venlafaxine/Effexor
kmiller2528
Posts: 17 Member
My Doc recommended this medicine for hot flashes. It is an anti-depressant. It helped with the hot flashes but getting off of it is a nightmare. If I had known how awful it would be, I never would have started taking it. I should have done more research and asked a lot more questions. If you are considering this medication, please make sure you are fully informed.
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Replies
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Do you still have hot flashes?1
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I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.4
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I think it's wise to ask questions about any medication you are taking or thinking about taking, including the ones that are available without a prescription. Medications are not without side effects and possible risks/harms, but they don't happen for everyone. Likewise, herbal preparations have risks, interactions, and side effects. Some medications have interactions with foods, other medications, vitamins, and/or herbal stuff. It is important to do your due diligence and consider if the benefits outweigh the risks. I find pharmacists are the best source of information.5
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0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.1 -
I have been weaning down for several weeks and then I started feeling pretty bad daily so now just off it completely. My hot flashes have not returned, so I may be on the other side of that part. This medication is great for some people and uses, it’s just hard to stop taking it if/when that becomes the best course of action.
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I feel like the real moral of the story is, research the medication that you take and titrate off of psychotropic drugs very slowly. It's not really a debate (or at least I see no debate). Effexor (which I have been on in the past) is also far from the only psychotropic medication that needs to be titrated down from. Most if not all of them share that trait despite being different classes of drugs - SSRI, SNRI, MAOI, tricyclics, etc. You should also titrate up when taken it depending on the dose (basically if you're on anything but the smallest of doses).kellimiller2528 wrote: »I have been weaning down for several weeks and then I started feeling pretty bad daily so now just off it completely. My hot flashes have not returned, so I may be on the other side of that part. This medication is great for some people and uses, it’s just hard to stop taking it if/when that becomes the best course of action.4 -
I totally agree. I may have posted this in the wrong place. My intention in posting was3
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Well done on posting this information anywhere. Who knows how many others you may help because they may now have the head space to think before they grasp the pills themselves. I hope you are able to get on top of your other health issues. Possibly try reading about them, keeping to information with scientific references, may help you find ways to help yourself. Wishing you all the very best and most of all Take care of Yourself.
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I got off of that stuff about a year ago. All i remember is that i was very tired all the time for about a week or so. it would behoove you to ask questions about any medicine a doctor prescribes you.0
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nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
I know. I forgot the pills, I didn't do it on purpose.
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Well done on posting this information anywhere. Who knows how many others you may help because they may now have the head space to think before they grasp the pills themselves. I hope you are able to get on top of your other health issues. Possibly try reading about them, keeping to information with scientific references, may help you find ways to help yourself. Wishing you all the very best and most of all Take care of Yourself.
Is this to me? Sorry, I'm a bit confused because you said "I hope you are able to get on top of your other health issues." I'm the one who has other health issues, not the OP. Anyway...I'm doing what I can. Thanks.0 -
0somuchbetter0 wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
I know. I forgot the pills, I didn't do it on purpose.
I read that part. I wasn't suggesting anything regarding you forgetting them. I mentioned it because you said you were concerned about coming off them.0 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
I know. I forgot the pills, I didn't do it on purpose.
I read that part. I wasn't suggesting anything regarding you forgetting them. I mentioned it because you said you were concerned about coming off them.
Ah...well, I see no reason to get off them now. I feel fine and they're working for me.0 -
This was a hard one to wean off of from side effects of lower to no dose. I felt ill for 2 weeks after stopping0
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nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
From experience, even a very slow taper resulted in those nasty discontinuation effects that Effexor is notorious for. The only way I was able to get off of it was with a cross taper with Prozac.
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Absolutely agree with this. Wean off very slowly. It took me around 3-5 months to wean off, and I still had side effects. Brain zaps stayed with me for months after weaning off. Never again!nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
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cerise_noir wrote: »
Absolutely agree with this. Wean off very slowly. It took me around 3-5 months to wean off, and I still had side effects. Brain zaps stayed with me for months after weaning off. Never again!nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
The brain zaps are TERRIBLE! Never again. I remember I’d forget to take them before going to school and I’d be sitting in the back of the classroom trying not to rip all of my hair out from the sensations. Truly awful.0 -
nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
Even weaning down, coming off Effexor was really awful for me. I weaned over months with a doctor's supervision and still had brain zaps and other symptoms. It was hideous.
