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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 12:15:51
Joint pain led me to try Effexor. My Rheumatoligist has been trying lots of drugs on me. Well, this is the last time I take an anti-depressant. Once a doctor told me I hurt because I was depressed. I told him that am depressed because I hurt. Now I know that depression is not causing my pain. Effexor did absolutely nothing for my pain. It made me a zombie. I could not drive because I had no motor skills. I would slam on the brakes or forget where I was going. I needed long naps to get through a day and I was so unmotivated it took 3 days to finish a load of laundry. So I decided not to re-fill my prescription and went through the horror of withdrawal. Nausea, chills, sweating, visual disturbances, nightmares, dry mouth and spent 3 days in bed with symptoms I call "the worst hangover of my life". On day 4 the cloud lifted and I could think more clearly and the nausea was less frequent and intense. But I still feel disconnected and have temper outbursts. My husband is glad to have his zombie wife on the mend because my behavior was bizzare and my personality was absent. But I worry about permanent damage to my brain. Will I ever get over that feeling of "the lights on but nobody's home" in my head? My husband says a doctor gave a Nascar driver Effexor for anxiety and he had to withdraw from the race because of the side effects. He was angry that his doctor would give him something that modified his ability to drive. Doctors not have a clue about this drug. I would like to see it banned. It is too powerful to be handed out as brain candy by un-informed doctors.
Posted by Camille Dumont on April 3, 2004, at 17:49:37
In reply to Effexor Horror, posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 12:15:51
How much did he start you on ... perhaps it was too much too quickly?
The withdrawal is hell though. In the begining I forgot my pills when I left for a weekend ... and I was only on 75 and it was HELL.
Now I'm on 300 and I'm soooo afraid of what I'll have to go through when I want to quit taking them. In my more paranoid moments, I wonder if those withdrawal effects are not some perverted method to ensure treatment compliance ...
Posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 18:15:41
In reply to Re: Effexor Horror, posted by Camille Dumont on April 3, 2004, at 17:49:37
I started on 37.5. When I increased to 75 I couldn't drive. I took it for about 6 weeks hoping I would adapt and the vertigo effects would stop. When they didn't I stopped cold turkey. Within 24 hours the nausea started and drove me to bed. Today I have been off about a week and a dull headache has replaced the nausea. I am really tired and do not sleep well. But now I can drive and remember stuff better. It was not a high dose, it just was the wrong drug for me. That's why I am angry that it was so difficult to stop. I have never taken anything that made me this sick.
Posted by fayeroe on April 3, 2004, at 19:00:58
In reply to Re: Effexor Horror, posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 18:15:41
I took EffexorXR and it worked well at first. Then I started losing weight....down 38 lbs and I looked like a skeleton. Could not get my doctor to take me off of it, so my pharacist suggested that I taper off of it. I had the electric shocks, headache, nauseau, chills, etc. but could tell within 24 hours that my head was clearing. I had begun to feel as though my head was full of rocks that were moving around....really!!! It was HORRIBLE> I warn anyone who mentions Effexor that it is a very strong and scary drug....
Posted by rvanson on April 4, 2004, at 0:27:38
In reply to Effexor Horror, posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 12:15:51
> Joint pain led me to try Effexor. My Rheumatoligist has been trying lots of drugs on me. Well, this is the last time I take an anti-depressant. Once a doctor told me I hurt because I was depressed. I told him that am depressed because I hurt. Now I know that depression is not causing my pain. Effexor did absolutely nothing for my pain. It made me a zombie. I could not drive because I had no motor skills. I would slam on the brakes or forget where I was going. I needed long naps to get through a day and I was so unmotivated it took 3 days to finish a load of laundry. So I decided not to re-fill my prescription and went through the horror of withdrawal. Nausea, chills, sweating, visual disturbances, nightmares, dry mouth and spent 3 days in bed with symptoms I call "the worst hangover of my life". On day 4 the cloud lifted and I could think more clearly and the nausea was less frequent and intense. But I still feel disconnected and have temper outbursts. My husband is glad to have his zombie wife on the mend because my behavior was bizzare and my personality was absent. But I worry about permanent damage to my brain. Will I ever get over that feeling of "the lights on but nobody's home" in my head? My husband says a doctor gave a Nascar driver Effexor for anxiety and he had to withdraw from the race because of the side effects. He was angry that his doctor would give him something that modified his ability to drive. Doctors not have a clue about this drug. I would like to see it banned. It is too powerful to be handed out as brain candy by un-informed doctors.
This is typical of modern HMO medicine where the HMO's want your PCP treating your mental illness, not a Pdoc, so they can save a few $$$.
When the many side effects hit you, they havent a clue, much less be of any help,in most cases.
