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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Camille Dumont on August 9, 2004, at 23:52:19
Ok, this is starting to get freaky. I've been off cold turkey from Effexor 300mg for a bit over two weeks. I'm taking Celexa to mask the withdrawal but it seems that my mind is playing tricks on me since I stopped.
You see I keep losing stuff ... not small stuff like keys ... no ... pants (2 pairs), one laptop case, bunch of books, things I bought at the drugstore two days ago, today, my sunglasses. Now I don't tend to lose stuff like that.
And its not like "misplaced" either ... were talking things that I lose and then toss my whole freaking appartment and still can't find.
Could it be affecting my memory or at least my ability to remember what I've done?
This is starting to get a little bit to freaky ... and expensive (to replace the stuff).
Has anybody experienced somethingn similar going off Effexor xr?
Posted by Racer on August 10, 2004, at 11:29:53
In reply to Lack of effexor making me lose my memory?!?, posted by Camille Dumont on August 9, 2004, at 23:52:19
Whew! Cold turkey? Rough.
As for withdrawal, it's different for everyone, but I was sure I had totally lost my mind -- and that was on a very slow taper. Major changes in perception, nothing seemed 'right' in the world, everything seemed somehow artificial -- even the light. I'm sure I did lose things, but I wasn't aware of it -- it's only as I remember that I had something and go looking for it now that I realize I haven't seen something since way back then. And I have stashes here and there of things I bought during that period, and can't for the life of me tell you *why* I thought I wanted them. (I have enough fabric to make napkins for everyone on this board, for instance, all different colors of the same design. Now, we use some of the placemats I made from it, but honestly -- how many placemats can two people use, when they're only used for casual meals at home?)
I guess what I'd say is -- yeah, it's probably just the withdrawal. Unless you choose to start the Effexor again to taper down, I think you've got to accept that you're going to be experiencing this for a while. Do what you can to minimize the damage, and be very careful to keep yourself safe until it's over.
Best luck.
Posted by Camille Dumont on August 10, 2004, at 12:14:36
In reply to Re: Lack of effexor making me lose my memory?!?, posted by Racer on August 10, 2004, at 11:29:53
Well, I'm glad I'm not alone feeling like I don't know myself sometimes. Somehow I prefer it be me just losing my stuff because my head is in the clouds than the alternative : a old hentaļ guy hiding in my attic waiting for me to go to bed to steal my pants, a haunted house, me doing wacky stuff sleepwalking :P
You know what, it wasn't hard at all to go off cold turkey. It was unbearable when I went off the Effexor AND the Celexa at the same time but after I re-started the small dose of Celexa, all the nasty w/d went away. And I've made my s.o. promise that if I start to act "strange" or "weird" or somehow stop making sense he will tell me and be really insistant that I go to the doc.
You could always try and sell the placemats on ebay ... ;)
Posted by jenn007 on August 10, 2004, at 21:54:41
In reply to Lack of effexor making me lose my memory?!?, posted by Camille Dumont on August 9, 2004, at 23:52:19
i know what you mean - i am so "ADD" all of a sudden. the other day i went inside the house to grab a bottle of water from the fridge for my car trip and when i got to the fridge, i looked at something else, forgot my purpose and left. i find my cell in the freezer, ect. i am an ER nurse and i cannot function like this at work! i forget everything that i am suppossed to do....that is a crazy place and i need to be able to multitask...
i even forgot what highway i was on driving to work once. i tried making a list but i forgot about it so many times or i forgot what i wanted to remeber before i could write it. horrible.
any suggestions? i am only on 37.5mg effexot and it is sooooo much better than when i was on 75mg
Posted by Alesa on August 11, 2004, at 12:56:13
In reply to losing mind, posted by jenn007 on August 10, 2004, at 21:54:41
I've been on Effexor 37.5 mgs for two weeks. I've been feeling good so far-I'm not sure how long it'll last. Jen, what happened when you were on 75 mgs? I don't want to increase my dose if I don't have to.
i know what you mean - i am so "ADD" all of a sudden. the other day i went inside the house to grab a bottle of water from the fridge for my car trip and when i got to the fridge, i looked at something else, forgot my purpose and left. i find my cell in the freezer, ect. i am an ER nurse and i cannot function like this at work! i forget everything that i am suppossed to do....that is a crazy place and i need to be able to multitask...
