Efexor ?

[twister]

Sadie

Has your doctor not given you a time plan to come off of them.

When I came off of Cipralex before I was on 10mg, I went down to 5mg for a couple of weeks and then 5mg every other day for a couple of weeks. As your dosage is higher I should think you'd have to come off it more slowly. You can get a lot of medications in liquid form to allow you to reduce them more slowly, your doctor should know about this.

The withdrawal symptoms arent dangerous they are just horrible but I have found can be avoided by doing it carefully and sensibly.

If you have only been taking them for 8 weeks you also have to think that maybe it is just the original problem showing itself....

Emily

[benoo5]

sadie,

i didnt mean it takes eight weeks for the drugs to clear the system,its the withdrawal symptoms that take the time.

if your still feeling rough,then phone your doctors surgery,and ask for a priority appointment.

hope you feel better soon...bryan.

[kd]

.... another problem I am experiencing is that i have almost totally lost my appetite. I prepare something, look at it, and just don't feel like it. Once the effexor has kicked in do you think I should get an appetite back. I've lost over half a stone in 5wks.

[Meg]

Hi KD,

I can comment on losing weight. I lost stacks about 1.5 stone when I was acute in about a month, sadly for me, it all went back on soon enough when I learnt to calm down.

Lucky was concerned at the amount she lost too, we haven't heard about it recently so hope it's settled. I don't think she needed to lose it though.

I lived on just about hummus and crackers only for several weeks. Don't know how much to do with SSRI or just the massive energy needed to sustain anxiety and panic plus all the GI issues.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[sarap]

Hi kd,

I took Efexor for anxiety and depression and it really helped me. Took it for over a year. I also lost my appetite, but think that was becasue I felt slightly nauseous. Had to remember to eat regularly to keep the blood sugar up. I also had no problems coming off it.

Let us know how you go.

Sara x

[kd]

Thanks for your good words Sarah. I'm on day two with my tablets and its certainly not as bad as I was with citalopram which I couldn't even get passed day 1. Last night i fell asleep at 8 and woke at 4.30 with racing thoughts but i didn't have the itchy skin or involuntary movements (twitchy legs, feet and waking up scratching). I was sick lastnight about 2hrs after taking it, so hoping that the tablet had absorbed beforehand because I can cope with those side effects, though i got an incredibly stiff neck and my pupils were huge. I'm just struggling to find food worth eating, I've been a big food lover and suddenly over the past 4wks its gone. At least I can fit into some of my old clothes!!

[kd]

I took my 2nd tablet about 3.5hrs ago, and I've got terrible neck ache and keep getting a sore jaw. Is this normal? I just feel all knotted up ???

[sadie]

Hi KD

Your terrible neck ache and sore jaw will be through tension. Thats exactly what I get also. You shoulders will be sitting up tight and you will be tensing your jaw and probably crunching you teeth even though you wont realise your doing it. I do this in my sleep and get terrible tension headaches and earache etc because of it. I also have a really sore neck and have a very tender neck muscle which causes me a lot of pain. Try your best to relax and try not to worry too much about taking your medication. I did get some side affects at first when i started taking these pills but they do pass and make you feel good. I also lost my appetite for a little while but tried to eat soup or something light until it came back..and it does come back!! Take a nice relaxing bath and do some deep breathing and some stretches to loosen out your tight muscles and that should help.

Take care

sadie

[Meg]

KD , getting a massage may make a huge difference to you at this time if the muscles are really taut.

Sadie has a good point about jaw crunching in your sleep and the pain that can result from it.

Take care, I know you're really struggling today but you are doing something to help yourself . Try to stick with it and allow it to work. If it's giving you sideeffects then something's going on inside and will do its best for you soon.


Meg

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...

[sadie]

Hi Radar

i am still trying to come off my exefor pills. I dont feel quite as bad as I did last week but I do still feel tingling done my arms and legs but not as bad and now i am getting really itchy all over. Is this a side effect?

I am taking 75mg every 3rd day now..do you think that will be ok?

sadie