I'd never go on it just for hot flashes and think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor.3 -
They truly are! I’ll never forget opening up the capsule and counting out the tiny beads to wean down.liltortillaboy wrote: »cerise_noir wrote: »
Absolutely agree with this. Wean off very slowly. It took me around 3-5 months to wean off, and I still had side effects. Brain zaps stayed with me for months after weaning off. Never again!nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
The brain zaps are TERRIBLE! Never again. I remember I’d forget to take them before going to school and I’d be sitting in the back of the classroom trying not to rip all of my hair out from the sensations. Truly awful.4 -
Effexor has been a life saver for me. I’ve been on it for over ten years for depression and it gave me my life back. The withdrawals are bad if I forget a pill but the positives for me definitely outweigh the negatives.2
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
Even weaning down, coming off Effexor was really awful for me. I weaned over months with a doctor's supervision and still had brain zaps and other symptoms. It was hideous.
I'd never go on it just for hot flashes and think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor.
The problem is that while there are tens of psychotropic drugs on the market, it can often take a lot of trial and error to find one that works and for some people, myself included, there aren't any meds (or combinations) that work. I know a number of people in person who have tried 4 plus meds, sometimes in combination, to find something that was effective to treat their mental illness(es). I know even more people online who have similar experiences.
I personally tried 14 medications and five different combinations of medications (from 2-4 meds at a time) over the course of five years before deciding that enough was enough (I have a fairly detailed spreadsheet with my psych med history). Yes I've taken effexor and yes I had side effects titrating down from it. It wasn't great but it also wasn't as bad some of the meds and the titration didn't have to be as long, for safety, as some of the others I've taken (I'm looking at you lamotrigine).
That said, this could also be me having been really used to titrating on and off of psych meds.0 -
It’s cool that we can share our experiences and learn from and help each other. We all have different bodies and needs and therefore what works for each of us will vary. I’m glad to be off of this med and beyond the withdrawal symptoms. Im also glad it is available for those that find it beneficial. 😊2
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
Even weaning down, coming off Effexor was really awful for me. I weaned over months with a doctor's supervision and still had brain zaps and other symptoms. It was hideous.
I'd never go on it just for hot flashes and think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor.
The problem is that while there are tens of psychotropic drugs on the market, it can often take a lot of trial and error to find one that works and for some people, myself included, there aren't any meds (or combinations) that work. I know a number of people in person who have tried 4 plus meds, sometimes in combination, to find something that was effective to treat their mental illness(es). I know even more people online who have similar experiences.
I personally tried 14 medications and five different combinations of medications (from 2-4 meds at a time) over the course of five years before deciding that enough was enough (I have a fairly detailed spreadsheet with my psych med history). Yes I've taken effexor and yes I had side effects titrating down from it. It wasn't great but it also wasn't as bad some of the meds and the titration didn't have to be as long, for safety, as some of the others I've taken (I'm looking at you lamotrigine).
That said, this could also be me having been really used to titrating on and off of psych meds.
I think anyone who has had experience taking these medicines is aware that it's a process of trial and error to find one that works.
Saying that, I still think there are better ways of managing menopause and the emotional side effects that come with it than going on a psychotopic med unless you already have a preexisting depressive/anxiety condition.5 -
My thoughts go to those of amongst us, who have lost both ovaries surgically because of the "risk" of cancers returning. Then when their personal hormone train hits the buffers within hours if not days of surgery, destruction of liveable level of natural hormone balance, which causes the essence of a woman being radically restricted by their surgical menopause. Then their being told "get on with it", "what do you expect" or even being put on pills of the kind mentioned without more consideration, when it should all be avoidable with proper consideration. I agree with GottoBurnEm so whole heartedly.
Do men have complaints which required the loss of testicles? I expect they would be treated so much better, medics would do all they could to save them.4 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
Even weaning down, coming off Effexor was really awful for me. I weaned over months with a doctor's supervision and still had brain zaps and other symptoms. It was hideous.
I'd never go on it just for hot flashes and think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor.
The problem is that while there are tens of psychotropic drugs on the market, it can often take a lot of trial and error to find one that works and for some people, myself included, there aren't any meds (or combinations) that work. I know a number of people in person who have tried 4 plus meds, sometimes in combination, to find something that was effective to treat their mental illness(es). I know even more people online who have similar experiences.
I personally tried 14 medications and five different combinations of medications (from 2-4 meds at a time) over the course of five years before deciding that enough was enough (I have a fairly detailed spreadsheet with my psych med history). Yes I've taken effexor and yes I had side effects titrating down from it. It wasn't great but it also wasn't as bad some of the meds and the titration didn't have to be as long, for safety, as some of the others I've taken (I'm looking at you lamotrigine).
That said, this could also be me having been really used to titrating on and off of psych meds.
