This does NOT by any means constitute medical advice, but I wanted to share my personal experience with Effexor XR, which is a pretty popular anti-depressant and is also used for anxiety disorders. I wish I had done my own research before taking this medication, I never would have started.

I started taking this in June for depression and anxiety, I've taken a lot of SSRIs without positive results and we were looking for one that would help without posing a danger to a fetus, because we were TTC at the time. I started out at the lowest dose, and worked my way up, until I hit my limit at 150mg. (That's not the actual limit, it's just what my body could handle without serious side effects). After a while at 150, I felt plateaued, and realized I had been steadily gaining weight. I wasn't feeling like I was healthy, so we decided to postpone TTC, try some other medications that worked for me, but are not safe for pregnancy, because it's obviously not a good idea to get pregnant when your sanity is barely holding on by a thread to begin with. So, I started my other med, and wanted to wean off the Effexor, but the doctor was hesitant. I decided to do it anyway, against medical advice, and discussed the best ways to do so with my pharmacist. When I got to the lowest dose, 37.5, I was fine, and had minimal if any side effects from the change in dose. Then I missed two doses this weekend, and my brain felt like it was on some kind of bad trip. I really cannot describe it, other than feeling like all of my neurons were misfiring, and my brain was twitchy. I called the pharmacist this morning, and she told me it's very common, can last 2-5 days, and it would be advisable for me to resume my 37.5 for now, then start taking it every other day, or to take the regular version 25mg to help with the withdrawals. I'm going to follow her advice, and discuss it with my doc, but I REALLY wish I had known about the withdrawals before taking this med. I didn't find out about the problems many experience with it until about 5 months into taking it, and some of the stories are frightening. I'd hate to see anyone else go through it. So, at risk of sounding like I'm preaching, PLEASE research ANY medication before taking it, and TALK TO YOUR PHARMACIST!!! Docs get in the habit of prescribing a handful of drugs, because new drugs come out so frequently, and no one knows the medications better than the pharmacist! I've had more than one occasion where I went to fill a script, only to be told the doc should NOT have prescribed it for me, for one reason or another, especially while TTC. (And believe me, I am upfront about all meds and habits when talking to the docs, so it's not so much a lack of patient information as a lack of drug knowledge.) Since we have a little PPO type thing on post, we frequently see Nurse Practitioners, and not often do you see the same one, so things can get lost in the mix. Anyway, before this turns into a novel, I just wanted to share what happened to me.

By Christylee on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 05:12 pm:

Thanks Crystal for posting this. I'm currently on Paxil I just upped my dosage to 50mg and I'm considering switching to something else. I have been going back and forth between asking for effixor or wellbutirin (spp??)

I do know that when I weaned off of Paxil before that you have to wean yourself and the way your pharmacist suggested is the way I finally had to get off of the paxil.

I hope that things level out for you soon, are you switching to something else or going to something else?

By Anonymous on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 05:23 pm:

I too had a negative reaction to this med. The withdrawl was so bad. It took me several times of weaning off to finally break the habit. On top of that, I had huge issues with my liver counts. I feel like it took me over a year to get over this brief episode with meds. I only took them for about 6 months.

By Vicki on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 05:45 pm:

I wonder if all of these kinds of drugs have those possible side effects when you go off of them?? I was on Paxil for about a year a few years ago and when I felt ready to go off of it, I just stopped taking it. I had not one bad reaction to doing it cold turkey at all. I actually didn't even really talk to the dr about it, just did it! I have a friend who had terrible side effects when going off the paxil and had to gradually taper down to get off the med.

By Crystal915 on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 07:10 pm:

Christy,
Paxil made me lethargic, at even the lowest dose, so that was a poor choice for me as well, although it definitely has less side effects than Effexor. I hav heard nothing but good things about Wellbutrin, but have never tried it. Just make sure you do some good research, and talk to the pharmacist about the pros and cons. I'm back on Xanax, an extended release form, which has been doing well for me. I plan to stay away from SSRIs at all costs at this point, once we're ready to TTC again I'll look into alternative treatments, or try to make it through the pregnancy without anything, because I fear the effects of psych drugs on a baby's brain while it's forming. Anon, I'm so sorry you had such a struggle, that was one of the reasons I am so adamant about getting off it now, I felt the cons WAY outweighed the pros, and feared it would only get worse with time. Vicki, my DH takes Paxil now, and is in the process of changing meds (for OCD, not depression), but he "topped out" at a certain dose, when they increased it he was nearly lethargic, but the current dose isn't helping. Of course, the military isn't the best about getting soldiers behavior modification therapy, so I've told him we'll pay out of pocket, search high and low if we have to, and find a therapist willing to work around their schedules, because these drugs are just not good for us, and OCD is not easy to treat without therapy. I think the withdrawal is affected by the dose, and the person, but I know now that Effexor is notoriously horrible with withdrawal, at almost any dose. The worst part is the way mental health disorders are treated, I have to constantly remind him that this is no different than diabetes or high blood pressure, just because we can't "see" test results doesn't make it any less valid. I've lived with it (family history) for so long that my mom always taught me that, but it's hard for him, because he thinks he should just be able to "turn off" his feelings/problems, and society feeds into that.

