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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Concerned on January 13, 2000, at 9:32:15
I have someone who was prescribed venlafaxine for anxiety. Originally they went to Dr for chronic pain in legs. Dr suggested this instead. I do not believe this medication is for anything to do with pain. Only for the use of an antidepressent. The DR claimed, that it has other uses...????
Any help on this would be appreicated.
Posted by Annie S. on January 14, 2000, at 10:54:08
In reply to venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Concerned on January 13, 2000, at 9:32:15
> I have someone who was prescribed venlafaxine for anxiety. Originally they went to Dr for chronic pain in legs. Dr suggested this instead. I do not believe this medication is for anything to do with pain. Only for the use of an antidepressent. The DR claimed, that it has other uses...????
> Any help on this would be appreicated.
Dear concerned,I have taken Effexor XR (venlafaxine) for over 6 months for generalized anxiety. The drug has changed my life in many positive ways. It truly has been a God-send for me. It has allowed me to relax enough to focus on projects, read books again, sleep through the night, handle the every day stress of life like a "normal" person. For me it has been a very effective treatment for anxiety.
Someone explained the reason why antidepressants work for depression and anxiety in this way (it made sense to me): It is theorized that very anxious people start out life with "too little serotonin." The receptors in their brain that normally receive serotonin may compensate by becoming hypersensitive in later life. Giving these individuals medications that boost serotonin may help them by eventually "toning down" those hyper-sensitive receptors.
Good luck to your someone who has been prescribed venlafaxine.
Annie S.
Posted by Concerned on January 14, 2000, at 11:53:40
In reply to Re: venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Annie S. on January 14, 2000, at 10:54:08
While I am glad that in your case the medication has worked. The problem being, that this medication is not for what the friend went to a Doctor for. Their is no 'apparent' attempt to treat the leg pain.
In fact, Effexor is designed to 'numb' the brain and cause a higher tolerance to pain. It has no uses for treating any condition with leg pain.
So... my original question is.. why would this be prescribed?
It is obvious to me that this Doctor isn't treating for pain, but for some 'other pain'.
Where do these so called Doctors get the idea that they can treat someone without fully trying to understand. How do you prescribe a mind altering drug without even diagnosing the problem?
Posted by jd on January 15, 2000, at 1:07:37
In reply to Re: venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Concerned on January 14, 2000, at 11:53:40
Concerned wrote:
> It is obvious to me that this Doctor isn't treating for pain, but for some 'other pain'.
> Where do these so called Doctors get the idea that they can treat someone without fully trying to understand. How do you prescribe a mind altering drug without even diagnosing the problem?Perhaps this doctor sensed that the chronic leg pain was a presenting symptom of masked anxiety/depression, as chronic pain sometimes can be. Antidepressants can be very effective treatments in such cases, though it's true that diagnosis isn't always cut-and-dry. One would have to know all the details of the consultation to know whether the doctor made an appropriate decision or not.
Posted by jd on January 15, 2000, at 1:50:33
In reply to venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Concerned on January 13, 2000, at 9:32:15
Just checked the databases--Yes, venlaxfaxine does seem to be seeing use in the treatment of chronic pain. I don't have the articles, but here are some citations:
Taylor K, Rowbotham MC.
Venlafaxine hydrochloride and chronic pain.
Western Journal of Medicine.
September 1996, pp. 147-8.Songer DA, Schulte H.
Venlafaxine for the treatment of chronic pain.
American Journal of Psychiatry.
May 1996, p. 737.
Posted by jamie on January 15, 2000, at 6:10:28
In reply to venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Concerned on January 13, 2000, at 9:32:15
Antidepressants are sometimes prescribed to treat chronic pain. Usually one of the tricyclics. Don't know about effexor, but I'm sure the doctor had reasons. jamie
Posted by Annie S. on January 16, 2000, at 19:41:25
In reply to Re: venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Concerned on January 14, 2000, at 11:53:40
> While I am glad that in your case the medication has worked. The problem being, that this medication is not for what the friend went to a Doctor for. Their is no 'apparent' attempt to treat the leg pain.
> In fact, Effexor is designed to 'numb' the brain and cause a higher tolerance to pain. It has no uses for treating any condition with leg pain.
> So... my original question is.. why would this be prescribed?
> It is obvious to me that this Doctor isn't treating for pain, but for some 'other pain'.
> Where do these so called Doctors get the idea that they can treat someone without fully trying to understand. How do you prescribe a mind altering drug without even diagnosing the problem?
Dear Concerned,I am so sorry that you are upset by the doctor's prescribing Effexor. And I certainly didn't mean to add to that. I was only trying to help your someone feel good about taking the Effexor if they indeed are suffering from anxiety (as is my case). I really don't believe the doctor would prescribe the medication if he didn't see symptoms of anxiety (or depression).
Also, I don't consider Effexor a mind altering drug. It hasn't altered my mind in any way other than making me able to cope with life more like a normal person. I am completely unaware that I'm taking any medicine. I just feel normal. I consider it a mind correcting drug.
Good luck to you and get in touch with the doctor and tell him about your concerns.
Annie S.
Posted by Concerned on January 18, 2000, at 11:17:26
In reply to Re: venlafaxine - should it be taken?, posted by Annie S. on January 16, 2000, at 19:41:25
I have checked with a Dr. I have found that Effexor is used to actually raise the pain tolerance level. The rest of it is used to make the patient lower their anxiety about the pain.
I think perhaps that it is far too easy for a Dr to prescribe something to get onto the next patient. How in the world can someone diagnose a patient in the time frame of 5 to 10 mins. ALL DR offices now book in that time increments.
I have solved the problem by them going to a different Dr. The reason for the post was to get people to think before blindly trusting some guy in a white coat.
The sheer audacity of someone issuing that when they clearly didn't do a good exam. Sickens me completely.
This is the end of the thread.
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