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New with question - LONG Effexor use . . . danger?

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


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Psycho-Babble Medication | Framed

poster:Calean thread:270647
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031015/msgs/270647.html