# Slave to Efexor



## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Salutations. Thought I'd post this on this forum, for reasons I forget. Anwyay.

I've been on 150mg of Efexor XL for about two months now. During the past week I've basically cold-turkied it, for one simple reason: - I couldn't get to the pharmacy to renew my prescription (I had a abscess and I looked like the Elephant Man crossed with the Godfather - plus was staying with parents in the middle of nowhere, with no transport). It wasn't by choice, but I felt OK after a couple of days so I didn't worry.

But then.....Sunday......whoa.......I got serious head zaps, the shakes, itches, sweating, strange psychological distrubances...(strangely, not lowered mood), such as sudden sweeping feelings of rage, sudden urges to laugh, possible mild hallucinations (seeing stuff out of the corner of my eye) and generally feeling like a bucket of shite that had spent a month in the shite factory being made shiter. Anyway, I rode it out yesterday by lying on my bed and not moving. Managed OK, had Sleep Paralysis and bizarre dreams, but slept on and off for 6 hours. When I got up this morning to go to work I seriously thought I was going to die.....after I'd emptied my guts for half an hour, I've made it to work and got my prescription and took a tablet two hours ago....and...yes, yes, now I'm actually SURE I AM going to die. I feel sick, extremely fecking agitated in a strangely non-agitated kind of way, numb all over, my tongue feels three times it's normal size........sigh, oh, and my eyes have dried out. I'm having these really bizarre thoughts too, which has never happened to me - even in the deepest throes of DR/DP. It's kind of like I can't control my, well, thoughts. This is new to me. The part of my rationality that is still intact finds it quite amusing...an experiment if you like, but the rest of me is seriously struggling to maintain control. I feel excitable, yet tired, hot and cold, ideas of genius one second then recognition of my inadequacy the next. Crazy feeling........

I am a slave to this goddam stuff !! I've never had withdrawal problems with ANY medication before....Cipramil, benzos', nothing at all.....but with this crap....jesus. I know people have mentioned that they've had problems with Efexor withdrawal (and incidently, when I'm on it - I feel pretty good, so I'm not compltely dissing it), but is this normal ? I know it's probably just because my brain is trying to adjust with the alternating amounts of Seretonin, but am I going to be on this for life ? I've never felt this rough with medication.....ever....


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## dakotajo (Aug 10, 2004)

Its not the drug. All psychiatric drugs are safe. There is no such thing as psychiatruc drug withdrawal. You are simply having an anxiety attack. You need to calm down. Breath.


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Joe, do you ever lie awake at night and think - 'Why am I such a ****?'

Just wondering.


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## g-funk (Aug 20, 2004)

All I can say is I am a slave to the same drug

Sometimes my dreamworld is so vivid i think about writing a book or a film based on them, but it would be scarier than the Exorcist and more bizarre than A Clockwork Orange

its a catch 22, the pros currently outweighing the cons, but I don't know what the cons are til I give it up, if you know what I mean


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Yeah, I suppose G-FUNK. How long have you been on it ? Have you ever tried to come off it ? I was on Cipramil for a year and came of it straight away with no problems whatsoever.

I don't really care if I'm on it for the rest of my life, but it's quite scarey to think that I can be reduced to a gibbering wreck after three days of not taking it. I feel terrible today.


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## g-funk (Aug 20, 2004)

about 9 months. but it really got me out of the abyss.
I cold turkied Cipramil fine too


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## Monkeydust (Jan 12, 2005)

Ouch.

I knew withdrawals could be bad, but I didn't know they could be _that _ bad.

Having said that, I've heard that, from Effexor especially, "anything goes" in terms of withdrawal symptoms - and that's often with mere tapering off as opposed to going cold turkey. I doubt you're the only one with such symptoms.

Hopefully it doesn't happen so bad to you.


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## Guest (May 9, 2005)

Martinelv said:


> Joe, do you ever lie awake at night and think - 'Why am I such a ****?'
> 
> Just wondering.


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## terri* (Aug 17, 2004)

Actually my post is to MrMole...love that emoticon. Would I get like a million viruses if I went and downloaded it from wherever it is you found it? I would love to have it if you are in to sharing the info.

