Effexor Withdrawal.
Effexor side effects, Effexor withdrawal side effects, Effexor stories
and Effexor solutions. Effexor withdrawal. Effexor
withdrawal. How to safely withdrawal off Effexor.
Venlafaxine
Brand name (Effexor)
Effexor Withdrawal Solution, Side Effects, Treatment Options
Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms
The majority of
people attempting Effexor withdrawal experience an
antidepressant withdrawal
syndrome. This is also known as Effexor discontinuation syndrome in the
United States. In Europe it is call Effexor withdrawal side effects. The
F.D.A. estimates 10% of those experiencing Effexor withdrawal will go
back up on the Effexor because the withdrawal symptoms are too severe.
The most common and debilitating
Effexor withdrawal side effect is called "brain zaps."
Brain zaps are described by people experiencing it as a;
electrical jolt that tends to run from base of the neck up into their
head. Another side effect that tends to run with brain zaps is a shiver,
a feeling as your head is floating, dizziness, and/or a whirling
sensation in the head.
These symptoms can come in waves or
even be persistent.
The good news; in 2002, our founder,
Jim Harper, discovered the correct type of Omega 3 taken in the right
quantity will eliminate these devastating head symptoms quickly. Usually
within a couple of hours.
The body in a normal state uses the
oil from our diet, specifically from omega 3 found in fish, to build and
replenish the end point of areas in the brain that sends and receives
electrical signals. We are using easy to understand
terminology here so it is easy to understand. Let's leave the
technical jargon to physicians.
These brain zaps have nothing to do
with serotonin levels or other made up reasons. It is simple really; our
body works in a very natural way with how it uses amino acids, proteins,
fats in food and all other diet items to maintain a balance. When you
introduce any toxin that disrupts these processes the body reacts.
The most common Effexor withdrawal
symptoms reported include:
Flu like symptoms
Insomnia
Anxiety
Brain zaps
Tremors
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Increased suicidal ideation
Nausea
Headache
Mania
Hypomania
Ringing in the ears
Aggression
Confusion
Imbalance
Mood swings
Please note: These are the most common
Effexor withdrawal side effects but far from all potential Effexor
withdrawal side effects.
There is a warning the
FDA
has put a black box warning on Effexor.
WARNING: SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS
See full prescribing information for
complete boxed warning.
·
Antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
in pediatric and young adult patients (5.1)
·
Closely monitor for clinical worsening and emergence of suicidal
thoughts and behaviors
You may have been prescribed Effexor
within a very short doctor visit. There was no investigation into other
life factors, lab testing, or any conversation about what side effects
might present. The failings of this approach may cause quite a burden on
the patient.
Depression, insomnia,
anxiety, fibromyalgia, and other symptoms that Effexor is often
prescribed for might stem from; diminished vitamin D levels, over active
JNK gene, specific proteins that need to be silenced, dietary concerns
and food allergies, mitochondrial dysfunction, neurotoxic accumulation,
and many other reasons. A full physical from an understanding physician
is ideal, before prescribing Effexor.
Do Your Symptoms
Require
Effexor?
The Road Back
Program uses nutritional supplements to help with the Effexor
withdrawal. Most people feel a very fast relief from the Effexor
withdrawal once they begin taking the supplements and we feel the odds
are high; if would have taken nutritional supplements like these before
starting the Effexor you would have been prescribed the Effexor in the
first place.
In 2007, Jim
Harper was giving a speech to a group of psychiatrists in Ireland and
during his talk he mentioned his mother just passed away 30 days ago. He
went on to describe how he made sure to take his JNK Formula each day to
help the body cope with the stress being put on it do to his loss. He
went on to say, "The JNK Formula will not remove the emotional loss and
how I feel but it will keep the body strong during my time to grieve."
How Do You Survive Effexor Withdrawal?
Surviving
Effexor withdrawal depends on what you do at this very moment. If you
keep doing the same thing you have been doing and you are in a heavy
Effexor withdrawal, nothing will change for the positive, That is a
given.
If you decide to do the Effexor
withdrawal as an inpatient in a drug rehab
center DO NOT DO THE 9 DAY PLAN
BECAUSE THAT WHAT INSURANCE ALLOWS. Over the past 22 years I have
worked with far to many people who were sold on a rehab facility, stayed
the 9 days because insurance would only pay for that amount of time. The
unscrupulous facility took them off the Effexor in 9 days as they
promised and by the time the person got off the airplane after their
return home they were in full withdrawal. You can't do a Effexor
withdrawal in 9 days.
