Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 13781

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Re: discouraging bunch of mssgs...Legal

Posted by lucky on October 1, 2002, at 15:08:41

In reply to Re: discouraging bunch of mssgs, posted by Nigel99 on September 30, 2002, at 18:48:02

Legal, I've just started my 3rd week on effexor and I guess I'm similiar to you as this is the first AD i've tried. First week 37.5 mgs- I felt a bit more relaxed and yawned alot (common side-effect). Second week 75mgs- again i yawned alot, and felt very tired for 2-3 days and at times felt a bit spacey. Just started week 3 75mgs- My GP suggested to stay on 75mgs for one more week until the all the symtoms subside and bump up to 112.5 mgs. It is to early for me to tell if it is really helping, but from what i've read the average dose is about 150mgs for anxiety... Good luck!


> Glad to help in some way Legal. The nausia didn't get to me much at all but the other side effects have not gone away much (dry mouth and eyes, constipation, reduction in libedo, and a little forgetful from time to time). I find them minor compared to the good it's done for me though.
>
> Best of luck to you - you may have a few rough days in store while you adjust if it's your first time on AD's. I really hope it works well for you!!
>
>
> > hey geezer and nigel - thank you for responding.
> > i didn't intend to sound negative or critical;
> > you're right: if everyone on the board were feeling
> > fantastic about effexor, they wouldn't be here.
> >
> > well, my first 37.5mg dose and i don't feel as ill
> > & demented as i thought i would (though i do feel
> > that nausea coming on).
> > hopefully things'll stay relatively ok when i
> > double the dose in 3days.
> >
> > ps: i am just wondering: what is the average dose
> > people are on in here? judging by my sensitivity to
> > drugs in general, i doubt i'll get past the 75mg
> > stage.
> > have folks on here felt relief just being on 75?
> > & how long before side-effects dissipate?
> > thanks again!
> >
>

 

Re: Great success on Effexor XR!---Juan

Posted by lucky on October 1, 2002, at 15:16:05

In reply to Great success on Effexor XR!, posted by juanantoniod on October 1, 2002, at 1:48:33

Thats great to hear Juan! I am on 75mgs (3rd week) and I don't have much energy of motivation. How long did you experience this feeling for? thanks.

> I have tried almost all the antidepressants (including Effexor) without much success, except for Wellbutrin, which got me activated, but did not take away the feelings of not wanting to live.
>
> I have been on Effexor for 2 months now; it and Provigil have turned my life around. I relied on the POSITIVE information I read on this board for encouragement to keep going on Effexor, even during the first 6 weeks, when I could barely get up to go to the bathroom because of the fatigue. I was hopeful because of what I read here, and the fact that, even at the starting dosage of 37.5mg, it took away some of my anxiety and the constant feeling of wanting to die. Also, my (new) PDoc was smart enough to ramp up my dosage slowly (I stayed at 37.5 for the first month). He told me that the effect on the norepinephrine neurotransmitters -- those responsible for energy and motivation -- would not be achieved until the dosage went over 100mg, so that made me patient as well.
>
> Last week my PDoc gave me Provigil to counter the side effect of the Effexor which was making me unmotivated and without energy. I am currently at 112.5mg of Effexor, scheduled to go up to 150mg in a few days and then stay there. I also have been taking 100mg of Provigil daily since last week, but did not take it yesterday and I still had a lot of energy. I don't know if it was the Effexor working, or the little bit of Provigil still in my system from the previous day.
>
> Either way, Effexor and Provigil have changed my life. I have had depression since 1995 and this is the best that medication has ever worked on me. I think that if I feel much better, I will either be manic or euphoric (hopefully the latter).
>
> I hope this helps someone as you all have helped me.
>
> Take good care,
>
> Antonio
>
> P.S. A big THANK YOU to Dr. Bob for providing this forum!

