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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Calean on October 18, 2003, at 17:43:12
Hi. I was diagnosed with severe chronic depression about five years ago after a suicicde attempt and a "nice" stay at my local hospital in the psych ward. When I first started the effexor (300 mg/day) it was like a 10-ton weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I was on a HUGE "high" for weeks! Then things tapered down to "normal" (whatever that means...) and remained that way for a couple of years.
During the past 5 years I have been taking effexor. Some time around 2 years ago I asked my doctor to lower the dose of the effexor. (Yes, I did go through all of the "typical" withdrawal symptoms for about 3 months) I now take 75 mg. 2x/day. Unfortunately, for about the past year or so I have had "breakthrough" depressive periods. I have told my doctor about it and he wants to increase the effexor back up to 300 mg/day but I am refusing due to the serious withdrawal effects that can occur in getting off of the medication with the higher doses. (Having experienced them with just a decrease in the dose, I did NOT want to experience them while tapering off of the higher dose (am I making sense here?)
Anyway, now that I have been on effexor for 5+ years, I want to know what the heck this long exposure is doing not only to my brain, but my body in general. I want OFF OF EFFEXOR! But I'm terrified of what will happen while trying to get off the drug. I tried two years ago to switch to welbutrin, but that was a disaster with the side effects of hallucinations, vomiting, hives and eventually an anaphylactic shock. (Guess I'm allergic eh?)
Any advise or support would be welcome
Posted by msanjelpie on October 20, 2003, at 3:36:20
In reply to New with question - LONG Effexor use . . . danger?, posted by Calean on October 18, 2003, at 17:43:12
It sounds like the Effexor is working good for you... I would just try raising the dose marginally until the problem is fixed...
If you plan to stay on it the rest of your life you won't have to worry about the withdrawal symptoms...
Personally, once I find something that works, and the depression is GONE, I don't want to do anything to mess that up...
I don't worry about what it is doing to my brain, because the alternative of having 'normal' brain function along with the depression just isn't something I want to live with...
Think about WHY you want to get off of it when it is working for you...
This is the end of the thread.
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