I was on 225mg at one point. I'm now on 37.5 I was told to take it daily then switch to every other day. I didn't take one last night and today I have felt so Ill with all that you have described. Going to try cutting them in half then even quarters if I have too. Im fed up of this hold it has on me but I have to get off them as otherwise I never will.... Thank u for allowing me not to feel alone in this.
To those affected negatively by the drug please look up petitiononline effexor signatures to help get this drug off the market! :) I'm unable to post full website address to comments.
Oh wow. I was on 800+ mg a day for 2 and a half years. Yes not a typo, 800+ as well as 60mg of Ritalin. The psychiatrist then wanted to add lithium to the mix as the Effexor didn't seem to be doing the trick. It was then I decided it was time to come off the Effexor, we hadn't noticed a change in my anxiety/depression while on it so I wanted to see what it was like without it.
I, under the supervision of my GP began tapering off at the rate of 37.5 from the evening dose back in September.
i went cold turkey off the 250mg effexor. i literally thought i was dreaming for nearly 2 months straight and couldn't snap out of it. and i had vertigo sooo bad! i couldn't hardly fuction at all and could barely even drive. my anxiety was multiple times worse for a very long time. i am now getting to where i can almost say i feel completely normal. i just decided to force myself into very uncomfortable scenarios repeatedly and force my brain to deal with it. you build tolerance. works!
@JEEFASAUNAARIZONA Yah it's been torture getting off of them. I just went down to 37.5 today.. so in a 3 days I will go down to 0 and be Effexor free.. finally! It's been such a struggle I can barely believe I made it out alive!
I was on Effexor xr, 250 mg/day. I'm currently going off it, in the hospital, under the care of a doctor. My shaking got so bad that I was in a wheelchair for 2 days. It has been hell, but I'm down to 75 mg a day, it is getting better. PLEASE to anyone who is considering stopping their meds without a doctor's supervision, DO NOT DO IT! You will want to kill yourself, please don't risk it.
Hi Paula from Oz.. my doctor didnt say a word about the effects of withdrawal... im on 150mg stepped down for the last 2 days down 1/4.. going to do that for the next 14 days then step down again.. its gonna suck.
i got off it after being on it for 3 years by tapering off it but after a year i did something stupid and quit my risperdal cold turkey and experienced severe anxiety, so i the doctor put me back on a double dose (150mg) of efexor xr and i have been on that since '07 and i just realised i have been really doped up in the head since then, so i had my antidepressant changed to 50mg of desvenalflaxine yesterday. I hope i can get of the new one eventually.
i've been on effexor for 13 years. my entire adult life. after trying multiple times, i'm finally getting off of it. today's the first day. i hate it, i hate the doctor that prescribed it to me, and i hate the hold it's had on me for the past 13 years. can't wait to be free!!
oh and ps - i was a heroin addict for a few years and yes, effexor is much much worse to kick then heroin.
I am going to withdrawal from Effexor with the help from my (NEW) Doctor! Thank you so much for your information on this Hellish Nightmare! Thanks Again!
My experience. Put on effexor due to very very bad anxiety and mood issues. Whilst Drs say it takes weeks to take effect, for me I felt marvellous the very nexy day after one pill. It changed my life around over night. No more panic attacks whilst just at a supermarkey checkout etc. BUT, the effect fr me did not last and I now have continued to have mood and anxiety problems for the last TEN years. I CAN NOT get off this drug. Take only 37.5 mg per day, but god if you miss one pill you know.
@Higgins9329 I an NO doctor, but have been on effexor for 12 years at a very low dose. Absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to get off. I have tried many times. Worst nightmare you can imagine. My advice..........get off it before you are hooked. Obviously, you were put on it for a reason. Go back to your doctor and ask for an alternative, or you might end up on it forever. No bullshit. Its high does not last long. Keep well away from effexor, ther are other drugs/therapies.
The effexor withdrawl really does suck, I'm on 300mg and I went 4 days without effexor and all you say is soooo true and experienced all you talked about. If you want off then you taper off properly. Don't be stupid and quit cold turkey.
It really is the worse pain in my life. These headaches and withdrawals are taking over my life. And without health insurance!!! I am so mad my doctor put me on such intense meds. Ugh...
I got off Effexor after using it for about two years. I was sick of psychiatrists so I weened myself off. It took me about 6 months to get myself to the point where I was only taking a few grains per pill. When I finally stopped taking it completely, the withdrawal symptoms still lasted for about 2-3 weeks. I made it though. I haven't had a single dose in over a year. I finally feel like a full person again. The withdrawal symptoms you described were exactly what I experienced. The drug is evil
Oh yes. I found one web page which suggested a remedy to help symptoms. The most important step was to give your doctor a smack in the head for not warning you.
My feelings - I don't wish them on anyone. I'm sorry you've been feeling them too. My doc decided to try a new drug. But he's putting me through Effexor withdrawal. Even under his direction I'm facing these so-called "brain shivers". I've been taking the supposed maximum of 375 mg/day. He's whittled me down to currently 75 mg and the effects are horrible! But now that I have a name for it, I hope he can help me. But now it's 4am and I had no sleep.
@kathyale123 It's not only you. Oh god it's not only you. I'm in tears. The emotional effects of depression are extreme. The physical effects of these so-called "brain shivers" that weaning introduced me to are terrible. We're a mess.
I take 375 mg of Effexor XR and have been for ten years. I turn 31 in a few weeks. I take 62.5 mg of Paxil CR in the AM and 40 mg of instead release paroxetine. I desperately miss my libido.
@shocker147 I had the doctor sneak me some Viagra samples at one time. They work. Trust me. But.... he's been decreasing my Effexor preparing to switch me to Parnate (MAO Inhibitor). I never dreamed withdrawal symptoms would hit me like a ton of bricks.
I did 75 mg. daily of Effexor XR for several years. I couldn't handle any higher dose. But the 75 mg. didn't do a damned thing for me. When I was down to my last 10 capsules, I started taking them every second day till I ran out. No withdrawl symptoms or anxiety. My dad quit smoking cold turkey after 30 years and didn't twitch an eye lid doing it. We are all unique as far as our neurotransmitters are concerned. But working with your doctor is still the best advice.
OMG getting off Effexor was horrible! I had brain zaps in my brain for a good six months after I stopped taking that stuff. Every time I moved my eyeballs I could hear/feel zapping in my brain. I also went on a spur of the moment road trip one time and forgot to take my Effexor...OH GOD. It was horrible, I ended up having to go back home because I couldn't "score" any Effexor where I was at.
i took Effexor XR felt great right after, was able to fall asleep and then woke up @ 1 am voilently vomiting for 4 hours. Its been about 48 hours and finally feeling less nausea. Never took another pill~dont plan on it
@kingoftroy05 LOL 37½mg? Sheesh. Seriously though. That was my starting dose. It goes up from there. In Canada a recommended maximum is ten times that which is what I was taking for years. Until recently. Then he had me me reduce it bit by bit every few days. I have to be off it totally before I can start a different drug. Nobody told me it would be this difficult. Take care of yourself. Take care everybody. This is one lesson I didn't want to learn.
I've had the same experience as you and that was even when I was wining off of it with a doctors super vision. I couldn't take the withdrawal even though I was going from 75 to 50 to 30. I get vivid discomforting dreams and wake up feeling like a sack of potatoes not wanting to move. It makes you feel so sick and the electric shocks I call them "Brain shivers" are the worst. They hit you hard getting more frequent the more the withdrawal sets in.
@singerstar9000 Gosh I HATE those brain shivers. They are terrible! :( I'm currently coming off of Venlaflaxine (Effexor). I knew this was a dangerous drug after I ran out of pills on chritsmas morning. I had to go to the hospital because I was hysterical crying, shaking like crazy, sweating, suicidal, and getting severe brain shivers.
I'm relieved to know other people had experienced the same withdrawal symptoms as I did. I hope all is going well for you now!!!
i stopped taking effexor with a doctors assistance. it was a horrible experience. i was like a junkie withdrawing from heroin. i had cold sweats, vomiting, diarhea, paranoia, hallucinations, incredible body pain. it took me two months until i felt stable again.
I came off 4mgs of clonazepam cold turkey, horrible mistake i am at 7 months off now and it is just now finally starting to let up. 7 months of complete hell nightmare i just hope i don't end up with PTSD after all that.
It has taken me months to slowly titrate off Effexor. For the last two months i am only taking less than 5 mg a day. I am trying to take it every other day! The nighmares are horrid! The "Brain zaps" are so bad. (I was on 100mg daily and have slowly titrated down) This is a horrible drug that should not be prescribed and the FDA should ban this drug.
@brandouglass OH I TOTALLY AGREE! This crap should be taken off the market! The withdrawls are worse than having the depression. I've been trying since last summer and now am on NOTHING! I still get the brain stuff going on. It's more of an adrenal rush than anything going on in the brain. Even when I just move my head slightly. I HATE THIS FEELING!!! IT SUCKS!
i always have 'murder dreams' when my dose is forgotten. They are so vivid..i wake up thinking i have actually killed someone and thinking the police are on their way to gt me.
Thanks so much for your helpful & hopeful video. I felt like I was all alone with this horrible dilemma. I've tried to quit 3 times in 3 yrs. Been on 300 mg. of this poison 6 years. Used to be a successful entrepreneur,a Go-Getter my whole life. I'm now just a shadow of my former self. ALL of my motivation is gone.. I can't bring myself to attend to my business no matter how hard I try. Made 6 figures/yr. for 20 yrs. Now I'm broke. All my hopes & dreams for the future, gone...
