Guest guest Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Welcome,Christie! I'm not sure I understand how long you've been off Effexor. Please clarify this and then I can answer you. Regards, (moderator/list owner) > Hello, I am Christie and new to the group. > > Where I am at: > I was on 150mg Effexor for several years (not sure how long). > I did a REALLY bad thing I stopped taking it. It was a finacial > issue! I have been about 8 days without one, before that 7 days. > > I knew from missing doses how bad effexor could make you feel but > had NO idea of how long it would take and all the symptoms that > could truly come from this! > > When missing a dose and at the beginning going off it, I got > vertigo, nausea, gagging for no real reason. > > I am also Obese so many of the symptoms I have been feeling I blamed > on that! After seeing the link posted here to a list of effexor > withdrawl symptoms I was surprised to find all the things i have > been experiencing listed there. > > Here is what I am feeling: > > Dry Mouth -(So dry that my mouth stick shut) > > Varicose Veins -(small spot on my leg and hemmoroids Worse than > normail due to obesity) > > Abdominal Cramp/Pain - (For the past few days, once or twice a day I > get a sudden painful twinge/spasm in my lower abdomin) > > Belching, Bloated (even though I took Lasix for edema) diarrhea and > flatulence without a change in my diet! > > Gastroesophageal Reflux ( I am used to having this if I eat late and > then lay down I could feel the acid coming up but for the past week > it is constant! Sitting, Standing, laying down. It doesn't matter. > It is worse when laying down. I actually cough and choke! > > Allergy - I have been sneezing! > > Chest Pains > > Edema of the Extremities (again even though I am taking lasix) > > Bruise (being overweight with a big belly I am use to having some > small bruises on my belly because the skin there is so tight and > when I lay on my side, my cat lays on my side and " kneads " on my > belly leaving light colored bluish bruises about the size of a > quarter. The other day in the same spot where I had two quarter size > bruises I found an ugly purple bruise that is now turing yellow in > the center the size of baseball! > > Muscle contraction Involuntary - A pain shoots through my leg or > foot that causes me to jerk it back. > > Paresthesia ( I itch! My scalp, my legs , my back! I also have a > feeling that something is crawling on me) > > Restless legs ( my legs feel achey, heavy and I have a need to keep > moving them, hoping the feeling will go away! I rub them together , > I kick one with the other trying to get it to go away! > > Twitching ( my newest symptom) When I do sleep and that is rare, I > wake up when My head does this jerk to the side! or my shoulders > jerk up as if to shrug! > > Dreaming abnormal Before effexor my brain wouldn't shut down. I had > what I call " mini movies " play in my head at night. This was a > collection of things I did, saw, read , thought in the day all put > together in confusing " movie " but NOW it like nightmares! > > Insomnia > > Jitterness > > Coughing > > Acne ( on my neck just below my jaw line I have cystic acne type > blemishes. Three to four on one side and a two or three on the > other. Just when I think they are clearing up , they come back! > > Exzema I have had this but rarely showed symptoms but my hands are > really showing it. > > Dry Lips > > Pruritus (Extreme itching. I am embarassed to go out for fear > someone will think I have something contagious) > > > Taste issues? ( I have a bad taste in my mouth and some things taste > metalic! > > > How I got here: > I was prescribed Effexor for panic attacks, I think! Reading the > difference between Anxiety and Panic attacks I am not sure if what I > felt was deeper. > > In that file it said feelings I would die. My feelings were that me > or my loved ones would die. I was afraid go any where or do anything > because I just knew I was going to be killed some how leaving my > daughter without a mother ( I am a single Mom). > > If I coudln't reach my mom or my daughter was late coming home I > could picture horrible things that might have happened. Things NO > mother should have to see. > > I NEVER had feelings of ending my life or taking someone elses! > > I did not realize that other symptoms I had were consider " panic " > issues too. I itched all the time, all over but the worse one was a > paralyzing, completely scary pain that rain down my whole spine. It > was like I was being electracuted, it felt like it was vibrating and > I couldn't move and the fear of it and pain would cause me to hold > my breath. I was convinced anything feeling like this on such an > important