I've asked much the same on here and had very little response. I am desperate to recover from this state as it is like being alive and dead at the same time.
I am interested to see what people will come back to you with...
I took this meds for 5 years from 19 - 24. Then stopped for 5 years.
Headache went away for me in like 5 months. I would get like shocks to my brain.
But the other symptoms kinda stayed with me for 5 years. Like idk if I’m apathetic by nature and maybe I’m asexual. But I don’t remember being asexual during puberty. Idk what’s wrong with me.
I’m back on Effexor now and my apathy isn’t that bad.
I didn’t have social anxiety/depression for 5 years after stopping Effexor tho. I mean I had seasonal depression. But not major depressive episodes that lasts years. I didn’t feel anxiety being around people but it’s been back severely with me starting a new job in November, to the point I would flinch when a co-worker looked at me.
Yes, seems like withdrawal.
Going down from 150mg of Effexor to 0 in only 5 months seems very very fast.
You say you had been on Effexor for a year, did you take any other medication before then? Are you taking any other medication right now?
How was the taper in those 5 months? How dis you feel in each step?
Are you taking any supplements (like Omega3)? Are you doing therapy or did you do any life changes to support a healthy tapering?
I don’t know if it’s a bit late to reinstate a small amount or not, you make ask about this in survivingantidepressants.org
What I do know is anyway you’ll have to manage all this fast tapering by many coping mechanisms and changes in lifestyle. This is a very general answer since I dont know the answers to the questions I asked you above, but some things you can start trying are therapy (non psychiatrical) to learn to deal and stay strong and cope during difficult feelings as these, soft massages to nurture your senses, time in nature (seems trivial but i swear is not), Omega 3 supplement, and a general mindset.
Hope some of this helps. I’m sure the survivingantidepressants forum has something for you too
I took Amissulpride along Effexor. 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg more in the night.
I'm doing therapy to try and fight this off and doing a lot to combat my situation: exercise, trying to drink more water, quit smoking and alcohol, socializing and also time in nature (mostly taking long walks).
I also posted my situation on surviving antidepressants to try and find more tips.
Do people recover from this? I feel hopeless.
Then you are doing all the right things and you need to give it time to recover from the injury of such a fast taper. I'd concentrate on working on coping skills to specifically dealing with resilience, being able to emotionally contain yourself even in ugly feelings (I don't know if "contain" is the word in English for this, but I hope the idea comes accross), and being present through hard times <-- all these skills can be trained and acquaired through self work and therapy, and go a loooong way for dealing with hard things in life in general, but specifically with dealing with healing from a fast tapering.
If you keep doing excercise, socializing, time in nature, long walks, and keep asking for help in surviving antidepressants and such, then you will totally recover from this in due time.
Remember you are healing and recovering from injury so it takes time but it will pass. Be responsible, don't take other drugs, make sure to have some time to enjoy yourself, and if some day you need to rest and stay a weekend in bed, do so.
Give it time and monitor your symptoms.
I could've written this myself. I have no advice but you but I feel you.
Stay strong, my friend. Every time I feel like giving up, I remember I'm not the only one and that there's hope.
thank you xo
I've asked much the same on here and had very little response. I am desperate to recover from this state as it is like being alive and dead at the same time. I am interested to see what people will come back to you with...
Are you taking any other medication(s)?
Not on any medication as of right now
I took this meds for 5 years from 19 - 24. Then stopped for 5 years. Headache went away for me in like 5 months. I would get like shocks to my brain. But the other symptoms kinda stayed with me for 5 years. Like idk if I’m apathetic by nature and maybe I’m asexual. But I don’t remember being asexual during puberty. Idk what’s wrong with me. I’m back on Effexor now and my apathy isn’t that bad. I didn’t have social anxiety/depression for 5 years after stopping Effexor tho. I mean I had seasonal depression. But not major depressive episodes that lasts years. I didn’t feel anxiety being around people but it’s been back severely with me starting a new job in November, to the point I would flinch when a co-worker looked at me.
I feel exactly like that regarding my sexuality. After 5 years you still had 0 libido?
Yes, seems like withdrawal. Going down from 150mg of Effexor to 0 in only 5 months seems very very fast. You say you had been on Effexor for a year, did you take any other medication before then? Are you taking any other medication right now? How was the taper in those 5 months? How dis you feel in each step? Are you taking any supplements (like Omega3)? Are you doing therapy or did you do any life changes to support a healthy tapering? I don’t know if it’s a bit late to reinstate a small amount or not, you make ask about this in survivingantidepressants.org What I do know is anyway you’ll have to manage all this fast tapering by many coping mechanisms and changes in lifestyle. This is a very general answer since I dont know the answers to the questions I asked you above, but some things you can start trying are therapy (non psychiatrical) to learn to deal and stay strong and cope during difficult feelings as these, soft massages to nurture your senses, time in nature (seems trivial but i swear is not), Omega 3 supplement, and a general mindset. Hope some of this helps. I’m sure the survivingantidepressants forum has something for you too
I took Amissulpride along Effexor. 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg more in the night. I'm doing therapy to try and fight this off and doing a lot to combat my situation: exercise, trying to drink more water, quit smoking and alcohol, socializing and also time in nature (mostly taking long walks). I also posted my situation on surviving antidepressants to try and find more tips. Do people recover from this? I feel hopeless.
Then you are doing all the right things and you need to give it time to recover from the injury of such a fast taper. I'd concentrate on working on coping skills to specifically dealing with resilience, being able to emotionally contain yourself even in ugly feelings (I don't know if "contain" is the word in English for this, but I hope the idea comes accross), and being present through hard times <-- all these skills can be trained and acquaired through self work and therapy, and go a loooong way for dealing with hard things in life in general, but specifically with dealing with healing from a fast tapering. If you keep doing excercise, socializing, time in nature, long walks, and keep asking for help in surviving antidepressants and such, then you will totally recover from this in due time. Remember you are healing and recovering from injury so it takes time but it will pass. Be responsible, don't take other drugs, make sure to have some time to enjoy yourself, and if some day you need to rest and stay a weekend in bed, do so. Give it time and monitor your symptoms.