I am not sure if it's as bad as Effexor, or Paxil... but I had a similar experience with a cold-turkey cessation from Cymbalta.... So many of the symptoms were the same as she describes here.. And to the same result.. after 4 or 5 days.. I just had to have a dose... And that 4 or 5 days of agony.. led me to stay on the Cymbalta for another 2 years... Even the idea of tapering scares me.. But I agree that the Dr, needs to be involved.. and tapering is really the only humane way to come off!!
effexor is fucked. i tried it recreationally and had some fucking scary auditory hallucinations and a friend of mine tried it and said when he closed his eyes he would see people getting killed
Don't doubt this lady - I had the same issue and was one of those people who had to take my pills apart & cutting out 2 more dots each day! Took 6 MONTHS. Normal ways didn't work - I'd throw up with absolutely no notice - all over my suits, car, pets, etc. - repeatedly! Also, WATCH FOR SIDE EFFECTS! I cried and other things I'd never done. Docs are busy and might miss side effects so read up and teach your doc about what you are going through! You might be saving someone else from hell!
I'm on my 4th day of quiting cold turkey. Even though I'm not going thru as bad of withdrawals as otiamaria these brain pulses are a real pain in the arse.
When i was first prescribed this drug i was told it wasn't addictive. A drug that gives you really bad withdrawal symptoms after not taking it for less than a day, not addictive? Effexor never helped my depression just made me lazy and i have gained weight.
Thanks for the video. I weaned myself off effexor over the course of 3 weeks and matters just became worse for me with time. After 3 months of being drug free, I decided to go back on it since my life was at stake.
holy crap! i thought you were at least in your young 20's in this video. then I visited your channel and saw your real age! is this some kinda joke? you look so much younger than you say, wow!
How long must you be on Venlafaxine (minimum number of weeks/months of daily regimen) in order to experience withdrawsl symptoms if you happen to decide to quit Cold Turkey? Just a question.
I used to be on Prozac and then my doctor suggested I try Effexor to get into another class of anti-ds. I will never ever take that crap again! the side effects and the brain zaps were horrible. Prozac has a much longer half life, less side effects and easier to tolerate.
If you want to stop taking Effexor cold turkey but still need anti-depressants, start taking the same dosage of Zoloft at the same time you stop Effexor. The transition isn't too bad.
@ThatBrazilianDude1 actually quite common withdrawal symptom from SNRIs and SSRIs generally. Less noticeable with other andi-ds, however, due to longer half-life than effexor. Extremely annoying (and scary when you don't know what it is) but harmless - although probably best not to drive if really severe!! The more gradually you wean yourself off, the less noticeable it is.
I was at 150mg / day. For 3 months. Dropped to 75mg/day . Dropped to 32mg / day a year later. Dropped to 12mg/ day, dropped to 12 mg every other day. Dropped to 12 mg a week shortly after.
I understand your pain but fear-rmongering like this is EXACTLY what the big Pharma-companies want in order to keep you on drugs. Effexor DOES NOT CREATE BIRTH DEFECTS there are NO STUDIES SUPPORTING THIS. Please do your research before posting crap like this.
I never had anxiety before but since stopping Effexor, tapering off over three months, I have terrible shakes and panic attacks. Has anyone else had this happen?
Thanks for the heads up it was prescribed to me yesterday but being as leary as i am of doctors did the research...think i'll stick to my remedy and smoke a joint or 2 on bad days cheaper and no side effects.
@papajack57 good for you. your body/brain will be all the better for it. it's scary how they throw meds like effexor at people these days. they prescribe ssri's for damn near everything now. those pharmaceutical reps have the docs convinced that it's good for children too. it will be tomorrow's big 'what the hell were we thinking?' besides potentially modulating your serotonin sites permanently, effexor is hard on the liver. yet they continue to prescribe them more than they ever have.
I would recommend a short period (1-2 months) on gabapentin after departing from effexor, it stamps out many of the bad withdrawal effects and tends to stabilise the person.
Haven't had my dose in a few days now but I'm taking some old welbutrin and zoloft that's in my house. It makes it not so bad at all. I've experienced withdrawal from effexor before and it really does suck. I've gone through opiate detox more times than I'd care to remember and I think effexor w/d is right up there in terms of suffering.
anyway after a couple of weeks on that i decided to stop completely. It was horrible, i was hallucinating and i was really paranoid. I could hear people calling my name and i could see shadows in the corner of my eye....man i was freaked out. So my advice is dont take any of that crap it messes with your mind. In my opinion your anxious and depressed for a reason, you just have to figure that out.
i was on the same dose(150 mg) and i went to the doctor 3 times telling him i didnt want to take it anymore and instead of helping me he tried to increase my dose. So i decided to take one 75 mg tablet a day for a week or so, then i started pouring out half of it to try get it to 37.5 mg. I wouldnt have had to do that only for the stupid doctor......
NEVER ever stop cold turkey, ween off. I would never wish the Effexor withdrawals on anyone. Everyone is different, some people need meds, others don't. Effexor happens to work for me, but it works the best with healthy diet, exercise, and positive thinking. You can't think a pill is going to do all the work.
I had Hypothroidism which caused my hormones to go crazy! I am currently in the process of having gastric bypass surgery, but effexor should not be the first med anyone, mostly a teen, should be put on! Take care and I will keep you in my prayers Hugs :-]
When I finally sought my doctor about my clinical depression and my anxiety problems, the first thing he put me on was effexor and I was 17! I was diagnoised with clinical/major depression and General Anxiety Disorder. I have tried about 4 different types of medications and now I am feeling so much better with zoloft and seoquel. It wasn't easy and I still have my ups and downs, but I am 89% back to my normal self.
Once upon a time I visited King Effexor of the Elves and they made the colors bright and flowers smell sweet, and Italian food tasted so good! My little red Wyeth elves made everything sparkle, work was fun, time went by so fast, and music sounded wicked cool! But then one day I grew tired of EffexorLand for fear of being on meds forever. Then... ZAP! ZZZAAAAPPP! ZZZAPP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! Brain zaps! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
also want to add... for anyone who didn't know about the withdrawals and how hard it would be to get off... why aren't you researching drugs before taking them??? be responsible for your own body and choices. it shouldn't be the dr, pharmacy, or drug companies responsibility to pound every fact and detail about the drug into your head. if you get a prescription make google your best friend before paying to get it filled!
@pinkshamrock18 suicidal people may not be in the right mind to research drugs, may not have access to internet etc. and society tells us to trust our drs
LMAO i laughed really hard at 3:09 i'm currently getting off effexor it worked great at first but i relapsed pretty bad so i'm gonna go on a different med. i went from 225mg to 37.5mg within 2 days and i was perfectly fine. trying to get off the 37.5mg is hell. i get all the same symptoms you describe and you are right... the cure is to go back on the effexor lol every 3 days i crack and take 37.5mg. in a way i don't mind the withdrawals because i knew about them before starting the med...
@pinkshamrock18 ...and i have issues with taking medicine consistently so this helped me take it everyday because if i forgot to take a dose my body raised hell and reminded me. i have court on monday and i'm not sure how i'm gonna go in there with brain zaps every 30 seconds not being able to function.
i was on efexor xr 150 mg for 2 1/2 years. hated needing it so i got off it for 4 yrs. currently taking venlafaxine. had 2 get back on it didnt feel normal for 4 years. went to the E.R. with an anxiety attack, so i gave back in.... this drug is worse then herroione. never did that but i can understand where junkies stand. its like a legal drug 4 me.... how much will u pay to feel normal? i have no ins. so its so expensive and ur rite wen its time 2 take it and u 4get u freak out
Medicinal herb helped me through the withdraw, The wd made me jump up from my bed into my ceiling fan causing me to rip my arm open during a nitemare. I had several seizers, panic attacks that scared the SHIT out of me, YES the shock feeling. YES nitemares, I did it, it sucked, and i think through the withdraws i even complimented Hitler. WTF? Hitler? Never ever will i take a ssri again, only ONE natural Antidepressant in the world works, the one that god, or evo created. Pot,
We are introduced to these drugs to help us feel better, right? All of us are adverse to suffering. Problem is, once we are in the grips of the drug and are trying to escape, we have to pass through suffering. A gradual step down will be far more tolerable than sudden secession, but it will still be suffering. That said, the body knows how to heal, the mind knows how to heal. To anyone struggling to get free of a drug, hold your course, don't give up. You will get better.
If you are suffering from severe depression which is stopping your life then I would recommend Effexor. It does work.
HOWEVER, I would only recommend it as a last resort because at some point you will want to get off it and basically you are looking at losing 6 months of your life like me. I started withdrawl in December 2009 and only now am I finally off it. January, February and March 2010 were just a blurr and April, May and June 2010 were seriously depressing. I only feel human now.
wow i knew i couldnt be hungover for five days, thanks i just took a 150 effexor(my normal dose) at this point i just dont want the withdrawal effects anymore. We'll see if it makes me feel better. Hope all is well, peace
I've been on this drug for about 8 yrs now - my issue is anxiety, YIKES! I have had some strange "stuff" happen to me within the past 6 months - especially a tingeling sensation where I scratch and then hives kick in! I then take a antihistamine and all works well. But for how long this will work I only wonder....
you might have just saved my life. I have minor anxiety (i really don't even think i should label it as a disorder/ i would NEVER consider any form of harming myself) and i just saw a psychiatrist for the first time ever. i realize i really dont even need it especially with all these youtube videos about withdrawal symptoms (HELL) and the birth defect possibility is turning me off severely.