And Martin, even though you are not speaking to me, I am indeed sorry for your withdrawal plight and am glad your tooth is better.

terri


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## dakotajo (Aug 10, 2004)

Sorry Martin,

What is it you said to me time and time again? Everything in the world that is bad must be caused by benzos? Maybe its effexxor that makes the world bad? Im just showing you the same sympathy you showed me when I went thru severe protracted withdrawal. I took plenty of direct shots from you downplaying benzo use and withdrawal. Now you know what it feels like to be the victim of drug withdrawal and have somebody making fun of it. Dont worry it will pass and in time you will feel yourself again.

Joe


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## enngirl5 (Aug 10, 2004)

What's Cipramil? Also, I've noticed that the better the drug is the harder the withdrawal is. And I don't mean because it makes you feel high and now you don't have it, but the actual physical withdrawal. Because we all know the horror stories of Paxil withdrawal, and to me, Paxil kicked ass for anxiety. It completely wiped my anxiety out, but the more I read the w/drawal stories, the more I knew I needed to switch meds. And I had no problems switching from Paxil to Celexa except for some weird nightmares for a few days.

And you say Effexor works good, again this is a drug I've heard of bad withdrawal from. I had a magazine, maybe Allure or Self, I can't remember, I'll try to find the article for you martin. And there was a story in it that was about this woman trying to come off of Effexor and had all these symptoms you mention. She expecially had migraines and was throwing up all the time. So as I see it you have two good options, slowly wean off of it, or switch to another drug while coming off of Effexor. People tend to find it easier to come off one bad SSRI if they are starting another at the same time. Try to find one with less side effects like maybe Wellbutrin or Celexa and then eventually come off of that.


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## enngirl5 (Aug 10, 2004)

http://brainzaps.tblog.com/

Here's a webiste about Effexor withdrawal. Don't know if it will help you or hurt you because I didn't read much on it but it does have a section of helpful tips for coming off it. Take care Martin.


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## Guest (May 9, 2005)

terri* said:


> Actually my post is to MrMole...love that emoticon. Would I get like a million viruses if I went and downloaded it from wherever it is you found it? I would love to have it if you are in to sharing the info.
> 
> And Martin, even though you are not speaking to me, I am indeed sorry for your withdrawal plight and am glad your tooth is better.
> 
> terri


No 'course not! Just right click on him and click 'Save Picture As...'


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## dakotajo (Aug 10, 2004)

enngirl,

Does the celexa you take help you with your anxiety/panic? Is it as effective as paxil?

Joe


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## person3 (Aug 10, 2004)

sorry you're going through that martin.


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## enngirl5 (Aug 10, 2004)

Hey Joe,

Umm, I'm not really sure how the Celexa works. I feel like it works good for my anxiety. I feel ok most of the time, but sometimes I wonder if it keeps my progress stalled by keeping me "numb". I haven't had a panic attack in about 2 years, but I sometimes feel like I'm gonna have one, and I talk myself out of it by distraction, and breathing techniques, etc. Overall compared to other SSRI's I think the Celexa works good. But it does make me sleepy all the time, and gain weight. But on the up side, I have just lost about 25 pounds :shock: . I had gained a lot of weight on it by thinking I could continue eating like a pig and not gain anything. Now I'm dieting so I just want to say it IS possible to lose weight on Celexa. I wish I had a more definite answer for you about how I feel about the Celexa. There are no real side effects. It keeps me pretty level, but like I said I worry it may be stalling my recovery. But I worry about everything so that may not mean anything. Are you on it, if so how do you like it, how much are you taking? I'm always interested in how people are doing on Celexa, and how the withdrawal is, etc.

Sorry for the long paragraph, I tend to do that. I was wondering, what is the difference in Cipramil and Citalopram? I know Citalopram is a generic name for Celexa but what is the difference in that and Cipramil?


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Joe - I've never,ever, belittled the horror that you went through with benzo withdrawal. It sound horrific, and I wouldn't wish that on my worse enemy. If you had read my posts regarding the shrieking torment that you went through then you'd understand. I can't imagine the torment that you went through, and I'm sorry for that. Truely. I'm not a saint, but I also try and respond similarly to people who have had bad experiences of anti-depressants. Seroxat, Anafranil (which was bad for me too)..and I am a strict opponant againt using anti-psychotics will 'simple' DR/DP.