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol no problem for me-surfer

Posted by lucky on October 1, 2002, at 15:21:59

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol no problem for me, posted by h20surfer1 on October 1, 2002, at 8:22:10

Good feedback, thanks. I am a social drinker as well but have cut back because i was feeling a bit sedated. Do you take effexor in the morning or evening? Was there a particular dosage where you noticed that effexor was really working for you?? or did you notice something at each increase? thanks!! This is my 3rd week and i am up to 75mgs.

> I posted yesterday (9/30) but wanted to follow up on this alcohol issue. We are all different but I started on Paxil (two days) and could not handle it (put me thru the roof), went to Serzone (one month) and found it too sedating and I Could not drink alcohol-I did not like the feeling (I am a social drinker)After adjusting to the Effexor @ 187.5mg I have absolutely no problems with drinking up to 3-4 glasses of wine and the hangover the next morning is non-existent.
>
>

 

Re: a wee concern...

Posted by lucky on October 1, 2002, at 15:32:30

In reply to a wee concern..., posted by legallybrunette on October 1, 2002, at 11:13:27

Great observations! I am wondering the same thing?? Is effexor going to work as advertised or is it just going numb my emotions, thus feeling less anxiety ect. I am going to continue on with effexor for another 3 weeks and see what happens. good luck.

> i have the impression - from reading this board and
> a couple of others on the net - that effexor
> (or ADs in general) sort of 'blankets' or 'numbs'
> the emotions, (ie - dulling the anger and anxiety),
> rather than actually tweaking the brain to
> alleviate those labored feelings of despair and
> worry, and re-ENERGIZING the body and senses -
> allowing you to live normally and emotionally, but
> without the encumbrance of 'depression' and
> 'anxiety'.
>
> correct me if i'm wrong, but i get the sense that
> many of the people who are taking ADs to relieve
> themselves of anger, sadness and tension wind up
> feeling 'flat', rather than 'alive'.
>
> is anyone out there actually feeling re-vitalized?
> joyful? for the first time in a while feeling
> responsive to your surroundings?
> or do you just feel'neutral', 'ok', 'unconcerned'
> and 'subdued' ?
>
> i just don't want to become an android.
>
>

 

Re: a wee concern...

Posted by phil_b on October 1, 2002, at 16:21:15

In reply to a wee concern..., posted by legallybrunette on October 1, 2002, at 11:13:27

I got the same feelings from the SSRI's like Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.
I have been taking antideps for close to 25 years. Personally, I feel that the TCA work better. They have more side effects, but with the Pamelor I am taking, I am getting more energy, I do not feel numb, I sleep better and my concentration is better. I took 80 mg of Prozac for 3 months. . .waiting, when am I going to start thinking more clearly? When is my concentration going to get better? When am I going to get more energy? None of those things came. The only thing that came close was Remeron, but I will take the old fashion TCA over the SSRI's any day. I think that the norepinephrine, that is enhanced by Remeron and Effexor, helps with the energy, concentration and a clear mind. I also think that dopamine plays an important role. The only AD that helps dopamine is Wellbutrin. The TCA, from my understanding, enhances all three neurotransmitters. The SSRI's to me may be helpful for mild depressive, or anxiety states, but for me they helped very, very little.

 

Re: a wee concern...phil_b

Posted by lucky on October 1, 2002, at 17:01:02

In reply to Re: a wee concern..., posted by phil_b on October 1, 2002, at 16:21:15

Phil what does TCA stand for? So Effexor XR and Remeron are TCA's? :) thanks,

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol no problem for me-surfer

Posted by h20surfer1 on October 1, 2002, at 23:01:27

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol no problem for me-surfer, posted by lucky on October 1, 2002, at 15:21:59

Lucky,

To answer your questions:

