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Weaning off Effexor with CBD Oil
After having my son last year, I had really bad postpartum. I talked to my doctor and she prescribed me Effexor. I started out with 75mg, it wasn't enough, so the doctor prescribed me 150mg. I was on that for awhile, but the side effects were interfering with my libido, so the doctor suggested I wean off of Effexor and start Wellbutrin. As I was weaning, I had the worst withdrawal symptoms. The symptoms were too much, so I quit trying to wean completely off of the Effexor, and was taking the 75mg of that and 150mg of Wellbutrin. It helped, a little, but my goal was to get completely off of Effexor so I'm trying again. And now my goal is to get off of the Effexor and Wellbutrin completely and try something natural like CBD oil. It's so hard dealing with the withdrawal symptoms, I'm trying to tell myself that this is a temporary thing and it'll be worth it in the end. Any advice for the symptoms? And has anyone had success with CBD oil for helping to wean, and using that for depression and anxiety?
Thanks!
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@lindeyt01 May I add my welcome to Mayo Connect. As @pankaj mentioned, you need to be careful of anything but a slooow withdrawal of anti-depressants. Here is a link showing the difference between Effexor and Celexa https://www.rxlist.com/effexor_xr_vs_celexa/drugs-condition.htm You will see they are two different types of anti-depressants, so caution is always advisable.
When I was withdrawing from Celexa the last time in 2010 or so [I am on it again since last July 2020], I took a calendar and marked out my days, and titrated off it very slowly, to not go through withdrawal. To abruptly change like you are considering, may indeed be a nasty experience for you.
While I am on a low dose of Celexa now, at 10mg daily, I also frequently use CBD [30 mg] to supplement, for anxiety and pain.
Ginger
@lindeyt01
Hi!
I certainly understand your concerns and coming off Effexor suddenly is VERY DANGEROUS.
There are people in this group who have wound up in the hospital.
I don't say this to scare you, just to warn you!
I've been on Effexor for more years I can count.
Without going into a lot of details, I tried coming off a low dosage after one year (my PCP suggestion) and my anxiety came back worse!
I tried to go back on, but it didn't work.
I went to see a psychiatrist to help me with meds (I always suggest that).
She told me that I'd have to wait several months to try it again.
She put me on several other meds but nothing helped like the Effexor.
After several months, I went back on the Effexor.
It didn't work as well as when I started, but it worked better than anything else.
Forward many years.
I went through a VERY rough period and my psychiatrist kept upping the dosage.
My head was always in a cloud and my memory wat totally shot.
Problem was, my psychiatrist left the practice and I couldn't get an appointment with another one for months so I decided to try it on my own.
I got involved with this group so I knew slow was the way to go.
I was on 300 mg.
2-75 mg in the morning and 2-75 mg at night.
I knew I wanted to reduce the dosage but I also knew I didn't want to be totally off.
I am now down 50%, 75 mg in the morning and 75 mg at night.
My head is no longer in the clouds and my memory has improved, but I still feel like I have some memory deficits.
I see a new psychiatrist now and he didn't seem pleased with my method and told me if I want to reduce any further to do it with him.
I asked him HOW he would do it and I felt that it was way too quick.
It took me several months to reduce, almost a year.
Here was my plan and I had ZERO side effects.
I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. THIS WORKED FOR ME AND OF COURSE I CANNOT GUARANTEE IT WILL WORK FOR OTHERS!
I decided to start by leaving my AM meds alone and work in the PM first (although the method was identical):
I did each reduction for 2 weeks (14 days).
I decided to take another 7 to 14 days IF I felt I had side-effects in order for my body to get used to the new dosage.
Week 1 and Week 2:
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
MONDAY: 1 whole pill plus 1 whole pill
TUESDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
WEDNESDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
THURSDAY: 1 whole pill plus 1 whole pill
FRIDAY: 1 whole pill plus 3/4 other pill
SATURDAY: 1 whole pill plus 1 whole pill
Weeks 3 and 4
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: 1 whole pill and 3/4 other pill
Weeks 5 and 6:
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: Same schedule as weeks 1 and 2 only this time alternate between 1 whole pill and 3/4 other pill with 1 whole pill and 1/2 other pill.
