Posted by SLS on June 10, 2005, at 13:29:44
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by MtnMama on June 10, 2005, at 12:26:30
Hi there.
It is only natural to reject the idea of being tethered to a drug and dependent on it to function properly.
So you say you'd like to discontinue Effexor? There is a separate board dedicated to the discontinuation of medication and how to go about it. I use a flexible dosing method. Some people switch over to Prozac temporarily because it is easier to discontinue.
You might experience a rebound depressive episode when you discontinue Effexor too fast. In other words, you might experience a brief episode of depression that lasts a few days, then recover. However, if the trend is for the depression to get worse instead of better after you have been off of Effexor for a few weeks, it will be apparant that you still need some sort of supportive intervention.
There is no shame or character weakness to have to rely on medication to treat clinical depression. The brain gets stuck in a state of dysregulation, whether it be driven by the stress of psychological issues or in the absence of any stress at all. If you could think your way out of it on your own, you would have by now.
There is one thing to take into consideration when discontinuing an effective medication. Sometimes, after an extended period of not being medicated, the same drug is no longer effective. I can't provide you with any statistics, but the numbers are high. Be careful in your consideration of which directions you would like to take in your treatment. You might find the "Alterative" board here to be of help in defining "natural remedies"
Remember, modern pharmacology has its roots in the use of plants and animals as treatments. Ask yourself, what is "natural". I sometimes like to point out that it is the natural process of the evolution of man that he should learn how to cultivate wheat and use what is found in nature to synthesize the chemical compounds that are now used as medical treatments.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050606/msgs/510594.html