1) I take my full dose first thing in the morning. It tends to wire me up. If I took it at night I think that I would have difficulty sleeping.
2) I noticed changes very quickly on Effexor. I could feel 37.5 mg and each increase in dosage. I had many side effects, loss of memory (would go to dial a tel # I know by heart and forget it), spaciness, a zingy feeling, ect. I did however feel an immediate reduction in my depression. I worked my dosage up to 150 mg which worked well for a couple of weeks and then I slipped for three days and upped the dose to 187.5 mg which has been working great for 3 or so weeks. I do not have side effects anymore except a decrease in libido. My Doc tells me that the "theraputic dose" starts at 150 mg and can be adjusted up to 300mg if required. I recommend going up as quickly as you can tolerate it to the highest dose your doc recommends and hold steady there for a few weeks and see how you do, you will know if you need more.

Good luck!

 

Re: flatsville, here we come » legallybrunette

Posted by LynnPerley on October 1, 2002, at 23:03:41

In reply to flatsville, here we come, posted by legallybrunette on October 1, 2002, at 12:46:02

I have never felt *flat* on effexor. I felt as if I was in a fog for the first month or two, then after the third month I felt like I was going back down, increased my dosage, and now I feel as close to *normal* as I have felt in a long time. I settled in on 225 mg. I wanted you to see a *positive* post - give this med a chance!

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol

Posted by Alara on October 2, 2002, at 1:25:21

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by sjb on September 9, 2002, at 9:23:30

A few weeks ago I wrote about a decrease in my alcohol cravings after coming off Effexor. Here's a quick update:

The late afternoon cravings did return around 3 weeks after quitting Effexor. This contradicts my little theory about the short half-life of Effexor causing a seretonin low in the afternoon. (I just wanted to say this to avoid giving the drug any more bad press than it deserves!) In the end, I attributed my abstinence to good old withdrawal.

In my case, there may still have been some connection between the drinking and the Effexor. Six weeks after my withdrawal, I am drinking 60-70% less than before and have been going to bed sober! I have re-addressed my problem and am doing something about it.

Thanks for listening, and good luck to anyone else who finds themselves in the same boat!

Alara

 

help - terrifying side effects

Posted by legallybrunette on October 2, 2002, at 9:39:48

In reply to Re: I hate Effexor, be careful with it, posted by LISABECK on January 2, 2001, at 23:43:18

i've only been on e-xr (37.5) for 3 days now, have
already experienced some scary side-effects &
don't know if i should continue.
can someone give me some input on this?

last night as i watched tv, every muscle in my body
started to tense and twitch. i knew it was the
effexor settling in, so i just let it happen, w/o
too much panic.
but then when i got up - and the only way i can
describe this is when i had a horrible acid trip
(sorry folks) when i was a teenager - my mind
was completely disassociated from my body and all
my movements were in 'a tunnel' and in extreme slo-
mo. my heart was racing and i thought for SURE i
was going crazy. this lasted for about 2 hours.

when i was able to function again, the only
solution for me was to go down to my
basement gym and do some extreme working out - part
of me thought i may have been having an anxiety
attack (but doubtful)and that it was best to keep
moving & not focus on the sensations.

eventually it passed, but i'm really wary about
continuing on w/ the meds. i was so 'grateful' for
waking up feeling 'normal' this morning, i'm afraid
to lose that again if i pop another pill!

has anyone experienced this particular kind of s.
effect? if so what did you do?
do s.effects tend to repeat themselves, or could
this just've been a 1-shot deal?

i really need to get myself out of this stupid pit
of depression & i'd hate to quit now, but if this
would considered a 'major' side-effect, i'd rather
stop. anyway, any help would be appreciated!

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol

Posted by jannbeau on October 2, 2002, at 11:25:07

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by Alara on October 2, 2002, at 1:25:21

> Alara, GOOD for YOU!!! and good luck! My son is a long-time member of AA and we both credit that organization with saving his very life! You can outgrow the organization, but it takes a while; meantime, it's a good start for many who need some support at a difficult time in their lives.

