Effexor XR Feeling Really Bad right now

02-12-2004, 12:56 PM

Well I feel really bad right now. I guess that's why I'm here. I began taking effexor xr about 5 years ago to treat depression. Since then I have gained about 60 lbs. I have been dieting very hard and excercising about 2 hours a day for about a month and a half now and i haven't lost a pound. i just feel like i'm getting bigger and bigger and bigger and there is nothing i can do to stop it. so about 3 days ago i said fine then i just won't refill my effexor and even if i'm depressed again it won't be as bad. i think i was wrong. i can't even remember my entire name right now this morning i couldn't remember my brothers phone number i kicked my dog who i love so much i can't keep still but i can't go too fast i am crying over everything i want to jump off a building i want to slit my wrists i want to shoot myself in the head but i also know that i don't want to. i feel like there are hands around my throat and someone is sitting on my chest i can't hardly see and my head oh god my head hurts so bad. what am i going to do? i can't stay on this stuff i'm 23 i'm supposed to not be like this. i'm not supposed to have stretch marks and cellulite i've only been married for a little over a year and i'm sure that he doesn't want to look at that who would no wonder he is always looking at porn. ic an't get my doctors to listen to me. i can't really get anyone to listen to me. who cares

02-13-2004, 02:21 AM

Find a different doctor, preferrably a psychiatrist, not a family doc. You can be changed to a different AD med that does not have weight gain as a side effect. I think wellbutrin is one of them. Recently I made the decision to go to a psychiatrist rather than continue with my family doc who was not up on AD meds.
As for what you're feeling right now, your body & mind are experiencing withdrawal, sudden withdrawal from your effexor. You cannot just stop cold turkey, your body builds up a dependance on these AD's. Either go back on it til you can get into a new doc or go to the ER and they can prescribe something to help you with the withdrawal, such as xanax or another benzo. Let us know how you are doing. Honestly, we are the patients, we are paying the doctors, if they don't want to listen to us, then there is no reason to stay with that doctor, there are enough doctors around that you should never feel that you have to bow down to his orders!

02-17-2004, 08:44 AM

I would call your doctor IMMEDIATELY to let him/her know you stopped taking effexor. I was taken off of it cold turkey (by my doctor) because it gave me severe mania. I ended up IN THE HOSPITAL from the severe withdrawl symptoms from stopping effexor. I was VERY VERY ill. I hope you read this message in time.....

02-18-2004, 12:22 PM

I am also taking effexor xr. I started takink this about 1 1/2 ago. About six months ago, I decided to tapper off because I thought I was much better. I was so sick. I could not be left alone. I went back to the doctor about 2 weeks after I stopped taking the effexor, my doctor was out of town, I had to see another doctor. He put me on Prozac. I got worse. I started having panic attacks, which I never had on the effexor. I went back to doctor about 3 weeks after being on Prozac, and he put me back on the effexor. I have been back on the effexor for about 4 or 5 months now. I am doing better than I was, but not as well as I would like to be. If the Effexor was doing you good, talk to your doctor and maybe he can give you something similiar to the effexor. I have gained a little weight, but I think that it may be because of the deppresion more than the effexor for me. I hope this helps you. Never just stop taking an AD, without talking to your doctor first. My doctor told me that he feels I will have to be on AD'S for the rest of my life.
Good luck, and GOD bless you

02-18-2004, 01:35 PM

If it helps, the withdrawal should only last about a week. That's how long it usually lasts when people taper off. It might be worse or last longer when you quit cold-turkey, but it's still temporary. This too shall pass.

Effexor XR Feeling Really Bad right now

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