The Road Back Program can normally help
you get back on your feet again but the rehab facility approach of this
type is not worth the price you will pay mentally and physically.
You will find a few other outpatient
Effexor withdrawal programs on the internet now and Jim Harper is not
aware of one that will cause you harm like the rehab facility's
mentioned. However, every other program on the internet was trained by
Jim Harper years ago and they are doing what Jim Harper and The Road
Back did during that time frame. Almost 2 decades ago Jim Harper trained
several physicians and good intentioned people how to get a patient off
Effexor. Jim went in to detail of the process and what nutritional
supplements were used and why they were used. At that time of The Road
Back the success rate was not as high as desired and over the following
years Jim changed the formulas used with the supplements several times
to use new information with DNA testing. Long story short; you will
likely wind up using a Effexor withdrawal approach The Road Back used in
2003, that was scrapped for something more successful.
If you are currently in Effexor
withdrawal, send Jim Harper an email and he will personally guide you
through the process so you can get back on your feet quickly and have a
very successful Effexor withdrawal.
It does
not matter if you have been on Effexor for 1 month or 20 years. Recovery
can happen and the good part is; it does not take more time because you
have been taking Effexor for years.
When Do Effexor Withdrawal Symptoms Start When
Discontinuing / Quitting Effexor?
Effexor withdrawal usually begins between day 1 and
day 3 of adjusting the Effexor. For some people this is not the case but
eventually most everyone hits some dosage of the Effexor when reducing
that jars them. Effexor withdrawal begins and they have no idea what
they should do. Their physician does not know what to do. They wind up
in a spiral downward and wind up on a new medication to try and stop the
Effexor withdrawal. The best case is the additional drug does that but
you are now on 2 drugs instead of only Effexor.
What is Effexor?
This SSRI drug
is prescribed in treating adult depressive disorders (MDD), panic
disorder, obsessive compulsory disorders (OCD), social anxiety (SAD),
post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), and premenstrual dysphoric
disorder (PMDD).
If you
have anxiety before taking Effexor, or anxiety begins while taking
Effexor, odds are the anxiety will continue to get worse. Effexor alters
dopamine much like the antidepressant Effexor and anxiety is a byproduct
of these two drugs.
What Is Effexor Used For?
Effexor is an
antidepressant medication approved to treat adult MDD (major depressive
disorder). The Black Box warning on the drug’s packaging mentions that
the drug should not be prescribed to anyone under the age of 25, due to
heightened risk of suicide. There is an exception to this for patients
under the age of 25 who have been diagnosed with OCD
(obsessive-compulsive disorder).
Potential
suicidality is associated with all Effexor and may be a concern leading
to consider Effexor withdrawal, which is recommended to be done always
under medical or caregiver monitoring.
Adult-only approved uses for the drug provided in a clinical or
treatment setting include:
-
MDD: Major
Depressive Disorder<
-
PTSD: Post-traumatic
stress disorder
-
PD: Panic
disorder
-
SAD: Social
anxiety disorder
-
OCD: Obsessive-compulsive
disorder
-
PMDD: Premenstrual
dysphoric disorder
Effexor Side Effects
The full list of
Effexor side effects is quite staggering. In 2004, Jim Harper used the
Freedom of Information Act to get the full list of Effexor side effects.
Jim received the information and it is 500 sheets of letter size paper,
single space, a number 10 font size, 3 columns per page. In other words,
thousands of known potential Effexor side effects were disclosed.
Some of the other Effexor and Effexor
withdrawal side effects:
-
Serotonin syndrome: A
life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical care in a
hospital emergency clinic or ICU. Symptoms to watch for include
sudden fever, losing consciousness, inability to move or speak,
copious sweating, dilated pupils, chills, tremors, convulsions,
diarrhea, agitation, restlessness, racing heart, etc.