I think anyone who has had experience taking these medicines is aware that it's a process of trial and error to find one that works.
Saying that, I still think there are better ways of managing menopause and the emotional side effects that come with it than going on a psychotopic med unless you already have a preexisting depressive/anxiety condition.
I agree that there are likely better ways of managing menopause. What I was addressing was, "(I) think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor." It wasn't clear whether or not you were talking about that solely in the context of menopause given the first post of this thread which didn't actually mention anxiety or depression (outside of noting what effexor typically is used to treat).
edited for formatting1 -
I've been on 15+ psychotropic medications, and Effexor was by far the hardest to wean off of. The withdrawal symptoms were just awful.0
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
Even weaning down, coming off Effexor was really awful for me. I weaned over months with a doctor's supervision and still had brain zaps and other symptoms. It was hideous.
I'd never go on it just for hot flashes and think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor.
The problem is that while there are tens of psychotropic drugs on the market, it can often take a lot of trial and error to find one that works and for some people, myself included, there aren't any meds (or combinations) that work. I know a number of people in person who have tried 4 plus meds, sometimes in combination, to find something that was effective to treat their mental illness(es). I know even more people online who have similar experiences.
I personally tried 14 medications and five different combinations of medications (from 2-4 meds at a time) over the course of five years before deciding that enough was enough (I have a fairly detailed spreadsheet with my psych med history). Yes I've taken effexor and yes I had side effects titrating down from it. It wasn't great but it also wasn't as bad some of the meds and the titration didn't have to be as long, for safety, as some of the others I've taken (I'm looking at you lamotrigine).
That said, this could also be me having been really used to titrating on and off of psych meds.
Yes, my poor brother spent a year incarcerated after one cocktail of drugs stopped being effective before his team finally found something that worked again. He's living with Mom now, who can and has intervened sooner if/when the current cocktail stops working again.
For him it's worth the effort because he is a completely different (and much happier) person when properly medicated vs over, under, or ineffectively medicated.0 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »nutmegoreo wrote: »0somuchbetter0 wrote: »I’ve been on it for over a year. Not only does it help with hot flashes, it also got my anxiety and emotional ups and downs under control. I forgot my pills on a long weekend we went out of town and going cold turkey was a total nightmare. I couldn’t get back on it fast enough. I’m afraid to try and get off it now...but I feel fine and I have plenty of other health issues to worry about, so I’m staying on it for the foreseeable future.
It's advisable to wean down, not suddenly stop.
Even weaning down, coming off Effexor was really awful for me. I weaned over months with a doctor's supervision and still had brain zaps and other symptoms. It was hideous.
I'd never go on it just for hot flashes and think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor.
The problem is that while there are tens of psychotropic drugs on the market, it can often take a lot of trial and error to find one that works and for some people, myself included, there aren't any meds (or combinations) that work. I know a number of people in person who have tried 4 plus meds, sometimes in combination, to find something that was effective to treat their mental illness(es). I know even more people online who have similar experiences.
I personally tried 14 medications and five different combinations of medications (from 2-4 meds at a time) over the course of five years before deciding that enough was enough (I have a fairly detailed spreadsheet with my psych med history). Yes I've taken effexor and yes I had side effects titrating down from it. It wasn't great but it also wasn't as bad some of the meds and the titration didn't have to be as long, for safety, as some of the others I've taken (I'm looking at you lamotrigine).
That said, this could also be me having been really used to titrating on and off of psych meds.
I think anyone who has had experience taking these medicines is aware that it's a process of trial and error to find one that works.
Saying that, I still think there are better ways of managing menopause and the emotional side effects that come with it than going on a psychotopic med unless you already have a preexisting depressive/anxiety condition.
I agree that there are likely better ways of managing menopause. What I was addressing was, "(I) think there are other medications that can handle anxiety and emotional ups and downs without the problems involved with Effexor." It wasn't clear whether or not you were talking about that solely in the context of menopause given the first post of this thread which didn't actually mention anxiety or depression (outside of noting what effexor typically is used to treat).
edited for formatting
No, sorry I wasn't clear in my post and that's entirely my fault. I meant only the temporary ups and downs of menopause.
I don't mean ongoing management of a chronic issue. I realize that's something different.0 -
I ended up on Effexor for depression, and it was by far the worst time of my life. I would’ve rather had the depression at that point. It made me so sick that they ended up listing it as an allergy for me. If I wasn’t sick, I was completely foggy.
It’s crazy/interesting how a medication can affect folks differently.1 -
Another example of a doctor trying to solve one problem and creating another problem. Glad you are doing better and hot flashes have not come back.1
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