My discontinuation syndrome off Effexor was like a brain zap, a tiny electrical buzz that you never know when it was coming. My brain felt like a spinning top with a couple of electrical bumps added in for fun. I could never accurately describe it until I went on the crazy meds talk forum and a lot of people commiserated with the same symptoms. It was truly hell on earth going off it. However, I misunderstood my pdoc and thought he said stop taking it all together, so I went cold turkey, but even people who titrated down on the crazymeds forum experienced the same thing.
As for the suicical depression, I was there anyway so it is hard to tell if the withdrawals made it worse or not. NEVER AGAIN
Ya know.. before i was DXed with Bipolar.. i was also DXed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. My doctor (my GP) gave me Effexor for that.. and it didnt help AT ALL. It did nothing! But when i went off of it.. i had no withdrawal symptoms at all.
Jana
Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you. He will never let the righteous fall" Psalms 55:22