Weeks 7 and 8:
AM dosage remains the same
SUNDAY THROUGH SATURDAY: 1 whole pill and 1/2 other pill
And so on.
You are reducing 1/4 of one pill at a time every other day with the previous dosage and and new reduced dosage. Do this for 2 weeks.
Then, take the new reduced dosage for 2 weeks.
Continue until to get your PM dosage in half.
Once you do that, start on your AM dosage and follow the same pattern.
When you get your AM dosage in half, STOP!!!
Stay on these reduced dosages for a while.
I stayed on these reduced dosages for 3 months.
When I was sure I was OK, I started the reduction again to reduce my total dosage 50%.
REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS AFTER ANY OF THE 2 WEEKS, STAY WITH THE SAME DOSAGES FOR ANOTHER WEEK OR 2 OR UNTIL YOU FEEL OK.
AGAIN, I AM NOT IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AND THIS PROCESS IS WHAT WORKED FOR ME WITH NO SIDE EFFECTS!
Good luck!
If I can help, let me know!!!!!!
Ronnie
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2 Reactions@pankaj Thank you for your reply. That is good to know. My doctor did not mention any withdrawal symptoms associated with the medication swap. I have been reluctant to change over to Celexa. When I asked the pharmacist she said, "you should be ok, but everyone's body is different."
It is not so much the depression piece that impacts my life the greatest, it is my anxiety. I speak with a counselor weekly and have so for the last 6 months. She has provided me with my resources and new tools to help. I have been diagnosed with PTSD, GAD, and Major Depression. I was diagnosed with these disorders prior to seeking therapy. Unfortunately, I am constantly told by health care professionals that if I have anxiety, I have depression. I challenge that.
The reason I brought up CBD/Hemp oils is, I am curious if they will help the withdrawal symptoms. I experience panic and brain zaps when I have tried to come off the medications before.
Currently on:
Effexor 35.7 mg
Effexor 75 mg
Buspirone 10 mg (one a day up to three times a day)
I take it all at night.
I have been on
Celexa-lots of weight gain and no sexual desire
changed to Effexor (same issues and it made me so tired)
Prozac (anxious nonstop)
back to Celexa (same issues and very nauseated)
And back to Effexor
All of these medications were taken with Buspirone. Been on that for 5 years.
I have tried Vistaril as well. It helps but makes me so mean.
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1 Reaction@merpreb Thank you for your reply, so glad there is a community that can help. Often you feel alone when going through these things. Yes, I have spoken with my doctor. She suggested the tampering method and I had not tried it, honestly because I felt scared of having brain zaps. I do know that this may happen and it won't last forever. My husband and I would like to get pregnant within the next year so she suggested Celexa as a safer drug for pregnancy. I was on an antidepressant with my first pregnancy and gave birth prematurely. I just feel like I do know what the right decision to make here is. Should I tamper or move to Celexa and tamper from that? What will cause the least amount of withdrawal symptoms? I know everyone's body is different and there's no way to fully answer these questions. I am here to gain more insight so I can make the best decision.
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1 ReactionAccording to the Pharmacy I see, he told me that the drug your taking will be in your system for a bit and will give other med time to kick in, from my understanding
@lindeyt01
That's the problem with these doctors, no one tells you about the withdrawal!
@grandmar Thank you so much for your support. I had a similar incident where my psychiatric nurse suddenly left the practice when I was in mid-crisis. The only thing the practice could tell me was to find a new clinic (which I had to have a referral to). It was so disheartening. Congratulations on lowering your dosage!!!! I recently reviewed my medical records to get a clear idea of all my medication changes. When I first switched to Efferox I was told to continue to take Celexa at 10mgs and the Efferox at 37.5. I do not recall having as many side effects that time as I have had now. I think this is because I had not been on Celexa very long and both were low dosages. I am definitely not going cold turkey and switch back to Celexa this time around (like my PCP suggests). I am going to follow up with my doctor about a tampering method.
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2 Reactions@grandmar Exactly! I have had 3 new doctors in the last few years due to moving which has not been easy trying to manage all this.
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1 Reaction@debz64 @pankaj it does not have a long shelf life within your body, that's why I experience the withdrawal effects within no time if I am late on taking the medication.
@gingerw Thank you for the link. I am hoping that if I do have any withdrawals, CBD will help.
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