God Bless,
Jannbeau

A few weeks ago I wrote about a decrease in my alcohol cravings after coming off Effexor. Here's a quick update:
>
> The late afternoon cravings did return around 3 weeks after quitting Effexor. This contradicts my little theory about the short half-life of Effexor causing a seretonin low in the afternoon. (I just wanted to say this to avoid giving the drug any more bad press than it deserves!) In the end, I attributed my abstinence to good old withdrawal.
>
> In my case, there may still have been some connection between the drinking and the Effexor. Six weeks after my withdrawal, I am drinking 60-70% less than before and have been going to bed sober! I have re-addressed my problem and am doing something about it.
>
> Thanks for listening, and good luck to anyone else who finds themselves in the same boat!
>
> Alara
>

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol no -surfer Thank you !!!!!

Posted by lucky on October 2, 2002, at 13:24:32

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol no problem for me-surfer, posted by h20surfer1 on October 1, 2002, at 23:01:27

Surfer- thanks for your response!!!!!

> Lucky,
>
> To answer your questions:
>
> 1) I take my full dose first thing in the morning. It tends to wire me up. If I took it at night I think that I would have difficulty sleeping.
> 2) I noticed changes very quickly on Effexor. I could feel 37.5 mg and each increase in dosage. I had many side effects, loss of memory (would go to dial a tel # I know by heart and forget it), spaciness, a zingy feeling, ect. I did however feel an immediate reduction in my depression. I worked my dosage up to 150 mg which worked well for a couple of weeks and then I slipped for three days and upped the dose to 187.5 mg which has been working great for 3 or so weeks. I do not have side effects anymore except a decrease in libido. My Doc tells me that the "theraputic dose" starts at 150 mg and can be adjusted up to 300mg if required. I recommend going up as quickly as you can tolerate it to the highest dose your doc recommends and hold steady there for a few weeks and see how you do, you will know if you need more.
>
> Good luck!
>
>
>
>

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol

Posted by Princess on October 2, 2002, at 16:13:39

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by Alara on September 6, 2002, at 8:29:12

I have been on effexor XR for 6 months now. I had been taking .75mg a day in morning. The first month on the the medication I did not drink alcohol, lost 18 lbs. looked and felt great! The second month I started drinking again, since college I would have wine 2or 3 nights per week. I began wanting wine 7 nights per week. I only felt "normal" after my 2nd glass and would sometime have a bottle and not stop at 2 glasses. It gave me energy and seemed to cancel out the blah feelings I had with just the effexor alone. Not good. Plus the sexual side affects, decreased libido and lack of orgasm. I have been taking 1/2 a pill a day now for 4 days. I feel so good! My desire for alcohol has decreased and my libido is coming back. i will be taking my last dose on Friday. i do have to say that in the beginning I was desperate, depressed and had a lot of anxiety. I was going through a very difficult tiem and experience in my life at that time. I think God for the effexor and do think it helped me get through the emotional turmoil I was in. I am ready now to go off of it for the reasons I mentioned and my life is in good balance now. i have taken 6 months off from dating men....best thing I have ever done for myself. I am in a different place. The effexor made me not give a care about a guy or many of the other things i used to be so concerned with! If I stayed on it, I am afraid I would never date again. Not good...also continue drinking way too much wine to feel normal.
I appreciate this message board. Thank you for the support and sharing.

Princess

 

Re: help - terrifying side effects

Posted by Nigel99 on October 2, 2002, at 18:31:28

In reply to help - terrifying side effects, posted by legallybrunette on October 2, 2002, at 9:39:48

Hang in there Legal!! The 'tripiness' will pass in a few days. I also made the 'acid trip' comparison for a day or so (yeah I did dumb things in high school too). Shortly after I started smiling in a similar forced manner for a day or two but this was very pleasant after being so down for so long. That reduced too in a few days.

This effect and the tightness of jaw will go away shortly - take time off work or school if you have to to get through this. But like I said the other day, I found some of the other ones stay

You may want to ask your doc if you can delay going to 75 mg for an extra few days too - that might help a bit.

