Posted by jtc on April 2, 2003, at 21:06:24
In reply to Re: why so concerned with quitting Effexor, posted by DeeDee46 on April 2, 2003, at 7:20:13
Hi Dee Dee 46,
I have been in treatment for anxiety and panic disorder for approximately 15 years and also depression for about 10 years. I have tried several medications, some of which worked and some of which did not. I was on Luvox for the longest and I think my body became immune to it. So at my psychiatrist's advice I stopped taking it and started Effexor. Now also at my psychiatrist's advice I have stopped Effexor because he said that since it is now spring that it might be a good time to clean my system out and go off of the Effexor since it was no longer helping me. Quite frankly though the real reason is that I am scared to take the Effexor for a long period of time because there is not much research on the long term effects of Effexor on the brain. Since it affects dopamine as well as serotonin, I get a little scared when the dopamine comes into the picture because of what happened to my friend while she was taking Meridia (it also affects dopamine). I took Effexor for 10 months and am now in my sixth day of no Effexor at all. I was on 75 mg, then tapered down to 37.5 for about two weeks, then 37.5 every other day for about two weeks then stopped about five days ago. I also take Klonopin and am still going to take that. I am extremely on edge, and fatigued, tearful, down in the dumps, and very irritable to my family. I think it is just going to take some time. This has been a difficult week for me. I have had an EKG, a spiral CT of my chest with contrast (dye in the veins) and Friday I am having a stress echocardiogram and an arterial blood gas test, all because of extreme shortness of breath and palpitations or skipped heartbeat. I do have mild asthma but my primary care doctor thinks it could be the asthma worsening or the Effexor withdrawal, but I also have a heart murmur.Anyway, in answer to bluestar's question the reason I am stopping Effexor is at my psychiatrist's advice and I am afraid of the long term effects of this medication on the brain. Anything that affects dopamine is a little scary. Good luck Dee Dee 46 on your tapering off. Take care, jtc
> > I can understand why you might want to quit taking it if you are not seeing results but how many of you have SEEN results are posting negative messages about Effexor that have decided to go off Effexor? If it does work for you and that means you had a chemical imbalance to start with and it is correcting your brain chemistry, your stoping the balance you have achieved is the cause of feeling like sh!t. Maybe I'm missing the point. Just so you know, this is a serious question I'm trying to find the answer to not a sarcastic attack on anyone. In my experience I cant see why you would stop what works for you. It can't be an inconvenience factor. It takes just seconds to take that pill. I want to know more about WHY people are stopping medication as opposed to what the withdrawl effects are.
>
> Hi. I am new to this post and am also looking into support while I am trying to get off of Effexor XR. I have been on medication for 15 years due to a hormonal imbalance. I understand why you would ask a question as you did but let me offer you this approach. Some of us do not know if we really need the medication anymore. We wonder if our bodies become accustomed to the drug and would like to know for our own well being. I for one, do not know if I still need it and the only way is to try it. I am having a difficult time weaning off. So if anyone would care to repeat or offer help. I would appreciate it. I mostly suffer from extrene fatique when I get to about 37.5 mg of the XR. No depression just that. I hate it and it makes it hard to get through the day. Yesterday I took the 75 and felt relief. Today I am taking the 37 again. I think I will do this for awhile and see what happens.
> Any and all support for me would be appreciated.
> Also, I have been on many medications for depression in my 15 years of treatment. Each person reacts a different way to any and all.No one medicine is the best or worse for anyone.
> Thanks.
> Dee Dee 46
>
poster:jtc
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030402/msgs/215605.html