![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 898 to 922 of 1313. Go back in thread:
Posted by winifred on May 20, 2004, at 9:20:35
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by Morgaine on May 20, 2004, at 2:37:17
> > > It seems that you should be nearing the last effects of the effexor, but there is a lower dose you could use 37.5mg. Personally I used Prozac 20mg to rid myself of the effexor which has worked very well. I hope this helps. John
> >
> > My doc refused to prescribe a small dose of prozac to help with the withdrawl. I am weaning from 450 a day of effexor. This isn't the first time I have attempted to get off of this terrible drug. Today is my first day going cold turkey. I feel awful! The doctor said he thought the "brain shiver" vertigo feeling is all in my head and offered xanax for anxiety. I am going to try this drug free I guess. I hope the withdrawl ends soon. I want my pre effexor life back!
>
> WHAT'S YOUR DOCTOR TRYING TO DO TO YOU? 450MGS. THIS
> 'AIN'T RIGHT, TRUST ME. i'M GETTING SCARED NOW. BYE - THIS MESSAGE
> WAS POSTED BY MORGAINE.Believe me I agree, I can't understand why I was at 450 mg. I never questioned him and now I am paying the price. I can't take time off of work right now so I come to the office feeling dizzy, weepy and sick to my stomach just to name a few. I just want my life back. The crazy thing is they prescribed effexor for depression (I was suicidal) but getting off of it has made me more suicidal. I am tired, I am sick and there are days the light at the end of the tunnel is invisible.
winifred
Posted by annesand on May 20, 2004, at 9:24:13
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by winifred on May 20, 2004, at 9:20:35
Hang in there. And find a dr. who will give you some Prozac. Yes, it's counterintuitive to take one pill to help you go off another, but there are good reasons why it works, and you won't have to take it for long.
Posted by worm on May 20, 2004, at 12:23:16
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by winifred on May 20, 2004, at 9:20:35
> The crazy thing is they prescribed effexor for depression (I was suicidal) but getting off of it has made me more suicidal. I am tired, I am sick and there are days the light at the end of the tunnel is invisible.
> winifredWinifred, it is very ironic. I was never suicidal when I was depressed, but on 150 mg of Effexor, I was suicidal. (on 75, I was fine, but my doctor wanted to raise the dose) and while getting off, I was suicidal also. I'm sure Effexor is helpful to many people, and it WAS helpful to me, only at a lower dosage. I am just trying to go it alone, drug free, to see if I can "kick" this depression by myself. It is not severe. I know people who have switched from one to another antidepressant, and they all work a little differently. Some do fine on Zoloft, others on Paxil, others have stopped getting effectiveness from one after a while and have switched to another. Everyone's chemical makeup is a little bit different.
JMHO
Posted by TanyaJean on May 20, 2004, at 12:30:53
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by winifred on May 19, 2004, at 11:05:44
>
> My doc refused to prescribe a small dose of prozac to help with the withdrawl. I am weaning from 450 a day of effexor. This isn't the first time I have attempted to get off of this terrible drug. Today is my first day going cold turkey. I feel awful! The doctor said he thought the "brain shiver" vertigo feeling is all in my head and offered xanax for anxiety. I am going to try this drug free I guess. I hope the withdrawl ends soon. I want my pre effexor life back!**I think you need a doctor who listens to you. A lot of people on here try "5-htp" and said it really helped them. Going off 450mg cold turkey would be very harsh on the body, I think. I'm glad I never went up that high. Anyway, you can find 5-htp on the internet or at a supplement store. I take the "Yarrow" brand just because it was recommended to me.
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 21, 2004, at 6:49:23
In reply to Re: Alternative Therapies, posted by Morgaine on May 20, 2004, at 2:20:18
> I NEVER POSTED THE ABOVE REFERENCED MESSAGE...
