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Well, he was having severe sweating and heat sensitivity and anxiety, so his doctor took him off cold turkey.
And I have read that even going slow is really really hard for some people.
He was already on Welbutrin and is still taking that, plus the doctor replaced the Effexor with Prestiq.
Any other insights Greenchili?
Sounds like serotonin syndrome to me. Happens when a person stops an SSRI suddenly. Symptoms include agitation, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, twitching muscles, sweating, headache, diarrhea.
Doesn't last but a few days, but for some people, stopping without a taper can be very dangerous! He has been in contact with his provider, yes?
Sounds like serotonin syndrome to me. Happens when a person stops an SSRI suddenly. Symptoms include agitation, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, twitching muscles, sweating, headache, diarrhea.
Doesn't last but a few days, but for some people, stopping without a taper can be very dangerous! He has been in contact with his provider, yes?
Thanks for responding Mary, you know I value your opinion.
The extreme sweating and heat sensitivity along with increasing anxiety were the reasons for discontinuing the Effexor. So I'm guessing what he had was "seratonin syndrome" (never heard of that before.) Interestingly, he told me he's been taking the Effexor for almost a year and only in recent months did the problems get worse and worse.
Tomorrow will be day 7 without it and yesterday and today he told me have been almost unbearable. He plans to call his doctor in the morning if there is no improvement overnight tonight. I am crossing my fingers to hear that he wakes up tomorrow with some improvement.
Venlafaxine (Effexor) is an SNRI, not an SSRI, and recent research and voluntary patient reporting indicates that discontinuation syndrome for SNRIs is often more acute and long-lasting than withdrawal from SSRIs. Duration of two to three weeks is not uncommon, and may or may not be dependent on the dose the person was taking or how long they were on the drug. A common intervention is fluoxetine (Prozac), which eases the symptoms.
I was hospitalized due to SNRI discontinuation syndrome. I was taking Cymbalta, moved out of state, and ran out of pills before I got in to see a new doctor. SNRI discontinuation syndrome is no joke, let me tell you. Based on what I've read about heroin withdrawal, I'd say the comparison is pretty accurate. I very nearly committed suicide, with no prior history of suicidal planning/attempts. This, after weaning off the drug exactly as directed by my doctor and the manufacturer, Eli Lilly.
Pristiq is another SNRI, but still, there should have been a gradual transition between the two. I was put back on Cymbalta by my new doctor for a while after the discontinuation episode, and am now in the process of transitioning to Effexor. My doctor is having me reduce the Cymblata gradually while slowly increasing the dose of the new drug. She also has me on a short course of Prozac as a safety net.
I'm a pretty rare case for my extreme response to discontnuation, but my doctor said I'm not the first such case she's seen. She says she never stops an SNRI cold, even for another SNRI. Your friend definitely should talk to his doctor immediately if this is still going on tomorrow.
Venlafaxine (Effexor) is an SNRI, not an SSRI, and recent research and voluntary patient reporting indicates that discontinuation syndrome for SNRIs is often more acute and long-lasting than withdrawal from SSRIs. Duration of two to three weeks is not uncommon, and may or may not be dependent on the dose the person was taking or how long they were on the drug. A common intervention is fluoxetine (Prozac), which eases the symptoms.
I was hospitalized due to SNRI discontinuation syndrome. I was taking Cymbalta, moved out of state, and ran out of pills before I got in to see a new doctor. SNRI discontinuation syndrome is no joke, let me tell you. Based on what I've read about heroin withdrawal, I'd say the comparison is pretty accurate. I very nearly committed suicide, with no prior history of suicidal planning/attempts. This, after weaning off the drug exactly as directed by my doctor and the manufacturer, Eli Lilly.
Pristiq is another SNRI, but still, there should have been a gradual transition between the two. I was put back on Cymbalta by my new doctor for a while after the discontinuation episode, and am now in the process of transitioning to Effexor. My doctor is having me reduce the Cymblata gradually while slowly increasing the dose of the new drug. She also has me on a short course of Prozac as a safety net.
I'm a pretty rare case for my extreme response to discontnuation, but my doctor said I'm not the first such case she's seen. She says she never stops an SNRI cold, even for another SNRI. Your friend definitely should talk to his doctor immediately if this is still going on tomorrow.
Thank you so much for taking the time to give me so much insight.
Now I am really scared though.
When you were hospitalized for "discontinuation syndrome" what did they do for you?
Thank you so much for taking the time to give me so much insight.
Now I am really scared though.
When you were hospitalized for "discontinuation syndrome" what did they do for you?
I was afraid my post would scare you...didn't want it to, I was just pointing out how severe a worst-case scenario can get so your friend would know his case is not unusual. Don't worry, if he talks to his doctor he should be fine for what help the doctor can offer. What's important is that he is actively under a doctor's care.
I was hospitalized for three days, mostly just to keep an eye on me, but also to start Prozac to help with the symptoms and to re-hydrate me/get me eating again because of the physical side effects. I swear, if there was a class-action suit against the manufacturer, I'd join it. I'm not a litigation-happy person by any means, but the warnings and discontinuation instructions for SNRIs should be revised. They can do wonders for people who need them, but people need to be better informed about the risks for when they stop. As I said, I am still taking an SNRI. I have to, and it does work. I'm just wiser now.
I hope your friend feels better soon. I'll leave it to his doctor from here!
P.S. Some of the side-effects people have while taking SNRIs can be lessened by drinking lots of milk. My doctor doesn't know why, but her patients have reported feeling less effects when they do. I have noticed fewer problems with mild side effects of dizziness and nausea by drinking a couple of big glasses of milk daily.
Best wishes to your friend. You're very kind to investigate for him like this!
I was afraid my post would scare you...didn't want it to, I was just pointing out how severe a worst-case scenario can get so your friend would know his case is not unusual. Don't worry, if he talks to his doctor he should be fine for what help the doctor can offer. What's important is that he is actively under a doctor's care.
I was hospitalized for three days, mostly just to keep an eye on me, but also to start Prozac to help with the symptoms and to re-hydrate me/get me eating again because of the physical side effects. I swear, if there was a class-action suit against the manufacturer, I'd join it. I'm not a litigation-happy person by any means, but the warnings and discontinuation instructions for SNRIs should be revised. They can do wonders for people who need them, but people need to be better informed about the risks for when they stop. As I said, I am still taking an SNRI. I have to, and it does work. I'm just wiser now.
I hope your friend feels better soon. I'll leave it to his doctor from here!
P.S. Some of the side-effects people have while taking SNRIs can be lessened by drinking lots of milk. My doctor doesn't know why, but her patients have reported feeling less effects when they do. I have noticed fewer problems with mild side effects of dizziness and nausea by drinking a couple of big glasses of milk daily.
Best wishes to your friend. You're very kind to investigate for him like this!
Thank you so much for your kindness!
I will pass along the tip about milk.
I am waiting to hear from him for an update, hopefully shortly.
I sent him a few links about Discontinuation Syndrome, which he had not heard of even in all his internet reading to try to understand what is happening to him.
I'll update the thread after I hear from him again.
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