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Effexor antidepressant withdrawal?? Intrusive thoughts

Posted , 3 users are following.

shelbytrev
shelbytrev

I'm not sure if anyone will read this. So coming off the Effexor the doctors put me on a med merry go round of three other ads and some benzos within a period of two months. Well the Zoloft and Celexa didn't work. Either didn't work or my Effexor witndrawal was not letting them work. So finally I told them to try me on Prozac 10mg to see if that would help me since I had been on it before 9 years ago. I thought maybe it might help stabilize me. Well I tried about 5 weeks and couldn't hang. It was making me think about death and feeling really disconnected. Then a new psych wanted to put me on a mood stabilizer by itself. I wasn't going to do that. So i weaned off the Prozac. It's been 15 days with no meds. And I haven't taken any benzos. I went through some pretty weird stuff. Depersonalization and intrusive thoughts are my hardest symptoms. The depersonalization is gone for now. I don't get to happy about any symptom going because I know it can come back. Just like the intrusive repetitive thoughts. I thought those were almost gone. Well today has been bad. I keep thinking what if I want to hurt my kids or myself. Or thinking about killing myself but not really wanting to do it just checking if I would want to. But overall the physical and mental symptoms have been easing up in such small amounts that sometimes it's hard for me to notice. But then when I read back to when the effexor stopped working I have gotten a smidge better. It's up and down every day. But the last two days my brain actually felt like it did while I was on the Effexor and felt ok. So I'm not sure if that's a good thing. But it was only 2 days sad I was hoping I was back for good. I tested myself for intrusive thoughts and I just went right on to think of other things and not ruminate. And it was so easy. My brain was quiet somewhat. But today I guess I was back to the anxiety cause the intrusive thoughts of what ifs were bad this morning. When I'm anxious I find my brain talking more and I'm looking for symptoms. I just keep telling myself it's withdrawal. Even though the psychs don't think so. Because I have been off the Effexor for a couple months and now off Prozac for 2 weeks. But I was not like this before starting all the meds. Just had some panic attacks. My therapist thinks it's a good idea to try and manage my anxiety without meds. But now my problem is I'm managing my old anxiety and a whole new list of problems. Knock on wood I have been able to fall asleep fairly easy except right before my period. But sometimes don't feel so rested because of the dreams. But I'm not complaining because before I couldn't sleep at all. I guess I'm just looking for some reassurance to ride this out. If it's really me I don't want to suffer needlessly. im just afraid being on the ads for so long changed my chemistry for good. How long do I except these symptoms as withdrawal?

0 likes, 12 replies

12 Replies

  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 shelbytrev

    Posted

    Hi Shelbytrev, 

    I'm sorry you're going through this, and got put on the med merry-go-round.  Those danged docs want to label everythig and throw a drug at it!  You are absolutely right, this is protracted withdrawal.  I went through it after coming off Effexor over a year ago, 10 months of it before ending up on Mirtazapine and then Effexor again.  Thing is, I didn't realize what was happening to me.  I thought I was going mad!  I was also in menopause so was thinking that had to do with some of the symptoms, like the low mood, severe sweats, increased heart rate and BP, burning skin sensations...Well, I only learned about protraced withdrawal after I reinstated, which BTW "fixed" me, like a junky getting a fix!

    So, how long will it last?  No one can say. It is known to last months and even years for some poor souls.  I can say that withdrawal recovery happens in windows and waves, periods of feeling better followed by feeling like crap again, back and forth!  I think this is why people get labeled as bi-polar after they try to come off meds!  And of course they are then drugged for that!

    You are right that the other drugs couldn't hold up to Effexor withdrawal.

    How long were you on Effexor?  How high did you go, and what was your taper schedule?  How much were you on when you jumped off?  How long has it been since you jumped off?

    Sadly, these drugs actually do cause our nervous system to down-regulate in response to the action of the drug.  Long term use of ADs is now recognized as making us more prone to depression.  Much has been learned about neuroplasticity and the fact that we can heal our nervous system.  I am on the SurvivingAntidepressant boards and there are stories of people recovering, but it takes time.  The longer you've been on these drugs and the higher the dose, the longer it will take to heal.

    I am not sure if you would be a candidate for a very small reinstatement.  I think I came off 75 mg too quickly, and was off for 10 months when I reinstated 37.5 mg, which was probably too high for the amount of healing my system had done, but I didn't have any adverse reaction or side effects, so maybe it was the right amount for me.  I'd been on for 12 years!

    I am now doing a 10% taper off the mirtazapine, and a micro taper of the Effexor. I am at 27.5 mg Effexor and feeling really good!  I recognize that it will be a long haul to get off entirely, because my system was dumbed down by Effexor for so long, and other ADs before that.  But, knowing what these drugs do to us for the long haul, I'm determined!

    See the 10% taper topic in this thread to learn more, the link being from SA.

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

    If you join over there, the mods are fantastic and extremely experienced in all matters withdrawal and will give you guidance.

     

    • shelbytrev
      shelbytrev betsy0603

      Posted

      I was on Effexor for 9 years. Only 75mg. Which I guess is a small dose according to the docs. I think the Effexor stopped working slowly over the last 2 years. But a couple months ago I think I started withdrawals without tapering. I thought I was losing my mind and I was also greiving over a death. So I tapered off Effexor 75mg onto zoloft 25mg for a couple weeks. Didn't work out. Tried Celexa that was a no go. Then Prozac for about 5 weeks , only got up to 10 mg. I felt it was making my detachment feeling worse. So I weaned off over two weeks. I don't really want to reinstate because I started having problems before I even started tapering. I do have good times when I think to myself " I can do this". It's like my serotonin levels rise just for a short amount of time and then fall again lol. I can function. It's just super annoying. My brain gets started on thinking about stupid stuff. I was also taking Valium while switching meds and I haven't felt the need for that since stopping Prozac. My therapist says I have too much time on my hands. I need a goal. It does make it harder that I am at home a lot with my daughter. She starts school this year. I guess I'm just happy to be able to fall asleep with no benzos.
    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 shelbytrev

      Posted

      There's a lot of positives there.  You sound strong!  You are already aware that the thoughts are related to withdrawal, not "you," and that is very empowering.  Maybe you will be one of the lucky ones who gets through this without reinstating!

