Posted by Irene on May 8, 2001, at 15:19:20
In reply to Re: Effexor: MY Conclusions » kid47, posted by SLS on May 8, 2001, at 8:18:39
Scott, I read your post with much interest.
>Often, when someone in your position discontinues an antidepressant and relapses, the previously effective drug is no longer effective.
Do you know why returning to a previously effective drug is often unsuccessful?
>The risk of relapse can be significantly reduced by coming off an antidepressant very gradually. So too can be the withdrawal effects. Most people do not do this. The most likely time until relapse, should it occur, is during the first 4 months.
I'm not clear on the above. Do you mean that if one feels well after stopping a drug, and if he/she is going to relapse, it most likely would happen within 4 months of stopping previous medication?
>It might be best for you to remain wary, and perhaps keep a mood diary. If you see yourself beginning to slide back towards depression, you might want to consider returning to Effexor as soon as possible and titrate the dosage up as quickly as you can tolerate.
Now I'm concerned. Every time I decreased from 225 to 150; 150 to 75; 75 to 37, I always got well again after a few weeks of 'yuckiness', therefore believing my depressive episode was over - that my body was able to muster up the serotonin after all. I had no relief, however, decreasing from 37 downward. Does that mean that the 2 months of yuckiness I felt then meant it was the real depression and I should have gone back to increasing Effexor instead of waiting that long? and therefore Effexor will no longer be effective for me in the future? That would be awful, because Effexor worked wonderfully for me.
confused, Irene
PS, are you in medical field, or are you speaking from personal experience only?
poster:Irene
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010507/msgs/62167.html