I have been weaning off Pristiq 50mg with Effexor XR 75mg for the past 3 weeks. I feel extremely tired, constantly hungry and no motivation or energy whatsoever. It hasn't helped with mood at all. I want off of it. I didn't really like Pristiq all that much either, but my dr kept telling me what a good drug it was and didn't seem to want to take me off of it. I remember being on Zoloft before this, along with Wellbutrin XL, and I don't ever remember feeling so down and hopeless. I feel like maybe its that SNRIs are too much for me or something. Has anyone else had this experience? What would cause a dr to choose an SNRI over an SNRI? My dr did it when I went to increase my Zoloft. She had a lot of sample of Pristiq and suggested that I try it. I wish I hadn't. I used to have depressive episodes, but since starting Pristiq and now Effexor, I have had 2 years of persistent depression. I'm really tired of feeling so crappy all the time.
Want off Effexor XR. Not working?
Question posted by CareBear34 on 1 Sep 2016
Last updated on 13 December 2016
4 Answers
I was on Effexor 75mg xr for 7 months, it did nothing for me at all & if I was even an hour late taking it I had horrible side effects. My pdoc switched me over to Pristiq to wean off, by slowly tapering the dose by cutting the pills. I'm on my 8th day off & I have been exhausted, dizzy-want to cry all the time, stress & anxiety which are all discontinued symptoms. I can't even concentrate and also take 25mg Adderall twice daily for ADHD. Wellbutrin & Prozac put me in the hospital. My doc likes SNRI over SSRI, I don't remember why. GO slow with your taper, I cut it to O over 6 weeks & it's hell. Tell your doc, never just stop taking the meds. Unfortunately I was told that once you try a few meds your chances of one working are less. And only 33% of people respond "good" to any antidepressant. If something has worked for you in the past it may be worth trying again. And now I've had MAJOR hair loss, about 2/3 & i am only 21.
I'm also sick of feeling depressed. I also started birth control pills a few months ago so the hair loss & depression may be from that, Struggling to get thru each day without a massive breakdown. In my opinion Effexor & Pristiq are pure poison.
Sorry to hear your situation and so young had trouble with effexor xr too understand hope you can have a nice Christmas
I'm on Effexor XR 37.5 mg for 5 days & it's giving me horrible fatigue. Yrs ago I took Zoloft at 50 mgs & it worked, but last time I tried it I had aggression. Are you thinking of trying Zoloft again since it worked before? I know people who have had success at 150 mgs of Effexor XR but I cannot even up the dose to 75 mgs because of SEs.
Thank you for your response! Yes I am thinking of going back to Zoloft. I am currently at 75 MG of Effexor and having those terrible idea effects, so I am.very reluctant to increase it at all. Seeing my dr on Tuesday evening, so I guess we'll see what happens then.
I just friended you & will send you a PM. I'm trying to figure out what to do next.
Hi Carebear:
If I read your post correctly you have been trying to treat your depression unsuccessfully for over two years? It's time for a new doctor if he/she has let you be this miserable for this long! What is he/she thinking???
If it matters, I hated effexor, zoloft, and I liked Pristiq, but couldn't tolerate a particular side effect to it. I didn't like Wellbutrin XL. It made me irritable, made my stomach hurt, gave me headaches.
We are all different, but since you haven't had any success so far, please let me share with you what is so effective for me now:
I take bupropion SR 150mg, the generic version of wellbutrin SR made by Mylan pharmaceuticals. I went through the ABC's of generics also. I take bupropion SR, along with Buspar for anxiety, and I am anxiety/depression free!
It's alway worth a shot, since you are unhappy with many that you have already tried. Maybe you could talk this treatment over with your doctor?
Please keep posting. I want to hear when you start feeling better! "G"
Thanks so much for your response! I've actually been on various antidepressants since 2004. Zoloft amd Wellbutrin seemed to work the best for me, but in August of 2014 my dr switched me to Pristiq. I had gone to her to talk about an increase my Zoloft dose (I was at 100mg at the time), but she wanted to switch me to Pristiq because she had an abundance of samples of it. Now she is out and wants to switch me to another drug that she has samples of, Trintellix, but I am reluctant to do that again, just because she has free stuff you give out. I would rather go back and try Zoloft again. I am also on Buspirone 10mg in the morning and 10mg in the evening. I was at 20mg in the morning, but decreased it to 10mg when I was running out of my prescription and couldn't get in to see a dr quickly enough. When I went down to 10mg AM I felt a bit better; less anxious. I'm thinking maybe the Buspirone doesn't work that well for me. I'm glad it helps you though! I see my dr on Tuesday evening, so I guess we'll see then.
Hi CareBear-
I have been on Effexor for 1 month and also have not felt so fatigued, no motivation or energy. Sometimes the doctors will listen to the Pharmacy reps that promote the newest antidepressants. There is usually incentive to do so. It is a shame.
I am slowly weaning off the Effexor. It has been the worst drug for side effects for me. I read that the best way to wean off Effexor is to get the tablets and slowly decrease it over time, which I am doing. I also read that taking Prozac is something that may work to help wean off. It is easier to wean off Prozac since it has a long half life. Not sure why your doc would wean you off Pristiq with another SNRI that can the same withdrawals.
Let me know how you are doing.
Thank you for your response! I always appreciate input. My dr chose Effexor to wean me off Pristiq because I was already at the lowest dose of it, and because the Pristiq is extended release it couldn't be split. Effexor is like the first generation of Pristiq so that would be the closest to wean off of it. I did hear that Prozac helps when added as well though.
Still having bad side effects. Hungry all the time, depressed, fatigued. I hate it.
Hi CareBear-
Glad you going to see your doc soon. Switching you to Trintillex just because she has free samples does not seem right. If you want to go back on to Zoloft because it worked then you have the right to try that again.
Staying with what makes us feel best without horrible side effects is the goal.
Keep us informed as we all seem to be in the same boat right now.
I am so sorry you are feeling bad :(
I will. Thanks so much janiebme. I hope you're feeling ok. :)
So... interesting turn of events. This weekend I started to feel better. My sex drive increased to what it was before starting Pristiq 2 years ago! Unbelievable! I was supposed to go see my dr tonight, but put off the appointment a couple of days to see how I do. I'm still apprehensive about continuing on it, but if I keep feeling better I may end up doing that. Maybe I'll try a couple more weeks of it and see how it goes. I am also still afraid of the side effects with coming off of it, and I don't want to increase the dose above 75mg. I'm so confused now. I guess we'll see what happens.
Related topics
effexor, effexor xr, pristiq, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, energy
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