# weaning off effexor and other stuff



## 22388 (Feb 24, 2007)

I have been on Effexor for over 6 years now. For the past three I was on 150 MG. A few months ago my doctor suggsted that we start weaning me off of it because my blood pressure was high and we suspected that it might have been because of the Effexor. So a few months ago we dropped down to 112 Mg and then a month later to 75MG. I experienced some headaches after the second drop for a few weeks. But then later on began getting really bad dizzy spells. I have had some extensive bloodwork done and all has come back normal. I also started taking beta-blockers to lower my BP. I am wondering though if this dizziness could be because of lowering theh Effexor after being on it for so long. Or could it be a side effect from the Atenelol? Oddly enough my IBS has not been bothering me much lately at all. I only seem to get an episode once or twice a month for a day. I am continuing at 75 MG of Effexor but was hoping to drop again. I don't want to though if that is what is causing the dizzy spells. I dropped down about two months ago but the dizziness is getting worse. Has anyone else had this problem??


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## 18438 (Dec 14, 2006)

Effexor is notorious for being the worst antid to wean off of. www.crazymeds.org if you check out this site, you will find tons of info on effexor, weaning off of it, as well as message boards to talk to other people.


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## degrassi (Jun 10, 2003)

I used to take atenenol and it made me super dizzy and when I would sit up too fast my vision would go black but I wouldn't actually faint. So it could be from the effexor or the atenenol.


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## 15976 (Nov 22, 2006)

I was very dizzy coming off Effexor and remained dizzy even a year after being off it. I went back on a month ago and the dizziness is gone.


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## 22388 (Feb 24, 2007)

degrassi said:


> I used to take atenenol and it made me super dizzy and when I would sit up too fast my vision would go black but I wouldn't actually faint. So it could be from the effexor or the atenenol.


I am going to my GP next week and I'm going to ask her if maybe I should go down to 25MG of Atenelol. I am on 50 right now but I checked my BP at the drug store and it was 102/64. So it seems to have gone from one extreme to another. Perhaps if it is getting too low then that is why I am getting dizzy. As for the Effexor I guess I will just stay on the 75MG for now. We were hoping to get me off of it so that I could perhaps try something else for my anxiety. I just had a flare of IBS over the past week. Sucks because it had been almost month since my last attack. It is weird but after I go and all the stuff is out of my system I don't feel dizzy at all. I also seem to get some dizzy spells after eating certian foods. So maybe this has something to do with my IBS. I get tired very easily too. I'm 32 an I just don't have the energy that I used. I have cut a lot of stuff out of my diet for fear of getting bad D. I just started taking one a day for women so hopefully that will restore some of my nutrients and energy.


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## 15976 (Nov 22, 2006)

You can probably take something for anxiety while on the Effexor, ask your doctor.


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## MyOwnSavior (Dec 21, 2006)

I had problems coming off of Effexor as well, even though I was only on it for about 8 months...My doctor was convinced that Effexor was the cure for everything IBS related, and so when I told her it wasn't really helping, she just kept telling me to up the dosage - until eventually, at 225 mg per day, I started having really annoying side effects, and decided to wean myself off of it ASAP. So I cut down to 150 mg per day for about 2 or three weeks, then down to 75 mg for 2-3 weeks, then to nothing. The only time I experienced any side effects was after I cut off of Effexor completely. The symptoms I experienced then (being dizzy, having "electrical shock sensations", etc.) went away after about a week and a half of being off of the Effexor. Interestingly I went back to my GI doctor recently (symptoms flaring up again and the usual BS with IBS) and she tried to put me on Effexor _again_. It's almost like she has some (financial, I wonder?) incentive to get people on Effexor...


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## Screamer (Aug 16, 2005)

I came off Effexor XR a couple of months ago after being on it for only about a month. I went from 150mg (I'd only been at that dose for a week) to nothing cold turkey (dumb on my part, my GP didn't know). I had the worst dizziness for 2 nearly 3 weeks afterwards. I'd be okay then it was like my brain just slid around in my head for a few seconds, then it would stop again for a little while then it would happen again. Hang in there. It sucks to come off but once you're off it the side effects do pass.


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## 15976 (Nov 22, 2006)

225 is a VERY high daily dose.I had a terrible time coming off the XR version the last time around when I wasn't going up on anything else at the same time. I convinced they should not call these drugs "nonaddictive" because I can come off benzos WAY easier than Effexor or Paxil!


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## 15976 (Nov 22, 2006)

I just tried the regular version of Effexor and while it did wonders for my headaches and even helped my IBS after a week or so, I couldn't take the chest pain and jaw pain so I weaned and even after 3 weeks I'm having withdrawal symptoms. It is just really bad for tapering. I went from 3 a day (2 in am and 1 in pm for 75 MG total) to 2 a day to just 1 in AM to just 1/2 in am to 1/2 every other day to nothing and as soon as I went to nothing, I felt it after 2 days. Still feeling it now. Hoping it goes away soon.


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## Screamer (Aug 16, 2005)

KAD said:


> I just tried the regular version of Effexor and while it did wonders for my headaches and even helped my IBS after a week or so, I couldn't take the chest pain and jaw pain so I weaned and even after 3 weeks I'm having withdrawal symptoms. It is just really bad for tapering. I went from 3 a day (2 in am and 1 in pm for 75 MG total) to 2 a day to just 1 in AM to just 1/2 in am to 1/2 every other day to nothing and as soon as I went to nothing, I felt it after 2 days. Still feeling it now. Hoping it goes away soon.


It should. I got worried after a week and went to my GP and was told that in some people it can happen for 2 weeks and other really sensitive individuals a couple of months (what!?!?) but that was the XR version.


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