Over 14 Yrs On Effexor, I Feel Trapped For Life!

I've been diagnosed with major depression and adhd since I was 10. I started taking anti depressants when I was about 17. After trying a slew of different medications we settled on effexor. I went a long time without a PCP or psychiatrist and insurance so was basically stuck on effexor out of a fear of the brutal withdrawal symptoms. I was also a drug addict so didn't know what, if anything the meds were doing to my already altered brain chemistry. I have now been clean and sober for over one year and in therapy. I wanted to get off the effexor as it was the last vestage of my old life and try something new. My psychiatrist dropped me from 150mg to 112.5 to 75 to 37.5 in about a months time and I'm in my third day of nothing at all. I feel like absolute crap. Brainzaps/pulses, electrical storm, dizzy, acid reflux, nauseous, tired and pretty god damn pissed off! It feels exactly how I felt when I would lapse at my highest dosage (which was 300mg) I feel like there is no hope. I've read that it could take up to a year to stop feeling symptoms! I'm affraid that I've been taking it for so long that it has woven itself into my brain and has done permanent damage! I don't even know what is base line is like. I don't trust the docs anymore they are all full of s*** and have no idea what they're doing! I should know, I was raised by them. Does anyone have a similar situation?

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Hello, Jack! How are you? I'm very sorry about the problems that you're having.

That might just have been too rapid of a taper for you. It's usually done very, very slowly, especially when someone has been taking it for so long. You might need to taper for a period of several months, rather than just one.

And going by the Effexor site, as well as other informations sites, the withdrawals usually only last for a month or so, not a year or more. I stopped Zoloft cold turkey several years ago and the symptoms only lasted a month for me, after being on it for several years. It can vary slightly from person to person, but I've never heard of anyone having them for that long.

As to the effects on your brain, they are not permanent. Things will eventually return to normal, but after taking something like this for awhile, your brain basically forgets how to balance the chemicals on its own, so it has to relearn, when you stop taking it.

Along with what you experienced, you could also have diarrhea, depression, anxiety and irritability.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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