> i've only been on e-xr (37.5) for 3 days now, have
> already experienced some scary side-effects &
> don't know if i should continue.
> can someone give me some input on this?
>
> last night as i watched tv, every muscle in my body
> started to tense and twitch. i knew it was the
> effexor settling in, so i just let it happen, w/o
> too much panic.
> but then when i got up - and the only way i can
> describe this is when i had a horrible acid trip
> (sorry folks) when i was a teenager - my mind
> was completely disassociated from my body and all
> my movements were in 'a tunnel' and in extreme slo-
> mo. my heart was racing and i thought for SURE i
> was going crazy. this lasted for about 2 hours.
>
> when i was able to function again, the only
> solution for me was to go down to my
> basement gym and do some extreme working out - part
> of me thought i may have been having an anxiety
> attack (but doubtful)and that it was best to keep
> moving & not focus on the sensations.
>
> eventually it passed, but i'm really wary about
> continuing on w/ the meds. i was so 'grateful' for
> waking up feeling 'normal' this morning, i'm afraid
> to lose that again if i pop another pill!
>
> has anyone experienced this particular kind of s.
> effect? if so what did you do?
> do s.effects tend to repeat themselves, or could
> this just've been a 1-shot deal?
>
> i really need to get myself out of this stupid pit
> of depression & i'd hate to quit now, but if this
> would considered a 'major' side-effect, i'd rather
> stop. anyway, any help would be appreciated!
>

 

Re: help - terrifying side effects

Posted by LynnPerley on October 2, 2002, at 19:43:41

In reply to Re: help - terrifying side effects, posted by Nigel99 on October 2, 2002, at 18:31:28

Yes, sometimes it feels like an acid trip, sometimes the top of your head crawls a little like speed, sometimes you just want to sit and veg like you just smoked a joint. These too shall go away (at least in my experience) in a day or two, or at least lessen so it's easier to deal with. Call the doc if it gets bad, and keep us posted!

 

Re: Withdrawal From Effexor » pregnant

Posted by Sioux on October 2, 2002, at 23:41:46

In reply to Re: Withdrawal From Effexor, posted by pregnant on September 14, 2002, at 4:47:35

Oh my goodness, that sounds like an awful night. Are you alright?

It would seem that a good taper schedule might be to use alternate day dosing. Say 75 mg on odd numbered days and 37.5 mg on even numbered days. Do that for a week. Then do 37.5 mg daily for a week. Then 37.5 mg on odd numbered days and nothing on even numbered days. Then let there be two days inbetween doses. Then three.

Let me know how you are.

 

Re: Effexor and Alcohol

Posted by Alara on October 3, 2002, at 23:15:30

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol, posted by jannbeau on October 2, 2002, at 11:25:07

Thank you for your kind words and support, Jannbeau. I wish your son well in his continuing sobriety and happiness!

 

Re: I hate Effexor, be careful with it

Posted by jim hawthorn on October 4, 2002, at 6:40:34

In reply to Re: I hate Effexor, be careful with it, posted by LISABECK on January 2, 2001, at 23:43:18

I have been off Effexor for 3 weeks today.

I still get brain zaps- much less infrequently then before, but I still get them. They come in the ealy morning (7-9 am)and in the afternoon (5-8 pm). My joins are still sore- particularly my lower back. I am still forgetful. My sleep patterns are now off. at 11 pm I'm no longer tired, but all 11 am I could sleep hanging upside down!!! If I am lying down on the couch or relaxing somewhere, and I get up rapidly, I feel these little brain zaps. It's like all the blood has just rushed out of my head and it is a 2-3 second space out.

I started Effexor 7 months ago. When I started taking it some of the side effects when I started Effexor included:
- very itchy head (remember taking beans in univerity)
-very dry mouth
-mild loss of appetitie
-numbing of sexual drive
-spaced out
-extremely constipated

After I was on Effexor for 4-5 weeks, all of the above listed side effexts went away.

