Posted by Alara on September 5, 2002, at 4:02:40
In reply to Re: Weaning from Effexor - Nightmares, posted by DebraA. on September 3, 2002, at 16:39:34
> Anyone out there remember how long it took to get past the awful withdrawal from effexor? I finally went cold turkey 3 days ago and feel close to psychotic. Will this ever end?>
I'm sorry about the long response, but I am hoping that sharing my experience might help some of you to get through the agony of withdrawal:Firstly, it will pass. I felt psychotic for around 3 days. For the first 48-72 hours I was having borderline paranoid auditory hallucinations. (Of course, I was terrified and never told a soul.) I even thought that I was developing paranoid schizophrenia - until I researched Venlafaxine Withdrawal Syndrome on the net and read the posts on this forum about Effexor withdrawal! Add to that the sweats, shivers, severe nausea, electric shocks, nightmares, lack of balance, nerve jabs, and countless other phenomena, and I wasn't a pretty picture.
A few days later, my psychological state progressed to one of moderate anxiety; a few days after that I felt only a little anxious. The paranoia was completely gone and I was amazed to discover my true self again.
It has been just over 2 weeks for me without Effexor and I am now feeling 100% normal. I'll admit to the odd inner convulsion/shock sensation, but even these are becoming less troublesome and more infrequent. I am sure that these will eventually subside.
My wit and intellect are also returning. (Well, at least I like to think so. :-) ) I have stopped sleeping for 18 hours a day, have a little more energy, and feel more motivated about solving my problems and finding a job. The most wonderful thing of all is that I cry at soppy movies again. I LOVE a good movie weep.
I have rediscovered the person who I was before antidepressants entered my life.
Effexor is an unusual drug. I wouldn't say that it is entirely bad - because there was a time that it actually pulled me out of a severe depression. It gave me the confidence to get on with my life at when I was at my very bottom. Yet it took away a part of my soul. When I look back at the person who was on 75mg a day of Effexor for almost 4 years, I don't entirely recognise myself. I was PARTLY myself. But another part of me was asleep.
Another thing happened to me while I was on Effexor: I became progressively dependent upon alcohol. At one point I was drinking 1-2 litres of wine every night and had little or no motivation to stop. I don't blame my alcohol problem on Effexor. But an interesting thing happened as soon as I came off the Effexor: I lost my desire to drink alcohol. While part of that was surely due to the flu-like withdrawal symptoms, I find it odd that I remain free of alcohol cravings 2 weeks after coming off the drug. Last night I was offered a glass of champagne and I took an hour to drink it. That was the only glass that I drank. And I wasn't even making an effort to control my intake.
Of course, my life hasn't become perfect over night. I now have to face the world again as a person who can be little too shy and sensitive for her own good at times. But thanks to the psychotherapy I've had and, in part, to the Effexor, I have developed the inner confidence to face the world on my own terms.
Yes, that's right. I said: "Thanks to the Effexor." You see, if I had continued to limp through life as crippled by social anxiety as I was, I doubt that I would be the confident person that I am today. The Effexor helped to take away my fear for long enough to help me to develop healthier interractions with the world. For me, that's the paradox. Is the drug good or evil?
I have taken a very long detour here, but hopefully my story illustrates the point: What you're experiencing is not particular to you; it has more to do your body's reaction to withdrawal from the drug. The withdrawal aspect will get better. Have faith in your ability to survive. If you hang in there for long enough, you just might rediscover your true, healthy self.
poster:Alara
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020829/msgs/118853.html