A Cautionary Tale re Effexor

Hi Ladies,

I'm wondering if anyone else out there has had problems getting off Effexor? 

My chemo brought on menopause, and I was having a terrible time with hot flushes, so my onc put me onto effexor 75mg a day.  It definitely helped with the flushes.  

Anyway I finished the last of my chemo/radiation and decided I wanted to get off the effexor, and to be 'drug free' for at least a while.  My onc told me to just stop taking it.  

My advice to anyone else on this drug is DO NOT JUST STOP TAKING IT!!!!!  

I was ok for the first day, starting feeling 'off' on the second day (thought i may have been getting the flu) and by the third day was a mess! Severe headache, nausea, stabbing pains in my head, dizziness, unable to talk properly - I got such a fright I thought something terrible was wrong with me.  

I contacted my onc's office, and was told to start taking the effexor again immediately, and to start weaning myself off it by taking a tablet every other day.  Anyway after talking to my gp she felt even that was coming off it too quickly, and I am now taking a full tablet one day and then a half tablet every other day.  

So if the only reason you are thinking of taking effexor is to help with hot flushes, think very carefully, it is a mongrel drug to get off!  If I had of realised at the time, I would have tried more natural therapies and some other alternatives before starting this drug.  

For anyone already taking it, I dont want to frighten you, remember everyone is different and perhaps you wont have as many problems coming off it.

Jenny