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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 15:59:14
My pdoc has be coming off effexor Sr. Over the last few weeks I have tapered off slowly -- and last night was the first time I didn't take any.
I am getting these sensations behind my eyes and that sometimes run down my face that feel like a really annoying tickly/numbing feeling. Plus my contact lenses feel unbearable. Everything is incredibly bright -- and my lenses are so dry/irritating.
Has anyone experienced this? Anything I can do about it, save taking the dosage?
My pdoc has volunteered to give me prozac (b/c of the half life being so long, it will quell the withdrawl) -- but I don't want to take another AD to stave off the effects of the AD I am trying to get off of.
Help. Advice. Support. Anything appreciated.
I feel wimpy.
Posted by stjames on January 6, 2001, at 16:13:06
In reply to I am a wimp, posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 15:59:14
> My pdoc has volunteered to give me prozac (b/c of the half life being so long, it will quell the withdrawl) -- but I don't want to take another AD to stave off the effects of the AD I am trying to get off of.
>james here....
Do what you doc says, you will only have to take a few doses of Prozac. Or you can just suffer !
james
Posted by Joy on January 6, 2001, at 16:39:26
In reply to I am a wimp, posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 15:59:14
I agree with St. James. Effexor is tough to withdraw from. You are better off taking the Prozac for a little while. You are not a wimp!
Joy> My pdoc has be coming off effexor Sr. Over the last few weeks I have tapered off slowly -- and last night was the first time I didn't take any.
>
> I am getting these sensations behind my eyes and that sometimes run down my face that feel like a really annoying tickly/numbing feeling. Plus my contact lenses feel unbearable. Everything is incredibly bright -- and my lenses are so dry/irritating.
>
> Has anyone experienced this? Anything I can do about it, save taking the dosage?
>
> My pdoc has volunteered to give me prozac (b/c of the half life being so long, it will quell the withdrawl) -- but I don't want to take another AD to stave off the effects of the AD I am trying to get off of.
>
> Help. Advice. Support. Anything appreciated.
> I feel wimpy.
Posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 19:08:31
In reply to Re: I am a wimp, posted by Joy on January 6, 2001, at 16:39:26
I called -- and my pdoc called me back and wants me back on the 37.5 dosage until Tuesday when he sees me.
I feel terrible -- my lips, face, etc. are numb, and I am crying because I feel terrible.. why can't I be fucking normal.
Posted by Joy on January 6, 2001, at 20:11:05
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 19:08:31
So, take the 37.5 dosage till you see the doc, and stop calling yourself a wimp because you are on medication. You should feel better on the med. Prozac is the way to go weaning off Effexor; it's easier. I assume Effexor did not work for you or you would not me coming off it. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right med[s]. Lighten up on yourself.
Joy> I called -- and my pdoc called me back and wants me back on the 37.5 dosage until Tuesday when he sees me.
>
> I feel terrible -- my lips, face, etc. are numb, and I am crying because I feel terrible.. why can't I be fucking normal.
Posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 20:19:58
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Joy on January 6, 2001, at 20:11:05
No -- I am being taken off the meds because they apparently don't treat what my problem is: a personality disorder.
I took it. It got rid of my lips being numb so far.
I just don't like being on this medicine.
Posted by SLS on January 7, 2001, at 8:07:56
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Tracy on January 6, 2001, at 19:08:31
> I called -- and my pdoc called me back and wants me back on the 37.5 dosage until Tuesday when he sees me.
>
> I feel terrible -- my lips, face, etc. are numb, and I am crying because I feel terrible..> why can't I be fucking normal.
I don't know.:-(
Be vigilant and persistent. You will win.
The odds are in your favor. Really.
Life is more than worth it. You'll see.
- Scott
Posted by Noa on January 8, 2001, at 5:55:35
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS » Tracy, posted by SLS on January 7, 2001, at 8:07:56
Tracy, going off of effexor can be difficult, and it has been mentioned here many times that a few doses of prozac helps with the withdrawal.
As for medicines not helping a "personality disorder": personality disorder or not, if you have symptoms such as depression, anxiety, etc., medicine can help. Finding the right one, though, can take a while for some people.
What are the symptoms that you went into treatment for?
Posted by Tracy on January 8, 2001, at 18:39:24
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Noa on January 8, 2001, at 5:55:35
Originally I was severely depressed and debating throwing myself in traffic. Waking up early, unable to fall back asleep. Nonstop crying. Irritability to the extreme.
I don't have any of those symptoms anymore. I do suffer from anxiety (manifests itself in irritability), but not as bad as when I was depressed and never treated.