They just say "dont take it until I see you again".
Big help that is !!! NOT!
I could agree more about regular medical docs handing these meds out like candy with almost no training in treating mental illness.
I dont think meds like Effexor should be banned as they do work for many, but only P-docs should prescribe them, no one else.
Posted by Sad Panda on April 4, 2004, at 3:46:52
In reply to Effexor Horror, posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 12:15:51
> Joint pain led me to try Effexor. My Rheumatoligist has been trying lots of drugs on me. Well, this is the last time I take an anti-depressant. Once a doctor told me I hurt because I was depressed. I told him that am depressed because I hurt. Now I know that depression is not causing my pain. Effexor did absolutely nothing for my pain. It made me a zombie. I could not drive because I had no motor skills. I would slam on the brakes or forget where I was going. I needed long naps to get through a day and I was so unmotivated it took 3 days to finish a load of laundry. So I decided not to re-fill my prescription and went through the horror of withdrawal. Nausea, chills, sweating, visual disturbances, nightmares, dry mouth and spent 3 days in bed with symptoms I call "the worst hangover of my life". On day 4 the cloud lifted and I could think more clearly and the nausea was less frequent and intense. But I still feel disconnected and have temper outbursts. My husband is glad to have his zombie wife on the mend because my behavior was bizzare and my personality was absent. But I worry about permanent damage to my brain. Will I ever get over that feeling of "the lights on but nobody's home" in my head? My husband says a doctor gave a Nascar driver Effexor for anxiety and he had to withdraw from the race because of the side effects. He was angry that his doctor would give him something that modified his ability to drive. Doctors not have a clue about this drug. I would like to see it banned. It is too powerful to be handed out as brain candy by un-informed doctors.
>
>Hi Gimp,
I take Effexor & I am thankfull for it. If you banned all the drugs that cause side effects, withdrawl problems or unforeseen problems then there would simply be no drugs. Effexor is a good medicine if you are in despair & thinking about suicide continuously. I don't think the doctor should have given it to you for your problem.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by King Vultan on April 4, 2004, at 12:11:51
In reply to Effexor Horror, posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 12:15:51
I don't know what other drugs you tried, but a tricyclic antidepressant would have been a better choice IMO. These are commonly used for people with chronic pain, are cheap, and don't have serious withdrawal issues. If a couple of these were already tried and didn't work, I guess I would question going with Effexor, but I am not an expert on chronic pain. I was on and off Effexor for years and have gone through a couple of withdrawals--I believe you will find that you return to normal after getting through the withdrawal period.
Todd
Posted by AntiTrust on April 4, 2004, at 18:12:24
In reply to Effexor Horror, posted by gimp on April 3, 2004, at 12:15:51
I need to agree about your statments about Effexor and Effexor XR they just rott! I cant take that type of antidepressant-it accually made me suicidal!! HELLO DOCTORS??!!! I tell ya I really dont think many really do know anything about certain antidepressants!
I want to be 'normal' (lol-whatever that is) not a 'zombie'
Posted by Dauphine on April 5, 2004, at 13:05:06
In reply to Re: Effexor Horror » gimp, posted by AntiTrust on April 4, 2004, at 18:12:24
I don't understand why Effexor is any different than any other SSRI? I know that it works on norephinedrine too, but that is only at doses above 225 mg or so. That means that at low doses like 75 mg/day, it basically works the same as any other SSRI -- why does it get such a bad rap? I am on Effexor right now and feel just fine. You can feel like a zombie on Zoloft or Paxil too. My side effects from Effexor are next to nothing right now and I'm finally starting to feel better after 3 weeks of taking it. It's amazing how everybody's reactions to these drugs are so different.
Dauphine> I need to agree about your statments about Effexor and Effexor XR they just rott! I cant take that type of antidepressant-it accually made me suicidal!! HELLO DOCTORS??!!! I tell ya I really dont think many really do know anything about certain antidepressants!
> I want to be 'normal' (lol-whatever that is) not a 'zombie'
Posted by Camille Dumont on April 5, 2004, at 14:29:07
In reply to Re: Effexor Horror, posted by Dauphine on April 5, 2004, at 13:05:06
I guess the reason meds for mental problems get such varied reaction is because everybody's brain is soooo different. I mean when you are born, the way your liver functions is pretty much set no? And its pretty much the same as everybody right? But with the brain, its quite flexible ... I mean I saw this story about that epileptic kiddo who was going to die from it. They took out half of his brain ... yes HALF and the rest of the brain just filled teh skull and now he's a normal kid, spreaks, walks, runs ... the brain just "worked" its was around the changes.
So it might be more tricky to have to design medication that is destined to act on an organ wich is so flexible and changes so much.
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