I'd like to redirect follow-ups about this issue to Psycho-Babble Administration. Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040307/msgs/346668.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by husschick on May 21, 2004, at 9:20:51
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by worm on May 20, 2004, at 12:23:16
I am extremly concerened about all of these side effects you all are talking about. I have taken 7 different meds before effexor xr and I have felt over all pretty good on this med. Do you think that mabye some of the withdrawl side effects are in your head?
Posted by worm on May 21, 2004, at 9:36:13
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by husschick on May 21, 2004, at 9:20:51
> I am extremly concerened about all of these side effects you all are talking about. I have taken 7 different meds before effexor xr and I have felt over all pretty good on this med. Do you think that mabye some of the withdrawl side effects are in your head?
I believe I posted before about this, that a lot of the side effects are "suggestable", and some are so vague that they could be attributed to many things. For example, I had body aches, and when I saw that on the list, I attributed them to the Effexor. Unfortunately, several months after quitting the Effexor, I still have some body aches, so that is an issue for my doctor. But the "brain zings" are definitely real. The appetite could be real, could be a manifestation of the depression, and the brain fogginess is subjective, although I DO feel that my brain is getting sharper, even though I never noticed that I was so foggy - I just noticed I was having trouble finding the right words, and names of people I have known for years were eluding me. I just kind of thought I was getting older.
Does that answer your question? Clear as mud, huh?
Posted by husschick on May 21, 2004, at 11:12:00
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by worm on May 21, 2004, at 9:36:13
worm, thanks for the response. I agree. I know that when I see side effects listed on the paper you get when you pick it up at the pharmacy, I am like waiting for that to happen. mabye part of my anxiety , whoi knows. anyway thanks for the input.
Posted by Morgaine on May 21, 2004, at 23:43:36
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by worm on May 20, 2004, at 12:23:16
In reply to the message I just read. I am only on
75 mgs. of Effexor now and intend to keep it this way
until?......Yeah, I'm not going any higher, just
gonna keep it to this smallest screwdriver turn for my
personal chemistry. Morgaine
Posted by Morgaine on May 22, 2004, at 0:06:37
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by husschick on May 21, 2004, at 9:20:51
> I am extremly concerened about all of these side effects you all are talking about. I have taken 7 different meds before effexor xr and I have felt over all pretty good on this med. Do you think that mabye some of the withdrawl side effects are in your head?
This is Morgaine speaking. You know, it's interesting
what you're asking. I was up to 325mgs. at my highest,
and then just started weaning down weekly until my
last week was 75mgs. I didn't even have to go to the 37.5
opening the capsule bit. It was downright smooth and
not at all what I was expecting or been warned about.
I was off of Effexor for about 9 months. I started
back again on 3/29/04 at 75mgs. and staying there.
Thus far it has been the only drug that has helped me
in any way with my "Clinical Depression". Prozac made
me jittery and paranoid. Wellbutrin made me break out
in a horrific all over body rash, as well as made
me antsy and jittery, so.....My point is I do not
have a lot of experience with a myriad of anti-depressants,
but I do know my body and my brain well enough to
know what feels 'right', what feels 'safe', what feels
'healthy'. The fact that there are so many people out
there who have had such unpleasant experiences with
Effexor does nothing but prove that it truly does "take
all kinds to make a circus". Some drugs are just
not going to work in the ideal way for some people.
For other people these same drugs work wonders for them.
Unless one is the 'Supreme Being' or 'Force' of all
knowledge and creation who's to say which drug is good
or bad? Number one that's a dogmatic predicament.
If there was such a thing as a 'Happy' pill, or a 'Love'
pill that actually worked for 'everyone' in the 'exact'
'same' way, do you think our world situation would be
as f..... up as it is? Morgaine
Posted by Morgaine on May 22, 2004, at 0:11:30
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by husschick on May 21, 2004, at 11:12:00
> worm, thanks for the response. I agree. I know that when I see side effects listed on the paper you get when you pick it up at the pharmacy, I am like waiting for that to happen. mabye part of my anxiety , whoi knows. anyway thanks for the input.
