Posted by DeanG on May 16, 2003, at 13:15:27
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by John2222 on May 16, 2003, at 1:10:06
Greetings John and All,
After digesting all of your comments on the side effects and addicting nature of Effexor I am, to put it quite bluntly, in a state of utter shock. After undergoing my physical examination yesterday my doctor decided to put me on Effexor to reduce the severe anxiety attacks that I've been experiencing in the past few months. I relented only after he assured me that the drug was not addicting. Twenty years ago I had severe back problems and was put on Ativan. Five years later I was left with a full-blown drug addiction which made me swear off any medication or stimulants or depressants of any kinds so as not to experience the same hellish withdrawal symptoms again. Here it is 15 years later and totally clean in all this time and my doctor goes and prescribes what he considers a non habit forming drug knowing full well my past history and struggles with addiction. I took my first 37.5 mg just 14 hours ago which I'm to continue for the next 6 days whereby the dosage is to double to 75 mg thereafter. Fifteen years ago I went through a living hell trying to get myself off what the psychiatrist called an addiction worse than heroin. I believe I may have just taken the first steps to revisiting that horrendous period in my life. Although my doctor most certainly has my best interests at heart, I seriously doubt that he's ever experienced first hand the terrifying withdrawal symptoms of a drug addiction and how difficult it is to break. I've been on Effexor for less than a day now and am already feeling its effects. Whereby Ativan acted as a speed, Effexor is having the exact opposite effect of drastically slowing things down. I feel numb and anxiety free but totally able to function as far as my job goes. Unfortunately, I'm not prepared to pay the price of another harrowing addiction. My doctor was adamant that Effexor was not addicting. Unfortunately, after reading all of your posts I beg to differ, and as I cannot afford a repeat of 15 years ago I may have to nip this one in the bud. Of course, that's always easier said than done. I certainly hope I have the willpower to make the right call and find other means of tackling my anxiety disorder and depression. Tonight will be the first test. Good luck and thank you one and all for all of your touching and candid comments.
Best Regards,
Dean
> Paco, even though I have been taking Effexor XR for almost a year, I felt better after only 2 to 3 weeks. My dr pretty much insisted I stick with it for 12-18 months so help "retrain" my brain chemistry.
>
> I've always been moody and just more of less accepted it. Prior to Effexor though and shortly after 9/11 I just couldn't get my mind back to the normal keel of life. Little things hanged on and on, and I worried about lots of "what if's" and "whys".
>
> So maybe Effexor or not, I would have recovered on my own after 12 months.
>
> I believe that the reason most of the Effexor stories on these support groups are about the problems, is that we look to support groups and others when we have problems, not when we're doing great.
>
> Not that everything has been perfect, but I don't fear an anti-depressant--certainly I don't fear one just because I'm afraid that I might have trouble 12 months later discontinuing it. Most stories of discontinuing problems have been from someone taking 75 or 150 mg per day and then deciding "that's it" and quitting cold turkey.
>
> Anyway, keep the faith, and don't fear success!
>
> John
>
>
> > Just wanna say thanks for your post. It's about the most encouraging one I've read here and it's just what I've been hoping to hear. Like you, EXR really helped me, and I'm glad to hear that going off it isn't a complete nightmare for everyone. I'm really not too worried about it myself anyway - I assume it has a lot to do with how you go about tapering and how well your system takes it.
> >
> > Good luck.
> >
>
poster:DeanG
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030514/msgs/227060.html