Thank you for your suggestions. Watching your video really calm me down. My effexors run out in the middle of this week and dont have money to buy it until the next Wednesday (3 days from now) when Ill receive my salary. Right now I feel awful with the withdrawal symptoms. To hear (and watch) someone else talking about the effexor issues it really helps. :o) Take care.
@GarrettBMXes - beware, seriously. I'm not one to give medical advice of course, but just know ahead of time how bad this stuff can be. I call it brain damage. I can't think of any other way to describe a drug that can cause months upon months of withdrawal. The brain is not the same, my brain has been changed - no denying it. Some may say "follow doctors orders", but I've gotten past that mentality. It does work, and it works well *for a while*. Then it's just a maintenance dose tough.
@GarrettBMXes Don't let stories decide. You can find horror stories about every single drug. People think they know more that psychiatrists who studied for years. Of course some people experience bad things, but that has often other reasons too. Everyone is different. Effexor saved my life and I'm happy I didn't get scared by the (relatively) few unlucky people. Try to choose yourself. Of course, if you can live without it, do so. But if you can't, this might give you your life back. Good luck!!
Amen maria! I'm experiencing Effexor withdrawals right now. I feel like I did the moment before I had a grand mal seizure due to xanax and alcohol withdrawals. Wyeth is making a helluva lot of money off of us! Time to swallow a couple more granules : (
try premature ejaculation from going off effexor. I mean like ejaculating instantly after erection. I went off effexor with the help of my psychiatrist. I'm not 100% sure it was the effexor that caused the PE but it started happening around the time I went off it. It has been months living with PE but I think it's finally going away. For all those guys out there whos lives have been destroyed by PE, just hang in there. Shit advice but that's all I can say. Peace.
@leetbarker Please don't let these stories scare you! It's a great drug which helped me like nothing else. And it's NOT a pain to get off from as long as you do it the right way and don't play psychiatrist yourself. Be careful with your body!
@romina1986 lol, well thanks for the encouragement, ive now been on this for two months and I noticed some improvement, and I haven't really had any serious or noticeable side effects so hopefully the withdrawal process wont be too difficult
WHY would you ever even consider to stop cold turkey on serious meds?! Are you Americans really that dumb or what? Anti-depressants aren't candy, people! Come on! You can come off Effexor really easy, promise. And yes, i speak from experience. Contact your psychiatrist and slowly go down by a schedule. No pain, at all. Just freakin use your brain!
@romina1986 - No we "Americans" (whatever that means) aren't that stupid. During life for some there comes a time when they simply cannot afford to fork out $200-$300 USD cash every month for pills or even talk to a psychiatrist at $120 USD per session, then proceed to pay the same price for lower dosages only to find that withdrawal occurs anyway. For someone so quick to insult Americans, you seem to have a rosy view of US based Wyeth/Pfizer. Come back and revisit your comments at age 35.
@v00ok I didn't mean to offend anyone, I'm just worried about how irresponsable and ignorant a lot of people act towards AD's. And I feel seriously sorry for you guys that the US health system is so bad. Darn, I thought the US was as developed as Europe. So you're already unlucky being depressed and on top of that you have to pay that much?! Sucky..
All I want to say is that I know a lot of people incl myself who got off Effexor without withdrawal. It's all about the way you do it :) Good luck!
Good vid. Good advice. I was one of the ppl that broke the capsules open and counted the little beads and slowly cut back. I is a helpful medication for depression or anxiety but it is really hard to get off.
I'm coming off the shit since yesterday but had myself down to 1/3rd of a 75mg prolonged release i.e. 25mg. This effexor stuff is exactly why pharmacuetical companies and prescribers can NOT be trusted, If I can stay off this shit I'd rather die (not joking) than go back on it. Here's the worst thing; if you tell your doctor that coming off it is freaking you out he/she'll say (or at least think) Your symptoms are coming back because you stopped taking my magic pills you stupid civilian.
Anti depressants were big pharmas' jealous reaction to Pablo Escobar. Once taken your depression episodes are worse. Creating a vicious cycle of dependancy. Effexor withdrawal side effects can last for 10 years or more
I have had the same thing happen to me. It was sOoO bad! I was having what they call electrical shock sensations and heart palpitations. Not fun! I am weaned off now but it was not fun.
Thank you so much for this video! I just stopped cold turkey 4 days ago accidentally--I've had the flu and forgot to take it--and have felt like I was dying. I just took a dose about 3 hours ago and feel like a new person. I called my doctor today to work out weaning myself off of it. This was an eye opening and terrifying experience. I wish I had been forewarned about the withdrawal before I started taking it a year ago.
I went from Effexor 300 to Pristiq with none of the horrible withdrawal effects. However, Pristiq did not work for me and had to go back to Effexor. However, moving to Pristiq for awhile may be the way to go - undoubtedly it would be easier to break the Pristiq.
i don't know how it works exactly.. i've been taken Effexor XR 150 for the past 4 years and once while traveling overseas i lost it and wasn't taking it for the whole week. cold turkey. lol
anyhow, didn't have any withdrawals besides vivid nightmares sometimes... so, it isn't that bad for everyone i guess..
Just as an example of how things in our environment can affect us ..."The NY Times has a story on how the phasing out of leaded gasoline starting with the Clean Air Act in 1973 may have led to a 56% drop in violent crime in the US in the 1990s." Just Google " lead gas linked to crime" in quotes like this and you will see the story. So... what else is messing with our minds? You can see how I could come to this conclusion.
Brain shivers have almost gone - I thought totally but I'm still feeling slight weird feelings when I turn my head or move my eyes. I'm also going to see a naturopathic doctor on Monday to see additional help. Maybe along the lines of the E- book I suggested. He says about 80% of his patients are there for depression. With so many people suffering from this, I often wonder if something in our environment or food is messing us all up? Would not surprise me a bit.
@JazzCat60, I think it's a great idea to go to a naturopathic Dr. I was reading a book on naturopathy in the last few weeks and the section on Depression was an eye-opener. I didn't agree with absolutely everything they said but most of it was pretty accurate. I have downloaded the the E-book you suggested and it is very good. How are your brain shivers? Are they gone? I really DO think the environment and food are factors. I don't want these meds but it's hard. I'm on nothing but? Very hard! :)
Not sure why the link did not show up but if you Google "The way up from down" you can view this E-book online for free. It's by Dr Priscilla Slagle. It's a natural way to fight depression.
Thanks for sharing that with me. I am desperate to find a way to deal with depression without meds b/c I have tried 6 SSRIs/SNRIs and nothing works. I will
After a roller-coaster ride of trying to switch from Effexor XR to Pristiq, I gave up on Pristiq. I'm now on week two of cold turkey. Dizziness and "shocks or brain shivers' are going away , however, still very emotional, sad, weird dreams, extreme irritability. Thanks for sharing your experience. Agree, talk to your doctor before changing or reducing meds.
@JazzCat60, how are you doing after stopping the Pristiq? Is the withdrawal from Pristiq the same as Effexor? I was on Effexor XR and went through the hellish withdrawal experience which lasted for months. I hope that you are doing ok. I know it's scary!!!! You are not alone!!! Hang in there.
Not sure if you got my first reply - doing OK nausea and "Brain Shivers " have stopped. Not sure if it was Effexor or Pristiq I was getting off as I was only on P. for one month. so I think it was still the effects of Effexor hitting me hard.
I'm so glad that the nausea and brain shivers are gone. The brain shivers are the absolute worst thing and so hard to describe to people if you don't know what it feels like. My doc wanted me to start Pristiq and I said no. That's why I was wondering if you had withdrawal from it. But, the Effexor withdrawal, I know all about it. I hope you continue to do better. Thanks for your posts. Take Care :)
I was only on it for 3 months and did experience insomnia for about a month after stopping. Decided to stop taking after consulting 'Doctor Google'
I did feel great and carefree on it, but was worried about long term use.
The only other side effect I had was I thought I was Sammy Davis Junior for a couple of weeks and after telling my psycologist she said I was ridiculous then she booked me in a Las Vegas Casino. The crowd loved me!
But seriously folks, google 'effexor petition' scary stuff
@brutbernard, thanks for sharing about your insomnia and your experiences. I figure it is the fact that my body is not on any meds after so many years so I am going to just press on and not give in to taking anything else. I am going to google the effexor petition. In my humble opinion there should be a petition for all of the meds I have been on. Paxil withdrawal was pretty scary too. Thanks again for your post!!!! Time to "Google"!
Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone. Has anyone experienced severe insomnia after being taken off of SSRI meds? That is what I am dealing with right now and really bad anxiety.
Wow, these posts are incredible b/c I identify with most of them. I am off of SSRI medication for the first time in 6 years and I went through Effexor withdrawal and everything Paula describes has happened to me. My psych has since tried me on Cymbalta and Zoloft after the Effexor. I have also taken Paxil, Celexa and Wellbutrin when I was first diagnosed with depression. I have learned the hard way that there is withdrawal from all these meds but Effexor was THE WORST!!!!
No you don't need them, at all. SSRI's like effexor only makes your serotonin and norepinepherine start pumping out constantly after the drug takes over. When you stop taking the drug, the flow stops and you're practically an emotionless zombie, and won't give a fuck if you break something or someone.
My advice? fuck effexor, don't even take it in the first place. Do what your reward system in your brain is meant to do. Do nice things, get rewarded with serotonin.
@axelxrb Effexor is an SNRI NOT and SSRI. And neither of them cause any more serotonin nor norepinepherine to be pumped out anymore than normal. They simply stop the reuptake of the neurotransmitters like serotonin.
