Posted by SuzyQ on May 28, 2002, at 1:36:43
Hi! I'm in an unusual situation and am hoping for some guidance from some of y'all.
First some background. . . I was ramped up on Effexor (I think first 37.5 and then 75 mg) last fall. My follow-up app't for that initial ramp-up was scheduled for right after 9/11. In our city, we had hurricane-like weather the day of my app't and everything was cancelled. So between the cancellation, shock from 9/11, and other factors (ie, I procrastinated) it took awhile to follow up on that app't.
In the meantime, I started feeling REALLY weird. After a few weeks, a Drug-Queen friend of mine mentioned it sounded like w/d symptoms. Sure enough, it was the weird tingling, nerve-shorting "normal" effexor w/d. (Note: This was after maybe 2 weeks of ramping up Effexor, and the w/d symptoms lasted at least a month)
So, I finally made it to the doc, and have been on 150 mg of Effexor XR a day. When I miss a dose, I can tell because I start feeling weirded out again. A family member is also on Effxor, and has sent me some of his 75 mg capsules (to help me out financially.) Anyway, I personally think 150 mg is too high a dose for me--maybe 100 mg would be better. But that's just an aside.
Sorry this is so long!
We are now living in a European country. Everyone we know has been able to get their prescription meds here with no problem--usually for cheaper, too! ;) So, I haven't worried about getting Effexor. I started calling around to various pharmacies when I had two weeks supply left. It's hard trying to track something down when you aren't fluent in the language.
It turns out, Effexor is unheard of here. No pharmacy carries it, and the "American" clinic says we just can't get it here. Though I could get prozac or zoloft. There is a slight possibility I could order the Effexor from Germany, but I'm not sure the company is reputable or how long it would take to get here.
I have 6 150mg capsules and 1 75 mg capsule of Effexor left. I think I also have a few prozac hanging around. My Doc in the States told me I needed to get a doc here before we moved here. (I had thought I would be able to see a doc at the "American" clinic--but that isn't really working out.)
So, is it better to just stop cold turkey? Space out the 150mgs? I read somewhere that taking prozac helps combat the side effects? I am not a huge fan of self-medication, but I'm sort of forced into that situation.
Thanks for your input!
poster:SuzyQ
thread:107793
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020525/msgs/107793.html