By Nicki on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 08:32 pm:

It's interesting you should post this, Crystal, because it is something I've dealt with, and am trying to do once again. I have taken Effexor for eight years now. I've tried to get off of it several times but couldn't handle the withdrawals. I know a lot has to do with my personality, in that I'm not the most patient person! I know this has to be done ever so gradually. And once I decide to quit I want to do it in a couple of weeks, but anyone on Effexor who attempts to quit, knows this isn't too realistic.

I think you are right, we should all look into these medications on our own before starting them. I think so many of them have side effects. I guess we just have to weigh the good with the bad. Effexor was still pretty new when I first started taking it. But like you, I've done some reading, and become more educated on the drug, and it's one I would like to do without.

So...I am trying now to slowly decrease my dose. I can't go too far or I get the brain zaps and shakes I've heard others describe. Not to mention the anger issues.

These drugs can help us a lot. But it is wise to know what we're getting into, and decide if the results are worth the side effects.

Thanks for caring and posting this, Crystal.

By Breann on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 08:35 pm:

I take Effexor 75mg. I've missed doses (something up to a week at a time) and haven't experienced anything like that. I've been on it for about 3 years.

I think that with any med, each person can and will react differently. My DH takes Advair for his asthma. There are a lot of people out there that can't take it. But, for him, it's been life changing.

Before I took Effexor, the doctor tried me on a different drug. I can't even remember what it was. But, it was HORRIBLE for me. Hated it. Did weird things to me, lol. I'm sure it isn't like that for everyone though, kwim?

By Crystal915 on Monday, February 27, 2006 - 11:08 pm:

Nicki... thanks for posting, because I know EXACTLY what you mean about the brain zaps!! That's the perfect way to describe how I was feeling!! If you ever want to talk off the boards about it, my email is cjaping at gmail dot com. Breann, have you ever tried to come off of it completely? The reason I wanted to get off was because I found out the horror stories, and felt it wasn't something I wanted to deal with. You are absolutely right though, everyone is different. I've had bad experiences with almost all SSRIs, so maybe it's something my body hates, but some people have wonderful results, so I am glad you have had a positive experience.

By Anonymous on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:26 am:

Any meds, you have to be really really careful! My quitting cold turkey of Paxil contributed to a suicide attempt. Then the news let out that this could happen. If I had known that I would have gotten help with tapering off. In my case I could not afford to take it anymore. Always check your meds facts sheet. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I did!

By Feona on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:34 am:

I think someone said another anti depressant had bad withdrawals too.

I think it started with a Z....

By Anonymous on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 07:48 am:

Zoloft. I had bad side effects on that also. Hallucinatory.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 08:09 am:

Fact is, with any anti-depressant, anti-anxiety medication, most people can't just go cold turkey. It has to be a tapering off, under medical supervision, because so many experience the boomerang effect that Anon describes in her going off Paxil. And everyone's reaction is a bit different, sometimes a lot different. These are serious drugs, my friends, and have to be treated seriously.

For myself, whenever a doctor prescribes a new drug, I ask about all the side effects and potential downsides, and then do some internet research, at the pharmaceutical company's website and at the National Institutes of Health, and read the side-effects and risks parts of this information very carefully. That's why I decided not to take hormones to counter some of the effects of menopause, several years ago, and I'm really glad I made that decision (though hormone treatment works well for a lot of women, as people have reported here).

And even after you do all the research, you can still have problems. My doctor prescribed Welbutrin for me (to help stop smoking) and I had an allergic reaction to it. Which, according to the manufacturer and NIH, is known but not at all common. My dosage for the first couple of weeks was the lowest dose, so when I started having mild symptoms of allergy I started tracking them, and they began about an hour after taking the pill and tapered off through the day, until the next dose. So, I stopped, of course, and reported to my doctor. But that's not something anyone could have predicted.

By Feona on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 10:22 am:

Yes... I remember some people said they had bad side effect going of Zoloft and Paxil too...

By Karen~moderator on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 10:40 am:

Ditto Ginny - and something to always remember - no matter WHAT the published literature claims are *normal* side effects, and *normal* affects of weaning one off a med, each individual reacts differently to any medication, so each case is unique.

I've been on the same dose of Paxil for almost 6 year. Every time I start thinking about coming off of it, *life* happens and things get thrown my way and I postpone it.

Some people react strongly to changes in dosage/weaning off meds, and personally, I'd listen to what a pharmacist tells me about how to go about it, because they know more about the drugs that the docs do.

Bottom line though, no one should EVER stop taking something like this suddenly/cold turkey. Results could be disastrous.

By Jewlz on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 10:49 am:

When I came off of lexapro after being on it for about 3 years I got the brain zaps and it was the weirdest feeling that I had ever felt. Im finally free of thee drug and doing well but took me a bit to get to this point. The drug helped me but Im not sure I wouild have taken it or any other if I had known the side effects and how hard it was to wean off. It took me about 6-12 months to get off it completely.