-
Suicidal thoughts (common)
-
Suicide attempt (common)
-
Hyperkinesis (muscle spasms, movement
disorder)
-
Worsened depression
-
Aggression
-
Paranoia (rare)
-
Anxiety
-
Mania (common)
-
Convulsions
-
Unconsciousness
-
Coma
-
Teeth grinding
-
Akathisia (relentless internal
restlessness and discomfort marked by repeated motions, pacing,
rocking, etc., that can lead to suicidal thoughts as a means of
relief)
-
Tachycardia (racing heart, even when
the body is at rest)
-
Rash
-
Itching
-
Burning, crawling feeling in the skin
-
Fever
-
Tics, sudden jerky movements,
myoclonus
-
Emotional blunting
-
Behavioral apathy,
SSRI-induced-indifference
-
Pain on urination or difficulty
urinating
-
Cloudy urine
-
Headache
-
Sexual impairments, i.e., anorgasmia,
inability to ejaculate, lowered libido
-
Mood swings
-
Pain around the eyes or eye sockets
-
Sleepiness
-
Bladder pain
-
Prickling skin sensation
-
Numbness
-
Sensory disturbances
-
Insomnia
-
Depersonalization (common)
-
Nervousness
-
Nightmares (paroniria)
-
Hostility
-
Nausea
-
Diarrhea
-
Weight gain
Some documented Effexor birth defects and injuries include:
-
PPHN
or persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn, a heart and
lung condition which can result in respiratory failure, decreased
oxygen to the brain, and multiple organ injuries.
-
Congenital Heart Defects connected to Effexor and
other SSRIs include ventricular septal defects and atrial septal
defects, also referred to as “holes in the heart”, related to heart
murmurs, suppressed appetite, breathing difficulties, tiredness,
inadequate growth, etc.
-
Increased Risk of Autism has been extensively
reported but evidence has not yet been considered conclusive enough
for regulatory bodies to ban prescribing to pregnant women.
-
Increased Risk of Clubfoot connected to
SSRIs during pregnancy as reported by NIMH, where exposure had the
highest increase in clubfoot of all SSRIs.
-
Increased risk of atrial/ventricular defects and craniosynostosis
was reported in a Canadian study from 1998 to 2010 and published in
the June 2015 issue of the American Journal of Gynecology &
Obstetrics.
Effexor Withdrawal, What to Expect
If using The Road Back Program
you should expect to feel a lot better within the first couple days of
the program. If you do nothing, expect to continue to feel as you do
now. Possibly worse as time goes on. The chance of feeling better if you
do nothing is nil.
In 1999, The Road Back only had
people taper the Effexor gradually and slowly. They still suffered.
Around 50% could get off the Effexor but most went back on the Effexor
because they continual Effexor withdrawal side effects would not
diminish or go away.
We wish there was a better answer
for you than the above but with working with over 19 million people over
the last 22 years, the truth is the truth. No way to water it down to
make it sound better.
Some may think it is just their
depression returning but who would not feel depressed if they were still
going through Effexor withdrawal months after stopping the Effexor.
We can't stress enough; what you
do or do not do at this moment in time is critical for your future. Take
your time if at all possible. If you have brain zaps go buy any omega 3
fish oil, even the wrong omega 3 fish oil will help somewhat.
While you read this you may want
to pause and go take a walk. Look at the trees, the sky or anything off
in the distance. Getting your attention off your mind and body may do
wonders.
Keep this close to your heart;
There is Hope and There is a Solution. We are speaking directly to
YOU.
A 30 day
supply of the nutritional supplements will cost you around $80. If you
feel it is worth $80 to take a chance that all of this can go away in a
couple of days, then take that chance. Over the past 22 years many have
sent an email to Jim Harper and said they were not sure what to do about
the Effexor withdrawal. Even after reading this information. The people
that tried something else generally came back within a few months and
were in worse shape than before. We do not want this to happen to you.
But if is; Jim will still be here to assist.
Can Effexor Make Depression Worse?
Common
sense answers this question. If depression is one side effect of taking
Effexor then Effexor can cause depression. You do stand a greater chance
of Effexor causing depression during withdrawal than while simply taking
the Effexor as prescribed. The depression during Effexor withdrawal can
be due to the other Effexor withdrawal side effects you are
experiencing. Who would not start to get depressed if you have anxiety
from morning to night, can't sleep and your head feels like it is on
fire.
Effexor Aggression in Children
Children are more prone to aggression when taking
Effexor than adults. It occurs in
10-20% of children taking any SSRI antidepressant. Two clinical trials
performed by Pfizer, aggression was the most common reason noted for
Effexor discontinuation.
Can You Get Addicted to Effexor?
Yes and no. This is where Effexor dependence is a matter of wording.
Medically speaking in the United States Effexor is not addicting. In
Europe it is viewed as addicting. The bottom line is; Once you take
Effexor for 7 days the Effexor has made its way through your body. If
your body no longer has the Effexor in its system, your body will react
to the Effexor being gone.