This is Morgaine again: Ditto on that - I'm just
going to start announcing myself from the start of
each message I send, since I have been having
trouble with my name being used on other 'messages'
Oh well, Dr. Bob is working on it. Love and PeaCE!
Posted by babyapehanger on May 24, 2004, at 1:11:06
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by annesand on May 20, 2004, at 9:24:13
I thank all of you for your postings. I am a recovering alcoholic who went through inpatient therapy jan 1 2004 and the doc put me on effexor 150 mg daily. It did help with the mood swings and other stuff I went through. I am on my second cold turkey day of withdrawal and it sucks. I havent been able to move hardly today and sleep for maybe 15 min a hour. my bp is 145-85 which is normal for me. I do feel woosy and have no ambition now. I know it will pass just like the alcohol withdrawl symptoms did. I am tired of being on drugs. I switched from alcohol to effexor and they both made me feel the same. It is time to do it (life)naturally! Thanks for letting me ramble and if anyone can let me know what I might be in for (symptoms wise) for the next few days it could help.
Posted by seeknsolace on May 24, 2004, at 5:40:13
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by babyapehanger on May 24, 2004, at 1:11:06
I've been off effexor 7 wks. The first 4 were horrible. Then symptoms of withdrawal began to subside. The typical symptoms I endured were short term memory loss, felt like I was in a bubble.. a sense of everything was surreal, headaches, sense of my entire being zapped.. still having those but not as intense and occur when I get highly stressed, eat too many carbs and/or get really tired. The first few weeks my body ached like hell. Havent figured out how much of it was due to the anxiety of coming off or the withdrawal itself. It all felt like it would never end, but it did except for the above mentioned "zaps".
If it gets too hard for you.. have your doc put you on prozac.. I took 10 mgs for ten days, it made it more manageable, tho it was still hell after the prozac's (positive) effects were over.
Try to sleep as much as you can, drink tons of water and try to eliminate all possible stress.
> I thank all of you for your postings. I am a recovering alcoholic who went through inpatient therapy jan 1 2004 and the doc put me on effexor 150 mg daily. It did help with the mood swings and other stuff I went through. I am on my second cold turkey day of withdrawal and it sucks. I havent been able to move hardly today and sleep for maybe 15 min a hour. my bp is 145-85 which is normal for me. I do feel woosy and have no ambition now. I know it will pass just like the alcohol withdrawl symptoms did. I am tired of being on drugs. I switched from alcohol to effexor and they both made me feel the same. It is time to do it (life)naturally! Thanks for letting me ramble and if anyone can let me know what I might be in for (symptoms wise) for the next few days it could help.
Posted by jenniferjaguar on May 27, 2004, at 20:37:28
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal side effects, posted by babyapehanger on May 24, 2004, at 1:11:06
I wish one of you people would say why you're coming off Effexor or any other medically prescribed drug in the first place. Especially that babyape fellow, who has been sober 3 months, and takes himself off it cold turkey. What an idiot! He wants to be "drug free." He has no idea the damage his drinking has done to him chemically, but he's got to play doctor and god at the same time. Well surprise, buddy, you're going to crash big time. I give you a month, you'll be drunk on your ass. If people in AA are giving you that crap about "you aren't sober if you taking something" tell them to shove it. They're not doctors. If your md prescribed something, and you're not sure about it, you should see a shrink about it anyway, not some general practice person. Am I venting? Sure! I've been weaning off Effexor for 3 weeks, and have discovered at 25mg a day that my old feelings, rage, fatigue are worse. Which is a bitch, since I was fine at 75mg, but have been coming off it because I can't afford it, lost my job. Well I guess it's peanut-butter time, I'd rather been sane and eat lousy, I seemed to be OK at 37.5 for 2 weeks, so I'm going back up.
Please please please if you are feeling good, dont come off the meds. You probably feel good BECAUSE YOU'RE ON MEDS!!!! I've been sober 20 years, and you don't want to know how many multi-diagnosis people have gotten drunk, or died because of this stupid idea. Please talk to a professional or an openminded AA sponsor before screwing with your head!
