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Effexor

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kathiH
kathiH

I have finally weened off my Effexor ( venlafaxine) after 6 weeks but the depression came back around the 4 week mark. Started Prozac 2. 1/2 weeks ago and not helping yet. Called my GP to tell him I'm struggling and his answer ( via some medical asst) was " well just stop the Prozac and go back on the Effexor". Just like that..... after 6 weeks of physical nausea, dizziness and fatigue... just put it back in your system.  Geez... I'm at a loss. I got off of it because a PROFUSE sweating to the point of social embarrassment and horrible dry mouth.  I called back and asked for an appointment because I feel this response was WAY too casual for such an important medical decision. Am I overreacting? Is there no other solution. Is there no other drug out there without all the side effects and withdrawal symptoms?????

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • lynn67615
    lynn67615 kathiH

    Posted

    I am so sorry your depression came back. I had been successful with Zoloft for 23 years when it pooped out. After 12 weeks of raising my dose higher and higher and getting much sicker, they put me on Effexsor 37.5.Today it will be 4 weeks at this low dose. I have noticed a real reduction in my anxiety and seem to sweat only in the morning before I take my Dose. Hope I see my depression-lift this month. I didn’t realize how hard it seems for people to come off it until I read all the blogs on web sites. It has the shortest half life of all drugs and leaves your system very quickly causing the worst withdrawals. I am in my mid-sixties and will be on it indefinitely. The pain of

    anxiety/depression is something I don’t want to go through again. Prozac like zoloft work well but it takes a while to kick in. You probably need another 2 to 3 weeks to see improvement. I am going through it now with Effexsor.

     

    • kathiH
      kathiH lynn67615

      Posted

      Hi Lynn, I was hesitant to start Effexor 5 years ago because I read about the horrible withdrawal. I was on Prozac prior to this but was given Effexor instead because of chronic back pain. It worked wonderfully but the last 2 years ( higher dose) the profuse sweating started. I’d be in a social situation and my hair would be dripping wet. The slightest physical activity would make sweat pour from my hairline. 

      Anyway it was my idea to get off it and try Prozac again. I was just so unnerved to have the Dr send a message...just go back on it... without  even talking with me. I have an appointment Friday and frankly I feel like he’s going to say...what exactly do you want me to do for you ma’am?  I’m a 63 yr old retired nurse and I know how doctors operate.  I feel like I’m always having to figure things out for myself.  The thought of going back on Effexor after that withdrawal makes me literally sick. On the other hand I want my life back as a happy person. 

    • lynn67615
      lynn67615 kathiH

      Posted

      Just saw my doctor and tomorrow I will go up to the standard starting dose of 75mg . I lost my daughter in a car accident 4 years ago and the anniversary of her death and birthday sent me down. I am getting better and hope raising to 75 will increase the healing
    • lynn67615
      lynn67615

      Posted

      Do the random waves of side effects go away completely on Effexsor. How long did it take for you to completely get better? What dose where you on when it completely kicked in
    • kathiH
      kathiH lynn67615

      Posted

      First of all, I am so sorry that you lost your daughter. I cannot imagine your pain. Effexor took about 4-5 wks to work for me. I started on 37.5 for one month then up to 75 and stayed there for 3 years until I had a series of aweful events happen that sent me into a spiral down.  I was the raised to 150 and eventually 225. I weened back down to 75 to get off. 
    • lynn67615
      lynn67615 kathiH

      Posted

      Thanks,  i hope the side effects level out soon for me. I have seen an improvement on the 37.5 after 4 weeks. Good luck with your doctors appointment. Let me know what happens, I never tried prosaic but it’s great from what I hear.
    • lynn67615
      lynn67615

      Posted

      Do you have bad anxiety now too? 
    • kathiH
      kathiH lynn67615

      Posted

      Yes. Woke up today (3 wk mark) and although I felt unmotivated I was not anxious or depressed.  About 2 hrs ago it came over me like a wave. Took a Klonopin .5 mg and it has somewhat subsided. I was so hoping that today was THE day 🙁

  • shirley85047
    shirley85047 kathiH

    Posted

    You have to give Prozac at least 6 weeks before you'll feel a bit of benefit. I'm coming off Venlafaxine after 2 years. Horrendous side effects and still struggling to get off them after cutting back for several months. I was on Prozac for 12 years and found them brilliant but they stopped working for me so needed to change. Went on Citilopram for 9 years and I was fine on them. They lost their effectiveness and then went onto Venlafaxine, never felt a lot of benefit from this medication but They're hard to get off.

    • kathiH
      kathiH shirley85047

      Posted

      Shirley thx for the reply. I’m almost to wk 4. Fingers crossed it kicks in. Feeling slightly better but still get tearful daily. The withdrawal from venlafaxine is no joke and doctors don’t get it. My wish for you is that it won’t be too bad and you on something that works for you. 
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