>
> i even forgot what highway i was on driving to work once. i tried making a list but i forgot about it so many times or i forgot what i wanted to remeber before i could write it. horrible.
>
> any suggestions? i am only on 37.5mg effexot and it is sooooo much better than when i was on 75mg
Posted by Racer on August 11, 2004, at 15:04:32
In reply to Re: losing mind » jenn007, posted by Alesa on August 11, 2004, at 12:56:13
Hey, relax on this one, 'K? Your mileage is very likely to vary with Effexor.
(It always worries me to see people just starting a drug reading the Scary Posts about those drugs. It may work for you, even if it didn't work for someone else. And, especially for those of us who have had multiple drug failures, it's very easy to get carried away calling a failed drug Devil's Spawn or something, you know? Please keep that in mind, 'K?)
Anyway, when I started taking Effexor XR, it worked great for me -- once we got the dosage as right as we ever did. There were a few not-so-great adjustment phase effects that I could have done without, but they went away once I got through the adjustment. When it worked, it worked with few side effects -- for me, if not for others.
Just as your mileage with this or any drug may vary quite a lot, the optimal dosage for your body will vary, too. I'm a poor metabolizer, and usually require very high doses of these meds. Others are such efficient metabolizers that they can get the same effects at one tenth the dose. What's most important, though, is to find the optimal dosing range for you. If that means raising the dose, then that's probably your best bet -- no matter how much you'd prefer to minimize the dose. Because of the differences in how each individual reacts to a drug, someone else's reaction to a higher dose is very likely to differ quite a lot from your reaction. (My reaction to 75mg, for instance, would be very different from that of someone who hit the target dose at 75mgs.)
I know, I'm sounding like a schoolmarm or something. It just concerns me that someone who could benefit a great deal from a med will see something here from someone who had a bad reaction and miss the opportunity to get that benefit, from fear that the same thing will happen...
Posted by Alesa on August 11, 2004, at 15:23:59
In reply to Re: losing mind » Alesa, posted by Racer on August 11, 2004, at 15:04:32
Thanks for that advice Racer. You are absolutely right-I should not fear other people's experiences since everyone is different. I did have a very bad experience with a low dosage of Paxil, which is what stems my fears.
I have a very very high metabolism (one of those super skinny people who never gain weight, even after eating a whole cheesecake). That is maybe why I'm reacting well and quickly to such a low dose of Effexor (37.5 mgs per day).
My question is, if I am fine now on 37.5, do I need to raise it to 75 mg, which is the required dose? I guess only I can answer that question, but is there usually a need to raise it since 37.5 is usually a "warm-up" dose?
Alesa
Hey, relax on this one, 'K? Your mileage is very likely to vary with Effexor.
>
> (It always worries me to see people just starting a drug reading the Scary Posts about those drugs. It may work for you, even if it didn't work for someone else. And, especially for those of us who have had multiple drug failures, it's very easy to get carried away calling a failed drug Devil's Spawn or something, you know? Please keep that in mind, 'K?)
>
> Anyway, when I started taking Effexor XR, it worked great for me -- once we got the dosage as right as we ever did. There were a few not-so-great adjustment phase effects that I could have done without, but they went away once I got through the adjustment. When it worked, it worked with few side effects -- for me, if not for others.
