Posted by Angel Girl on February 27, 2002, at 21:03:27
Hi! I just discovered this forum a few days ago while doing a net search on Effexor. This forum is a Godsend.
I started taking Celexa in October 2001. In the beginning I experienced nausea and was taking Gravol every day. That lasted a couple of weeks. I also was unable to get to sleep at night even though I'd be exhausted and yawning constantly so I was put on Triazolam .25mg. The Celexa never did anything at all to relieve my severe depression so my GP switched me to 37.5mg of Effexor. It has been very slowly increased and last week it was substantially increased to the level I'm on now, which is Effexor SR 225mg. Even though I have tried to get off the Triazolam several times it has not been successful. I feel like I'm going to be taking it FOREVER!!!! FINALLY at the 225mg level of Effexor SR I am feeling some optimism that I don't have to live in the dark pit of despair.
I have some side effects, extremely dry mouth to the point that I can't even swallow, constipation, fatigue, memory loss, lack of concentration, loss of apetite and weight loss, twitches and jerks/jolts when relaxing. Now I find that the jerks at night are keeping me from getting to sleep. So far, once I'm asleep they don't wake me up. Each day the twitches and jerks are getting more pronounced. I am somewhat willing to live with the side effects since the Effexor SR is having a positive effect on my moods.
I have been depressed most of my life to varying degrees but last July I was experiencing extreme highs followed by crashes. I didn't mind the highs at all but the crashes were unbearable. Is this manic depression???? I was not on any medication at that time and had no idea what was wrong with me. But all of a sudden in October, the highs disappeared and left me with severe depression. That is when I sought medical help. I was also getting migraines, rashes and extreme itchiness in my legs even though there was no rash on them. It was at this point that my GP put me on medication.
I am not in any therapy as I can't find anybody who will take me as a patient. I've so far been told that I'm 'untreatable' and that the only thing I can do is to take anti-depressants for the rest of my life. The reasoning I was given was because there is way too much stuff to deal with, I can't remember the details of the traumas and I have a hard time talking about what I do remember. The first time I heard that from a psychatrist I was totally shocked and devastated. I left there in tears. Somehow, in subsequent assessments when told the same thing it didn't bother me, I was almost numb.
I have numerous major traumas in my life that lead me to this point. I also have 'blocked out' details of most of the traumas and an entire 4 1/2 year consecutive time-span. I'm also VERY suicidal and have a plan worked out. I am VERY self-destructive in all aspects of my life. Throughout my depression I managed to get myself into MAJOR financial debt and almost lost my home. I was on medical leave from work for November 2001 thru Dec 2001. I am still only working minimal hours per week since then. I can't seem to get into work more than twice a week. I'm exhausted. I also have an EXTREMELY hard time maintaining friendships and having a hard time with family. I'm alienating everybody with my way of thinking and moods. I can't seem to get anybody to understand me and what I'm going through and I find that VERY VERY frustrating. Everybody thinks I should just snap out of this. Ooooooh, if it was that easy. :(
Can somebody please tell me if these side effects will go away and how long they take, especially the twitches and jerks????
Do you work while you're dealing with your depression???
Do you think with multiple MAJOR traumas, blocking out traumas, difficulty in talking about them and constant suicidal thoughts that I am a candidate for therapy???
If so, what kind of therapist: psychatrist, psychologist, therapist, social worker, other???
Thank you for your help!!! I'm enjoying reading all the posts here. :)
poster:Angel Girl
thread:95742
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020222/msgs/95742.html