Need some advice about meds, PLEASE!!!

Learn how to bring order back into your life by making reasonable action plans, stop over-scheduling, and become comfortable with asking for help when you need it.
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ALICIA
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2001 3:00 am

Post by ALICIA » Tue Oct 30, 2001 4:58 am

Hi, i was wondering if anyone has had trouble going off of effexor, (or any other meds) I have been learning these skills of the program and slowly have been able to decrease my meds, i'm a little scared though, because i've been on meds for 3 yrs. i have noticed when i am on them, i don't really feel like myself. They make me feel like i don't really have any emotions. So now i've slowly decreased down to nothing and i have felt a little better at times but i've noticed i feel light headed alot and that really scares me , i am trying to use my skills to reassure myself, but I really need some advice here!!!!!!

Karmerri
Posts: 66
Joined: Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:38 pm

Post by Karmerri » Tue Oct 30, 2001 5:17 am

Hi Alicia-
I would say keep doing what your doing. I went off my meds. by myself about a month and a half ago after being on them for about 12yrs.I cut tham in half for about 2wks. then quit. I think my body went through a period of adjustment, I had mood swings and was irritable. However I prerared myself mentally and told myself this was natural and i got through it just fine. I gave myself permission to be irritable and feel a little weird. I feel better now than i have in many years and im not having any more attacks than usual. Thanks to the program they dont scare me anymore.
I think you`ll do fine. GOOD LUCK <IMG SRC="http://bbs.stresscenter.com/ubb/biggrin.gif">

Guest

Post by Guest » Tue Oct 30, 2001 6:24 am

Hi Alicia,

It's great that you're feeling so good that you want to get off your meds, but it is VERY IMPORTANT that you decrease/go off them under your doctor's supervision. You mentioned you were decreasing slowly. That's good. Going "cold turkey" could backfire and make you feel worse than before. When I decreased my meds, I took Lucinda'a program to show my doctor, and he looked it over. He asked what I wanted to get out of it. I told him that ultimately I would love to get off all medication, but realistically, I just wanted to cut the dosage in half. He agreed that half was realistic. He told me in order for me to be able to cut down, I would have to faithfully do the program and keep up with it. So I did. And I reached my goal. Would I like to be off completely off meds? Yes. And maybe someday I will be. But right now my meds are a "tool" I use to keep my mind and body in balance, just like Lucinda's program, and exercise, etc. There is NOTHING wrong with being on meds!

Please tell your doctor or therapist what you are trying to do, and explain how you feel when you are on the meds.

And please write back to me here. I would love to know how you are doing.

Good Luck! <IMG SRC="http://bbs.stresscenter.com/ubb/smile.gif">

Guest

Post by Guest » Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:26 pm

I was on effexor for about a year and then the doctors wanted to try something different.
and when i went off, i had really bad headaches and it felt like my eye balls were floating, but the good news is the side effects only lasted about 4 or 5days.

Carolyn Dickman
Posts: 264
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 3:00 am

Post by Carolyn Dickman » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:09 am

There are not too many drugs that I have not tried for depresion. I got no relief from Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Effexor, or Paxil. Prozac seemed to help but Zoloft is the one that helps me most, however I don't like the side effects such as weight gain and not having feelings (emotionally) like I used to. I am more blunt with people when on Zoloft and find it really difficult to cry. I want to wean off it and check with my doctor about a newer drug called Pristiq (I think this is the correct spelling). My daughter is a medical student and she is now doing rotations with a psychiatrist and he loves this paticular drug. She said it had less side effects and he has used it for about a year now and has seen great success with it. He said usually the only side effects seen is nausea starting out butit ends. I read up on it and it had other side effects listed but he said it was less than 1% with the others listed. Don't give up. I notice if I exercise and stay off sugar and not much caffeine, I dio feel much better. Write if you get a chance.
jcat

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