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Has anyone else stopped taking an antidepressant? My surgeon took me off Effexor before my surgery Wednesday. I started taking it when my husband died 2.5 years ago and now I think I'm having withdrawal from it! I'm not going to start taking it again because I believe it's in my best interest not to. I looked it up and I think what I'm going thru is called "brain shivers" Scarey - my brain needs ALL its cells in good working order:D |
Your supposed to be weaned off of it not just stopped or you will withdraw big time |
My surgeon told me I could begin taking it again if I wanted to. He didn't say anything about weaning me off it. Maybe I need to take one and call him on Monday to get some instructions about being weaned off. |
you should never go cold turkey on effexor. it is dangerous. you are messing with brain chemicals. |
you should definitely wean yourself off them. you cannot just stop cold turkey. your body has gotten used to being supplied with what it needs from the pills and therefore doesn't make as much anymore. by stopping cold turkey you are denying your body what it needs because it doesn't realize yet that your not taking the pills anymore. i'd wean yourself off for one to two weeks. start by taking a half pill for about a week, then go to 1/4 pill for a few days, and then stop. |
I have tried to stop taking Zoloft and after a few days of total irritability and anxiety started up again. You do need to wean off them. |
Your doctor was so wrong to tell you to do that. I was on Effexor a few years ago and it took me over a month to slowly wean myself off of it and even after the month my brain was still off. I would suggest going back on and if you want to go off open up the capsules and slowly lower the amount of granules you take. I went right down to maybe 10 granules before I quit and right away I went on to Zoloft because I didn't want to be depressed again. You have to be very careful, especially with Effexor. You can read up on all kinds of horror stories online about going off of it the right way. It's not an easy one to get out of your system. I'm glad you posted and asked for advice. Let us know what you decide to do and how you are doing. I'll be thinking about ya!!! |
effexor is in capsules? i can't remember. i took effexor a few years ago and it didn't work for me so i weaned off of it and started taking celexa. much better. add in some wellbutrin and i'm feeling great! teh capsules are harder to wean off of just because you can't split it into pieces like pills. sweetheartsok has the idea tho! |
Yikes! What is with doctors these days? A doc told one of my co-workers to stop taking her anti-depressant cold turkey, and she about lost it.:eek: We persuaded her to go back on it after a couple of days, and she did much better gradually weaning herself. She changed doctors. |
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I also take Effexor and I was as sick as a dog about 3 weeks ago and kept forgetting to take my daily dose. I got the brain shivers too (which I found out thanks too my best friend Google :) ) and I had no idea what it was! It was really bad too, I was getting it every few minutes and thought I was dying! :eek: I had never experienced that before! But once I started taking it again, it immediately went away. |
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My mom went off Effexor cold turkey and had no problems. She did read about the "brain shivers" but that never happened to her. She had been on it for 6 months. She has been off it since July 2007 now. And no repercussions. She had gone on it for the same reason. My dad passed away. Everyone is different! Keep us posted on what they doctor says and all. Hope you feel okay! |
I took on elast night before I went to bed and can definitely tell the difference this morning! I"m going to call my doctor tomorrow first thing and ask lots of questions. Thanks everybody |
glad you're feeling better, i hope everything works out for the best, and please keep us updated (((((hugs)))) |
oh girl - that's scary - I don't know what brain shivers are but it sounds awful. What does your doctor say about starting back on it ? I was put on an antidepressant after my husband died a few months ago and couldn't handle it. I had to stop after only a few days - but I'm taking anti-anxiety medication now and it's a huge help - I don't know if you can switch after being on something so long but I don't have any side effects (except for crying) when I run out - .....I mostly take it at night - sleeping is something I don't 'do' well at all now. How are you feeling other than that ? I would def call your doctor and if you get scared ...maybe you can call the ER and speak to a registered nurse...they can't 'diagnose' but they can tell you alot if they're experienced and usually will help someone on the phone. They may tell you to come in - but sometimes will help settle your fears - good luck !! ooops - just saw your post and am so glad you feel better !!! |
I suggest... Titrating to a lower dose weekly......if you start at 40, then break tablet in half weekly to 20....never stop cold turkey....See if your pharmacist can fill with 2 20mgs....so as to be able to reduce dose.....upon next refill.....Sorry I do not remember the dosage of Effexor..... I took it for about 2 weeks and thought I was going to vomit my guts out.....so I stopped.... I know, you all remember I sold Xanax, Halcion and Luvox as a rep......legal...so I do know about SSRI's...... |
Is the Dr. that took you off the one that prescribed it? One of the biggest health problems we have is that Dr.'s do not comunicate with one another and no one can be expected to know everything about everything. I would call the prescribing Dr, not the Surgeon, they will be more knowledgeable regarding the drug. |
how are you feeling? be careful driving. |
I'm feeling better now. I'm not driving at all because I'm post surgery and just don't feel comfortable driving now. I took my usual dose last night when I got off YT and this morning I pulled the capsule apart and emptied out about 1/4 of the granules inside. My surgeon took me off it for my weight loss surgery and told me I COULD start it again - it was my decision not to. I just didn't know I would have trouble stopping it. I'm calling my regular MD in the morning to see what he says about being weaned off it. Man - this is just plain scary to me! Now I wish I'd toughed it out and never started taking it. |
That is so scary. I have been on one kind or another antidepressant for years. I can't believe your surgeon told you to go off cold turkey, even for the surgery. If he wanted you to go off he could or had you gradually decrease in the weeks before you went in for surgery. Good luck sweetie. |
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Hey! I didnt read through all the posts but all I keep thinking is Oh my GOODNESS! Your doctor didnt tell you to taper off? I have been on antidepressants for 6 years, ever since our house burnt down, then I had to start back after I lost a child. I have been on lexapro since Bryson has been born. He is almost 4. It seems to work better than anything else Ive tried. But lately I have been wanting to try to taper down on it. So I have gone from 20 mg to 10mg. I am even having withdrawal symptoms from going down that little amount. I seem to be SO SO SO moody and am trying my best not to be. Good luck, keep us updated! ;) |
I'm so happy to here you went back on and are dropping 1/4 of the granules at a time. You will feel a lot better doing it this way. Good luck and keep us posted. |
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