@axelxrb all with you until that last sentence which does not work for every one. When you want to die, helping an old lady across the road dont help. Sorry
@smkydwg when you want to die, SSRI's don't help either, they just make the problem seem worse when you're off the drug, they don't improve your quality of life at all. I will admit that some people WILL feel bad no matter what, but there are always different vices out there that help people through their bad times in life. Personally I smoke a few bowls and experiment with psychedelic drugs every month or so. Clears my mind as well as showing me insight to my problems.
@axelxrb Stopping SSRIs is not for everyone. Some start drinking alcohol to extreme excess with no SSRIs in there system. But, agreed, Effexor is not the first choice.
@axelxrbYou might want to rework your comment then since it is at the top of the page and gets the most reads here as it does influence people not to take SSRIs at all, when actually they do help. You said in a comment that a month ago at least you were taking some Zoloft - Welbutrin lieing around your house. I also think you might really benefit from getting on a regular regimine of Zoloft from a doctor as continuity is important. Just a respectful thought on my part. You know as much as me :)
@gregboyds actually, I've never taken a single SSRI, and I don't plan on taking any at all. I'm happy with my life and have my own vices to relieve stress, I don't need a pill to make me feel better.
@axelxrb well you obviously don't suffer from depression than. If you did, you would realize that optimism doesn't do jack for changes in brain chemistry. Dude, listen to yourself. This isn't about relieving stress. It's about dealing with a mental and chemical disorder. Not making excuses but your argument is along the lines of "I don't need to take chemotherapy to feel good." Well no s**t dick tracy, you don't have cancer.
Please! Enough of this "brain chemistry" Big Pharma Bullshit! Depression is caused by our life experiences and the way we react to them, imprinted on us by our role models growing up.. Big Pharma is the true "Great Satan" of this world. Liars! They test on African children without their parent's informed consent. Thousands of them have died or maimed over the years. Please watch the movie: "The Constant Gardener". An eye-opener! The true story of how Big Pharma & our Gov't works!
I was on Effexor for a year. The first time I forgot a dose I woke up sweating with the sensation of being suffocated. I jumped out of bed, ran down the stairs and outside. I had to get air. My thoughts weren't clear, but they were bad. It seemed as if I was going through every bad feeling i had ever experienced all at once. I remember almost clawing at my neck to be sure nothing was wrapped around my neck. I shivered and was paranoid, frightened, afraid to be alone. That happened a few times.
Useful video. I sit here with a 7 day supply of 37.5mg. I tried Effexor in year 2000, but hated it after one dose. I thought it was time to give it another try; but I am coming to the Internet, and this looks serious! Thanks very much for sharing your experience. peace - sylvester
Thank you for the video sweetie. I am going through exactly what you described, but I myself ran out of my Effexor and have no doctor , it has been 5 days and I feel an emotional wreck and almost similar to when I kicked Heroin. You are right, it is awful, thanks so much for your strength and hope. Give Coco a big kiss and give her her bows back.
Another thing ... Those getting off effexor or any other anti depressant/anxiety med should know that the reason one gets such heavy withdrawal is that it takes time for the body to adjust to the loss of the drug induced extra neurotransmitters in effexor's case serotonin, norapinephine and the all-wonderful dopamine. Effexor is probably very bad because it boosts dopamine and norapinephrine as well as the serotonin. If you can give up effexor you can do anything in life!
Paula you are so beautiful. I'm on 37.5mg effexor now but need to get off it as I know it is probably the reason why my life has sttod still since starting it 7 years ago. I have lost a dream job and my family possibly because of it. I have tried to quit effexor before unsucessfully. I would rather die than let this drug rule my life any longer. Take care Paula and thanks for your understanding. Jerry, Norway
I've been off this med for about 3 months BUT, my doc now wants me to try Pristiq. I did some research and it is almost identical to Effexor!!!!! The generic name is "desvenlafaxine" and Effexor's generic name is "venlafaxine". I'm refusing to take it. I'm TERRIFIED of Effexor or anything like it. Does anyone else know about Pristiq or is on this med? I am currently not on anything and have NO IDEA what is next. What a nightmare!!!
@wis7dom - Yes, Pristiq is basically a drug that extends the patent on venlafaxine. If you are terrified of Effexor, simply refuse to take it. There are lots of other options.
I am trying to go off of the effexor....want to die. Had to start taking it again because I couldn't take the withdrawal symptoms anymore. This stuff should be banned. It's completely WRONG
I was on 225mg at one point. I'm now on 37.5 I was told to take it daily then switch to every other day. I didn't take one last night and today I have felt so Ill with all that you have described. Going to try cutting them in half then even quarters if I have too. Im fed up of this hold it has on me but I have to get off them as otherwise I never will.... Thank u for allowing me not to feel alone in this.
Debbie xxx
debukf 3 weeks ago
Called venlafaxine in uk, i been on this drug a month at 75mg a day, i may ask my doc to let me come off it. Thanks for the vid.
mickmick1972 3 weeks ago
I was on Effexor once and I lost so much weight. It made me feel Hyper. Helped me concentrate though. I was very jittery.
AngeliaClaire 3 weeks ago
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To those affected negatively by the drug please look up petitiononline effexor signatures to help get this drug off the market! :) I'm unable to post full website address to comments.
jlzc2011 2 months ago
Oh wow. I was on 800+ mg a day for 2 and a half years. Yes not a typo, 800+ as well as 60mg of Ritalin. The psychiatrist then wanted to add lithium to the mix as the Effexor didn't seem to be doing the trick. It was then I decided it was time to come off the Effexor, we hadn't noticed a change in my anxiety/depression while on it so I wanted to see what it was like without it.
I, under the supervision of my GP began tapering off at the rate of 37.5 from the evening dose back in September.
Eve
heythatsmelanii 2 months ago
i went cold turkey off the 250mg effexor. i literally thought i was dreaming for nearly 2 months straight and couldn't snap out of it. and i had vertigo sooo bad! i couldn't hardly fuction at all and could barely even drive. my anxiety was multiple times worse for a very long time. i am now getting to where i can almost say i feel completely normal. i just decided to force myself into very uncomfortable scenarios repeatedly and force my brain to deal with it. you build tolerance. works!
Fitzee3 3 months ago
@JEEFASAUNAARIZONA Yah it's been torture getting off of them. I just went down to 37.5 today.. so in a 3 days I will go down to 0 and be Effexor free.. finally! It's been such a struggle I can barely believe I made it out alive!
everythingbabynames 3 months ago
I missed three days and I am FREAKING OUT!
Zikomo7 3 months ago
I was on Effexor xr, 250 mg/day. I'm currently going off it, in the hospital, under the care of a doctor. My shaking got so bad that I was in a wheelchair for 2 days. It has been hell, but I'm down to 75 mg a day, it is getting better. PLEASE to anyone who is considering stopping their meds without a doctor's supervision, DO NOT DO IT! You will want to kill yourself, please don't risk it.
everythingbabynames 3 months ago
Hi Paula from Oz.. my doctor didnt say a word about the effects of withdrawal... im on 150mg stepped down for the last 2 days down 1/4.. going to do that for the next 14 days then step down again.. its gonna suck.
20bcosmo 4 months ago
Are you single?
thatoriginalguy 4 months ago
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i got off it after being on it for 3 years by tapering off it but after a year i did something stupid and quit my risperdal cold turkey and experienced severe anxiety, so i the doctor put me back on a double dose (150mg) of efexor xr and i have been on that since '07 and i just realised i have been really doped up in the head since then, so i had my antidepressant changed to 50mg of desvenalflaxine yesterday. I hope i can get of the new one eventually.
VictorySpeech 5 months ago
I'm slowly got off of it, taking over a month to get down to taking none, and I'm still having these terrible withdrawal D:
neoko224 6 months ago
i've been on effexor for 13 years. my entire adult life. after trying multiple times, i'm finally getting off of it. today's the first day. i hate it, i hate the doctor that prescribed it to me, and i hate the hold it's had on me for the past 13 years. can't wait to be free!!
oh and ps - i was a heroin addict for a few years and yes, effexor is much much worse to kick then heroin.
jennyennydot 6 months ago
Hey Paula,
I am going to withdrawal from Effexor with the help from my (NEW) Doctor! Thank you so much for your information on this Hellish Nightmare! Thanks Again!
macrent2 6 months ago
My experience. Put on effexor due to very very bad anxiety and mood issues. Whilst Drs say it takes weeks to take effect, for me I felt marvellous the very nexy day after one pill. It changed my life around over night. No more panic attacks whilst just at a supermarkey checkout etc. BUT, the effect fr me did not last and I now have continued to have mood and anxiety problems for the last TEN years. I CAN NOT get off this drug. Take only 37.5 mg per day, but god if you miss one pill you know.
mrjollypantsjolly 6 months ago
I'm just starting the drug now, 3 days. All this $#!@ is freaking me out.