All I said was, and from experience to a certain degree, I've never had any problems with benzo's.....none at all. They were a life saver for me. Sure, I've never taken them continuously, so perhaps I never developed withdrawal problems. I never belittled your suffering. And again - sure, I made fun at your expense from time to time...that's my way. But people who time and time again post spiteful rants against them deserve a little wake up call. I'm honest, but you are unable to accept that some people gain relief from occassional use...it certainly seems that way. It seems like your experiences has left you inappropriately bitter, and I don't blame you for that. I can't remember the last time you posted a 'helpful', 'supportive post'...whether that person was on benzo's or not. We're all in this together. And I don't understand how you can revel in my suffering. I understand that I can be flippant to your posts, cruel perhaps, and I'm sorry. But I'm only human, and my usual response to the regularity of your anti-benzo posts is my default setting of sarcasm. I've also posted time and time again warning people about the dangers of long term benzo use - so I don't understand why you hate me so much. I don't think less of you because of your views. I'm NOT and total advocate of long term benzo use, and I have issued caution to many of the posters on here. I've also posted that I hope everything is going well with your recovery on SSRI's. I really mean that. Even after all these years I don't want to make enemys. But from my recent experience, some SSRI's are as bad, if not worse, than benzo's - which, I restate again, I have had no problem with. Sorry, but I just haven't. I can only speak from experience.



> Now you know what it feels like to be the victim of drug withdrawal and have somebody making fun of it. Dont worry it will pass and in time you will feel yourself again


My god, I certainly do now. And I thank you for your good wishes.

As for the Efexor....I had ANOTHER appointment at the doctors again yesterday....I felt absolustely awful...and he said...and I quote (after shruging his shoulders dismissingly) said 'Yeah, well, there is a Department of Health investigation into it.' Great ! Anyway, to cut a long story short, he gave me a short course of Diazepam and changed me back to my old friend Cipramil, although I've got to wait two days to get the effexor out of my system. Here's waiting for another three days of hell before I start on the Cipramil.


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## g-funk (Aug 20, 2004)

My doc had a discussion with me about Effexor too. Basically, out of all the anti-deps, there has been some slightly more worrying withdrawal and side effects, and now only psychiatrists are allowed to prescribe it. There has been some kind of kick up the butt of docs who have already prescribed it, to make sure they monitor the patient very closely. They are allowed to continue prescribing it to a patient if they've started.

From what I can tell, the statistics have arisen from those who have cold turkied. It just cant be done. Of course it is worrying that a drug is capable of making you feel that way, but at the end of the day, each person has to make a personal decision as to whether that the benefits outweigh potential side effects. For me, I have felt like I had flu, dizzy, nausea, headaches, barely able to move, but I can take that over feeling dp'd. Any day. But then, that's not to say that I am experiencing the same level of withdrawal as others, and of course others may not have experienced as severe dp as me, its so personal, only you can make a choice with these drugs. We have to take responsibility, since we can no longer rely on doctors to give us the entire truth.


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## dakotajo (Aug 10, 2004)

Hey Martin,

Like I said, just hang in there. The brain seems to have a road map that it follows back to normality. Sometimes its painfully slow but it always seems to get there.

Enngirl,

Im feeling pretty good these daze. Ive been on Celexa in the past and it seemed like it worked well. I have a couple of relatives that also take it and they do well on it. Im just curious how others feel on it. Dont fear the withdrawal. Out of all the ssris it seems like its the easiest. Your not in any race, so when you decide to get off, take it extremely slow(small cuts) and you probably wont notice a thing.

Joe


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

As I said above, my doctor has recently changed my from Efexor XL back to my old friend Cipramil. I never had any withdrawal problems with that, not that I can remember - not like bloody Efexor. He told he to wait for 12 hours to get the Efexor out of my system before I changed to Cipramil and, according to him, there should be a seemless overlap. Hmm. I'll wait and see. I feel OK today.

Strangely though, Cipramil wasn't as effect at contoling my anxiety and panic as Efexor, but it's a small price to pay for the withdrawal. But as everyone has said, Cipramil rarely has any bad side effects...it seems to be the 'cleanest' of all the SSRI's.


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## Martinelv (Aug 10, 2004)

Well, it's been four days since I took my last Efexor, and three days since I've been on Cipramil. I haven't been reduced to the gibbering wreck that I was after the Efexor, so maybe (for once) the doctor was right when he said that the Cipramil would take over where the Efexor left off, with no problems. Thank christ for that.


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## dakotajo (Aug 10, 2004)

Hi Martin,

Im glad to hear you are feeling better.

Joe


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