> I thank all of you for your postings. I am a recovering alcoholic who went through inpatient therapy jan 1 2004 and the doc put me on effexor 150 mg daily. It did help with the mood swings and other stuff I went through. I am on my second cold turkey day of withdrawal and it sucks. I havent been able to move hardly today and sleep for maybe 15 min a hour. my bp is 145-85 which is normal for me. I do feel woosy and have no ambition now. I know it will pass just like the alcohol withdrawl symptoms did. I am tired of being on drugs. I switched from alcohol to effexor and they both made me feel the same. It is time to do it (life)naturally! Thanks for letting me ramble and if anyone can let me know what I might be in for (symptoms wise) for the next few days it could help.
Posted by Tesssi on May 27, 2004, at 21:17:14
In reply to Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by jenniferjaguar on May 27, 2004, at 20:37:28
Wow, a little pent up frustration there...well i can't blame ya, i had 3 days of hell trying to go off effexor myself and will try again tomorrow with the help of prozac. Why go off you ask? I don't believe i need this medication anymore, although my psych dr. would love to keep ringing the bell and watching me salivate like pavlo's dogs. I think it is over precribed and unnecessary sometimes. I was having marital difficulties, so they gave me ativan, then my husband took his own life and they added 3 more meds including effexor...that was 3 years ago. At the time i was dazed, shocked, in mourning, and looking back, perhaps i should have just dealt with the mourning naturally, not gotten into this tangled web of mind altering, addictive drugs. THAT IS WHY...NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE MEDICATED ALL THEIR LIFE. I want to live unaltered and be me.
Posted by worm on May 27, 2004, at 21:46:55
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by Tesssi on May 27, 2004, at 21:17:14
I am going off Effexor because I thought I was fine, but I was just a "yes" man (woman) to everyone - I was Ms nice guy, and I got walked over.
Really, I was fine on Prozac a few years ago, but all of a sudden I got a prescription that didn't sem to be working for me. This happens from time to time, the meds just quit working, so my doc switched me to Effexor. I was doing fine on 75, but I happened to mention to my doc that I thought I was just a little too "down" so she doubled the dose (weaned up). Then I started having problems every time I missed a dose, and I started to read all these posts, and decided to TRY life without it. Yes, I am more irritible and I get angry, but if I can manage to not blow up inappropriately, I think I can do this. Its better than just saying "right, whatever" like a Stepford wife and then wondering why I am not happy.
The thing of it all is, now that I think about it, the Prozac quit working about the same time that they went generic. My insurance company requires me to get generics whenever possible. Now I wonder if it was either counterfeit or the generic was chemically different and didn't work for me. I could still be on the Prozac and doing fine! I only took one refill before I complained tehat they weren't working, and they did look slightly different - I blamed that on the generic company. They were all green instead of green and cream colored.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!
Mgesh
Posted by babyapehanger on May 27, 2004, at 21:55:15
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by Tesssi on May 27, 2004, at 21:17:14
> Wow, a little pent up frustration there...well i can't blame ya, i had 3 days of hell trying to go off effexor myself and will try again tomorrow with the help of prozac. Why go off you ask? I don't believe i need this medication anymore, although my psych dr. would love to keep ringing the bell and watching me salivate like pavlo's dogs. I think it is over precribed and unnecessary sometimes. I was having marital difficulties, so they gave me ativan, then my husband took his own life and they added 3 more meds including effexor...that was 3 years ago. At the time i was dazed, shocked, in mourning, and looking back, perhaps i should have just dealt with the mourning naturally, not gotten into this tangled web of mind altering, addictive drugs. THAT IS WHY...NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE MEDICATED ALL THEIR LIFE. I want to live unaltered and be me.
