maisiemarie’s withdrawal journal

[Sheila]

This is maisiemarie’s journal thread, which I am helping her to start. Please welcome her to IAWP. These are her questions --

Do you know anyone who has been able to get off of Effexor successfully? Is there damage from not having tapered slowly enough when trying to get off? I have tried to find different threads on the site but am not having success when I type it in the search field. If there is anyone you know that I could be in contact with, I would so greatly appreciate it. I was put on Effexor when I was 26. It worked well for the depression but then I got off of it abruptly and crashed. I then started Lexapro, was on that for two years got off of that and restarted Effexor. When I have tried to get off of it, I have nerve pains that move all around my body and cognitive confusion. I just pray to god that no damage has been done.

[Luc]

Hey, Maisiemarie! Welcome to IAWP. Though we all eventually heal, even after going off of drugs cold turkey, it's strongly advisable to taper SSRIs very very slowly. The best way is to cut the dose by 10% every 3-6 weeks. It may take a while to reach the dose you can safely ditch, but it may be the only way to render the withdrawal symptoms as mild as possible. Here's the video by one of our members which may help you; http://antidepressantwithdrawal.info...Tapering-Video

I'm sure more folks will join this thread soon. Be patient, and stay strong!

[Barbara]

Hi Maisiemarie, welcome aboard IAWP. You too will heal. However, everyone's symptoms and length of time in recovering are unique to that person. And of course, there are particular physical and emotional symptoms that are shared by most in withdrawal.

You have shown strength and courage to come on the forum. Your journey may have challenges that may at times feel insurmountable. Therefore, it is so very important to have faith, hope, and trust in yourself and hold on to your own personal mantra no matter how stormy the seas might become at times. Through this experience you will discover parts of yourself that you never knew existed.

You are now in a community that are on the same ship and each person is very important to the whole as they each in turn will offer a port in the storm by caring and sharing a piece of their own recovery process with you that is a very special gift.

You are truly your own Captain.

[stan]

hello Maisiemarie,

i know people who have tapered very slowly(not effexor) and are bad, and i know people who tapered faster and are very much better, so taper very slowly is not a guaranty to heal faster
but taper slowly minimize your suffering and integrity of your brain,
if you have choice, it is better to taper slowly;
and after it depends of the state of your chemistry(hormones, neurotransmitters etc) who has been changed and the time it requires to repair, and this is individual

[maisiemarie]

I cannot emphasize enough how much this means to me. I have lost the ability to work, to enjoy exercise, to hold myself in confidence with men during this rapid switch over from ssnri to the next. I feel that I am walking through hell. The fatigue is enormous, electric shock sensations, cognitive confusion and feeling that my body isn't taking commands from my brain that it used to. I saw my psychiatrist last night and he made no effort to ameliorate the withdrawal problem but eluded to wanting to put me on lamictol, lithium, and neuroleptics. I am one month off of vibrid and was on effexor for years, low dose. I do not know what to do. I try to stay calm in days time, eat healthy, take a walk, eat supplements, tell myself the brain can heal. They found some little plaques in my brain which they were concerned about, but I do not in my heart feel that this is that. I feel in my heart it is ssnri withdrawal and am not being acknowledged by my doctors. All I can think is to try to get someone to subscribe me a low dose of prozac to ameliorate the symptoms but I don't know what else to do. I've got to believe that the brain heals and this will pass and that there is no damage.

[Luc]

I saw my psychiatrist last night and he made no effort to ameliorate the withdrawal problem but eluded to wanting to put me on lamictol, lithium, and neuroleptics.

That's their typical procedure, to "treat" the side-effects of SSRIs by prescribing more of the kind, and still others, which is why so many people end up poly-drugged. The best approach is to stay away from any of it, and let your body heal on its own. It's hard to say how much time it may still take in your case, Maisiemarie, but the healing always happens. Be patient, and do know that our brains have immense self-fixing abilities. All the symptoms you have mentioned are so WD. The good thing is that you're at the point when you; 1. understand what causes your suffering, 2. know what to do to eventually end it, 3. realize you will heal

[Cosette123]

Welcome Maisiemarie! You have found here the right place to have friendship, real support and the better advices.
The hell you are walking through is withdrawal and we all know that here.I am a Paxil survivor:I quit Paxil (Cold turkey:big mistake) 4 years ago and I passed through indescriptible sufferings...But I am still alive and even if I still have problems, I feel now much more better.

[Sheila]

Welcome, Maisiemarie!

Yes, people definitely can get off these meds successfully, and recover fully.

Can you clarify a couple of things? –

When did you take your last Lexapro?
When did you take your last Effexor?
How long were you on the Viibryd?

Viibryd (Vilazodone) is a new drug for me – “Vilazodone is used to treat depression. Vilazodone is in a class of medications called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and is also a 5HT1A receptor partial agonist. It works by increasing the amount of serotonin, a natural substance in the brain that helps maintain mental balance.”

You have to become your own advocate and really do your homework about these meds. We’ll help you. But what your doctors are saying is typical misinterpretation of your symptoms. To us, it is clear you are having withdrawal symptoms, and the worst thing to do is add another psych med.

Have you looked at books by Robert Whitaker, Peter Breggin, and others who have blown the whistle on these drugs?

Basically, your body has become used to the meds. Your brain and body will automatically repair the changes that the meds made. We can talk to you more about some things you can do to facilitate that – the usual things that are good for health, really. But, your body knows what to do.

[maisiemarie]

Please tell me what to do. Should I restart the effexor and go slowly over a years time and add tramadol? Or would a small dose of prozac ameliorate the suffering? What sorts of things can be taken during this withdrawal process?

[stan]

to give you an advice, you have to answer clearly Sheila's questions
it is very important to know how much you have taken, the duration, when the last dose and the lenght of your switching or tapering, because sometime it is better to try to reinstate, and in other situations it is not recommended, thanks for your clarification

and then, with our knowledge we will tell you what we would do in your case