Effexor Withdrawal....

That's what it is - I'm positive of it. I quit taking my Effexor on Feb. 6th. I was only on it for about a month or two - I don't really remember when I started. I went on it while I was going through all of that hell of the whiplash. In anycase - it was effective and I felt better. Then when my neck was getting better I felt that I could move off of the anti-depressant now. So we went through a weaning off period because you can't just stop that one cold turkey. It was about a 4 week weaning off period. In anycase - the 6th was my last pill...then the night of the 9th, I started to feel... "odd". A little dizzy, and little nausea - but not too much. Then on the 10th it just hit me full out. I couldn't stand up without holding on to something, I was throwing up all day everytime I moved. It just continued to get worse. So I immediately went to the Doctor - he said that he felt it had to be an inner ear infection or something else - that it wasn't the effexor, because stuff like that doesn't happen from going off of that med and it had been about 4 days before the symptoms started.

So - I've been to an ENT twice and they have completely ruled out any ear related problems. I've been to a neurologist and he has ruled out any neurological problems. I go to have an MRI done on Monday morning and that will (hopefully) rule out things such as a tumor (shiver).

But... meanwhile, I've started looking out on the web and I don't find much - but I've found several message boards with people dealing with all of the same exact same symptoms as me and it's all due to EFFEXOR WITHDRAWAL.

Here's some info and Here's another page that I found.

So I went back to the doc and told him that I was convinced that it was the withdrawal - he still doesn't buy it - but he's looking into it now at least. He said he's used it with many other patients and no one else has had these symptoms. Meanwhile, he's still sending me to other docs to keep ruling out anything else.

So - I'm dealing with loads of crap right now - I have constant dizziness, and these like - I don't really know how to explain then - like brain "zaps". I am nauseous all of the time because of these brain spins, I have incredible mood swings and am ANGRY - so freaking angry. Then I'll be crying the next minute. It's like I'm slipping back into the depression, but I know that it's a false depression. I know it's this withdrawal - but it's unstoppable. I can't control it. I HATE it - if one of my kids even look at me wrong I snap their heads off and make them feel like shit - which makes me feel like shit. One second I'm happy as could be and then I start thinking the worst - and EVERYTHING that hubby says to me I twist and turn into this evil thing that he hates me and is just trying to put me down. It's insane and I know it and it's driving me nuts. I can feel my eyeballs move and everytime they do - my whole brain shakes inside my head. Can you imagine this crap? I feel like I'm living in someone else's body right now.

Anyway - I'm going to go rest now. Everyone keep their fingers crossed for me and I'll let you know more later!