Thank you for both opinions. The psych doc put me on effexor, my general md who knows what is going on and has seen me since I was 10 told me to do what MY body told me to do, the psych told me maybe a year and I could go off. B.S. !!!
AA and my sponsor hasnt told me to do anything but take it one day at a time. I am going to do the effexor thing on my own and listening to others helps (alcohol is another issue with others help). Exercise and simplification of my life has been the most help. (and congrats on 20 years sober, I will see you there)
Posted by Dr. Bob on May 27, 2004, at 23:37:04
In reply to Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by jenniferjaguar on May 27, 2004, at 20:37:28
> What an idiot! ... I give you a month, you'll be drunk on your [*]ss.
Please don't post anything that could lead others to feel put down or use language that could offend others.
If you have any questions or comments about this or about posting policies in general, or are interested in alternative ways of expressing yourself, please see the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
or redirect a follow-up to Psycho-Babble Administration.
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by psychosage on May 27, 2004, at 23:40:47
In reply to Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by jenniferjaguar on May 27, 2004, at 20:37:28
> I wish one of you people would say why you're coming off Effexor or any other medically prescribed drug in the first place. Especially that babyape fellow, who has been sober 3 months, and takes himself off it cold turkey. What an idiot! He wants to be "drug free." He has no idea the damage his drinking has done to him chemically, but he's got to play doctor and god at the same time. Well surprise, buddy, you're going to crash big time. I give you a month, you'll be drunk on your ass. If people in AA are giving you that crap about "you aren't sober if you taking something" tell them to shove it. They're not doctors. If your md prescribed something, and you're not sure about it, you should see a shrink about it anyway, not some general practice person. Am I venting? Sure! I've been weaning off Effexor for 3 weeks, and have discovered at 25mg a day that my old feelings, rage, fatigue are worse. Which is a bitch, since I was fine at 75mg, but have been coming off it because I can't afford it, lost my job. Well I guess it's peanut-butter time, I'd rather been sane and eat lousy, I seemed to be OK at 37.5 for 2 weeks, so I'm going back up.
>
> Please please please if you are feeling good, dont come off the meds. You probably feel good BECAUSE YOU'RE ON MEDS!!!! I've been sober 20 years, and you don't want to know how many multi-diagnosis people have gotten drunk, or died because of this stupid idea. Please talk to a professional or an openminded AA sponsor before screwing with your head!
>
>
> > I thank all of you for your postings. I am a recovering alcoholic who went through inpatient therapy jan 1 2004 and the doc put me on effexor 150 mg daily. It did help with the mood swings and other stuff I went through. I am on my second cold turkey day of withdrawal and it sucks. I havent been able to move hardly today and sleep for maybe 15 min a hour. my bp is 145-85 which is normal for me. I do feel woosy and have no ambition now. I know it will pass just like the alcohol withdrawl symptoms did. I am tired of being on drugs. I switched from alcohol to effexor and they both made me feel the same. It is time to do it (life)naturally! Thanks for letting me ramble and if anyone can let me know what I might be in for (symptoms wise) for the next few days it could help.
>
>Congrats on your time! I have 2 years and some change myself, and usually the people who are anti-medication in AA have stable lives without mood disorders or simply haven't recognized their illness from which alcoholism is their symptom.
Sobriety is also cognitive and behavioral as well as self-defined. It goes beyond the bounds of not abusing scripts, alcohol, and illicit drugs. I think many newcomers have to go through that error-filled process of deciding if cooked wine in their food or psych meds are acceptable. I only read your post, but this person will learn about what he really needs, god-willing.
One thing about AA literature is that it doesn't preach self-reliance and that includes relying on self-will alone whie mentally ill. Bill W. was a bipolar compulsive who would no doubt be sticking to his lithium or mood stabilizer today if he were part of these psychopharmacological times.
I find that AA fellowship itself can be a trigger for insanity and inanities.
I hope you find a doctor that will give you samples. They free-float everywhere, and if your doctor doesn't carry any Effexor then ask him to call the rep to bring some.