I originally started on celexa, then to a celexa/wb combo; then to effexor; then to effexor and wb combo. now off all meds. (still on effexor until meeting with pdoc on tuesday)
I know I have some work to do - took some tests, came out as expected. And, no sign of depression in them.
I could go on for hours: very sheltered as a kid; perfectionist; parents expectations unrealistic; overweight-- binge eating (I am not ugly -- according to others' opinions); never dated; turned down by every guy I ever asked;lonely; etc...
I have a resume a mile long for a 26 year old -- but my personal life is poop. That's what I need to fix.
Ever just want to be loved? Then the weight issues cycle, and then the perfectionism, etc. It's just a big ugly circular problem.
Posted by SLS on January 8, 2001, at 21:53:08
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Tracy on January 8, 2001, at 18:39:24
> Originally I was severely depressed and debating throwing myself in traffic. Waking up early, unable to fall back asleep. Nonstop crying. Irritability to the extreme.
>
> I don't have any of those symptoms anymore. I do suffer from anxiety (manifests itself in irritability), but not as bad as when I was depressed and never treated.
>
> I originally started on celexa, then to a celexa/wb combo; then to effexor; then to effexor and wb combo. now off all meds. (still on effexor until meeting with pdoc on tuesday)
>
> I know I have some work to do - took some tests, came out as expected. And, no sign of depression in them.
>
> I could go on for hours: very sheltered as a kid; perfectionist; parents expectations unrealistic; overweight-- binge eating (I am not ugly -- according to others' opinions); never dated; turned down by every guy I ever asked;lonely; etc...
>
> I have a resume a mile long for a 26 year old -- but my personal life is poop. That's what I need to fix.
>
> Ever just want to be loved? Then the weight issues cycle, and then the perfectionism, etc. It's just a big ugly circular problem.
Dear Tracy,I guess I made the mistake of assuming that you were very depressed. Sorry. On what drugs have you felt best, and why have you decided that you would be free of depression without them? If you have a history of melancholic depressions with early-morning awakenings, you may be a responder to tricyclics. If you feel that your best response to medication was only partial, all things considered, you may want to go for a thyroid work-up. Thyroid hormone therapy for depression is often used to treat very difficult cases, regardless of the results of blood tests. If energy remains a problem, it might be worth a shot. I'm sure I don't have to mention the effects of hypothyroid states on body weight. But I obviously felt like doing it anway.
:-)
- Scott
Posted by Tracy on January 9, 2001, at 7:55:28
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS » Tracy, posted by SLS on January 8, 2001, at 21:53:08
I've been through all the thyroid testing.. no dice. I fall within the labs normal range. And, no doc, nor endo is willing to buy that the lack of energy is a thyroid problem.
SO --
On the 23rd I have a sleep study consultation, and soon after, hopefully, a sleep study.
Posted by Noa on January 9, 2001, at 8:46:22
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Tracy on January 9, 2001, at 7:55:28
Tracy, if you can get the actual numbers from your thyroid tests, would you post them? My #s were within the normal limits, too, but my endo says they are not normal for me.
There is a lot of info now on how subclinical hypothyroidism can affect mental health, etc. And, research showing that many people with tsh within normal limits but at 2 or higher, turn out to have more overt thyroid disease later on, and the early signs--mainly nonspecific complaints, and psychiatric symptoms--were ignored.
See the thyroid and depression folder, link at top of PB page, for more info.
Posted by Tracy on January 9, 2001, at 9:05:38
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Noa on January 9, 2001, at 8:46:22
I want to say that the lab norms began at .35/.39 and my TSH was 1.32ish.
Posted by Noa on January 9, 2001, at 15:44:42
In reply to Re: I am a wimp --- LIFE SUCKS, posted by Tracy on January 9, 2001, at 9:05:38
> I want to say that the lab norms began at .35/.39 and my TSH was 1.32ish.
Well, the TSH seems ok. Do you know if they looked at other values---such as (info from http://thyroid.about.com/health/thyroid/library/weekly/bltest-values.html):Total T4 / Serum thyroxine 4.5 to 12.5 Less than 4.5 can be indicative of an underfunctioning thyroid when TSH is also elevated. Over 12.5 can indicate hyperthyroidism. Low T4 with low TSH can sometimes indicate a pituitary problem.
Free T4 / Free Thyroxine - FT4 0.7 to 2.0 Less than 0.7 is considered indicative of possible hypothyroidism.
T3 / Serum triiodothyronine 80 to 220 Less than 80 can indicate hypothyroidism.Also, as someone else mentioned--sometimes adding a little thyroid hormone (t3) can help improve response to antidepressants.
This is the end of the thread.
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