If I were to go through the same emotional trauma I went through 8 months ago, I would turn to Effexor again- it did me very well. However, I have built charter over the past 8 months, and can not see myself ever needing Effexor again....BUT who knows what life will deal us.

Hang in there, the only challenging oart is starting Effexor and finishing Effexor- the time when you are on it should be free of side effexts.

 

Re: Feeling spacey

Posted by Noorah on October 6, 2002, at 18:30:48

In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcohol no -surfer Thank you !!!!!, posted by lucky on October 2, 2002, at 13:24:32

Well I have been on Effexor for about one week. I feel very spacey, find myself starring into space for long periods of time unable to snap out of it. I usually have this feeling in the morning and as I am winding down for the evening.

I also have almost no appetite whereas before Effexor I was an overeater/laxative use. I am trying to maintain a healthy diet despite the low appetite.

I have also had headaches almost daily as well as insomnia which I am hoping to cure by taking Effexor in the morning instead of at bedtime.

On the flip side I noticed an absolute decrease in my depression. I feel like myself more happy, funny and full of energy. I also have an increased libido which is something new for me.

On the issue of alcohol: I don't think I will chance it. My health and happiness means more than a drink of alcohol.

 

Decreased Athletic Perform- Strength Endurance

Posted by butterfly58 on October 8, 2002, at 12:50:55

In reply to Re: Feeling spacey, posted by Noorah on October 6, 2002, at 18:30:48

Has anyone noticed a decrease in strength and endurance while on Effexor? I was taking 75mg for about 2 months. I felt like I was decreasing in both strength and endurance during exercise. I used to exercise 2 to 3 hours a day with out any problem with fatigue then, while on Effexor I notices a decrease mostly in strength when lifting weights. I went off effexor and now I feel my strength and endurance returning. By the way, I did not have any withdrawl symptoms I just stopped taking Effexor.

 

Re: Decreased Athletic Perform- Strength Endurance

Posted by sjb on October 8, 2002, at 14:51:09

In reply to Decreased Athletic Perform- Strength Endurance, posted by butterfly58 on October 8, 2002, at 12:50:55

Yes, I had the same experience. Talking to my PDoc about it was like talking to a brick wall. Most don't have a clue about athletes.

That's great you didn't experience withdrawal. Possibly one reason is that your dosage is relatively low. I experienced terrible withdrawal (another thing that was downplayed by my PCDOc) but I came off of 450mg per day and tapered too quickly.

 

Re: Decreased Athletic Perform- Strength Endurance » sjb

Posted by jannbeau on October 8, 2002, at 15:14:40

In reply to Re: Decreased Athletic Perform- Strength Endurance, posted by sjb on October 8, 2002, at 14:51:09

>Most pdocs AND other docs don't have a clue about the side effects of ANY medicine--is that because they DON'T TAKE their own medicine???

450 mg seems like a whopping dose! Are you ok now?

jannbeau


Yes, I had the same experience. Talking to my PDoc about it was like talking to a brick wall. Most don't have a clue about athletes.
>
> That's great you didn't experience withdrawal. Possibly one reason is that your dosage is relatively low. I experienced terrible withdrawal (another thing that was downplayed by my PCDOc) but I came off of 450mg per day and tapered too quickly.

 

Re: I am scared of this medicine, HELP ME! » Moni

Posted by dde on October 8, 2002, at 21:28:38

In reply to Re: I am scared of this medicine, HELP ME!, posted by Moni on July 18, 2000, at 18:30:25

I am sure my 10 year old son would have said "Help Me" too, had he known he should tell someone if he was having thoughts of suicide. He was taking 225 mg of Effexor XR. Have any other children been put on this stuff, at an adult dosage level? Has it even been approved for children??? Are they thriving? I feel he was misdiagnosed, at least partially, with ADHD, instead of bi-polar. Please let me know if anyone has children taking this medication successfully, and for what condition. Just sign me "at a HUGE loss".