Higgins9329 7 months ago
@Higgins9329 I an NO doctor, but have been on effexor for 12 years at a very low dose. Absolutely IMPOSSIBLE to get off. I have tried many times. Worst nightmare you can imagine. My advice..........get off it before you are hooked. Obviously, you were put on it for a reason. Go back to your doctor and ask for an alternative, or you might end up on it forever. No bullshit. Its high does not last long. Keep well away from effexor, ther are other drugs/therapies.
mrjollypantsjolly 6 months ago
@mrjollypantsjolly And good luck BTW!
mrjollypantsjolly 6 months ago
Wow almost as bad, as somebody kick'en H
cjhyde78 8 months ago
White Coporate AmeriKKKa buy our drugs not marijuana
ArlenNess2 8 months ago
The effexor withdrawl really does suck, I'm on 300mg and I went 4 days without effexor and all you say is soooo true and experienced all you talked about. If you want off then you taper off properly. Don't be stupid and quit cold turkey.
jamesgates12 8 months ago
It really is the worse pain in my life. These headaches and withdrawals are taking over my life. And without health insurance!!! I am so mad my doctor put me on such intense meds. Ugh...
cleanishV 8 months ago
I got off Effexor after using it for about two years. I was sick of psychiatrists so I weened myself off. It took me about 6 months to get myself to the point where I was only taking a few grains per pill. When I finally stopped taking it completely, the withdrawal symptoms still lasted for about 2-3 weeks. I made it though. I haven't had a single dose in over a year. I finally feel like a full person again. The withdrawal symptoms you described were exactly what I experienced. The drug is evil
soilentspleen 8 months ago
DO NOT GO BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A CAR WHEN COMING OFF THIS DRUG! IT'S DANGEROUS TRUST ME
SLOANEY69 9 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
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niwanthiumara 9 months ago
Electric shock feeling. Crying. Anxiety.
For starters. These are my worst symptoms.
I wish someone had told me ahead of time.
UglySean 9 months ago
Oh yes. I found one web page which suggested a remedy to help symptoms. The most important step was to give your doctor a smack in the head for not warning you.
If only I could get away with it.
UglySean 9 months ago
My feelings - I don't wish them on anyone. I'm sorry you've been feeling them too. My doc decided to try a new drug. But he's putting me through Effexor withdrawal. Even under his direction I'm facing these so-called "brain shivers". I've been taking the supposed maximum of 375 mg/day. He's whittled me down to currently 75 mg and the effects are horrible! But now that I have a name for it, I hope he can help me. But now it's 4am and I had no sleep.
UglySean 9 months ago
H thanks for the insight Its good to know its not only me.
BecuaseIi have been taking effexor for 7 months and i forgot to take it for two days
and I felt really terrible dizzy, nausea, anxiety, tired ,felt like crying all the time for no reason. I dint know what was wrong with me.
It had to be the fact that i didnt take it. Omg its terrible
kathyale123 9 months ago
@kathyale123 It's not only you. Oh god it's not only you. I'm in tears. The emotional effects of depression are extreme. The physical effects of these so-called "brain shivers" that weaning introduced me to are terrible. We're a mess.
UglySean 9 months ago
I take 375 mg of Effexor XR and have been for ten years. I turn 31 in a few weeks. I take 62.5 mg of Paxil CR in the AM and 40 mg of instead release paroxetine. I desperately miss my libido.
shocker147 9 months ago
@shocker147 I had the doctor sneak me some Viagra samples at one time. They work. Trust me. But.... he's been decreasing my Effexor preparing to switch me to Parnate (MAO Inhibitor). I never dreamed withdrawal symptoms would hit me like a ton of bricks.
UglySean 9 months ago
I did 75 mg. daily of Effexor XR for several years. I couldn't handle any higher dose. But the 75 mg. didn't do a damned thing for me. When I was down to my last 10 capsules, I started taking them every second day till I ran out. No withdrawl symptoms or anxiety. My dad quit smoking cold turkey after 30 years and didn't twitch an eye lid doing it. We are all unique as far as our neurotransmitters are concerned. But working with your doctor is still the best advice.
walgar2 9 months ago
You remind me of Robyn Lively in the movie Teen Witch.
papatoony 9 months ago
OMG getting off Effexor was horrible! I had brain zaps in my brain for a good six months after I stopped taking that stuff. Every time I moved my eyeballs I could hear/feel zapping in my brain. I also went on a spur of the moment road trip one time and forgot to take my Effexor...OH GOD. It was horrible, I ended up having to go back home because I couldn't "score" any Effexor where I was at.
papatoony 9 months ago
@papatoony NOW you tell me. It's too bad we each have had to learn in our own time. Group hug, everyone! I wish you all the best.
UglySean 9 months ago
i took Effexor XR felt great right after, was able to fall asleep and then woke up @ 1 am voilently vomiting for 4 hours. Its been about 48 hours and finally feeling less nausea. Never took another pill~dont plan on it
mom22many09 9 months ago
fuck should i take this thing? I had efexor ( 37.5mg) prescibed along with welbutrin
kingoftroy05 10 months ago
@kingoftroy05 LOL 37½mg? Sheesh. Seriously though. That was my starting dose. It goes up from there. In Canada a recommended maximum is ten times that which is what I was taking for years. Until recently. Then he had me me reduce it bit by bit every few days. I have to be off it totally before I can start a different drug. Nobody told me it would be this difficult. Take care of yourself. Take care everybody. This is one lesson I didn't want to learn.
UglySean 9 months ago
I've had the same experience as you and that was even when I was wining off of it with a doctors super vision. I couldn't take the withdrawal even though I was going from 75 to 50 to 30. I get vivid discomforting dreams and wake up feeling like a sack of potatoes not wanting to move. It makes you feel so sick and the electric shocks I call them "Brain shivers" are the worst. They hit you hard getting more frequent the more the withdrawal sets in.
singerstar9000 10 months ago
@singerstar9000 Gosh I HATE those brain shivers. They are terrible! :( I'm currently coming off of Venlaflaxine (Effexor). I knew this was a dangerous drug after I ran out of pills on chritsmas morning. I had to go to the hospital because I was hysterical crying, shaking like crazy, sweating, suicidal, and getting severe brain shivers.
I'm relieved to know other people had experienced the same withdrawal symptoms as I did. I hope all is going well for you now!!!
MissingSockk 10 months ago
i stopped taking effexor with a doctors assistance. it was a horrible experience. i was like a junkie withdrawing from heroin. i had cold sweats, vomiting, diarhea, paranoia, hallucinations, incredible body pain. it took me two months until i felt stable again.
Willow7697 10 months ago
@Willow7697 I haven't had vomiting. Yet. But I felt sick, which was when I bought the Gravol and made use of it.
Two months. Damn. But... thanks for the warning.
UglySean 9 months ago
i take that shit and i hate it o and you are sexy as fuck
roxy091988 11 months ago
So it sounds like it cost money to go on Effexor and cost more money to ween off Effexor.
MattyTheMole 11 months ago
I came off 4mgs of clonazepam cold turkey, horrible mistake i am at 7 months off now and it is just now finally starting to let up. 7 months of complete hell nightmare i just hope i don't end up with PTSD after all that.
TheVintageGamer 1 year ago
It has taken me months to slowly titrate off Effexor. For the last two months i am only taking less than 5 mg a day. I am trying to take it every other day! The nighmares are horrid! The "Brain zaps" are so bad. (I was on 100mg daily and have slowly titrated down) This is a horrible drug that should not be prescribed and the FDA should ban this drug.
brandouglass 1 year ago
@brandouglass OH I TOTALLY AGREE! This crap should be taken off the market! The withdrawls are worse than having the depression. I've been trying since last summer and now am on NOTHING! I still get the brain stuff going on. It's more of an adrenal rush than anything going on in the brain. Even when I just move my head slightly. I HATE THIS FEELING!!! IT SUCKS!
Yoda8977 1 year ago
i always have 'murder dreams' when my dose is forgotten. They are so vivid..i wake up thinking i have actually killed someone and thinking the police are on their way to gt me.
the7thwreck 1 year ago
i cudnt get my prescription refilled for like 4 days and it was hell
sam6982405 1 year ago
Thanks so much for your helpful & hopeful video. I felt like I was all alone with this horrible dilemma. I've tried to quit 3 times in 3 yrs. Been on 300 mg. of this poison 6 years. Used to be a successful entrepreneur,a Go-Getter my whole life. I'm now just a shadow of my former self. ALL of my motivation is gone.. I can't bring myself to attend to my business no matter how hard I try. Made 6 figures/yr. for 20 yrs. Now I'm broke. All my hopes & dreams for the future, gone...
shivaslingum 1 year ago
You have to quit at some point anyways, just quit and exercise alot when you get angry. I am on the withdrawal of these shitty medications.
nhlpens 1 year ago
I am not sure if it's as bad as Effexor, or Paxil... but I had a similar experience with a cold-turkey cessation from Cymbalta.... So many of the symptoms were the same as she describes here.. And to the same result.. after 4 or 5 days.. I just had to have a dose... And that 4 or 5 days of agony.. led me to stay on the Cymbalta for another 2 years... Even the idea of tapering scares me.. But I agree that the Dr, needs to be involved.. and tapering is really the only humane way to come off!!
itsstillfriday 1 year ago
effexor is fucked. i tried it recreationally and had some fucking scary auditory hallucinations and a friend of mine tried it and said when he closed his eyes he would see people getting killed
bsrulez101 1 year ago
@bsrulez101 yeah thats what i just wrote in a comment. you dream you are killing people. i wonder why its all about murder and killing?
the7thwreck 1 year ago
Don't doubt this lady - I had the same issue and was one of those people who had to take my pills apart & cutting out 2 more dots each day! Took 6 MONTHS. Normal ways didn't work - I'd throw up with absolutely no notice - all over my suits, car, pets, etc. - repeatedly! Also, WATCH FOR SIDE EFFECTS! I cried and other things I'd never done. Docs are busy and might miss side effects so read up and teach your doc about what you are going through! You might be saving someone else from hell!
101less 1 year ago
Effexor should be taken off the market
I'm on my 4th day of quiting cold turkey. Even though I'm not going thru as bad of withdrawals as otiamaria these brain pulses are a real pain in the arse.
