Depression Medications - Effexor Abandonment day 10

Author

Effexor Abandonment day 10

Mary S.

2005-10-27, 6:36 pm

Hi ya'll

Ten days ago I started a plan to ease off effexor xr after 8 years at
225mg/day. I did one week at 188mg/day, and seemed all right with no
real withdrawal symptoms. I started a second week at 188 to be on the
safe side but now I am experiencing some problems. I take all my meds
in the morning, and not throughout the day. In the past, when I might
have to work a 20-hour day, I would notice them wearing off at about
the 16-hour point. Now what is happening is I feel this wearing off
earlier in the day, around 4:00 or so, with another 6 or so hours of
being awake ahead of me. I can't sit still, feel a little nervous and
my eyes are still quite bad. I am supposed to be getting some glasses
soon (Hurricane evacuees really are second-class citizens). All the
same, I think I can put up with this stuff. I wonder if I should take
the XR throughout the day rather than all at once. Because it takes
about 4 hours max for me to feel it in my system, I can't miss a dose,
as we all know. Anyone out there gone off the little XXXXers this way?
Have any advice? My understanding is that XR is time released....should
I try and get some non-XR? Any advice is appreciated.

I plan to go down to 150mg. starting next Sunday, and will give it the
same two weeks to "stabilze" me.
Am I just nuts trying to do this, this way?

slunky

2005-10-27, 6:36 pm

Mary S. <mks987@earthlink.net> wrote:
> I wonder if I should take the XR throughout the day rather than all at
once. Because it takes about 4 hours max for me to feel it in my system,

Yes, spread it out a few hours. That's what I do. I take half in the
morning (around 10:00) and half at 4:00. I don't get quite the headache
I would if I took it all at once. Effexor has a shorter half-life than
most anti-depressents. EffexorXR has about a 16-hour half-life. The
other reason I spread it iut (like you) is to keep awake. I take major
tranks and need something to keep me up, Effexor works well for me at
this.

> as we all know. Anyone out there gone off the little XXXXers this way?

I've gone off before. Felt motion sick for about a month after.

> Have any advice? My understanding is that XR is time released....should
> I try and get some non-XR? Any advice is appreciated.

HELL NO! Normal Effexor has about a six-hour half-life, and the side
effects are much stronger. I've taken both. I quit the first time
because of old Effexor, didn't go back until I heard they had a new
time-release capsle. Normal Effexor is also the worst tasting chalky
pill I've ever had. Stick with the XR version.

> I plan to go down to 150mg. starting next Sunday, and will give it the
> same two weeks to "stabilze" me.
> Am I just nuts trying to do this, this way?

No, and I wish you luck in it. If you have any specific questions I'll
be here and try to answer them. I've been on and off Effexor (and
EffexorXR) since it's beginning. I might not know technicals on the
drug, but I know a lot, especially how it makes you feel.

-slunky

Nom dePlume

2005-10-27, 6:36 pm

"Mary S." <mks987@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1130360532.423820.119580@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi ya'll
>
> Ten days ago I started a plan to ease off effexor xr after 8 years
at
> 225mg/day. I did one week at 188mg/day, and seemed all right with no
> real withdrawal symptoms. I started a second week at 188 to be on
the
> safe side but now I am experiencing some problems. I take all my
meds
> in the morning, and not throughout the day. In the past, when I
might
> have to work a 20-hour day, I would notice them wearing off at about
> the 16-hour point. Now what is happening is I feel this wearing off
> earlier in the day, around 4:00 or so, with another 6 or so hours of
> being awake ahead of me. I can't sit still, feel a little nervous
and
> my eyes are still quite bad. I am supposed to be getting some
glasses
> soon (Hurricane evacuees really are second-class citizens). All the
> same, I think I can put up with this stuff. I wonder if I should
take
> the XR throughout the day rather than all at once. Because it takes
> about 4 hours max for me to feel it in my system, I can't miss a
dose,
> as we all know. Anyone out there gone off the little XXXXers this
way?
> Have any advice? My understanding is that XR is time
released....should
> I try and get some non-XR? Any advice is appreciated.
>
> I plan to go down to 150mg. starting next Sunday, and will give it
the
> same two weeks to "stabilze" me.
> Am I just nuts trying to do this, this way?