By Ginny~moderator on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 11:32 am:

Something else - the effects of coming off drugs can often be much stronger in adolescents and young adults. So if you have a kid who is taking such medications and s/he is coming off them (or decides independently to stop taking them), you have to be very, very watchful. I note that the Anon above said she attempted suicide - I infer only once. Young adults don't have the kind of mental/moral restraints that most adults have, nor do they have the life experience to really, really know how painful to their loved ones a suicide can be - in other words, they have fewer barriers or mental/emotional restraints, and are therefore at much greater risk.

By Crystal915 on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 12:19 pm:

I'll agree with Ginny there. It is VERY dangerous to quit cold turkey. I took Zoloft and others when I was younger, and we would switch docs, switch meds, and not wean, which wreaked havoc on my teenage body. Even though I've been weaning off Effexor AMA, I have been doing it per pharmacists advice, and with research, slowly. Please, don't just chuck your meds down the drain one day, those chemicals can be so delicate in your brain!!

By Bobbie~moderatr on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 02:16 am:

DH has been on Paxil, Welbutrin, Effexor XR, and a slew of other stuff.

The issue is.. All medications effect everyone else differently. Body mass, liver function, kidney function, proper sleep, diet and exercises etc.. all effect how the body metabolizes the medications. So one medication is a savior to one and hell to the next..

Since they can't read into your blood/brain what will work the best, it is all trial and error..

Also there are a lot of children/adults with behavioral issues that are not actually what would be considered emotionally imbalance but learned behaviors. Learned behaviors require retraining the brain through therapy and personally working through thought processes and habits.. Thus unless the patient is drugged to a catatonic state the issues are still there... Leaving the person upset because the medications aren't working.. When the medication can not change your thought processes if they were learned thoughts not chemically created ones.

There are also other conditions that present as emotional imbalances.. Sleep apnia (often caused by excessive weight) causes a depressed state that isn't a true emotional imbalance. B 12 deficiency presents as depression. Thyroid issues can cause emotional issues for example. Or Menopause in it's different stages can cause emotional imbalance. If those conditions are treated properly then the patient doesn't generally need long term treatment for the symptoms of depression. Pregnancy and birth as we all know cause emotional issues also.. All these generally need short term treatments.. But many end up on long term drugs.. They don't know/understand that it isn't truly an emotional imbalance and they stay on the medications never questioning the doctor. In the reverse, people needing long term medications will decide on their own that they are cured/feel better and will stop when truly have a chemical imbalance and stabilizer is needed.. (Andrea Yates for example)

The brains functions are changed by the medication, If the medication is stopped cold turkey the brain becomes confused and the "metal"/physical issues start up while the body adjust to functioning on it's own again. This is why you slowly come off.. As the medication decreases the brain starts slowly taking up the original brain activity levels pre medication. There are medications that are non addictive for most people. Those medications are usually added as you are weening off the stronger medications to counter any with drawl symptoms, which those in turn are stopped with in a few days/week of being off of the stronger medication.. Stopping your medication fast is like slamming on the brakes with no seat belt on.. You are going to be thrown into the wind shield every time.. An alcoholic can not just wake up and decide not to drink.. A person that over eats can't decide to start skipping meals.. The mind grows accustom to actions and demands those actions occur or it throws it self into a melt down..

Just because it doesn't work for someone doesn't mean it won't work for you..... Choosing to try anything is better than doing nothing.

My suggestion is a full physical and a blood screening with your regular doctor prior to taking any amount of medication that you intend to take very long.. Rule out any physical issues, first.. And make sure you are telling every truth, as scary as they might seem to you, that is the only way you will truly get the proper diagnosis and medications..

AND no matter what you are taking, no matter what it is for, if you are taking anything long term you should go in every 3-6 months for a blood panel.. So they can check your liver functions and the levels of the medications in your system.. People become drug toxic if their liver functions are low. The very medications they give you can turn around and kill you if not properly monitored... And that includes believe it or not vitamins..

By Feona on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 10:28 am:

My aunt was on something. She went off it cold turkey. She misplaced the pills on vacation. She actually hid them in her shoe and forgot they were there.

She died from it... I don't know what it was... I remember it was a anti depressant or something along those lines. She was in her 70's.

By Crystal915 on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 07:26 pm:

Excellent advice, Bobbie. You've prompted me to go in and ask for a FULL workup, which hasn't been done in a while. I've been through a lot of physical stuff in the past 6 years or so, and have always had strange numbers (borderline hyperthyroid, low white blood counts, blah, blah, blah) so a good workup is certainly in order!!

By Lorebunde on Friday, March 3, 2006 - 03:26 pm:

Has anyone taken sarafem for pms? I have a rx right now and was going to start taking today, o nly 7 days/mo. Any input is appreciated.

By Crystal915 on Friday, March 3, 2006 - 04:29 pm:

Sarafem is the same medication as Prozac, I believe. Check the forumla names, and compare, I have no personal experience with it, but I know a lot of people have.