When i was first prescribed this drug i was told it wasn't addictive. A drug that gives you really bad withdrawal symptoms after not taking it for less than a day, not addictive? Effexor never helped my depression just made me lazy and i have gained weight.
easyee79 1 year ago
Thanks for the video. I weaned myself off effexor over the course of 3 weeks and matters just became worse for me with time. After 3 months of being drug free, I decided to go back on it since my life was at stake.
progmanchad 1 year ago
holy crap! i thought you were at least in your young 20's in this video. then I visited your channel and saw your real age! is this some kinda joke? you look so much younger than you say, wow!
xMasella 1 year ago
How long must you be on Venlafaxine (minimum number of weeks/months of daily regimen) in order to experience withdrawsl symptoms if you happen to decide to quit Cold Turkey? Just a question.
ScaredCrows 1 year ago
Your descriptions are right on the nose. I had to go back on 37.5 today. Is there hope for any of us to get off of it...ever?
ALINDSEYFLOWER 1 year ago
I am having a pretty shitty time quitting weed, I hope this ends soon, also if your planning to get pregnant you should also quit cigs.
mulambo420 1 year ago
I missed a dose for two days.... I felt horrible. You're right... The only thing that helps is taking the damn pill! I want off this stuff!
hellahottie661 1 year ago
i tried to go off effexor cold turkey and i was getttin dizzy spells and feeling sick and feeling depressed it wasnt good atall
Larsamae 1 year ago
I used to be on Prozac and then my doctor suggested I try Effexor to get into another class of anti-ds. I will never ever take that crap again! the side effects and the brain zaps were horrible. Prozac has a much longer half life, less side effects and easier to tolerate.
gmccord1970 1 year ago
"THAT WAS NO MACY'S DAY PARADE IN THE PARK"
robertjohnson487 1 year ago
ALWAYS DREAM OF LOSING YOUR HAIR AND GOING BALD? GIVE EFFEXOR A TRY.
gregboyds 1 year ago 5
@gregboyds lol
mulambo420 1 year ago
If you want to stop taking Effexor cold turkey but still need anti-depressants, start taking the same dosage of Zoloft at the same time you stop Effexor. The transition isn't too bad.
gregboyds 1 year ago
@ThatBrazilianDude1 actually quite common withdrawal symptom from SNRIs and SSRIs generally. Less noticeable with other andi-ds, however, due to longer half-life than effexor. Extremely annoying (and scary when you don't know what it is) but harmless - although probably best not to drive if really severe!! The more gradually you wean yourself off, the less noticeable it is.
herwithlove100 1 year ago
This post is stupid.
I was at 150mg / day. For 3 months. Dropped to 75mg/day . Dropped to 32mg / day a year later. Dropped to 12mg/ day, dropped to 12 mg every other day. Dropped to 12 mg a week shortly after.
I understand your pain but fear-rmongering like this is EXACTLY what the big Pharma-companies want in order to keep you on drugs. Effexor DOES NOT CREATE BIRTH DEFECTS there are NO STUDIES SUPPORTING THIS. Please do your research before posting crap like this.
ksam4000 1 year ago
I never had anxiety before but since stopping Effexor, tapering off over three months, I have terrible shakes and panic attacks. Has anyone else had this happen?
hmariewv 1 year ago
Thanks for the heads up it was prescribed to me yesterday but being as leary as i am of doctors did the research...think i'll stick to my remedy and smoke a joint or 2 on bad days cheaper and no side effects.
papajack57 1 year ago 9
@papajack57 good for you. your body/brain will be all the better for it. it's scary how they throw meds like effexor at people these days. they prescribe ssri's for damn near everything now. those pharmaceutical reps have the docs convinced that it's good for children too. it will be tomorrow's big 'what the hell were we thinking?' besides potentially modulating your serotonin sites permanently, effexor is hard on the liver. yet they continue to prescribe them more than they ever have.
jstb0b 8 months ago 2
I would recommend a short period (1-2 months) on gabapentin after departing from effexor, it stamps out many of the bad withdrawal effects and tends to stabilise the person.
danielmy08 1 year ago
Haven't had my dose in a few days now but I'm taking some old welbutrin and zoloft that's in my house. It makes it not so bad at all. I've experienced withdrawal from effexor before and it really does suck. I've gone through opiate detox more times than I'd care to remember and I think effexor w/d is right up there in terms of suffering.
Krowsnose 1 year ago
I was a IV drug addict. I had a way harder time getting off XR. That was 75mg to. I was trembling for about 6 mounths.
174295 1 year ago
anyway after a couple of weeks on that i decided to stop completely. It was horrible, i was hallucinating and i was really paranoid. I could hear people calling my name and i could see shadows in the corner of my eye....man i was freaked out. So my advice is dont take any of that crap it messes with your mind. In my opinion your anxious and depressed for a reason, you just have to figure that out.
kriztofff 1 year ago
i was on the same dose(150 mg) and i went to the doctor 3 times telling him i didnt want to take it anymore and instead of helping me he tried to increase my dose. So i decided to take one 75 mg tablet a day for a week or so, then i started pouring out half of it to try get it to 37.5 mg. I wouldnt have had to do that only for the stupid doctor......
kriztofff 1 year ago
NEVER ever stop cold turkey, ween off. I would never wish the Effexor withdrawals on anyone. Everyone is different, some people need meds, others don't. Effexor happens to work for me, but it works the best with healthy diet, exercise, and positive thinking. You can't think a pill is going to do all the work.
dpalmacci 1 year ago
@dpalmacci Hi! I am agree with you. I do the same.
Oksana1985lucky 1 year ago
I had Hypothroidism which caused my hormones to go crazy! I am currently in the process of having gastric bypass surgery, but effexor should not be the first med anyone, mostly a teen, should be put on! Take care and I will keep you in my prayers Hugs :-]
Bellaella86 1 year ago
When I finally sought my doctor about my clinical depression and my anxiety problems, the first thing he put me on was effexor and I was 17! I was diagnoised with clinical/major depression and General Anxiety Disorder. I have tried about 4 different types of medications and now I am feeling so much better with zoloft and seoquel. It wasn't easy and I still have my ups and downs, but I am 89% back to my normal self.
Bellaella86 1 year ago
Once upon a time I visited King Effexor of the Elves and they made the colors bright and flowers smell sweet, and Italian food tasted so good! My little red Wyeth elves made everything sparkle, work was fun, time went by so fast, and music sounded wicked cool! But then one day I grew tired of EffexorLand for fear of being on meds forever. Then... ZAP! ZZZAAAAPPP! ZZZAPP! ZAP! ZAP! ZAP! Brain zaps! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
OnEffexor 1 year ago
OMG that electric shocks are really bad... :S
Aephqan 1 year ago
I just had a 5 hour seizure and I'm tapering!
vincettahiss 1 year ago
my anxiety started after i stopped useing coke! It helps me and i like it so stick with it:)
peterod82 1 year ago
also want to add... for anyone who didn't know about the withdrawals and how hard it would be to get off... why aren't you researching drugs before taking them??? be responsible for your own body and choices. it shouldn't be the dr, pharmacy, or drug companies responsibility to pound every fact and detail about the drug into your head. if you get a prescription make google your best friend before paying to get it filled!
pinkshamrock18 1 year ago
@pinkshamrock18 suicidal people may not be in the right mind to research drugs, may not have access to internet etc. and society tells us to trust our drs
BearRACHEL1 9 months ago
LMAO i laughed really hard at 3:09 i'm currently getting off effexor it worked great at first but i relapsed pretty bad so i'm gonna go on a different med. i went from 225mg to 37.5mg within 2 days and i was perfectly fine. trying to get off the 37.5mg is hell. i get all the same symptoms you describe and you are right... the cure is to go back on the effexor lol every 3 days i crack and take 37.5mg. in a way i don't mind the withdrawals because i knew about them before starting the med...
pinkshamrock18 1 year ago
@pinkshamrock18 ...and i have issues with taking medicine consistently so this helped me take it everyday because if i forgot to take a dose my body raised hell and reminded me. i have court on monday and i'm not sure how i'm gonna go in there with brain zaps every 30 seconds not being able to function.
pinkshamrock18 1 year ago
Effexor is the worst drug on the planet!
ihateEffexor 1 year ago
@Kathryngrl me too!
ihateEffexor 1 year ago
i was on efexor xr 150 mg for 2 1/2 years. hated needing it so i got off it for 4 yrs. currently taking venlafaxine. had 2 get back on it didnt feel normal for 4 years. went to the E.R. with an anxiety attack, so i gave back in.... this drug is worse then herroione. never did that but i can understand where junkies stand. its like a legal drug 4 me.... how much will u pay to feel normal? i have no ins. so its so expensive and ur rite wen its time 2 take it and u 4get u freak out
jeepstar9 1 year ago
Medicinal herb helped me through the withdraw, The wd made me jump up from my bed into my ceiling fan causing me to rip my arm open during a nitemare. I had several seizers, panic attacks that scared the SHIT out of me, YES the shock feeling. YES nitemares, I did it, it sucked, and i think through the withdraws i even complimented Hitler. WTF? Hitler? Never ever will i take a ssri again, only ONE natural Antidepressant in the world works, the one that god, or evo created. Pot,
smkydwg 1 year ago
We are introduced to these drugs to help us feel better, right? All of us are adverse to suffering. Problem is, once we are in the grips of the drug and are trying to escape, we have to pass through suffering. A gradual step down will be far more tolerable than sudden secession, but it will still be suffering. That said, the body knows how to heal, the mind knows how to heal. To anyone struggling to get free of a drug, hold your course, don't give up. You will get better.
ehukai26 1 year ago
If you are suffering from severe depression which is stopping your life then I would recommend Effexor. It does work.