I take 75mg of Effexor myself among other meds.
I think finding a nice doctor is easier than jumping hopes for the pharmaceutical assistance programs.
If you have trouble affording a doctor now, look for some agencies and clinics with a sliding fee scale, but I am sure you are aware of this idea.
Check out the link below.
Posted by winifred on May 28, 2004, at 10:37:28
In reply to Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by jenniferjaguar on May 27, 2004, at 20:37:28
> I wish one of you people would say why you're coming off Effexor or any other medically prescribed drug in the first place. Especially that babyape fellow, who has been sober 3 months, and takes himself off it cold turkey. What an idiot! He wants to be "drug free." He has no idea the damage his drinking has done to him chemically, but he's got to play doctor and god at the same time. Well surprise, buddy, you're going to crash big time. I give you a month, you'll be drunk on your ass. If people in AA are giving you that crap about "you aren't sober if you taking something" tell them to shove it. They're not doctors. If your md prescribed something, and you're not sure about it, you should see a shrink about it anyway, not some general practice person. Am I venting? Sure! I've been weaning off Effexor for 3 weeks, and have discovered at 25mg a day that my old feelings, rage, fatigue are worse. Which is a bitch, since I was fine at 75mg, but have been coming off it because I can't afford it, lost my job. Well I guess it's peanut-butter time, I'd rather been sane and eat lousy, I seemed to be OK at 37.5 for 2 weeks, so I'm going back up.
>
> Please please please if you are feeling good, dont come off the meds. You probably feel good BECAUSE YOU'RE ON MEDS!!!! I've been sober 20 years, and you don't want to know how many multi-diagnosis people have gotten drunk, or died because of this stupid idea. Please talk to a professional or an openminded AA sponsor before screwing with your head!
>
>
> > Since we are not doctors.... maybe we shouldn't be judging one another. Everyone should be able to make their own decisions about what they do or do not put in their body. For me, 450 of effexor a day was crazy. My insurance company wouldn't cover that high of a dose and said it wasn't recommended for anyone. I don't think effexor was the right choice for me. I am on day 10 of no meds after 2 mos of weaning off of effexor. Last friday, I was sick as a dog....today, I am a little dizzy and not quite right but on the right track. Effexor scares me, if I was even an hour or two late on my dose I was hugging the toilet. I want to try this. Maybe I will need another anti-depressant, I don't know. My dad also suffers from depression and has tried to go off his meds (prozac) from time to time. He has never been able to cope and has even been hospitalized after going off. He says he understands my need to try. He is scared for me and does not want me to find myself back in the deep depression hell he thinks I am heading for, but knows I need to try. Not everyone is the same.
Let's try to support each other and our choices!!!
Posted by PoohBear on May 28, 2004, at 11:37:59
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by winifred on May 28, 2004, at 10:37:28
Just a quick general reply to all who have posted regarding this issue, pro and con...
People in general have many reasons for going ON meds as well as many reasons for going OFF. Personally, looking back, I have had to deal with depression all my life, there is a family history of depression and BP, all of which I believe is due to brain chemistry.
For me the meds help to fill-in the chemical "gaps" in my brain chemistry. Some people need meds simply to get through a rough spot on their life's journey and then they can move on, post trama, post meds and be fine. I believe that I will always need something to help me to maintain the life I want, not the depressive, addictive tendancies I inherited.
Your mileage may vary...
I have stated before and I'll say it again, that there seems to be a false notion running around that you're not "whole" or "complete" unless you're off medication. This is, in my mind, attached to the old ideas related to mental illness as a pariah, not an illness like any other.
Someone with a different physical condition, diagnosed through almost any other branch of medicine, who needed medication, perhaps for life, would not feel the "need" to "get off medication". Ask someone without a thyroid if they can live fully without their medication. Their thyroid is GONE. They need to REPLACE the missing chemicals that are no longer being produced.