part of your body meant I had something horrible. > > When I tried to Google this experince the only thing I found close > was a symptom for Multiple Sclerosis. Adding to the fear! > > > > This fear lead to one full blown attack with trouble breathing and > chest pains. > > My ?'s are: > > Since I went off abruptly BUT it has been so long, do I just > continue with the withdrawl? I really don't want to go back > and " wean " myself off of this of life zapping drug? > > In the file alternatives for Anxiety, it mentions the difference > between anxiety and Panic attacks. I suffer from Panic attacks would > these alternatives help me with them? > > How long does this take? > > Has it been long enough that no new symptoms will emerge? > > TIA, Blessings to all, Christie > > > > > > > > > To subscribe to our off-topic Social list go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socialWandR/ > > To subscribe to our Truth-in-Health list go to: > > http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/truth-in-health > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 Hi, and THANKS for the Welcome! It has probably been over a month since I took effexor regularly! My mom takes effexor too, she had some issues with her employer not paying the company health insurance. I knew that she suffers worse withdrawl symptoms so I let her take mine. At first I would take a dose every 3 or 4 days but it had been about 8 days yesterday since I had a dose. However Yesterday I decided I was going to go back on it and took a dose. THEN I decided before having my prescription refilled to search natural alternatives and was shocked when I googled it that all the responses were about the nasty withdrawl symptoms and found this group. I then decided I was NOT going back on this stuff. So I had one dose Yesterday, one dose 8 days ago and one dose about 15 days ago! Since I didn't really plan going off of it and didn't really know how horrible the withdrawl was going to be I didn't note real dates of when I took it, when I didn't and didn't know that many symptoms I have felt in the past few weeks were related to the effexor so I didn't note when each on started either. Thanks so much again for the welcome and I hope you can help me. Blessings, Christie Creel wrote: Welcome,Christie! I'm not sure I understand how long you've been off Effexor. Pleaseclarify this and then I can answer you.Regards,(moderator/list owner)> Hello, I am Christie and new to the group.>> Where I am at:> I was on 150mg Effexor for several years (not sure how long).> I did a REALLY bad thing I stopped taking it. It was a finacial> issue! I have been about 8 days without one, before that 7 days.>> I knew from missing doses how bad effexor could make you feel but> had NO idea of how long it would take and all the symptoms that> could truly come from this!>> When missing a dose and at the beginning going off it, I got> vertigo, nausea, gagging for no real reason.>> I am also Obese so many of the symptoms I have been feeling I blamed> on that! After seeing the link posted here to a list of effexor> withdrawl symptoms I was surprised to find all the things i have> been experiencing listed there.>> Here is what I am feeling:>> Dry Mouth -(So dry that my mouth stick shut)>> Varicose Veins -(small spot on my leg and hemmoroids Worse than> normail due to obesity)>> Abdominal Cramp/Pain - (For the past few days, once or twice a day I> get a sudden painful twinge/spasm in my lower abdomin)>> Belching, Bloated (even though I took Lasix for edema) diarrhea and> flatulence without a change in my diet!>> Gastroesophageal Reflux ( I am used to having this if I eat late and> then lay down I could feel the acid coming up but for the past week> it is constant! Sitting, Standing, laying down. It doesn't matter.> It is worse when laying down. I actually cough and choke!>> Allergy - I have been sneezing!>> Chest Pains>> Edema of the Extremities (again even though I am taking lasix)>> Bruise (being overweight with a big belly I am use to having some> small bruises on my belly because the skin there is so tight and> when I lay on my side, my cat lays on my side and "kneads" on my> belly leaving light colored bluish bruises about the size of a> quarter. The other day in the same spot where I had two quarter size> bruises I found an ugly purple bruise that is now turing yellow in> the center the size of baseball!>> Muscle contraction Involuntary - A pain shoots through my leg or> foot that causes me to jerk it back.>> Paresthesia ( I itch! My scalp, my legs , my back! I also have a> feeling that something is crawling on me)>> Restless legs ( my legs feel achey, heavy and I have a need to keep> moving them, hoping the feeling will go away! I rub them together ,> I kick one with the other trying to get it to go away!