HOWEVER, I would only recommend it as a last resort because at some point you will want to get off it and basically you are looking at losing 6 months of your life like me. I started withdrawl in December 2009 and only now am I finally off it. January, February and March 2010 were just a blurr and April, May and June 2010 were seriously depressing. I only feel human now.
Jonx1967 1 year ago
wow i knew i couldnt be hungover for five days, thanks i just took a 150 effexor(my normal dose) at this point i just dont want the withdrawal effects anymore. We'll see if it makes me feel better. Hope all is well, peace
oo0alltheway0oo 1 year ago
I've been on this drug for about 8 yrs now - my issue is anxiety, YIKES! I have had some strange "stuff" happen to me within the past 6 months - especially a tingeling sensation where I scratch and then hives kick in! I then take a antihistamine and all works well. But for how long this will work I only wonder....
rainslave 1 year ago
wow thank you for this video!!!
you might have just saved my life. I have minor anxiety (i really don't even think i should label it as a disorder/ i would NEVER consider any form of harming myself) and i just saw a psychiatrist for the first time ever. i realize i really dont even need it especially with all these youtube videos about withdrawal symptoms (HELL) and the birth defect possibility is turning me off severely.
dbsk06 1 year ago
@dbsk06 i do NOT want to be reliant on a drug for the rest of my life.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR COMMENTS ON THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS! I'm so glad i did this research.
dbsk06 1 year ago
Thank you for your suggestions. Watching your video really calm me down. My effexors run out in the middle of this week and dont have money to buy it until the next Wednesday (3 days from now) when Ill receive my salary. Right now I feel awful with the withdrawal symptoms. To hear (and watch) someone else talking about the effexor issues it really helps. :o) Take care.
titofeh 1 year ago
I was just prescribed one 150mg table every day. :\
GarrettBMXes 1 year ago
@GarrettBMXes - beware, seriously. I'm not one to give medical advice of course, but just know ahead of time how bad this stuff can be. I call it brain damage. I can't think of any other way to describe a drug that can cause months upon months of withdrawal. The brain is not the same, my brain has been changed - no denying it. Some may say "follow doctors orders", but I've gotten past that mentality. It does work, and it works well *for a while*. Then it's just a maintenance dose tough.
v00ok 1 year ago
@v00ok After watching more of these videos and hearing peoples stories I opted out of taking these drugs. Thanks for the advice.
GarrettBMXes 1 year ago
@GarrettBMXes Don't let stories decide. You can find horror stories about every single drug. People think they know more that psychiatrists who studied for years. Of course some people experience bad things, but that has often other reasons too. Everyone is different. Effexor saved my life and I'm happy I didn't get scared by the (relatively) few unlucky people. Try to choose yourself. Of course, if you can live without it, do so. But if you can't, this might give you your life back. Good luck!!
romina1986 1 year ago
Amen maria! I'm experiencing Effexor withdrawals right now. I feel like I did the moment before I had a grand mal seizure due to xanax and alcohol withdrawals. Wyeth is making a helluva lot of money off of us! Time to swallow a couple more granules : (
jstb0b 1 year ago
try premature ejaculation from going off effexor. I mean like ejaculating instantly after erection. I went off effexor with the help of my psychiatrist. I'm not 100% sure it was the effexor that caused the PE but it started happening around the time I went off it. It has been months living with PE but I think it's finally going away. For all those guys out there whos lives have been destroyed by PE, just hang in there. Shit advice but that's all I can say. Peace.
magnadoodley 1 year ago
i just started this today, i guess im fucked lol
leetbarker 1 year ago
@leetbarker Please don't let these stories scare you! It's a great drug which helped me like nothing else. And it's NOT a pain to get off from as long as you do it the right way and don't play psychiatrist yourself. Be careful with your body!
romina1986 1 year ago
@romina1986 lol, well thanks for the encouragement, ive now been on this for two months and I noticed some improvement, and I haven't really had any serious or noticeable side effects so hopefully the withdrawal process wont be too difficult
leetbarker 1 year ago
no wonder I feel my life is fucked... my GP has me on 300mgs and I'm at the end of it
DoomKitty 1 year ago
WHY would you ever even consider to stop cold turkey on serious meds?! Are you Americans really that dumb or what? Anti-depressants aren't candy, people! Come on! You can come off Effexor really easy, promise. And yes, i speak from experience. Contact your psychiatrist and slowly go down by a schedule. No pain, at all. Just freakin use your brain!
romina1986 1 year ago
@romina1986 - No we "Americans" (whatever that means) aren't that stupid. During life for some there comes a time when they simply cannot afford to fork out $200-$300 USD cash every month for pills or even talk to a psychiatrist at $120 USD per session, then proceed to pay the same price for lower dosages only to find that withdrawal occurs anyway. For someone so quick to insult Americans, you seem to have a rosy view of US based Wyeth/Pfizer. Come back and revisit your comments at age 35.
v00ok 1 year ago
@v00ok I didn't mean to offend anyone, I'm just worried about how irresponsable and ignorant a lot of people act towards AD's. And I feel seriously sorry for you guys that the US health system is so bad. Darn, I thought the US was as developed as Europe. So you're already unlucky being depressed and on top of that you have to pay that much?! Sucky..
All I want to say is that I know a lot of people incl myself who got off Effexor without withdrawal. It's all about the way you do it :) Good luck!
romina1986 1 year ago
Good vid. Good advice. I was one of the ppl that broke the capsules open and counted the little beads and slowly cut back. I is a helpful medication for depression or anxiety but it is really hard to get off.
sheepinarowboat 1 year ago
Save yourself years of psychological horror and destroyed relationships. Steer well clear of the Effexor rat poison.
The only 'advantage' from this stuff is that the withdrawal makes your depression feel like a nice fluffy walk in the park.
Soma874 1 year ago
I'm coming off the shit since yesterday but had myself down to 1/3rd of a 75mg prolonged release i.e. 25mg. This effexor stuff is exactly why pharmacuetical companies and prescribers can NOT be trusted, If I can stay off this shit I'd rather die (not joking) than go back on it. Here's the worst thing; if you tell your doctor that coming off it is freaking you out he/she'll say (or at least think) Your symptoms are coming back because you stopped taking my magic pills you stupid civilian.
Struckgold 1 year ago
Anti depressants were big pharmas' jealous reaction to Pablo Escobar. Once taken your depression episodes are worse. Creating a vicious cycle of dependancy. Effexor withdrawal side effects can last for 10 years or more
alcoholic714 1 year ago
I have had the same thing happen to me. It was sOoO bad! I was having what they call electrical shock sensations and heart palpitations. Not fun! I am weaned off now but it was not fun.
6915850 1 year ago
Thank you so much for this video! I just stopped cold turkey 4 days ago accidentally--I've had the flu and forgot to take it--and have felt like I was dying. I just took a dose about 3 hours ago and feel like a new person. I called my doctor today to work out weaning myself off of it. This was an eye opening and terrifying experience. I wish I had been forewarned about the withdrawal before I started taking it a year ago.
annecc 1 year ago
i hope you feel better soon
bensilvana 1 year ago
Not for nothing guy, but this was taped almost a year and a half ago. I dont think she is still withdrawing. I mean come on!
bigbriliny 1 year ago
@bigbriliny fair enough
bensilvana 1 year ago
I went from Effexor 300 to Pristiq with none of the horrible withdrawal effects. However, Pristiq did not work for me and had to go back to Effexor. However, moving to Pristiq for awhile may be the way to go - undoubtedly it would be easier to break the Pristiq.
effexor225 1 year ago
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Sythierius 1 year ago
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Sythierius 1 year ago
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Sythierius 1 year ago
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Sythierius 1 year ago
i don't know how it works exactly.. i've been taken Effexor XR 150 for the past 4 years and once while traveling overseas i lost it and wasn't taking it for the whole week. cold turkey. lol
anyhow, didn't have any withdrawals besides vivid nightmares sometimes... so, it isn't that bad for everyone i guess..
ayilatan 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Just as an example of how things in our environment can affect us ..."The NY Times has a story on how the phasing out of leaded gasoline starting with the Clean Air Act in 1973 may have led to a 56% drop in violent crime in the US in the 1990s." Just Google " lead gas linked to crime" in quotes like this and you will see the story. So... what else is messing with our minds? You can see how I could come to this conclusion.
JazzCat60 1 year ago
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JazzCat60 1 year ago
Brain shivers have almost gone - I thought totally but I'm still feeling slight weird feelings when I turn my head or move my eyes. I'm also going to see a naturopathic doctor on Monday to see additional help. Maybe along the lines of the E- book I suggested. He says about 80% of his patients are there for depression. With so many people suffering from this, I often wonder if something in our environment or food is messing us all up? Would not surprise me a bit.
JazzCat60 1 year ago
@JazzCat60, I think it's a great idea to go to a naturopathic Dr. I was reading a book on naturopathy in the last few weeks and the section on Depression was an eye-opener. I didn't agree with absolutely everything they said but most of it was pretty accurate. I have downloaded the the E-book you suggested and it is very good. How are your brain shivers? Are they gone? I really DO think the environment and food are factors. I don't want these meds but it's hard. I'm on nothing but? Very hard! :)
grateful2beable 1 year ago
Not sure why the link did not show up but if you Google "The way up from down" you can view this E-book online for free. It's by Dr Priscilla Slagle. It's a natural way to fight depression.
