Effexor Wellbutrin Withdrawal

This disturbed me greatly, since I had just begun taking it. I had resisted while my PCP and the endocrinologist he referred me to continued to urge me to take it. I had symptoms of hormone imabalance, and they originally thought an adrenal tumor. It turned out to be a severely diseased gall bladder. Once the gall bladder was out, the symptoms mostly resolved, but by then I was on Effexor.

When I told me PCP what I had found on here, he said I was on a low dose and that this information did not apply to me. I began to read closer and spent literally hours on the internet reading case after case of people suffering from effects of the drug similar to what I was experiencing, but even worse the nightmares described by the ones who were trying to discontinue it.

I was having hot flashes and heart palpitations before I began it. After I began it, I had increased sweating at all times and horrible night sweats. I developed high blood pressure and it stayed high despite 3 new meds (before all this started I took Premarin post hysterectomy ONLY), I began having swelling in my feet and ankles, leg and foot cramps especially at night. I gained 25 lbs rapidly despite increasing my exercise and watching my diet. I have always been slender. I know weight 172 lbs at 5'5".

I noticed that I had begun to grind my teeth at night so bad it would wake me up. I had never done that before.

I insisted that I be taken off the Effexor. I was never depressed. The doctors may have thought my symptoms sounded like anxiety, but I know depression and it was not that nor was it anxiety. It was my body being poisoned by a diseased gall bladder.

On the Effexor, I did have energy and feel pretty good, but did notice that I did not have my usual range of emotion. I mentioned that to the dr., but he made no comment. I asked him to take me off of it after the GB surgery, but he said you look so good why should we rock the boat. I said, "How do you want me to look when you are willing to take me off of it?" He then gave me a reduced dose. I was at that time on I think 150mg daily plus 300 of Wellbutrin.

I got off the Effexor in 3 weeks. The first few days were not bad, but when I got down the the 37.5 daily, I noticed that I began to be angry and irritable, I was nauseated and had to stop the car several times and throw up. I have now had diarrhea for 2 solid months at 6 to 8 episodes a day. I feel that that keeps me somewhat dehydrated. My musles ache and burn and I cannot even climb the steps in my house without feeling like I have just done an hour on an inclined treadmill. I am extremely short of breath. I get out of breath just trying to talk. The anger comes out of nowhere. I do not want to be around anyone. Thankfully, I do not have the brain zaps or nightmares.

I did order the Ultimate Omega 3, CLA, Power Barley Formula, and the Body Calm before I began and have taken it faithfully. I think that may have helped. I also eat all fresh fruit and vegetables and have a very healthy diet.

I do not, however, feel like exercising as I have always done all my life. I am a very active person. I have 3 dogs and I was walking them at least 3 miles a day. Now I drive them to a cemetery and watch them run while I shuffle around a block or two and wait for them.

I have been on a strict diet now for several weeks and have not lost one single pound of the weight. I did notice, however, that once the dose was down to 37.5, I had a noticeable decreased appetite. Now, I do feel hunger--a normal hunger, but as soon as I began to eat, I feel full and it does not taste good to me.

I know that if I went to the doctors who recommended this drug and told them how I am feeling, they would say....see, we told you you needed the antidepressants. I asked my PCP if he had ever gotten anyone off Effexor. (MY guess is that they like it so much that they never recommend anyone discontinue it).

They did not tell me not to stop taking it without help. I assume he thought I would not, but he did not know that. He said that he had and that they had no problems, BUT that usually people will get depressed again and need something else.

I reminded him that I was not given this (at least he did not admit to me that he was giving it for depression) for depression. I was not feeling well and it continued for several months, and that distressed me, but that is not the same as depression. I have nothing in my life to be depressed about. All my thoughts were positive. I just was concerned that I did not feel well and wanted to get to the bottom of it.

The endocrinologist and even the surgeon who did the GB sx, asked me why I was resisting it so much. They said it was a great drug and safe, etc. Now, I am so mad at myself for letting them talk me into taking it when my gut said no.

I do believe that they just believe what the drug reps tell them and what they read in their medical journals. I did tell the PCP who has been my good doctor for 27 years, that I had printed 95 pages of testimonies that I wanted him to read. He said that he would look at it and I will give it to him.

I am now getting chiropractic care 3 times a week, with a regimen that includes massage, vitamin therapy, exercise and orthotic treatment. He says the adrenals are depleted. I get acupuncture when I can, have ordered some of the nutritionals that I have found on sites such as this, keep a journal, and try to just take it day by day and believe that at some point my body will be cleansed from this dangerous chemical that I have imbibed for about a year.

I find it harder to concentrate. I cannot articulate and sometimes stutter or have trouble getting words to come. It worries me what this could have done to my brain, and I pray it is not permanent.

I did ask my pharmacist if he had ever talked to anyone who had trouble discontinuing it. He said no, but he had an employee who would get very sick and vomit if she forgot a dose or was late taking it.

I plan to get involved telling everyone I can to do their research before they take anything.

I think that it will be made public sooner or later that this is a dangerous, addictive drug. I hope it was not designed to be so. It almost feels like it was designed to keep people on it.

I welcome emails if anyone has any hope for me, or ideas about how long it takes to be normal and if there are lasting effects. I have reduced the Wellbutrin to 150mg from 300 the last month and had planned to be off of it by now, but I am afraid I could not quite take anymore. I will stop it as soon as some of these symptoms subside.

The blood pressue is already better but I am still take BP meds. I refused the cholesterol meds, because I truly believe it is all from the Effexor and should resolve. I do not eat much fat. I have an excellent diet.

In addition to reading and perhaps learning from these comments, you also need to understand the hidden energies that control your life right now.

I almost feel guilty because my life has become so enjoyable and so easy. Especially since I remember how miserable I used to be.

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