>> Twitching ( my newest symptom) When I do sleep and that is rare, I> wake up when My head does this jerk to the side! or my shoulders> jerk up as if to shrug!>> Dreaming abnormal Before effexor my brain wouldn't shut down. I had> what I call "mini movies" play in my head at night. This was a> collection of things I did, saw, read , thought in the day all put> together in confusing "movie" but NOW it like nightmares!>> Insomnia>> Jitterness>> Coughing>> Acne ( on my neck just below my jaw line I have cystic acne type> blemishes. Three to four on one side and a two or three on the> other. Just when I think they are clearing up , they come back!>> Exzema I have had this but rarely showed symptoms but my hands are> really showing it.>> Dry Lips>> Pruritus (Extreme itching. I am embarassed to go out for fear> someone will think I have something contagious)>>> Taste issues? ( I have a bad taste in my mouth and some things taste> metalic!>>> How I got here:> I was prescribed Effexor for panic attacks, I think! Reading the> difference between Anxiety and Panic attacks I am not sure if what I> felt was deeper.>> In that file it said feelings I would die. My feelings were that me> or my loved ones would die. I was afraid go any where or do anything> because I just knew I was going to be killed some how leaving my> daughter without a mother ( I am a single Mom).>> If I coudln't reach my mom or my daughter was late coming home I> could picture horrible things that might have happened. Things NO> mother should have to see.>> I NEVER had feelings of ending my life or taking someone elses!>> I did not realize that other symptoms I had were consider "panic"> issues too. I itched all the time, all over but the worse one was a> paralyzing, completely scary pain that rain down my whole spine. It> was like I was being electracuted, it felt like it was vibrating and> I couldn't move and the fear of it and pain would cause me to hold> my breath. I was convinced anything feeling like this on such an> important part of your body meant I had something horrible.>> When I tried to Google this experince the only thing I found close> was a symptom for Multiple Sclerosis. Adding to the fear!>>>> This fear lead to one full blown attack with trouble breathing and> chest pains.>> My ?'s are:>> Since I went off abruptly BUT it has been so long, do I just> continue with the withdrawl? I really don't want to go back> and "wean" myself off of this of life zapping drug?>> In the file alternatives for Anxiety, it mentions the difference> between anxiety and Panic attacks. I suffer from Panic attacks would> these alternatives help me with them?>> How long does this take?>> Has it been long enough that no new symptoms will emerge?>> TIA, Blessings to all, Christie>>>>>>>>> To subscribe to our off-topic Social list go to:>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socialWandR/>> To subscribe to our Truth-in-Health list go to:>> http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/truth-in-health>>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 Dear Christie, You'll make your life more difficult than it needs to be if you don't go back on the drug and reduce it 5-10% at a time waiting in between decreases until you feel stable again. What you are experiencing now is just the tip of the iceberg. It gets much worse and often results in people being ill for years. Never abruptly discontinue these drugs. Regards, > > Hi, and THANKS for the Welcome! It has probably been over a month since I took effexor regularly! My mom takes effexor too, she had some issues with her employer not paying the company health insurance. I knew that she suffers worse withdrawl symptoms so I let her take mine. > > At first I would take a dose every 3 or 4 days but it had been about 8 days yesterday since I had a dose. > > However Yesterday I decided I was going to go back on it and took a dose. THEN I decided before having my prescription refilled to search natural alternatives and was shocked when I googled it that all the responses were about the nasty withdrawl symptoms and found this group. > > I then decided I was NOT going back on this stuff. > > So I had one dose Yesterday, one dose 8 days ago and one dose about 15 days ago! Since I didn't really plan going off of it and didn't really know how horrible the withdrawl was going to be I didn't note real dates of when I took it, when I didn't and didn't know that many symptoms I have felt in the past few weeks were related to the effexor so I didn't note when each on started either. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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