Hi, Mary!

For any dose that you are taking, it makes perfect sense to distribute
it throughout the day in whatever fashion makes you feel most
comfortable. The XR may be time-released, but if you feel it wearing
off earlier in the day, that suggests that you do experience a drop in
the concentration.

A non-XR formulation will certainly decrease faster, but I don't see
why that would be an advantage for you.

--
Nom dePlume, Ph.D.
Why, yes, in fact, I am a rocket scientist.

Guide to Medications for Mental Illness:
http://www.geocities.com/nomdeplume1000/

=====

Mary S.

2005-10-29, 11:32 am

Nom de,

I tried it today: woke up to a 75 mg, and took the other 105 mg a few
hours later. Good thing I am not working now, otherwise I would have
forgotten. Felt quite a bit better, and at midnight am doing all right.
Thanks for the suggestion, sometimes Dad just knows best. I answered a
post named "DIE DIE DIE DIE", and there was an unusual note that my
email address would be shown, I went ahead and answered it, worried
about the guy. What does that mean? That my email would be available to
every/anyone? Or just to the guy who is miserable? I don't really care,
I can delete, delete, delete, delete.
I mean, can't I? Nom de, you've been around, what does this mean?

Mary S.

2005-10-29, 11:32 am

SLUNKY,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I did better today, taking 2
increments of XR throughout the day. I am concerned about going back to
New Orleans, (my home) next week and dropping the dose at the same
time, but I am going to try it. Going from 225mg, 2 weeks later to 187,
and this Sunday starting 150mg, for 2 weeks. I mean, it's bound to be a
chore, and scarey, and upsetting, and ARDUOUS, but what better time
than now to get this outta me. There is so much interesting info. on
the forum now, all these drugs I never heard of, and especially the one
used for gambling and obsession....one sounds like it had my name on it
for the obsession/compulsion. **** I HAVE not beeen able to ignore
major tightness/stress, pain in my neck and shoulders during the last 2
weeks. It feels like nothing is supporting my head. Spasm city. Forgot
to mention it earlier. Images when I close my eyes MUCH BETTER, and
MORE MANAGEABLE. I hope I don't miss them. NO HORRID dreams, just the
usual of being a total failure, and missing the airplane, and XXXXing
up my work, and being a real loser. At least I am not drowning iin
jello-like ponds of red with hands reaching up I cannot reach,
flat-black water with glitter in it and ancient mollusks and critters
floating by and hundreds of sharks and Ima gonna die dreams. So, I'd
consider this progress. Thanks everyone.

Nom dePlume

2005-10-30, 6:17 pm

"Mary S." <mks987@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:1130565319.454245.46460@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
> Nom de,
>
> I tried it today: woke up to a 75 mg, and took the other 105 mg a
few
> hours later. Good thing I am not working now, otherwise I would have
> forgotten. Felt quite a bit better, and at midnight am doing all
right.
> Thanks for the suggestion, sometimes Dad just knows best.

You're welcome! I'm glad that helps.

> I answered a
> post named "DIE DIE DIE DIE", and there was an unusual note that my
> email address would be shown, I went ahead and answered it, worried
> about the guy. What does that mean? That my email would be available
to
> every/anyone? Or just to the guy who is miserable? I don't really
care,
> I can delete, delete, delete, delete.
> I mean, can't I? Nom de, you've been around, what does this mean?

Was this post in one of the newsgroups? I don't know why there was
this note, but your email address does show as mks987@earthlink.net in
your posts here. It shows up as whatever you address you supplied in
your Usenet client configuration. If you don't want email, you can
change your address in your client (Mozilla, Outlook Express, etc.) to
something else. I should think you could get a different address at
Earthlink if you find you are getting too much undesirable email.
--
Nom dePlume, Ph.D.
Why, yes, in fact, I am a rocket scientist.

Guide to Medications for Mental Illness:
http://www.geocities.com/nomdeplume1000/

=====