Posted by tizza on September 30, 2006, at 16:56:42
In reply to Re: Sorry... » SLS, posted by Racer on September 29, 2006, at 17:14:37
> > > and withdrawal was hell.
> >
> > How do you account for that?
> >
> >
> > - Scott
>
> I guess I don't know what you're asking? How do I account for withdrawal being hellish?
>
> Ah, you know what I didn't mention in all that? The most hellish parts of withdrawal wasn't so much the final taper -- that wasn't a lot of fun, but certainly wasn't enough for me to demonize a drug that allowed me to function when I wouldn't have been able to otherwise. And even then, if I hadn't refused my then-pdoc's offer of Prozac to help with the taper, I probably wouldn't have experienced even that much trouble.
>
> What was really hellish was a couple of periods when I ran out and had to go cold turkey for a few days. (Once because I couldn't afford the drugs, but two or three times because my then-pdoc hadn't responded to the pharmacy's calls for refills. If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone in there and stood at the counter begging for just a couple of capsules to tide me over...) Those cold turkey periods were pretty bad. I didn't even realize it was withdrawal the first few times, which made it worse.
>
> Guess this is a case where you just can't say that ignorance is bliss, huh? *g*
>
> Anyway, I'll stick with what I said to begin with: I think Effexor is a good drug, and that a smart taper schedule can minimize the discomfort of withdrawal. I certainly wouldn't discourage anyonne from trying it, because if it works, it works...Racer I agree with you on that, it works well for my sister but not for me, I wish it did but it didn't. As we all know every drug works differently for everyone but effexor was toxic to my system. I have lost my memory and I don't think it's ever going to come back and I blame effexor for this. It's been a year now and things haven't gotten better in the memory stakes, but what most people out there don't realise is that when you have to come off it, you don't know what's going to happen.
notfred had a reasonably smooth discontinuation which is great, but not many people do and I think that there are so many people out there, that have stopped this drug and have had no idea that is why they got so sick. There are more reports on the internet about stopping effexor than any other psycho-active drug.
My question is simple, why is that? So many people don't realise what the hell is happening to them because of a lack of information from their doctors and drug companies. I read heaps of effexor horror stories before I started taking it but I thought if it's going to help me I'll give it a try, it wasn't until I stopped it that I realised that it was too late, the damage was already done. I thought my short term memory would come back but it hasn't and it been a year now.
I know it works for some people, but wait till they have to stop it. Thanks for your posts, they will help people realise what is happening to them if they miss a dose or can't afford to buy it, which is terrible, I'm sorry that you had to go through that. Paul
poster:tizza
thread:689186
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060927/msgs/690602.html