lysergia Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 about three days ago somebody pulled the plug out of me. just like that. all i can do is sit idly or sleep. life sucks, but i don't suck yet (i have stages of getting depressed - first it's the world that's fucked, then eventually it's only me). i am physically if not mentally reallllly depressed. i was doing well coming down off the effexor and coming up on the lamotrigine - i was getting pretty hopeful there. i actually felt mentally clearer and more positive than i'd felt for a long while. about four weeks ago (i think), i made it down to the smallest dose (37.5 mg). i didn't notice any difference... actually, this taper was incredibly smooth because it was slow enough for me this time (very few brain zaps!). is it possible i'm just now feeling the withdrawal? like i said, i feel this depression so physically... i'm so tired, and so nauseous. i was planning to go off it in a few weeks completely. maybe too soon? going to pdoc next week and want to have an opinion in case he hums (that happens sometimes). thank you if you've got any advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remote_swimmer Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I believe that the consensus is that withdrawal, er, "discontinuation syndrome," occurs when the level of serotonin in the brain drops rapidly. It doesn't look like any of the other meds you are taking are hitting serotonin, so if you are going from 37.5mg to 0mg then that is still a drop. It might be significant enough to cause the usual symptoms in some people while others may not notice anything. If you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms then you should probably talk to your doctor about coming off more slowly. I wish Effexor XR came in doses < 37.5mg, but Wyeth clearly doesn't think it's necessary. You might talk to your doctor about getting some immediate release Effexor and tapering off of that. You'd have to take it twice a day, but unlike XR you can split them and break them down into very small increments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted January 8, 2008 Author Share Posted January 8, 2008 thanks remoteswimmer... i wasn't thinking about none of the other meds hitting serotonin (duh). so i am probably starting to crash from that. brain's a little clearer today but i'm no better physically and i can still cry at the drop of a hat (sooooo not me). so maybe i do need to hang on to that 37.5 a little longer. good idea about switching to immediate release and breaking those up too... i forgot those ones aren't capsules when they're generic (dunno about name brand). i'll keep that in mind when i see the pdoc. thanks again. -lysergia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remote_swimmer Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 thanks remoteswimmer... i wasn't thinking about none of the other meds hitting serotonin (duh). so i am probably starting to crash from that. brain's a little clearer today but i'm no better physically and i can still cry at the drop of a hat (sooooo not me). so maybe i do need to hang on to that 37.5 a little longer. good idea about switching to immediate release and breaking those up too... i forgot those ones aren't capsules when they're generic (dunno about name brand). i'll keep that in mind when i see the pdoc. thanks again. -lysergia No problem. I had a bad reaction to the generic venlafaxine. Something about it caused it to metabolize quickly for me. 37.5 mg is a minute dose, so it probably won't make a difference. Give it a try, but if it's making you have mood drop-offs toward the end of a dose then get the name brand immediate release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_helios84_* Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 thanks remoteswimmer... i wasn't thinking about none of the other meds hitting serotonin (duh). so i am probably starting to crash from that. brain's a little clearer today but i'm no better physically and i can still cry at the drop of a hat (sooooo not me). so maybe i do need to hang on to that 37.5 a little longer. good idea about switching to immediate release and breaking those up too... i forgot those ones aren't capsules when they're generic (dunno about name brand). i'll keep that in mind when i see the pdoc. thanks again. -lysergia No problem. I had a bad reaction to the generic venlafaxine. Something about it caused it to metabolize quickly for me. 37.5 mg is a minute dose, so it probably won't make a difference. Give it a try, but if it's making you have mood drop-offs toward the end of a dose then get the name brand immediate release. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_Helios84_* Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 When I stopped taking effexor, I did it cold turkey. I endured the suffering and was completely symptom free within a week. Go figure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zippy Posted January 11, 2008 Share Posted January 11, 2008 I think it depends on your frame of mind. I'm attempting discontinuation for the second time. The first time I was pulled off quickly, quit, suffered with vertigo and "zaps" for about a week and was done with it. This time is much harder. I feel a psychological dependence on it and don't feel ready to give it up, which is making things worse and therefore I have no intention of a fast discontinuation. The slower the better this time. I feel hooked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenyflower Posted January 12, 2008 Share Posted January 12, 2008 You can also get some empty gel caps at the drugstore and split the 37.5 dose between 2 caps. I've also read that people will put half of a 37.5 capsule into yogurt and swallow it without chewing. You don't want to break up the little Effexor dots. That's where the time release is. I truly sympathize. Effexor withdrawal can be worse than the original depression. Fortunately, it doesn't last forever. I was right there with the easy crying. I'm not a crier, but coming off Effexor I couldn't stop the tears. Bizarre. Some people use Prozac as a bridge for SSRI withdrawal. It has a much longer half life than the others and can ease the transition from a little bit to none. Good luck. Let us know how you're doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted January 14, 2008 Author Share Posted January 14, 2008 thanks everyone. i just found out today that my pdoc is now away until the end of february. no warning, no phone call, no reschedule. all i can get is an appointment with a pnurse god knows when, i'm waiting for them to call back so god knows what'll happen with this. one thing i do know for sure is this: my frame of mind has nothing to do with this. i still have so much fight in me that i'm surprising even myself. but that's not stopping the physical effects i'm experiencing. that's like saying allergies are psychosomatic. for now i'm hanging on to the 37.5. got enough of it for awhile anyway :/ - discouraged lysergia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witchywoman Posted January 15, 2008 Share Posted January 15, 2008 When my mom came off Effexor, she took the 37.5 capsules, opened them, and put only about half into the capsules and took it that way. She still ended up with withdrawal after she quit taking them, and it lasted for about a week. Good luck however you decide to come off it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lysergia Posted January 15, 2008 Author Share Posted January 15, 2008 thanks witchywoman. i have a shirt that says "witchy". reminds me of you now heh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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