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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KathyS on July 15, 2000, at 11:02:49
My dosage was 75mg of effexor xr and .5 mg of Klonopin for anxiety.
I've been hospitalized three times and been on effexor since it was introduced about 8 years ago.
I have tried many times to just quit and even taper down and it didn't work. I could not handle the side effects.
1. I read Stop Depression Now by Richard Brown MD - this is very important for dosage and other information. They do not reccomend this for Bi-polar disorder.
2. I read Boost your Seratonin Levels 5-HTP by Michael Murray N.D.- also important for the dosages, benefits and health warnings.
3. Talked to my Dr., even if they don't agree, they will be aware of what you are doing, just in case something happens.
4. I Tapered down to 37.5 mg/day and then to half of that. how you do this is to take 1/2 of the effexor out of the capsule and dump it and take the rest. My Dr. said effexor was mixed real good and with the xr formula you can do this. It took me several months to feel ok on 37.5 and then another month or so to feel ok on half of that. I also tapered down on my anxiety meds.
5. When I was ready, the first night I skipped ( quit )
the effexor. I figured I could always go back on the meds if I needed them.
6. In the morning I took enteric coated Sam-e, a good multi- vitamin, extra iron ( helps with the restless legs and tremors at night) extra b-12 and folate.
7. At night I took enteric coated 5-htp, calcium magnesium, kava kava
8. I experienced some brain floating symptoms but not nearly what I would have just quiting alone. For me the worst, which wasn't unbearable, happened between 5 and 8 o'clock at night. Since the Same-e works on Norepinephrine, (thats the part of the effexor that causes those electrical impulses, dizziness, to happen when you quit) it helps to minimize that part of the withdrawal. I just kept my movements to a minimum, you know I didn't go jogging, or play major sports.
The first week it was just hard to go to sleep. The second night was the worst for me. Thats where the 5-htp helps. Its the precursor to seratonin, the precursor to melatonin, which helps you sleep. Even with this it took a long time to go to sleep but when I finally did, I slept good and felt rested when I woke up.
Kava Kava is a relaxing herb.
The greatest benefit of quitting was the sex. I haven't felt like that since I was a teenager and I'm in my forties. Its not numb down there anymore!
I am way happier now than I was on the antidepressants.
Physically and mentally I feel so much better.
I am starting to lose a little weight, I think that is mostly because I am eating better, because I feel good.It took about 10 days - 2 weeks for the withdrawal effects to completely stop.
The Sam-e costs real money insurance does not pay.
To find a reliable tested source of Sam-e check on ConsumerLab.com
Do your homework, Talk to your Doctor.
I hope this helps you
Posted by Renee N on July 15, 2000, at 21:21:33
In reply to How I quit Effexor with Minimal Side Effects!!!, posted by KathyS on July 15, 2000, at 11:02:49
Thanks for the tips. I am tapering off of 225mg Effexor XR. I'm down to about 100mg after 2 weeks. I am spilling more out of my capsules each day. I have had some hot flashes and nightmares. I bought some 5-HTP and Kavakava and will start using it when I am ready to cut down to nothing. I'm glad you had a good experience and still feel well! Renee N
Posted by MB on July 17, 2000, at 11:28:18
In reply to How I quit Effexor with Minimal Side Effects!!!, posted by KathyS on July 15, 2000, at 11:02:49
Have your doc get you some 37.5mg (or 25mg, I think) immediate release tabs. Break them up into quarters. When you get low enough on the sustained release, and are ready to quit, quit taking the SR. Whenever you get too nauseaus, or dizzy, pop one of your little pieces, but only do it when it gets really bad. This is what I did, and over a period of a couple weeks, the time span between small pieces of Effexor got longer and longer until I didn't need them anymore. It might work for you :-)MB
ps. When I did this we didn't have the SR
form yet. I just did a taper with the
immediate release.
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