      Thankfully you never went up up and away with the dosages.  Though the semantics aren't agreed upon, I do think you described what I call tolerance withdrawal, where the current dose doesn't work anymore and you start to have withdrawal symptoms!  Usually, decreasing the dose actually makes people feel better.  Did you feel that way as you reduced, better as you got lower?

      If you were on the extended release version with the little beads inside the capsules, just know that if you need to reinstate at all, it could be just a matter of 10 beads!  This should not cause the problems you were having while on ven.  If that turns out to be what you do, you could then reduce by one bead per month as long as you are not experiencing withdrawal symptoms.  You only cut when you are not having symptoms.

      You are lucky that you didn't develop a benzo dependency with the Valium!  That can be even worse than the ADs!  I"m glad you felt you didn't need them after the Prozac.

      Just go easy with yourself because when in withdrawal, the nervous system is very sensitized, and ordinary stressors can trigger worse withdrawal symptoms or pull you out of a window!  

    • shelbytrev
      shelbytrev betsy0603

      Posted

      Yes it got a little better after starting to taper off. But I think because I had the intention of going to Zoloft I did taper rather fast compared to some on the other sites. I did take the xr version with beads.
    • shelbytrev
      shelbytrev

      Posted

      I'm afraid of reinstating because I heard it sometimes can make things worse. My new psych wants me to take a liver enzyme test to see how my liver metabolizes meds. Told me not to take anything and only benzo as needed for panic attacks. Which luckily I haven't had. He said he doesn't want to keep pushing meds on me to see if they will work.
    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 shelbytrev

      Posted

      I understand.  Sounds like you have a good p-doc - yeah!  And that's great that he wants to do the liver enzyme test - cytochrome p450.  It will be interesting to see where you come out on that. I know this test can help docs pick the best psych med for you, but just be warned that long term use of psych meds has been found to make people more prone to depression and likely to develop treatment resistant depression.  You might want to look into non-drug ways of dealing with depression and anxiety, CBT, meditation/mindfulness, Grounding techniques and the like, and shake free of the drugs altogether :-).

      I am very interested in the liver enzyme test because the scientist in me comes out and wants to know if those who are fast metabolizers can get through withdrawal more successfully because they processed the drug before it had a chance to 

    • shelbytrev
      shelbytrev betsy0603

      Posted

      Ya that's one reason why I wanted to come off. I only started for panic attacks and shouldn't have been on them that long. I am also afraid of permanent damage and becoming dependent because of them causing depression. I have never been depressed till the whole Effexor withdrawals. I told my psych I didn't want to take anymore drugs. He said there's also alternative supplements. But still recommended I take the test even before taking supplements. I'm surprised because all the other psychs I have been to just wanted me to take more drugs. This last lady I went to said take this mood stabilizer and don't come back unless you have taken it for a month. And told me to stop taking Valium and take Ativan, and seroquel if I can't sleep. I left there feeling like I should be locked up in a mental ward. So I got a new psych. It doesn't help my husband has no idea what I'm going through and has not been very supportive. Very hard to deal with his moodiness while I feel like a mad woman.
    • betsy0603
      betsy0603 shelbytrev

      Posted

      Mmm, that is tough when the spouse doesn't get it.  What does he think is going on?  Have you tried explaining to him the physiology of withdrawal?  You can tell him that the drugs caused your system to adapt by shutting down serotonin and norepinephrine production and pruning back receptors, and now that the drug has been taken away, it's like ripping a trellis out from under a vine - now there's an imbalance again causing all of these things and it takes time for the nervous system to adapt back...

      You haven't done permanent damage to yourself but it will just take time for your poor nervous system to get itself sorted out.  There are all kinds of chemical feedback loops in the body connected to the regulation of these neurotransmitters, and it's like pulling one card out of a house of cards - things are going to be cattywampus for awhile until all the reverberations settle out.

      I'm glad you got yourself a good p-doc, a rare bird!

  • mjps
    mjps shelbytrev

    Posted

    Can only say be strong and  be patient and be strong and be paient and be strong and be patient...  yo can orcome... Mike confused

     

    • mjps
      mjps

      Posted

      should read   overcome .....biggrin
  • shelbytrev
    shelbytrev

    Posted

    Ugh I went to my therapist this evening. Felt high anxiety. Almost thought I might have a panic attack. Reminded me of the anxiety attacks I had before I started my meds 13 years ago. Very scary. I started doubting myself as I was sitting there trying to concentrate on what he was saying. I'm thinking omg I need to go back on meds. I don't want to feel like this again. I sure hope this will pass. If it gets worse I'm not sure I will be able to cope or manage my anxiety without being on medication. I also went to my psych earlier today. I was only on Prozac at a very low dose for about a month. But he was telling me it could take up to 5 weeks for it to be completely out your system. Does that mean I'm gonna still be having withdrawal from the Prozac and Effexor ? He said me today is me as my unmedicated self. So that means my unmedicated self is still anxiety ridden? I seem to think it might take longer for my brain to heal?? If this is the real me only one month off meds than I'm going to have to go back on😕 I'm hoping he's wrong 😩
  • shelbytrev
    shelbytrev

    Posted

    I have been off Effexor for 3 months and off the Prozac for a month.
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