Meds got changed

[Thelostchild]

I'm almost off of Effexor and going on Celexa still taking Klonopin. I got trigger injections in my neck on Friday and my GP still wants me to take Alpropanalol because I'm still getting migraines everyday..:rx: Cont Tx Plan...:hissyfit:

 

[braveheart]

How's the efexor withdrawal going?

 

[poohbear]

I took effexor for almost 10years. It was HELL going through withdrawal. I quit taking it cold turkey, though. So COMPLETELY not reccommended. But, it was a necessity for me to do it that way at the time (personally-- not my Dr.).

I was achey, sore, had headaches, was nauseous. I had problems sleeping and felt fuzzy all the time. It took almost six weeks to get back to feeling what I THINK is normal. I had been on it so long that I had forgotten what it feels like to cry, to be truly happy or sad. I am still sometimes completely overwhelmed with emotions. It's been a little over a year, and I am not taking anything right now. I hope to stay that way, but if I get to feeling much worse, I will ask for another medicine, something similar. But for now, even though it is frustrating having to learn how to deal with all these emotions, I am learning what it is to TRULY be me.

--Poohbear

 

[Thelostchild]

Oh yes the withdrawls are horrible.. I tried cold turkey but had to get back on effexor it made me feel like I had the flu, vertigo, and bad headachs.. Im still trying to adjust to all the new meds

 

[Retired]

I took effexor for almost 10years. It was HELL going through withdrawal. I quit taking it cold turkey,

Sudden cessation of Effexor is never recommended because withdrawl effects such as those you are experiencing will occur.

The biologic half life of Effexor (venlafaxine) is relatively short, about 8 hours, which is a characteristic of this compound. Some antidepressants have long half lives, while others are short.

There is no therapeutic advantage or disadvantage to either, in general, however some physicians prefer the short half life meds because they are easier to titrate when dosage changes are required.

The positive advantage of a short half life medication is that therapeutic blood steady state levels are achieved quickly (3 to 4 days in the case of Effexor) which gives the physician the advantage of monitoring the effect of a dosage change within days.

The caveat for this advantage occurs on discontinuation. Blood levels drop off very rapidly (3 or 4 days) not enough time for neurotransmitters to re-adjust.

When a different SSRI or SNRI is being substituted, physicians tend to replace new medication with no break.

If Effexor is being discontinued with no replacement, then the Effexor is generally tapered over a three to four week period or longer in some cases. Sometimes a long acting SSRI is added during the taper period to lessen withdrawl symptoms.

You may consider speaking to your doctor about providing you with one of the usual tapering strategies to minimize your discomfort.

 

[poohbear]

Thanks, but this was last year, June-ish of '06 that I d/c'd the medicine. I am free and clear now, of the ill-effects. And I was well aware of the potential withdrawal symptoms, I just had never experienced anything like that before, so it was all new to me. I CHOSE to discontinue it in that fashion; I wanted the quickest, most effective means to get my "feelings" back, despite the drawback. I was healthy enough to tolerate it AND continue working full time, while going through a nasty separation (now divorce.). I don't recommend it for anyone; I just happen to have been well enough to tolerate it. I will of course be more cognisant of the withdrawal symptoms possible of any med I mgiht take in the future. --Poohebar

 

[Try_again]

I was on Effexor too, but quitting cold turkey wasn't a problem. It just stopped working and I stopped eating. Is that normal? I wonder. I did start self medicating, but I beleive it stopped working before that. Hence, the self medicating. Not recommended. However, I have to say that all my doctors knew I wasn't eating properly. I guess they never made any connections to the medication. The reason I know it stopped working is because I did quite cold turkey and didn't feel a thing. As compared to the last time I quite cold turkey I felt it for three days.

 

[Thelostchild]

i don't think that you'll (me) will ever be normal without medications I crud I can tell now im off the walls my moods are all weird and stuff. maybe I should just give it a while. and untill I get married and have insurance then maybe ill see someone who knows what they are talking about. oopps sorry here I go again im off the wall

 

[Try_again]

You may be right, I don't know. Sometimes I wonder if my doctor(psychiatrist) even knows. He was going to give up on me, but my psychologist stuck up for me and said basically, "let him try." I have actually found about three supports that I am happy to work with because not only do they seem genuinely interested, but they seem to know what they are doing and I have seen progress in some ways even though I have crashed a couple of times. I seem to get back up faster than before. It took me a very long time (years and almost decades). I still do feel as you say, "all weird and stuff", but I can see a glimmer of hope, albeit small, where the glimmer used to be an inferno in the distance. Don't give up Thelostchild. I wish I could be there with you instead of here on this computer. I have known a lot of people who have suffered a lot of pain who don't even try to ask for help, but at least you are asking and trying. Try not to let your anger control you. I has led me down some very dark paths as I have battled it for years, many years. Yet, I still can see the good even in some of the so-called worst of people. It's just too bad that they chose a very lonely path. Take care, ok.

 

[Thelostchild]

I'm a mess my mood really stink they go from crabby to happy...no im not bipolar im just trying to get off my meds so when the time comes to have a baby all those toxins will be out of my body and then after the baby is not breast feeding then get back on those nasty pills. But if im moving to colorado and all this junk and im weening off the meds this is going to stink

 

[Thelostchild]

Yahooo Im off all of my medications excpt klonpin, alpropanolol, and flexiral