Much like a person that eats a lot a sweets every day. Your body will
react when the sweet substance is not present. Call it addicting, as we
would, call it a dependence as United States physicians will, it is what
it is. If you do not provide the substance the body reacts and you also
have mental feelings that are not positive. We can get into the insulin
discussion etc, but we are only talking about a substance being present
and then not and the body and mind reacting in a negative manner.
What is the difference
between Effexor and a Benzodiazepine?
Effexor is an SSRI medication, an antidepressant, used to treat
depression and anxiety. Benzodiazepines are prescribed mainly for the
treatment of anxiety and panic disorders but also prescribed off-label
to treat depression.
These two types drug have
different chemical components and were designed to work on different
brain receptors and neurotransmitters, but some of their effects can be
seen to overlap. Benzodiazepines are thought to mainly affect GABA
transmission, which can slow the central nervous system to reduce
anxiety, while Effexor is designed to block the reuptake of
serotonin.
Benzodiazepines are known
to be more prone to dependence/addiction than Effexor. While the
withdrawal symptoms are similar between both drugs, Effexor’s half-life
is 22-36 hours, and Benzodiazepines half-life is much lower.
Benzodiazepines can have more severe complications if abruptly stopped,
including seizures. For safe Benzodiazepine or Effexor withdrawal,
either of these drugs must be slowly tapered to allow the central
nervous system and neurochemistry to safely normalize.
Choosing to withdrawal from
the Effexor first or the benzodiazepine first needs to be evaluated. Use
Chapter 23, The Science to decide is part of that equation. Depending on
the benzodiazepine you may be taking with the Effexor, if you reduce the
Effexor first it may make you go into withdrawal on the benzodiazepine,
even if you did not reduce the benzodiazepine.
How long does Effexor stay in your system after the
last dosage?
Our founder, Jim Harper, made great strides with determining this
question. Using his DNA testing company in 2004-2005, Jim conducted
hundreds of DNA tests to determine how fast or slow medications took to
metabolize. In roughly 34 percent of the population the Effexor can take
as long as 48 hours to clear the body. In others, as little as 8 hours
can occur for the Effexor to clear the body.
Depending on other habits you may have, Effexor could clear faster or
even take more time than the 48 hours. If you smoke cigarettes and stop
smoking while taking Effexor, the Effexor dosage you are taking will
decrease by 15%. On the other side of this, if you start smoking
while taking Effexor, the Effexor dosage will act as though it is
15% higher than you think it is. This is because cigarettes induce an
enzyme used to metabolize
Effexor and anything using that same pathway will shoot though much
faster. Caffeine restricts that same enzyme, so if you start or stop
drinking coffee while taking Effexor you will either go into withdrawal
or feel an overdose, even though you have not changed the Effexor
dosage.
This is why The Road Back Program wants you to not change smoking habits
or caffeine habits during the Effexor taper.
Can you overdose on Effexor?
Yes, it is definitely possible for
Effexor poisoning to occur. A substantial Effexor overdose requires
emergency medical intervention to prevent major health problems. This
list of Effexor overdose symptoms would be the same as those Effexor
side effects listed above, but more severe.
According
to the National Institute of Health (NIH), the use of intravenous
benzodiazepines is sometimes required during Effexor overdose to prevent
seizures. Extra cooling measures must be used to reduce hyperthermia,
always under the direction of EMT or other medical staff attending to
the patient.
Treatment for Effexor Withdrawal
Effexor has
become one of the most frequently prescribed antidepressants in the US.
Of equal importance is that depressive disorders have become one of the
most frequently diagnosed conditions. These two facts together
underscore two important steps toward improved health:
-
Providing safe treatment programs for those who have decided on
Effexor withdrawal, and
-
Offering drug-free options to regain natural
mental health without the need for prescription medications.
The Road
Back Program was described by Dr. Hyla Cass M.D. in this way:
Here's an essential handbook on how to safely and more easily wean
yourself
(under medical
supervision) off the heavily over-prescribed psychotropic medications.
I have used the program
with my patients and it works!"
Hyla Cass M.D. Author
of Supplement Your Prescription
Send an email to Jim Harper by
using the Contact link on the top of this page or read
How to Get Off Psychoactive Drugs
Safely by Jim Harper and follow the program for Effexor withdrawal.
Why Jim put his entire book on our website for free is so you can
instantly read the material and start this process if you are ready now.
One last thing Jim asked us to
provide at the bottom of each page of Effexor descriptions:
There is
Hope and There is a Solution