My view is that there are people, not all, but some, for whom brain chemistry is similar. The necessary chemicals are either simply not being produced or are not able to get to where they need to go to allow normal functioning.
Certainly if a person has no history of depression or other mental illness and is over the stretch where medication would be indicated, they need to try to get off and see how they manage with other therapies. Even those with a history may feel the need to wean themselves from what they may see as a crutch.BUT, if things don't go as planned, if symptoms reappear, then one should allow oneself the grace of continuing medicating WITHOUT the mental self-abuse of always thinking that they're "less" of a person because they need medication.
Just my two cents; Blessings to all,
Tony
Posted by Frisky_cat on May 29, 2004, at 11:21:33
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first place?, posted by Tesssi on May 27, 2004, at 21:17:14
I think a lot of you folks are missing the point. One person called Effexor a 'mind altering drug'. So is aspirin.
The point is simple. Chemical imbalances in the brain, whether due to genetics, environment or some combination of the two, can be corrected in many cases by drugs such as Desipramine, Serzone or Effexor. These drugs correct imbalances that are chronic in their absence.
Take myself. Diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in graduate school, I suffered unnecessarily for 15 years from chronic muscle tension, insomnia, extreme social anxiety and general misery. There is plenty of evidence to indicate that GAD has a genetic component.
Desipramine saved my life: it eliminated the insomnia, the muscle tension, and the general anxiety. The first six weeks were hard due to the side effects, but most of those passed. I am trying Effexor now to eliminate some residual anxiety that I feel around people.
Drugs are no more or no less 'natural' than a tomato or a piece of meat. They are all chemical substances and their impact has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. By the way, arsenic is also 'natural'!
If you have a chronic condition, whether an amputated limb or brain malfunctioning, you should choose the best solution regardless of whether it grows on a tree or is produced in a laboratory or on an artificial limb assembly line.
The simple truth is that a lot of you having withdrawal symptons are not weaning yourselves properly off the medication or have chronic conditions where you will need the medication for the rest of your life. Accept the truth.
Taking medication for the rest of your life if it gives you a good quality of life and makes your life better is nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, you should pat yourself on the back for doing the right thing rather than letting misguided traditional notions about what is 'natural' and 'unnatural' and about the importance of 'character' lead you astray. Reflection and psychotherapy will not necessarily eliminate anxiety and depression.
Let me add that my experience with medication is that it does not sedate. It may feel like sedation if you spent most of your life wracked with anxiety and guilt, but it actually gaining a reasonable perspective.
Revel in your time for it is brief. Be brave.
Posted by seeknsolace on May 29, 2004, at 12:55:59
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first pla, posted by Frisky_cat on May 29, 2004, at 11:21:33
> I think a lot of you folks are missing the point. One person called Effexor a 'mind altering drug'. So is aspirin.
>
> The point is simple. Chemical imbalances in the brain, whether due to genetics, environment or some combination of the two, can be corrected in many cases by drugs such as Desipramine, Serzone or Effexor. These drugs correct imbalances that are chronic in their absence.
>
> Take myself. Diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder in graduate school, I suffered unnecessarily for 15 years from chronic muscle tension, insomnia, extreme social anxiety and general misery. There is plenty of evidence to indicate that GAD has a genetic component.
>
> Desipramine saved my life: it eliminated the insomnia, the muscle tension, and the general anxiety. The first six weeks were hard due to the side effects, but most of those passed. I am trying Effexor now to eliminate some residual anxiety that I feel around people.
>
> Drugs are no more or no less 'natural' than a tomato or a piece of meat. They are all chemical substances and their impact has to be assessed on a case-by-case basis. By the way, arsenic is also 'natural'!
>
> If you have a chronic condition, whether an amputated limb or brain malfunctioning, you should choose the best solution regardless of whether it grows on a tree or is produced in a laboratory or on an artificial limb assembly line.
>
> The simple truth is that a lot of you having withdrawal symptons are not weaning yourselves properly off the medication or have chronic conditions where you will need the medication for the rest of your life. Accept the truth.
