Depression Forum - Progressing Addiction to Effexor, And Withdrawal Symptoms


Progressing Addiction to Effexor, And Withdrawal Symptoms

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Lemons

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Joined: 06 Sep 2005
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Progressing Addiction to Effexor, And Withdrawal Symptoms Posted: 09-17-05 08:48am


I've been taking various antidepressants for almost 2 years now, and now i'm on effexor and a mood stabilizer. I've been becoming more and more dependant on them, and now I go through severe withdrawal symptoms within 12 hours to an hour after missing a dose. I'm on a very high dosage of this medication, and i've tried to explain to my father and psychiatrist that i'm addicted, but they don't believe me. Last night I was out at a dance and it was 20 minutes to an hour after I usually take my medication, and I started having the same withrdawal symptoms. I was rocking back and forth sick to my stomach, staring into space, curled up in a ball and clawing and biting at my poor boyfriend. He had to calm me down three or four times before we got me home. I admit I need help. I just don't know what to do, since my dad and psychiatrist wont help.

Miss_KellieAnne

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Joined: 14 Sep 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Australia

Posted: 09-17-05 08:58am


Stuff the psychiatrist, go to a doctor.

jamielee1992

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Joined: 04 Feb 2008
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same problems Posted: 02-04-08 11:00am


i also have the same problem. when i am even an hour late for taking my medicine i freak out. my boyfriend is very supportive of me, and i feel horrible about the way i treat him during the time which my medicine is not in my system. like last night. i told him i need to be by my self, and when he refused to leave i hit him. uncontrolibly. i feel horrible now and after i hit him i must have cryed for 4 hours because i could not control what i was doing.

2gd2btrue

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Joined: 18 Feb 2008
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Addicted to Effexor Posted: 02-19-08 00:04am


Hi, I'm new to the forum & have found some interesting & helpful info on depression. I've been diagnosed with 'major depression' (is there any other kind??), since I had a motorbike accident in 2005. Since the accident I've also been in & out of surgery, recovery, pain meds & have been taking Effexor for over 2 years now. I'm sure that Effexor is addictive, although I take it in the morning. I don't think I get withdrawals but I do get the shakes badly & feel out of control of my emotions. Could this be from the Effexor or the pain meds?? Does anyone know?? Oh, my whole pill popping routine consists of - Effexor, Seroquel, Lyrica, Mersyndol Forte, Losec (sorry don't know if these are known by any other name). These are the names known in Australia. I battle daily with debilitating pain, inability to be mobile, feeling of worthlessness, anger, tearfulness & all my Psychiatrist does is continue to increase the Effexor, until my body gets used to it & increases it again. The few friends I have are all fed up of my moodiness & have stopped calling. I'm sure that they are avoiding me. I feel guilty in burdening them. I feel guilty & selfish for dumping my feelings on them. Sorry I've rambled on...... just needed to get some questions out there & here from people going through the same thing..... Thanks

2gd2btrue

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Joined: 18 Feb 2008
Posts: 2

Addicted to Effexor Posted: 02-19-08 00:10am


Hi, I'm new to the forum & have found some interesting & helpful info on depression. I've been diagnosed with 'major depression' (is there any other kind??), since I had a motorbike accident in 2005. Since the accident I've also been in & out of surgery, recovery, pain meds & have been taking Effexor for over 2 years now. I'm sure that Effexor is addictive, although I take it in the morning. I don't think I get withdrawals but I do get the shakes badly & feel out of control of my emotions. Could this be from the Effexor or the pain meds?? Does anyone know?? Oh, my whole pill popping routine consists of - Effexor, Seroquel, Lyrica, Mersyndol Forte, Losec (sorry don't know if these are known by any other name). These are the names known in Australia. I battle daily with debilitating pain, inability to be mobile, feeling of worthlessness, anger, tearfulness & all my Psychiatrist does is continue to increase the Effexor, until my body gets used to it & increases it again. The few friends I have are all fed up of my moodiness & have stopped calling. I'm sure that they are avoiding me. I feel guilty in burdening them. I feel guilty & selfish for dumping my feelings on them. Sorry I've rambled on...... just needed to get some questions out there & here from people going through the same thing..... Thanks

jchartr1

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Joined: 02 Dec 2007
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Location: , GA