JazzCat60 1 year ago
Thanks for sharing that with me. I am desperate to find a way to deal with depression without meds b/c I have tried 6 SSRIs/SNRIs and nothing works. I will
have a look for sure!
grateful2beable 1 year ago
After a roller-coaster ride of trying to switch from Effexor XR to Pristiq, I gave up on Pristiq. I'm now on week two of cold turkey. Dizziness and "shocks or brain shivers' are going away , however, still very emotional, sad, weird dreams, extreme irritability. Thanks for sharing your experience. Agree, talk to your doctor before changing or reducing meds.
JazzCat60 1 year ago
@JazzCat60, how are you doing after stopping the Pristiq? Is the withdrawal from Pristiq the same as Effexor? I was on Effexor XR and went through the hellish withdrawal experience which lasted for months. I hope that you are doing ok. I know it's scary!!!! You are not alone!!! Hang in there.
grateful2beable 1 year ago
Not sure if you got my first reply - doing OK nausea and "Brain Shivers " have stopped. Not sure if it was Effexor or Pristiq I was getting off as I was only on P. for one month. so I think it was still the effects of Effexor hitting me hard.
JazzCat60 1 year ago
I'm so glad that the nausea and brain shivers are gone. The brain shivers are the absolute worst thing and so hard to describe to people if you don't know what it feels like. My doc wanted me to start Pristiq and I said no. That's why I was wondering if you had withdrawal from it. But, the Effexor withdrawal, I know all about it. I hope you continue to do better. Thanks for your posts. Take Care :)
grateful2beable 1 year ago
I was only on it for 3 months and did experience insomnia for about a month after stopping. Decided to stop taking after consulting 'Doctor Google'
I did feel great and carefree on it, but was worried about long term use.
The only other side effect I had was I thought I was Sammy Davis Junior for a couple of weeks and after telling my psycologist she said I was ridiculous then she booked me in a Las Vegas Casino. The crowd loved me!
But seriously folks, google 'effexor petition' scary stuff
brutbernard 1 year ago
@brutbernard, thanks for sharing about your insomnia and your experiences. I figure it is the fact that my body is not on any meds after so many years so I am going to just press on and not give in to taking anything else. I am going to google the effexor petition. In my humble opinion there should be a petition for all of the meds I have been on. Paxil withdrawal was pretty scary too. Thanks again for your post!!!! Time to "Google"!
grateful2beable 1 year ago
Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone. Has anyone experienced severe insomnia after being taken off of SSRI meds? That is what I am dealing with right now and really bad anxiety.
grateful2beable 1 year ago 3
Wow, these posts are incredible b/c I identify with most of them. I am off of SSRI medication for the first time in 6 years and I went through Effexor withdrawal and everything Paula describes has happened to me. My psych has since tried me on Cymbalta and Zoloft after the Effexor. I have also taken Paxil, Celexa and Wellbutrin when I was first diagnosed with depression. I have learned the hard way that there is withdrawal from all these meds but Effexor was THE WORST!!!!
grateful2beable 1 year ago
No you don't need them, at all. SSRI's like effexor only makes your serotonin and norepinepherine start pumping out constantly after the drug takes over. When you stop taking the drug, the flow stops and you're practically an emotionless zombie, and won't give a fuck if you break something or someone.
My advice? fuck effexor, don't even take it in the first place. Do what your reward system in your brain is meant to do. Do nice things, get rewarded with serotonin.
Simple, stop using SSRI's
axelxrb 1 year ago
@axelxrb Effexor isn't an SSRI.
ModularNick 1 year ago
@ModularNick
Sorry, SNRI.
axelxrb 1 year ago
@axelxrb Effexor is an SNRI NOT and SSRI. And neither of them cause any more serotonin nor norepinepherine to be pumped out anymore than normal. They simply stop the reuptake of the neurotransmitters like serotonin.
Globodyne 1 year ago
@axelxrb all with you until that last sentence which does not work for every one. When you want to die, helping an old lady across the road dont help. Sorry
smkydwg 1 year ago
@smkydwg when you want to die, SSRI's don't help either, they just make the problem seem worse when you're off the drug, they don't improve your quality of life at all. I will admit that some people WILL feel bad no matter what, but there are always different vices out there that help people through their bad times in life. Personally I smoke a few bowls and experiment with psychedelic drugs every month or so. Clears my mind as well as showing me insight to my problems.
axelxrb 1 year ago
@axelxrb you wont get rewarded by doing nice things. be an asshole, then you'll get rewarded. sorry, just how the world works!
massimpify 1 year ago
@axelxrb Stopping SSRIs is not for everyone. Some start drinking alcohol to extreme excess with no SSRIs in there system. But, agreed, Effexor is not the first choice.
gregboyds 1 year ago
@gregboyds
to be honest, my comment needs a lot of reworking to do.
I agree, you can't just stop using effexor, that's really what I've seen do the most damage.
axelxrb 1 year ago
@axelxrbYou might want to rework your comment then since it is at the top of the page and gets the most reads here as it does influence people not to take SSRIs at all, when actually they do help. You said in a comment that a month ago at least you were taking some Zoloft - Welbutrin lieing around your house. I also think you might really benefit from getting on a regular regimine of Zoloft from a doctor as continuity is important. Just a respectful thought on my part. You know as much as me :)
gregboyds 1 year ago
@gregboyds actually, I've never taken a single SSRI, and I don't plan on taking any at all. I'm happy with my life and have my own vices to relieve stress, I don't need a pill to make me feel better.
axelxrb 1 year ago
@axelxrb well you obviously don't suffer from depression than. If you did, you would realize that optimism doesn't do jack for changes in brain chemistry. Dude, listen to yourself. This isn't about relieving stress. It's about dealing with a mental and chemical disorder. Not making excuses but your argument is along the lines of "I don't need to take chemotherapy to feel good." Well no s**t dick tracy, you don't have cancer.
gmccord1970 1 year ago
Please! Enough of this "brain chemistry" Big Pharma Bullshit! Depression is caused by our life experiences and the way we react to them, imprinted on us by our role models growing up.. Big Pharma is the true "Great Satan" of this world. Liars! They test on African children without their parent's informed consent. Thousands of them have died or maimed over the years. Please watch the movie: "The Constant Gardener". An eye-opener! The true story of how Big Pharma & our Gov't works!
shivaslingum 1 year ago
the dr. just gave me this for anxiety. Not sure if I want to now or not..
queenena1 2 years ago
psychiatrists luv u. everyone luvs a psychiatrist.
Draziom203 2 years ago
I was on Effexor for a year. The first time I forgot a dose I woke up sweating with the sensation of being suffocated. I jumped out of bed, ran down the stairs and outside. I had to get air. My thoughts weren't clear, but they were bad. It seemed as if I was going through every bad feeling i had ever experienced all at once. I remember almost clawing at my neck to be sure nothing was wrapped around my neck. I shivered and was paranoid, frightened, afraid to be alone. That happened a few times.
palmyrajo 2 years ago
I couldn't wait to get it out of my system.
palmyrajo 2 years ago
Useful video. I sit here with a 7 day supply of 37.5mg. I tried Effexor in year 2000, but hated it after one dose. I thought it was time to give it another try; but I am coming to the Internet, and this looks serious! Thanks very much for sharing your experience. peace - sylvester
13abbitt 2 years ago
Thank you for the video sweetie. I am going through exactly what you described, but I myself ran out of my Effexor and have no doctor , it has been 5 days and I feel an emotional wreck and almost similar to when I kicked Heroin. You are right, it is awful, thanks so much for your strength and hope. Give Coco a big kiss and give her her bows back.
Rob
SuperHappycouple 2 years ago
im sorry you had to suffer through that. I took effexor for two weeks. then went off, then felt like i had the flu severely for about 5 months!
wow, that drug was not for me ;)
i hope you are doing well now ;)
chetalk 2 years ago
Another thing ... Those getting off effexor or any other anti depressant/anxiety med should know that the reason one gets such heavy withdrawal is that it takes time for the body to adjust to the loss of the drug induced extra neurotransmitters in effexor's case serotonin, norapinephine and the all-wonderful dopamine. Effexor is probably very bad because it boosts dopamine and norapinephrine as well as the serotonin. If you can give up effexor you can do anything in life!
Gerald476 2 years ago
@Gerald476 "If you can give up effexor you can do anything in life!" Look out life, here I come!
abacazabaca 2 years ago
Paula you are so beautiful. I'm on 37.5mg effexor now but need to get off it as I know it is probably the reason why my life has sttod still since starting it 7 years ago. I have lost a dream job and my family possibly because of it. I have tried to quit effexor before unsucessfully. I would rather die than let this drug rule my life any longer. Take care Paula and thanks for your understanding. Jerry, Norway
Gerald476 2 years ago
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brutbernard 2 years ago
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brutbernard 2 years ago
I've been off this med for about 3 months BUT, my doc now wants me to try Pristiq. I did some research and it is almost identical to Effexor!!!!! The generic name is "desvenlafaxine" and Effexor's generic name is "venlafaxine". I'm refusing to take it. I'm TERRIFIED of Effexor or anything like it. Does anyone else know about Pristiq or is on this med? I am currently not on anything and have NO IDEA what is next. What a nightmare!!!
wis7dom 2 years ago
@wis7dom - Yes, Pristiq is basically a drug that extends the patent on venlafaxine. If you are terrified of Effexor, simply refuse to take it. There are lots of other options.
13abbitt 2 years ago
I am trying to go off of the effexor....want to die. Had to start taking it again because I couldn't take the withdrawal symptoms anymore. This stuff should be banned. It's completely WRONG
Saarne4