>
> Taking medication for the rest of your life if it gives you a good quality of life and makes your life better is nothing to be ashamed of. Rather, you should pat yourself on the back for doing the right thing rather than letting misguided traditional notions about what is 'natural' and 'unnatural' and about the importance of 'character' lead you astray. Reflection and psychotherapy will not necessarily eliminate anxiety and depression.
>
> Let me add that my experience with medication is that it does not sedate. It may feel like sedation if you spent most of your life wracked with anxiety and guilt, but it actually gaining a reasonable perspective.
>
> Revel in your time for it is brief. Be brave.
>Frisky and Pooh: thank you for these latest posts. I've been struggling with the idea of returning to meds. With feelings of anger and unfairness, viewing myself as not being whole, feeling incomplete, because I may need to return to meds to feel good, normal.
Some of the thoughts I still struggle with are things like, is it chemical or because my environment as a child caused me to be this way, can situations in life really cause permanent chemical imbalances? I dont grieve over the past, only aware that this may be the sole reason for the unsteady (emotional) foundation by which my being was formed. Also being a single mom of a difficult 12 yr old who has been difficult all his life, it causes me to be constantly tense, upset, frustrated and when I reach a breaking point it adds to falling into the depths of depression, but maybe its my fault he is the way he is.
I wonder if the stresses were removed, if I'd still be symptomatic of depression. I've been feeling pretty level and almost good the last few days, but I was once diagnosed as rapid cycle bipolar.. the cycles are most sensitive to the changing of weather, but I never had the grandious expressions as clinically descriped in being bipolar, when I have my high, I can be more responsible for my life and just feel at peace and good.. but when I hit depression, I no longer have thoughts of suicide and I can still function.. so does that still make me bipolar?
Does this make me still have a need for meds? It's a human thing to do, to react to weather and to life... just some thoughts.. on a path trying to decide which road to take.
Posted by Frisky_cat on May 29, 2004, at 13:38:31
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first pla, posted by seeknsolace on May 29, 2004, at 12:55:59
Yes, suffering is part of the human condition. But most of the medications don't turn people in zoombies - they simply allow them to better handle both the upsides and downsides of life. I still get angry and feel sorrow, but it is not debilitating anger and sorrow. I also have strong opinions, hardly a sign of zoombiehood.
If medication allows you to cope better without serious side effects, then it is hard to argue that you shouldn't be taking it.
You seem wracked with guilt. What does genetics and traumatic events have to do with guilt and personal responsibility? Nothing. By the way, traumatic events do cause permanent alterations to brain functioning. Traumatic experiences can cause reductions in serotonin levels just as a job promotion can raise them.
Forget about the past and trying to find reasons - that's often a fruitless exercise encourage by those high charging psychotherapists whose patients remain treatment for 20 years or more. Talk about creating dependency in the name of healing.
Revel in your time.
Posted by PoohBear on May 29, 2004, at 23:08:55
In reply to Re: Why are you going off Effexor in the first pla, posted by Frisky_cat on May 29, 2004, at 13:38:31
> Yes, suffering is part of the human condition. But most of the medications don't turn people in zoombies - they simply allow them to better handle both the upsides and downsides of life. I still get angry and feel sorrow, but it is not debilitating anger and sorrow. I also have strong opinions, hardly a sign of zoombiehood.
>
> If medication allows you to cope better without serious side effects, then it is hard to argue that you shouldn't be taking it.
>
> You seem wracked with guilt. What does genetics and traumatic events have to do with guilt and personal responsibility? Nothing. By the way, traumatic events do cause permanent alterations to brain functioning. Traumatic experiences can cause reductions in serotonin levels just as a job promotion can raise them.
>
> Forget about the past and trying to find reasons - that's often a fruitless exercise encourage by those high charging psychotherapists whose patients remain treatment for 20 years or more. Talk about creating dependency in the name of healing.
>
> Revel in your time.AMEN!!!
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