Effexor and fear

I was put on Effexor because of anxiety and panic attacks, and all I have to say is that this medication increased more so than it alleviated any of those symptoms. I was not even feeling very anxious at the time of my taking the first (37.5 mg) dose.

I took the capsule around 2 in the afternoon and by 4pm I had a severe headache. This was followed by nausea and strange thoughts. When I returned home that evening (last night) around 7pm I called my roommate a profane word (way out of character) and made her cry. We resolved the conflict, and I went to bed without any discomfort.

But I awoke around 3 am feeling strange sensations coursing through my body, anxiety, strange thoughts (again), and a sense of "overheating." I wanted to get up but I felt like I could not will myself to act, I felt as though I was in an "out of body" state. My paranoia and anxiety reached an apex at which I decided that I must not be "okay," and called my mother.

My mother assured me that I am okay and just that I must be on "too much stimulant, call the doctor tomorrow." I truly felt like I was having an awful hallucinogenic nightmare. I wanted someone to tell me that I would be okay because at certain points I had a fear that maybe I was having an allergic reaction to the stuff and might die.

Had I not researched online boards beforehand I would have called "911" no questions asked at the first onset of my symptoms last night. One of the scariest things I have been through in awhile. Still don't feel quite right, but the feeling is not as intense.

I was on it for 3months was taking 75mg then weaned off with taking 75 every other day then down to 37.5 every other day. I would be very dizzy on the day off. I have been over a week off now and still get dizzy spells. Also the mind fog was very hard to drive often nearly went down oneways the wrong way. Sent a fax an penciled in something figuring they could erase it after they got it ...I was beginning to fear I was lossing my mental stabily thinking i was aging really fast. Its been over a week now and hoping it will get back to normal soon.

I too am feeling a lot of the effects as you guys are. The bruisings and headaches. I've never realized this before. This is the second anti-depressant I've been on. I was first put on Zoloft. And I stopped taking it. But for those months I stopped it was a living nightmare. I was dizzy and bolts of pains running through my head. But it's worse now then it ever has been now that I am on Effexor. Maybe it's the dosage--I don't really know. I've been trying to get off of them, but fear my body won't let me. Like it'll call me back to the pills. I've been taking them every other day...but it's not good. I feel fine for the first day of not taking them but I have to awaken way early in the morning to take it so I won't feel dizzy all day. But it still makes me feel like I havn't taken it.