 

Re: help - terrifying side effects

Posted by kwm9999 on October 8, 2002, at 22:05:11

In reply to help - terrifying side effects, posted by legallybrunette on October 2, 2002, at 9:39:48

legallybrunette-
please let us know how you are now....i just got a prescription for 75mg of Effexor today and am wondering should i begin it or not****give me an update on your side effects***

If anyone else has an opinion on why i should/shouldn't start this med, please give it-
kwm

> i've only been on e-xr (37.5) for 3 days now, have
> already experienced some scary side-effects &
> don't know if i should continue.
> can someone give me some input on this?
>
> last night as i watched tv, every muscle in my body
> started to tense and twitch. i knew it was the
> effexor settling in, so i just let it happen, w/o
> too much panic.
> but then when i got up - and the only way i can
> describe this is when i had a horrible acid trip
> (sorry folks) when i was a teenager - my mind
> was completely disassociated from my body and all
> my movements were in 'a tunnel' and in extreme slo-
> mo. my heart was racing and i thought for SURE i
> was going crazy. this lasted for about 2 hours.
>
> when i was able to function again, the only
> solution for me was to go down to my
> basement gym and do some extreme working out - part
> of me thought i may have been having an anxiety
> attack (but doubtful)and that it was best to keep
> moving & not focus on the sensations.
>
> eventually it passed, but i'm really wary about
> continuing on w/ the meds. i was so 'grateful' for
> waking up feeling 'normal' this morning, i'm afraid
> to lose that again if i pop another pill!
>
> has anyone experienced this particular kind of s.
> effect? if so what did you do?
> do s.effects tend to repeat themselves, or could
> this just've been a 1-shot deal?
>
> i really need to get myself out of this stupid pit
> of depression & i'd hate to quit now, but if this
> would considered a 'major' side-effect, i'd rather
> stop. anyway, any help would be appreciated!
>

 

uninsured withdrawal advice

Posted by marolync on October 8, 2002, at 22:43:52

In reply to Re: Long term effects of Effexor/permanent , posted by Kym on April 3, 2001, at 21:32:43

I've recently moved to New York City. Because I haven't yet found a job, I'm going to be without insurance for a little while, so I'm planning to polish off the last of my Effexor this month. I've been taking 75 mg daily for about 9 months to alleviate depression after breaking off my engagement to a beloved man/disappointing potentail life partner. I'm coping with that more rationally now.
At the end of September, I started taking my dose every other day, and am able to do that with minimal side effects. However, since the beginning of October, I have been experimenting with taking the dose every three days, and on the third day, I have a number of the side effects, most notably the body's a jet, head's a slug dissociation at maddeningly varriable intervals. However, by staying calm and observing, but not panicking, over these side effect events, I've been able to endure them tollerably.
I'm not really in a position to incur any expense as far as getting some Prozac for the transition--everything I've got right now is dedicated to November rent already. So, essentially, I'm asking for any insight into how to manage this. I don't have any of the 35 mg capsules, and don't think I'll get a very predictable dose from divvying up my capsules. I wonder if I am just prolonging my symptoms, and should try going off altogether and getting it over with. My additional motivation in all of this is to try to be off the medication by the time I'd begin working, because I really don't want to begin my new job distinguishing myself by being incapacitated for a coupla weeks.
I have noticed some abatement in the severity of the side effects on the third day now. At first, I felt really nauseous, like I could feel my brain turning and tipping slowly in its cranial fluid, and headachey, and wanted to stay in bed all day. The first time I just threw in the towel and took my dose sometime in the afternoon, then not again for another coupla days.
Anyone else out there ever heard anyone try it like this before? I'd welcome any advice.


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[dr. bob] Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD, bob@dr-bob.org

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