My primary care doc was pleased with this decision because I have been having some strange tingling sensations in my neck & down my arms that could be attributed to the meds I was on. I was also having headaches off & on, a cough and a sore throat. All of these symptoms can be side effects of the Arimidex.

Oh how I wish someone had told me BEFORE I started taking the Effexor that discontinuing it could cause problems. I of course had heard about Lil FlightTest's withdrawal experience, but that wasn't until after I had already started taking it.

At the prior visit to the oncologist's office I saw the PA who wanted to up my dose of Effexor to 150mg because I was complaining about the damned hot flashes. I am so glad I told her I didn't really want to do that and instead they changed my Tamoxifen to Arimidex.

When I went back to the oncologist to report how I was doing on the Arimidex, I was experiencing bad leg cramps in addition to the headaches, cough and sore throat. It was then that he decided to stop both the Arimidex & the Effexor. He gave me a starter pack so I could go backwards on the dosage. Prior to doing this I checked with my GYN & primary doc who both agreed that one week at the lower dose 37.5mg would be sufficient. However, none of them told me that I could experience discontinuation syndrome.

So I have been without any Effexor for 3 days now and am ready to kill someone! I cursed all the way to work today. I am extremely irritable and weepy. I came home from work at 11:00am today because I don't want to lose my job. I feel "dizzy" but not really like a vertigo feeling, it is more like when you have a bad head cold and your sinuses are really clogged, you bend over then stand up & get woozy. As I explained this to my primary doc last night he suggested it was like being a "bobble head" I agreed. Thankfully I have not puked nor have I had any serious nausea.

I did however have a lousy night last night. Didn't go to bed til after midnight. Kept feeling like little bugs were crawling all over me. Severe night sweats and then I got chills where I was shivering but my skin was still really hot from the hot flash/night sweat. My pillow got soaked from the sweat and I was just generally miserable. I don't know how FT manages to put up with me right now.

Yesterday I almost went into the bathroom at work to cry. I managed to make it through the day and didn't cry until I was on my way home today. I feel drained.

My primary doc told me I should feel much better by Monday. I sure hope so. Fortunately I have a very understanding boss and explained to her what was going on.

I go back to see the oncologist on Oct. 10th. I will likely have to go back on something as the hot flashes have already increased. I am not so sure I want to do the Effexor again unless I just accept the fact that I will never be able to get off it unless I am not working so I can be a raving lunatic without the worry of losing my job because I rip into someone without mercy.

I have also had a really difficult time concentrating or even getting words out when talking to others. I mentioned to one of my co-workers what is going on with the meds and such and asked her to kinda keep an eye on me & let me know if I start to snap at people because I think I noticed myself being short with others, but wasn't really sure. So much has been going on lately I'm not sure what I should blame for my current state of mind. She told me she hadn't noticed me getting short with any of the therapists, but that I was a little short on the phone with parents. She also mentioned that she had noticed since the beginning of this month (when the Effexor was reduced) that I don't seem to be as organized as I usually am, but she thought it was because of dad's gf.

The wooziness really made me afraid to drive. I am so glad I only work 3 miles from home or I prolly would not have gone to work today. Actually had it not been payday (I pass out the checks) I would have stayed home all day.

We took new cleavage pics tonight & once FT gets them uploaded into the puter I will do a comparison diary (in the hole) of the before and after surgery pics. In most of the photos you can't really tell that the right boob is now about a full cup size smaller than the left, but it is. Had I thought about it, I prolly would have put all my diaries in the hole that had cleavage or boob pics in them, but ah well, such is life.

Okay, I have a massive headache now so think I'll just post this puppy & hit the hay, not that I'll be able to sleep or get much if I do manage to get to sleep anytime soon.

G'night Husi. Luv ya.