Posted by med_empowered on August 12, 2005, at 13:22:17
In reply to googled effexor and scared me so much...HELP!!!, posted by mellymel_d on August 12, 2005, at 11:52:30
hey! Effexor is a kinda tricky drug. I took it and went off it OK...I had some vomiting, some dizziness, but that went away after a month or so. It worked OK, but it wasnt spectacular or anything. On the other hand..it is true that some people really *can't* come off Effexor, at least not without a lot of time and work with a skilled doc. And it is also true that Effexor can have some heavy side effects, particularly at higher doses--increase in cholesterol, blood pressure weirdness...there have been a few cases of tardive dyskinesia reported that were probably caused by Effexor, but nobody really knows what the risks are for the average patient in the regard. I honestly don't know what to tell you...I've known people who have recovered quite well on Effexor, so going off was never even an issue for them. On the other hand...some people dont get better, and feel like they're stuck with it (this happens mostly at higher doses). What else have you tried? Effexor isn't an evil drug or anything, but you might want to try something else first and back-burner effexor...if other meds dont work, you can always take it then. A tricyclic might be a good idea...Effexor is basically a "cleaned up tricyclic"...in addition to helping with depression (and, to a lesser extent, anxiety), Tricyclics are usually sedating, so they can help you sleep. Elavil is a classic med for anxiety; Limbitrol, which is Elavil combined with Librium, is also an option, but it isnt used much anymore. Adding Buspar helps alot of people with anxiety and OCD..it may also bump up the antidepressant's effects on your mood.
poster:med_empowered
thread:540658
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050811/msgs/540691.html