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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Laurie S on May 7, 2004, at 9:20:31
Hello all. This is my first post to this site and not only am I gratefully thankful I survived the event I will explain, I'm equally as glad I found this support site.
For the past year or so, I have been tapering SLOWLY off Effexor XR (under super high surveillance of my wonderful psychiatrist), which I have been taking daily for the past 5 years. The highest dosage has been 150 mg, 3X/day. I no longer need the meds, for I have found that I can control my anxiety and bought with depression with talk therapy that took a long time to master, and which woks well for me). On 4/1/04 I reached the lowest dosage of Effexor XR, I have been on (75mg). Every 3rd day since 4/1, I dropped another 5 granules. Around 4/20 I started to really feel the effects of the withdrawal - nausea, migraines, unbelievable ear ringing noises, chills, etc. On 4/30, I woke up like every other morning, took a shower and decided that I couldn't take the withdrawal anymore, slit my left wrist with a razor blade, vertically, completely severing one of the 2 main arteries providing blood flow. I remember freaking out and crawling to the phone and calling 911 after I realized what I’d done. I passed out from high volume blood loss (90% of my blood was gone by the time I was admitted to trauma). This is all I remember. My parents have filled me in on the details, which due to their frightening nature, and which is unnecessary to this post, I will not write.
The action I took is completely out of my personality--life has been going well, no big problems, just bad withdrawal symptoms which I'm been able to semi-able to control will meds. Has anyone heard of such a withdrawal reaction to Effexor or similar SSRI?
Thank goodness my hometown has one of the top 3 medical centers in the country, otherwise I would never of survived my injury. I was in the trauma dept. for 16 hours while vascular surgeries clamped my artery and stabilized my extremely unstable blood pressure, and nearing undetectable pulse. I coded twice, and was given 13 units of blood over the course of the day and during surgery. I spent the next 16 hours in ICU observation.
I spent the past 4 days in a psychiatric clinic here being mentally stabilized while experiencing flashbacks of the incident, nightmare, extreme anxiety, sleepwalking and a general sense of being completely freaked out. I'm back on Effexor, 450mg/day, by the way. Besides my blood work being completely out of whack- (CBC panel is dreadful, - which is being addressed and monitored daily - pain and swelling in my wrist is hard to bear without medication and the cast I’ll have on for the next 2 weeks isn’t exactly pleasant, I’m doing OK. No suicidal thoughts---this incident was the first ever.
This is an extreme case I know, but any insight would be appreciated. BTW, I am a 29 yr old, female grad student if that makes any difference. Thanks!
Posted by smokeymadison on May 7, 2004, at 22:49:05
In reply to Effexor XR suicide while tapering off drug, posted by Laurie S on May 7, 2004, at 9:20:31
it is common to have a major setback just when things start going well and you start getting better. i don't know if this was what was going on w/ you. i have cut before when things seemed to just be working out. i don't remember all the psychology behind it, but sometimes it just happens. i am very glad you called 911. that was quick thinking on your part. how did you feel right before you cut? were you numb? agitated? full of negative emotion? just wondering. i have felt these at different times just before i cut, trying to kill myself. luckly i never went that deep. i have avoided the hospital for the most part.
i have watched my mother struggle with depression throughout my life and i take refuge in the fact that things seem to have evened out as she got older. i hope that that will happen for me too.
don't give up! you have had a setback, that is all. it may seem humongous right now, but it won't be so bad later on, really. good luck.
Posted by deirdrehbrt on May 8, 2004, at 18:18:18
In reply to Re: Effexor XR suicide while tapering off drug, posted by smokeymadison on May 7, 2004, at 22:49:05
Laurie,
I'm so sad to hear about your very close encounter with death. I can though, understand it. I came off of Effexor once, and the withdrawl can be horrible. I don't think that many people can understand how terrible; it's worse than any other med that I've come off of. (I'm back on it now...)
I think you've done some really good things, such as calling 911, getting the treatment that you need, and coming here.
Should you find yourself with more difficulties, please feel free to let us know, or go to Pshchobabble open, just talking can make a world of difference. You might want also to keep the phone number for your local Emergency Services crisis line handy too.
I'm so glad that you decided to live. You have a strong spirit. You also know that there are many people who like having you around. This may have been your first post here, but I, for one, would like to see more.
Please take care of you.
(((((((((Laurie))))))))))Dee.
This is the end of the thread.
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