Posted by Laurajean on March 11, 2004, at 21:17:28
In reply to Re: Any long term Effexor-free survivors?, posted by flyingdreams on March 11, 2004, at 17:12:25
Hi everyone,
First, hope all is well out there and w/d symptoms are not too horrific. I am down to 75 mg from 300, after six weeks of tapering, and I am still quite ill. I will next go to 37.5 (tomorrow). I'm still feverish, fluey, fatigued, and having crazy, crawly feeling inside my skin. It's awful. I can't wait to be rid of this drug.As for the debate ensuing here, to DepNYer, I can understand your point about a drug that helped you and I'm sure has helped many. My whole "disagreement" is with the fact that many of us were NOT allowed to make an informed choice because the information out there, and given out by prescribing physicians does NOT address the severity of withdrawal. I was NOT in a position of having severe, treatment-resistant depression, and my psychiatrist is one that is higly regarded and doesn't yet push pills, yet she prescribed me this drug that in turn has made my life a living hell. If I had known, I definitely would have made other choices. This was not a case of quacky or undereducated physician, or patient with no other options, this was a case of taking a drug that ultimately has caused severe, and all too common (NOT the .0001 % who have rare bleeding or soemthing)withdrawal symtpoms that far outweigh any benefit I might have had on treatment.
I am not a newcomer to psych meds or other protocols...I'm 28, have been through two rounds of chemotherapy for a life-threatening illness, and am on a cocktail of life-sustaining drugs for medical issues. I can say that effexor withdrawal surpasses chemo side-fx from my vantage point. It's that bad...and I'm someone who doesn't flinch at a spinal tap or other fun procedures.
Anyway....I am angry that on top of everything else I deal with, in terms of living with illness, I now compound that with the withdrawal syndrome from a drug I would never have elected to take had there been more accurate literature out there regarding the potential side-effects. When I go on chemo, I KNOW that it can cause xyz and I know the chances for developing xyz, and I know that I am making an informed choice about the risks versus benefits. With this, however, there is no solid research, and what is out there, is propaganda from the drug companies and other stakeholders. It's unethical and our voices need to be heard, not to remove the drug, but to disseminate accurate information so that consumers and physicians can make better choices.
Laura
poster:Laurajean
thread:12459
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040308/msgs/323392.html