debez2... and I had a sick father.I have gained 40 lbs and don't think I eat more than I always have. I didn't think this causes weight gain. I want to get off but I am not sure how I will be. Do I have to wean off this?
I have been taking effexor xr 150mg for about 3 years. How do I stop taking?
- Posted:
- 9 Aug 2009 by debez2
- Topics:
- effexor, effexor xr, anxiety, weight, anxiety and stress
Details:
Responses (4)
Psyched9 Aug 2009
Debez2,
If you stop taking Effexor abruptly you can have severe headaches and nausea or worse withdrawls. The best thing to do is talk with your doctor before stopping this, or any other med, that you've been prescribed and have been taking for a while. Also, he may want to prescribe some other medication to help with your anxiety. Hope this helps.
sklsanford11 Aug 2009
I would recommend tapering down to reduce the side effects. I have stopped taking Effexor before cold turkey and the side effects were not horrible but not pleasant either. You could expect headaches, lethargy, nausea. Basically, I felt like I had a mild case of the flu for about 7-10 days then it started to get better. I have heard that most of that doesn't happen if you taper down slowly.
16 Aug 2009
You may want to consider that it is not the Effexor XR stimulating your appetite. However, the possiblity exists that it could. So, if you are wanting to discontinue it, unless you are having life threatening situation, such as an allergic reaction to this medication, do no stop it abruptly as the other posters indicated. Call and go into your clinician's office and request a written taper down schedule for you to follow so that you may avoid the "flu" phenomena. Then, while you are there, I would recommend that you ask your provider if you could have your thyroid physically examined and lab testing TSH, Free T4 just to make sure that your thyroid is working as it should. Good luck.
Candibar8624 Feb 2011
I have on 3 different occasions ran out of Effexor, the side effects were horrible! I felt like electricity was zapping inside my head, i couldn't stop crying, shaking, sleepy, and easy to anger! I am so mad because I never wanted to rely on medication just to feel normal, I feel so trapped and want to get off of this!
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
Similar questions
Effexor XR - Desperate here. I'm on 150mg venlafaxine (veniz/venlor). I started taking Tramadol a?
... couple years ago and it made the effects of the venlafaxine much better. I felt great. But 18 months later now, I cannot get off the tramadol ...
1 answer • 23 Nov 2009 • 
Will upping Effexor XR dosage from 75mg to 150mg show any benefit? And if so how long would it take?
I have been taking Effexor XR for about 5-6 years and im 21 and i find its not doing much for my anxiety/depression anymore im wondering if upping ...
3 answers • 6 Feb 2011 •
Effexor increase?
Hi, I have been on effexor for five years now ranging from 22.5mg to 150mg. I am currently on 75mg but have been having panic attacks and anxiety for ...
7 answers • 13 Dec 2011 •
Weaning Off Effexor XR How Have People Coped?
In the past I took myself off 150mg daily Effexor XR and had bad withdrawals for 2 weeks. After that I was fine. I lost all the weight I had gained ...
3 answers • 17 Jan 2013 •
I am currently making the transition from 150mg of Effexor XR to Welbutrin. I am currently in in my?
... 4th week of the transition and it is getting more difficult. Week 1 I stepped down to 75mg, no issues. Week 2 stepped down to 37.5 and started ...
1 answer • 18 Apr 2013 •
Hey candibar,
I hear your frustration. Unfortunately, for some of us, we require medicine the rest of our lives. The alternative, depression and anxiety, is no way to live. Please, try to remain positive and talk to the folks on this site often. There is a lot of caring people.
Wishing you the very best,
Laurie
You are right I was told that I had Chronic depression which means I will prob always have it, but I will say I am doing great, rarely get depressed. I just hate the fact that I'm dependant on this medication. thank you for your response.
I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia and Traumatic Brain Injury, all of which affect cognition. I take 300 mg./day of Effexor ER because it helps my cognition tremendously. But the costs of being able to think have been a significant reduction in the ability to feel emotions and a complete inability to have an orgasm.
I would love to get off of Effexor, but every time I try, my thinking ability diminishes, e.g., short term memory, abstract thinking, organizational ability, focus, etc. all suffer. I also go through a huge roller coaster of emotions when I try to stop taking Effexor; it gets so bad that a commercial can make me weep! This went on for two months once and kept getting worse until I gave up and went back on Effexor.
I want so much to find a better way to bring my cognitive ability back to normal. If anybody else is getting a different kind of effective treatment for cognition, please let me know. I will check back here. Thank you.
Ok so I have decided to completely Quit the crap Effexor... been off it for over a week now... side effects are HORRIBLE! But This time is different, I'm doing for the fact that I do not want to be a prisoner to a pill, not because I ran out. I just would like some feed back on how others are feeling in my situation. And maybe some reasurrance that this will go away. Thank you for any and all opinions.
Candace
Good luck Candace, I do pray that you can stay off the medication, but be very careful. If the depression returns make sure you seek help and don't let it control your life instead of the pills.
Laurie
Candibar86- How did you do going off effexor? Did you find a different antidepressant that works?