Help me please.

Effexor tapering is killing me. And my doctor took me off of levothyroxine cold turkey because my blood work looks good. I feel absolutely insane. I'm constantly panicking. I feel physically ill. I'm having crazy neurological symptoms. I see a neurologist in a week but I'm so scared something is going to happen to me before then or I'm going to lose my mind. I've never been so scared. My memory is shot, my perception of reality is a mess, time doesn't make any sense to me, I feel an intense feeling of dread constantly, I'm having mood swings by the hour. Sometimes I feel euphoric. Sometimes I feel like everything is sad. But I'm always scared. Right now it feels like my skin is on fire. Everything is tingling. My sleep is terrible. Xanax has stopped working completely for the first time in my life so I literally have no respite from any of these feelings. It is just constant. I'm housebound right now and can barely walk to the bathroom. I can't hold a conversation with anyone. And the worst is the lightheadedness and dark dread feelings. I know with absolute certainty I am either going to die or lose my mind. I don't believe at all that this is just anxiety anymore.

[foxglove_pnw]

I am so sorry about how you are feeling ! May I ask why you are tapering down Effexor ?

The only time I came close to what your feeling was when I stopped Zoloft cold turkey . My doctor prescribed me Lorazepam to help me while I started taking Lexapro again.

Did you let your doctor know all that is going on ?

[Hidden in reply to foxglove_pnw]

I'm tapering down on the effexor because it made me feel really weird and bad. My psychiatrist knows about it but he wanted me to stay on it. However, I don't have much faith in psychiatrists these days lol. I just have really severe anxiety and derealization and everything I feel is really intense. :/

[foxglove_pnw in reply to Hidden]

I don’t trust psychiatrist either lol

Are you planning on starting another medication ?

I haven’t tried Effexor . I am on Lexapro . Zoloft was a nightmare for me .

[blackcat64013]

Go straight back onto the doses that were working the best for you. NEVER go off any medication cold turkey despite what the doctor thinks. The doctor is not the person who suffers as you have found out. If you have take several medications together, it is best to use a taper plan for one at a time. This ensures you know which medication is causing a side effect. A taper plan can be as long as you want it to be. Harvard have put together a good website as a starting point

health.harvard.edu/.../how-...

[Hidden in reply to blackcat64013]

100% agree on this. Effexor is one of the worst medications to taper down or completely come off of as well. Sounds like too much or not enough of the doctor's chemistry.

[Hidden]

I'd mention this to your doctor. I had my meds changed up once (stop this, take this, only take half of this, etc.) and I was in the emergency room just over 12 hours later for a shot of chill down meds. The ER doctor asked what happened and I explained all of the changes. "Why the %%%% would they change all of that so quickly?" Lol..."Yeah, no idea, I'm just the patient." Anyway, you might try what had you stable (opinion, not a medical professional at all) until you can get back in. If you feel better, I think that allows you to know that it's all the medicinal changes. I truly hope you feel better ASAP

[Ragdoll15]

Tapping effexor is very hard. I tappered off them and the withdrawal effects are awful. I don't know what doseage you were at and by how much you are reducing it. The key is you must take it very slowly, if you were on a high dose it can take weeks or even months to stop it. Sometimes doctors will give you another antidepressant such as fluoxetine to help with withdrawal. Things will get better you will not die or lose your mind. Take care.

[Kkimm]

Hi

What you are going through sounds horrendous and you have all my sympathy.

Like others my main question do you need to taper off it at all. It has worked wonders for me and I have no plans to stop.

If there are very good reasons then do it incredibly slowly .

Bridging to Prozac can be very effective I understand.

Very best wishes

Kim

[Meredyn in reply to Kkimm]

Great advice on the Prozac bridge, Kim. I wish I had been given that option....❤❤

[Meredyn]

To be safe RIGHT NOW, I would take yourself to ER and tell them what you are experiencing as this is med related. DON'T sit this out yourself - you do need professional input and possibly inpatient care to help you taper off safely. Don't be afraid to reach out for this help - I had to go into hospital for just under a week after a brush with Effexor withdrawal, and it was the best thing I could have done. It is WELL recognised as a huge problem, and this is NOT you! Whilst you are there, they can check your thyroid too to make sure that stopping the levo. hasn't thrown that into turmoil too. Get your boyfriend or family member to drive you there NOW, you're not being silly or over dramatic. You need help. Sending you much love - i'm with you in thoughts and spirit as I know how this feels!❤❤❤

[Hidden]

Thank you guys.

[Want2BHappy3]

Sorry that your going through these issues with your medication. I've been lucky and not. Mirtazapine helped me, but my doctor took me off because I gained weight. I had no withdrawals, but everyone different. She put me on Trlazdone which did nothing for me. So I took myself off it. No withdrawals. Keep changing your medication till you find one that works.

[Johnphilip]

If your blood results are good , why would they stop the Levothorine. Good blood results would tell me its working , doing its job , bad results would tell its to high or to low . From what i understand i take it myself for underactive . , they say it takes around three months for levels to change , that is why when you start on it they check your blood after 3 months and see how you are . Then adjust the doseage . Hope you get sorted soon , some amazing people on here , we would be losted without them .

[rebecca3455]

You are right where I was a month ago.. couldn’t leave my bed, lost 20 lbs in a few weeks as I was always nauseous. Not sure why dr just stopped the levothyroxine and an Effexor taper at same time? Because Effexor is an SRNI, can you ask him to start you on 5-10 mg of lexapro to help with the taper?

[DoubleJ47]

Hello. I can relate to your condition. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, manic bipolar depression, and have panic attacks. I know it's hard to control yourself when you get a fear. The 1st time I had a panic attack I thought it was a heart attack. I've since learned and know that it's nothing but that. It's not easy by no means, but i look at it like this; until i am told it's something life threatening, i know the panic attacks will happen. I just try to relax until they pass. Anxiety can control your whole body and you can have so many symptoms. Hang in there!