Nerve Problems

[jmartinez316]

Hey Fellow PP Friends,
I just wanted to ask how many of you all had nerve pain while on and/or during withdrawl from SSRI's. I was on Effexor for 5 years and suddenly started to develop nerve pains in my face. It's bizarre but once I got off the medication if started to get a little better but then it move to my ear and tongue and that's when depression/anxiety kicked in at a level I never knew existed. I also have back spasms and feet tingling. The reason I know it's the medication is because once the depression kicked in I tried to take Lexapro. This made facial pain sooooo much worse. So following the wonderful advice of US Mental Health (PDOC's) we tried Paxil, Effexor again, Remeron and lastly Cymbalta which threw me over the edge with chronic burning ear and facial pain. My face is so messed up from these drugs!!! Anyways just wanted to see who all has suffered from nerve pain and has slowly gotten better.
God Bless,
Joe

[Backtopaxil]

I have not had any issues like that but mostly cramping and muscle aches. I think it is mostly anxiety but am trying to see if Paxil can do this as well.
I am reinstating and must say I never had any of these while on Paxil.

There is a set of threads by several members that are off Effexor and describe similar things.

By the way you just got off Klonopin.

How much did you take, how long and did it help you?

[jmartinez316]

I was up to 4 - 5 pills a day when the anxiety was so bad. This was after I tried Cymbalta which is the new version of Effexor. Pure poison. Had I known that all these problems could have come from the medications early on I would have tried something else. Pills are never the answer but if you are suffering you need to take it one day at a time. My life has been put on hold for a long time from this and another guy who had the same exact neurological issues I have in my face unfortunately took his life. I'm only 6 months off the medication and will never put anymore SSRI's in my system. I'm not your average SSRI withdrawler. I took paxil and got off it farily easy but the Effexor screwed me up. I figure it could be 2 - 10 years for recovery for me but I will fight this because I have responsibilities. No matter how bad my depression, anxiety, chronic nerve like pain all over my face, ears, tongue and neck are, I will push forward. DP/DR plagues me too but it comes and goes. The pain is constant but most people get better. If the depression was gone I could deal with the pain and so that's kinda what I'm holding out for. The klonipin only blankets the problems I have and I decided it wasn't worth it to put more drugs into my system only to cause more issues for me down the line. Benzo's can be very difficult to get off of but the Effexor is really tough!!! The brain is amazing though and if we give it a chance it should recover, just not at our pace. I just would like to hear how somebody is doing 30 - 36 months post withdrawl from Effexor. Any nerve recovery stories would be awesome!!!

God Speed,
Joe

[LCrawford67]

Originally Posted by jmartinez316

This was after I tried Cymbalta which is the new version of Effexor.

Cymbalta is not the new version of Effexor. Cymbalta is Duloxetine and Effexor is Venlafaxine, however they are both SNRIs. Pristiq is the new version of Effexor, as it's Desvenlafaxine.

[jmartinez316]

My apologies. I knew this. Either way they both are terrible drugs as are all SSRI's
Thanks,
Joe

[LCrawford67]

Yep, they all suck!

[obliviousjo]

I Was on cymbalta for like 5 yrs.....ct it last feb....lasted month than new doc put me on effexor....was on it for almost a year...I'm only 21 days off the effexor so can't offer you the report of being off long term but Do know this.....cymbalta and effexor only exaggerated my pain....never had nerve pain before starting the cymbalta.....but at one point could barley walk while on it....was also on strong pain pills at that time...nothing helped.....I'm far better off that cymnalta,....that and effexor shouldnt even be legal in my opinion

[julleri]

Hi Joe,

You actually private messaged me about your nerve pain a couple weeks ago. I was looking at old threads and found this one by you. Was wondering how you're feeling. The nerve pain?

It concerns me, too. I have these nerve pains in my limbs, mainly in my legs. I don't know what it's from, if it's somehow related to these SSRIs or if it came about from B12 deficiency, or if it's a little of both. I also get pain in other nerves, weird spots sometimes. Tongue, eyes (scary), fingers, sometimes in my genital areas!

Wondering if others have gotten weird stinging pains like these in strange places during all this.

Jason

[Lucy]

Originally Posted by julleri

Hi Joe,

I also get pain in other nerves, weird spots sometimes. Tongue, eyes (scary), fingers, sometimes in my genital areas!

Wondering if others have gotten weird stinging pains like these in strange places during all this.

Jason

I had those sharp pains. Sudden sharp pains that only lasted a second or two. They gradually faded away over time.

[julleri]

Originally Posted by Lucy

I had those sharp pains. Sudden sharp pains that only lasted a second or two. They gradually faded away over time.

Yes! Some of them for me only last a second or two (the finger ones, the tongue ones, the eye ones), but some are more ever-present and could be with me all day or several days. Those are the ones that concern me the most. Also the numb patches of skin. I don't know what that's about.