Lightheadedness from skipping Effexor?

[Doggolover101]

Has anyone else experienced lightheadedness from accidentally missing their Effexor dose?

I am waiting for my Refill to come in the mail… I am currently on 150 mg taking in the am once a day... It won’t be here for a few more days, but I have been lightheaded since missing my dose yesterday morning...I went to bed at midnight last night, woke up at 7 AM, went back to sleep and didn’t wake up until 1 PM...at which point I woke from a terrible nightmare and shortness of breath. I had to take deep breaths to get air back into my lungs again. It felt like they were accordions..slowly filling back up but struggling to..it was painful. The worst part is, is how my head is feeling. The lightheadedness is constant...it’s so uncomfortable. It’s not like a physical pain that hurts, but you can get over it. It’s a mental pain that can’t be treated until the dose is taken. I just find it crazy that missing one dose has such extreme and quick side effects.

[Agora1]

Doggolover101, it is most likely that your dizzyheadedness is coming from

that missed dose or dosages. Will it be much longer before your prescription

refill arrives? You can call your doctor and see if he can get you a bridge refill

by the samples he may have in his office. I wish you well xx

[Doggolover101 in reply to Agora1]

It actually finally came in the mail tonight. I took it around 515pm...Do you think I should’ve waited until tomorrow morning?

[Doggolover101 in reply to Doggolover101]

I tried to call my psychiatrist, but the nurse answered and said she could only leave her a message. She said if the symptoms are bad enough, I could go to the ER. Otherwise I would have to wait until I got my mail..I started to have an anxiety attack on the phone

[Agora1 in reply to Doggolover101]

Oh I'm happy to hear your medication arrived

That must have made you feel better..

As for when to have taken the medication...unfortunately we

can't give advice on drugs but if it were myself, I would have done

what you did and that was take it right away.

Your doctor or pharmacist can advise as in when to take the next dose.

You may have to play around with the time of day until you are back on

schedule. But check with your doctor please. It's important xx

[sbadd]

Yes it is a side effect, i was on pristiq 5 or so years back which i believe is the sister brand of yours, if i missed a dose i would get light headed and brain zaps, as soon as i took dose this would disappear, i once tried weaning, felt ok for few days then after the fourth was nearly throwing up.

[Doggolover101 in reply to sbadd]

After taking my dose tonight from missing it yesterday morning and this morning, within about 3 & 1/2 hours, my lightheadedness was gone.

[sbadd in reply to Doggolover101]

Yep, antidepressants do help in time of need but i found coming of the one i was on took me several months of slowly reducing it, side effects were terrible, but i did do it in the end.

[Doggolover101 in reply to sbadd]

I read about the brain zaps on an article… Can you explain more about what they feel like/what they are?

[sbadd in reply to Doggolover101]

like a buzzing type feeling, short lived but mine happened more if i moved head too quickly, i also felt quite dazy/foggy if that helps

[Kkimm]

Hi

I am on a dose of 187.5 of Effexor or Venlafaxine as we call it in the UK.

If I accidentally forget a dose I always get nightmares and wake up in a panic. That is how I know I have forgotten it. I still get a bit of breathlessness particularly in the morning most days and feel out of sorts for an hour or two.

I think this is gradually improving with time.

I have been on this medication for around 3 years now and it has helped such alot from how I was feeling when I first became ill with GAD following 3 life traumas.

Hope you are feeling better now.

Kim