Posted by mstar on May 3, 2001, at 13:05:09
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawl, posted by Irene on May 3, 2001, at 11:55:35
I am now on 4 weeks of Effexor XR. I worked my way up to 150 mg and it is finally working. I am sorry to all the people who has suffered from this drug and from the symptoms of depression.
I don't ever want to stop taking antidepressants. It is so hard to know that I will be on meds if I want to stay healthy all my life, and I am in the arts so my finances were never, ever stable enough to afford this kind of expense but... I feel like the weight of the world has lifted from me and I don't ever want to go back. I have suffered from depression for years and my major episodes have gotten progressively worse. I would rather stay on than try to "get better" and then get off and then have to go back on.
Some of the interesting things I have learned from my own experience and reading this board is that we need to distinguish between depression symptoms and medicine side affects. I think the two are so close and interwoven that it is hard to know if it's your sickness and or your drug. If I can give you any advise, don't act rash, know yourself and keep a log of how you feel, what you eat, what your dose is and what time of day it is. This is a great way to track and log your moods and know your patterns, symptoms and depressive moods. Doctors and Medicines are not there to hurt you. Yeah, they are expensive, and yes, you can't control them and may react adversely to them, but you could also get hit driving down the street. Life is all chance. Please don't let your own experiences disway others from using drugs and doctors to get well from the sickness of depression. The fact that there is more negativity than positive remarks on this board has more to do with our unhappiness than the failure of Effexor.
My best wishes to anyone struggling with depression, may you find the right drug and find peace (it does exist!). And to those suffering from withdrawl, please take it slow and go easy on yourself and others. I hope you will eventually find the right medication and not be totally turned off to an option which could help get your life on track.
Ms
poster:mstar
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010424/msgs/61520.html