I went off Effexor cold-turkey after a year of continually increasing doses to cope with anxiety and depression. I felt like I wasn't myself anymore, and that I didn't care enough about everyday life because I was so zoned out on the medications. However, I'm now so irritable and have such feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness that I'm destroying my relationship. I'm also having huge problems concentrating and reading. I didn't experience any significant nausea or brain tremors in going off the medication. Just a lot of irritability and unhappiness. I'm hoping it will go away with time (It has been at least three months). But I'm tempted to go back on the medication at a lower dose. However, the feeling of 'not being me' while on the anti-depressant is what keeps me off going back on.
While on the medication I did sweat rather profusely at night. However, I also experienced positive appetite suppresant aspects. Not a good reason for taking anti-depressants, I know, but still tempting.
A friend of mine is on low-dose Effexor XR for anxiety. Her whole family finds her much easier to deal with and more pleasant. However, now that I'm off the medication, I see her as being not quite herself. People need anxiety to keep themselves under control, somehow.
My advice: be careful with your doses and be sure to stay at as low a dose as you can handle. Also, don't go off cold-turkey like I did. Rather, be sensible about it and wean-off, or wean-down or your probably bound to remain in the depressive cycle.
Full Version: my experience with effexor
QUOTE(Susan @ Jul 17 2007, 09:26 AM) 
I went off Effexor cold-turkey after a year of continually increasing doses to cope with anxiety and depression. I felt like I wasn't myself anymore, and that I didn't care enough about everyday life because I was so zoned out on the medications. However, I'm now so irritable and have such feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness that I'm destroying my relationship. I'm also having huge problems concentrating and reading. I didn't experience any significant nausea or brain tremors in going off the medication. Just a lot of irritability and unhappiness. I'm hoping it will go away with time (It has been at least three months). But I'm tempted to go back on the medication at a lower dose. However, the feeling of 'not being me' while on the anti-depressant is what keeps me off going back on.
While on the medication I did sweat rather profusely at night. However, I also experienced positive appetite suppresant aspects. Not a good reason for taking anti-depressants, I know, but still tempting.
A friend of mine is on low-dose Effexor XR for anxiety. Her whole family finds her much easier to deal with and more pleasant. However, now that I'm off the medication, I see her as being not quite herself. People need anxiety to keep themselves under control, somehow.
My advice: be careful with your doses and be sure to stay at as low a dose as you can handle. Also, don't go off cold-turkey like I did. Rather, be sensible about it and wean-off, or wean-down or your probably bound to remain in the depressive cycle.
While on the medication I did sweat rather profusely at night. However, I also experienced positive appetite suppresant aspects. Not a good reason for taking anti-depressants, I know, but still tempting.
A friend of mine is on low-dose Effexor XR for anxiety. Her whole family finds her much easier to deal with and more pleasant. However, now that I'm off the medication, I see her as being not quite herself. People need anxiety to keep themselves under control, somehow.
My advice: be careful with your doses and be sure to stay at as low a dose as you can handle. Also, don't go off cold-turkey like I did. Rather, be sensible about it and wean-off, or wean-down or your probably bound to remain in the depressive cycle.
I have been on Effexor (150) for what was originally supposed to be a one-shot deal for some anxiety about an at-the-time upcoming airline flight.
I asked my doc for a small scrip of tranquilizers for the flight only, and she suggested a gradually increasing dosage of Effexor (the usual 37.5, 75, then 150 in the usual time progression)
All of a sudden I realized how much better I felt, more like "the me I used to be".
I am 53, and all of a sudden I had (have) the enthusiasm and optimisim of my twenties-
No side effects, and I absolutely love the vivid lucid dreaming, each and every night, and never a disturbing nightmare or anything like I have heard of reported.
I'm much more productive and don't feel like it has compromised or suppressed any aspect of my personality. I have been on it for a year now. According to my doc, she says eventually the body will adapt and maintain the serotonin balance and reuptake suppression by itself to some degree which the drug is currently responsible for .
I'm just lucky, I guess. I just felt I should share this, since there are situations where the drug does exactly as it should.
Best,
Dave
I asked my doc for a small scrip of tranquilizers for the flight only, and she suggested a gradually increasing dosage of Effexor (the usual 37.5, 75, then 150 in the usual time progression)
All of a sudden I realized how much better I felt, more like "the me I used to be".
I am 53, and all of a sudden I had (have) the enthusiasm and optimisim of my twenties-
No side effects, and I absolutely love the vivid lucid dreaming, each and every night, and never a disturbing nightmare or anything like I have heard of reported.
I'm much more productive and don't feel like it has compromised or suppressed any aspect of my personality. I have been on it for a year now. According to my doc, she says eventually the body will adapt and maintain the serotonin balance and reuptake suppression by itself to some degree which the drug is currently responsible for .
I'm just lucky, I guess. I just felt I should share this, since there are situations where the drug does exactly as it should.
Best,
Dave
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