Help with effexor withdrawal...this is HORRENDOUS...anyone?

Ok, so I'm on a decently low dose of Effexor for PPD. I've taken other anti-depressants on and off for most of my life due to a chemical imbalance anxiety disorder. The Dr. who prescribed it to me warned me about missing doses....or just suddenly discontinuing it. I know I shouldn't have, but I took the warnings lightly...mostly because I know it's never good to miss doses of these things. I'm usually very careful about that anyway.
Well, I missed this mornings dose....and because it has a short "half life" It goes out of your system fast....I feel like death. I'm dizzy and feel tingly throughout my entire body and I keep getting these sweaty flashes. I took the pill as soon as I remembered (basically when I started feeling these symptoms) It's only been about 30 minutes, but in the mean time, I'm feel completely awful.
I'm considering taking some dramamine (which I use often for sleep, even with the effexor Dr. Ok'd it) to try and relax....but I'm a bit nervous about adding anything else to my system. Anyone been through this or have any advice on how to alleviate some of these symptoms (other than just waiting for my level to rise again?) I have NEVER felt anything like this from missing a pill....and this is almost enough to make me want to talk to my Dr. about switching it to something else...I never want to feel like this again. Complete. Hell.

Ugh. Effexor. You'll feel better soon but it's rough.

Take the Dramamine and then sit and relax or go to sleep. Withdrawls off that stuff is awful!

It will take at least a month to wean you off of it.

When I was on Effexor, I stopped because I didn't have the money to fill my prescription...it was horrible.

I was having visual and auditory hallucinations, I thought people were trying to break into my house and kidnap my daughter, I thought people were following me. It was insane.

been there. it's awful. just wait it out.

that's a big reason i stopped taking it. i had to leave work a few times over it

Thanks Ladies! I took the Dramamine and I'm all cozy in my chair with a magazine  

It really sucks though, I have this weird feeling that there is electricity running through my legs. I looked it up on the Effexor xr website and apparently those are called "brain zaps". Mother. Of. God. I will never miss a dose of this crap again....and I think , on Monday I'll call my Dr. and see about weening off and starting something else. She told me when I started it that some people don't tolerate it so well, and If I have any issues with it we can switch back to what I was on prior (lexapro).

<blockquote><b>Quoting !!Katie!!:</b>" Thanks Ladies! I took the Dramamine and I'm all cozy in my chair with a magazine   It really sucks ... [snip!] ... some people don't tolerate it so well, and If I have any issues with it we can switch back to what I was on prior (lexapro). "</blockquote>




Everything is going to have a bad withdrawal though. What's important is that it's helping you the way YOU need it to.

<blockquote><b>Quoting Red Bottom:</b>" <blockquote><b>Quoting !!Katie!!:</b>" Thanks Ladies! I took the Dramamine and I'm ... [snip!] ... Everything is going to have a bad withdrawal though. What's important is that it's helping you the way YOU need it to."</blockquote>




Yes but, I was on a higher dose of Paxil for 4 years and did miss doses here and there. I never had those crazy withdrawls. Only on Effexor and Wellbutrin.

That's what I was thinking, actually. I know most things will give you withdrawals, and I've had them before, from Celexa and a couple other things...effexor's withdrawals are SO different. Awful. I mean, I was on Ativan for the anxiety when I became pregnant, I had to come off of it (obviously) I was told how awful it was going to be (apparently Benzo's are hard to come off of) and it was nothing compared to how I felt yesterday from the effexor. The Dr. who prescribed it to me said she had taken it herself for a while and had problems with withdrawal also.