>
> Just as your mileage with this or any drug may vary quite a lot, the optimal dosage for your body will vary, too. I'm a poor metabolizer, and usually require very high doses of these meds. Others are such efficient metabolizers that they can get the same effects at one tenth the dose. What's most important, though, is to find the optimal dosing range for you. If that means raising the dose, then that's probably your best bet -- no matter how much you'd prefer to minimize the dose. Because of the differences in how each individual reacts to a drug, someone else's reaction to a higher dose is very likely to differ quite a lot from your reaction. (My reaction to 75mg, for instance, would be very different from that of someone who hit the target dose at 75mgs.)
>
> I know, I'm sounding like a schoolmarm or something. It just concerns me that someone who could benefit a great deal from a med will see something here from someone who had a bad reaction and miss the opportunity to get that benefit, from fear that the same thing will happen...
Posted by Racer on August 11, 2004, at 19:08:16
In reply to Re: losing mind » Racer, posted by Alesa on August 11, 2004, at 15:23:59
In this case, I think we're actually using two different meanings of "metabolism". How well you metabolise drugs isn't quite the same as how your body handles foods.
As for the dose question, if you've only been on the drug for a couple of weeks, what you're experiencing is likely a placebo effect combined with a couple of Effexor's more immediate effects. I know that I felt better the first night I took it, despite complete insomnia, for example. (Partly because it was replacing a drug that I had a pretty severe bad experience with.) Whether to raise the dose on schedule or wait and see what happens eight weeks from now when the Effexor has had a chance to work its magic on you is something only you can decide. Personally, though, I'd say that, if you need an anti-depressant instead of a placebo, I'd go up to the 75mg. (For some people with milder depression, the placebo effect alone can be enough. And don't knock the placebo effect, either: it does bring relief much sooner than the AD itself does, and sometimes lasts almost long enough for the AD to kick in fully. Sounds great to me...)
Hope that helps. Best luck.
Posted by jenn007 on August 12, 2004, at 2:10:45
In reply to Re: losing mind » jenn007, posted by Alesa on August 11, 2004, at 12:56:13
well, on 75mg i feel like i took a tranquilizer.
barely stay awake, besides being mentally "absent"...i cant funtion like that. although i did take it at night last night and felt ok today, just a little tired. but i think i am gonna stay at 37.5mg until i can get in to see my doc.
Posted by Alesa on August 13, 2004, at 12:23:36
In reply to Re: losing mind » Alesa, posted by Racer on August 11, 2004, at 19:08:16
Interesting points. I don't think it was a placebo effect on me, because I really felt numb and stoned the first week I took it and my jaw kept trembling and vibrating. I felt strong feelings of joy too, for no reason, and that was something I couldn't control. I also couldn't feel fear at all, and normally that's something I cannot block no matter what. Normally I feel alot of fear when I am trying a new drug because I'm convinced I'm gonna have a bad reaction. I also haven't been able to cry since I started taking it, and the days before I took it I was crying every day.
I'm very sensitive to caffeine, I can't have it or else my heart races and I get shaky, cold and nervous. Even with one cup of tea. I had the same but way more intenes results with cannabis. I think I've very sensitive to drugs and stimulants in general.
> In this case, I think we're actually using two different meanings of "metabolism". How well you metabolise drugs isn't quite the same as how your body handles foods.
>
> As for the dose question, if you've only been on the drug for a couple of weeks, what you're experiencing is likely a placebo effect combined with a couple of Effexor's more immediate effects. I know that I felt better the first night I took it, despite complete insomnia, for example. (Partly because it was replacing a drug that I had a pretty severe bad experience with.) Whether to raise the dose on schedule or wait and see what happens eight weeks from now when the Effexor has had a chance to work its magic on you is something only you can decide. Personally, though, I'd say that, if you need an anti-depressant instead of a placebo, I'd go up to the 75mg. (For some people with milder depression, the placebo effect alone can be enough. And don't knock the placebo effect, either: it does bring relief much sooner than the AD itself does, and sometimes lasts almost long enough for the AD to kick in fully. Sounds great to me...)
>
> Hope that helps. Best luck.
This is the end of the thread.
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