANAX FOR THE SENSITIVITY

THANK YOU ALL

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lifex | @lifex | Nov 24, 2023
In reply to @ave13 "I had similar symptoms. Started tapering from 150 down to 75. I was fine for two..." + (show)
@ave13

I had similar symptoms. Started tapering from 150 down to 75. I was fine for two months, just a little sensitivity like you. Then decided to taper to 37.5. 3 days later I was in hell. Constant severe anxiety, depression spells, couldn't eat, sleep, work, or distract myself with anything. The physical and mental symptoms were unbearable. After a couple of days my doctor upped me back to 75mg and I had hope again but it wasn't better at all. Maybe even worse.
I gave up hope and thought I would have to hospitalize myself or I would do something to myself.
But then my doctor upped me back to my usual 150mg and gave me 1mg of clonazepam a day. Two days later I felt free. I was back to my happy self, I could work, my appetite came back and I was sleeping through the night.
My point is, maybe if you go back to 150 mg you'll feel okay again.
There is hope. I wish you strength and patience, we all need it in this process.

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what were you using for anxiety until your doctor upped you to 150 mg and gave you clonazepam
thank you

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1 reply
ave13 | @ave13 | Nov 24, 2023
In reply to @lifex "what were you using for anxiety until your doctor upped you to 150 mg and gave..." + (show)
@lifex

what were you using for anxiety until your doctor upped you to 150 mg and gave you clonazepam
thank you

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I was on 37.5mg of Effexor, 50mg of pregabalin, 20mg of propranolol, and managing with homeopatic medicine, bach flowers, and valerian root extract. None of it was doing anything.

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1 reply
lifex | @lifex | Nov 25, 2023
In reply to @ave13 "I was on 37.5mg of Effexor, 50mg of pregabalin, 20mg of propranolol, and managing with homeopatic..." + (show)
@ave13

I was on 37.5mg of Effexor, 50mg of pregabalin, 20mg of propranolol, and managing with homeopatic medicine, bach flowers, and valerian root extract. None of it was doing anything.

Jump to this post

SO HAPPY YOU ARE WELL NOW.................

REPLY
delia74 | @delia74 | Nov 27, 2023
In reply to @njoys "You might be interested in this: https://www.madinamerica.com/2023/10/may-cause-side-effects-radical-acceptance-psychiatric-drug-withdrawal-brooke-siem/" + (show)

Thank you so much for this link. 💝
Intelligently written, well organized article checked off several boxes for me. I really connected to Ms. Siem's comments about how she could still feel so depressed despite being on meds, and for a such a long period of time to boot. Such was with me, but I never made that light bulb moment. Neither did the professionals who prescribed the meds. How truly a sad commentary on our medical system. For me, it was realizing just how I felt overwhelmingly UNWELL and not in control of my body, my mind, my very being. That's what led me to decision to cease the drugs that created the intense hallucinations, confusion, dead-brain, forgetfulness, etc. I've already explained in prior posts how arduous those journeys were. There were days upon days that I felt so miserable while detoxing my system (with help from specific doctors). The most that I regret: That I was in such a dimension of haze during the days leading to and on the very day of our younger daughter's wedding. I was at the tail end of weaning off sertraline (Zoloft) and was on drops of a tincture (mixed within a bit of liquid), but the whirlwind of activities and sleep deprivation left me feeling disconnected to my body. I was seemingly an out-of-body observer who saw that I did make every effort not to let anyone know just how I felt internally, mingling among the group of 50 guests at a resort in Cape Cod, smiling, meeting and welcoming guests, going from table to table during the meal to make sure everything was fine, focusing on how elated our daughter and her husband looked. During the ceremony and throughout the reception, whenever they looked at one another (especially during their first dance) their deep gaze of love filled my heart with such joy, and helped me to forge through to the end of the evening. Then I collapsed into the bed at our room and allowed the rush of relief come over me, and fell into a quasi restorative sleep. I had survived, and I realized just how exhausting it had been to literally give the performance that I had prayed I'd be able to pull off.
There are other connections that I made with what Ms Siem underwent, and I am in awe with her courage to put everything into print, exposing herself so vulnerably, but in having done so, I agree with the author: Brooke Siem can, does, and will help so many people suffering from depression.

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