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Posted: 02-22-08 00:25am


Hey, I was on effexor for a long time and I happen to know that it is a terrible drug to try to get off of due to it's addictive qualities. Check out what other people have to say about it at this forum edit-link removed. please do not post links to other forums

marvel

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Joined: 09 Sep 2007
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Location: Toronto, Ontario (but only a private message away)

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Posted: 02-22-08 11:42am


I was on Effexor for a year. I did notice that if I missed a dose, I felt really weird, but I, personally, wouldn't describe it as addictive. I didn't immediately want to take the Effexor... my body just didn't feel right.

patsys

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Joined: 27 Dec 2007
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addicted effexor xr Posted: 02-28-08 10:37am


i've been taken effexor on and off for 7 years i'm on 150+37.5and it seems it doesn't work as well when you go on and off or is that just me thinking it wont work for me again,i'm always afraid of that,does depression make you worry about being depressed or how your felling or thinking or is that axiety,sometimes i dont fell like doing anything when everyone else does, and sometimes i do is that normal or depression i'm not extremly happy all the time sometimes i fell blah but the next day i'll fell ok WHAT IS NORMAL & WHAT IS DEPRESSION!!

Seraph

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Shares patsys gripe... Posted: 02-28-08 11:00am


I had my psych take me off of Effexor because it was really not good for me at all. I think Effexor is a VERY NASTY anti-dep. It only works properly for 10%-20% of patients and those that it doesn't work for...lets just say I have had my share of bad experiences with Effexor. Patsys... I can fully understand your frustration...I cycle through emotions several times a day...sometimes even experience ALL at Once...also, I can tell you that: 1. It's advisable to not interrupt ANY form of anti-depression medication. It messes around your brain-chem. 2. The major defining symptoms of depression is in fact...mood swings, lack of interest in activities you usually enjoy, irrational/extreme emotional reaction that is not suited to the situation. As of late, I REALLY don't know what is "Normal" any more...If you know my history, you will know what I mean ;o). Every singel medical professional I see currently finds SOMETHING that I always accepted as "Normal" but which is really TOTALLY out of wack...

tigeress

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Joined: 11 Mar 2008
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Re: Progressing Addiction to Effexor, And Withdrawal Symptoms
Posted: 03-11-08 00:55am

Lemons wrote:

I've been taking various antidepressants for almost 2 years now, and now i'm on effexor and a mood stabilizer. I've been becoming more and more dependant on them, and now I go through severe withdrawal symptoms within 12 hours to an hour after missing a dose. I'm on a very high dosage of this medication, and i've tried to explain to my father and psychiatrist that i'm addicted, but they don't believe me.

Last night I was out at a dance and it was 20 minutes to an hour after I usually take my medication, and I started having the same withrdawal symptoms. I was rocking back and forth sick to my stomach, staring into space, curled up in a ball and clawing and biting at my poor boyfriend. He had to calm me down three or four times before we got me home. I admit I need help. I just don't know what to do, since my dad and psychiatrist wont help.

I have tried a lot of antidepressants when i was first diagnosed with depression which runs in my family was about ten years ago, i had trouble accepting the diagnoses and kept going off and on antidepressants, at points i was homeless, I had no employment, and when one is chronically depressed and has many stressors beyond the norm it is difficult for a depressed person , i was on paxil, zolof , celexa, and other last year i was placed on effexor. The point i am making is this, generally no one wants to admit they have a "mental Illness" as they will be labeled but it is far better to have control over your life , having a home and working and being happy rather than having a attitude of " who cares" and feeling alone n the world, yes i have tried to stop the medication with bad consequences every time, but when i looked back there was bad consequences before the meds. So there is another spin on this , I have been on then try to do without, sometimes lasts great for months then stressors break me, I wish they would put in more research into depression it would change the world!.. HUGZ TIGERESS