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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on October 30, 2003, at 15:22:23
In reply to Effexor XR I'm new here I'm scared, posted by blndefire on October 30, 2003, at 11:42:16
Originally posted by blndefire 10/30/03
> I am completely overwhelmed right now and do not know what to do. I was wondering if you could give me a perspective.
>
> I saw my psychiatrist 2 weeks ago today. I was originally put on Paxil 5 mg in May of 2002, then the dosage was slowly increased to a total of 40 mg by October. I had gone to see my primary doctor due to anxiety attacks but had no idea what was causing them. In October 2002, I went into a very high state of depression, went on spending sprees (not having the money), my moods swung with the drop of a pin, I would lay on the couch and do nothing, or clean the house until my body hurt. I knew there was something wrong. I ended up checking myself into the hospital for 5 days.
>
> After the hospital, I went to a day treatment program, hooked up with the psychiatrist, and she is the one that started weening me off the Paxil and put me on Effexor. I was also put on Nuerontin 600 mg and Trazadone to help me sleep. To make the year short....my psychiatrist has upped and changed the Effexor to Effexor XR 225 mg daily. I told her it didn't seem to be helping after 3 months, because my anxiety is now BACK, I cannot stop my hands from trembling, I don't sleep well, depression is always here. So what does she do?............she adds the new med for ADHD, Strattera 25 mg daily, plus I take 150 mg of Topomax.
>
> I have a 16 year old daughter with a pituitary tumor and depression, and a 5 year old to take care of. I barely work and can't seem to remember anything but she doesn't listen.
>
> Any suggestions
>
Posted by deirdrehbrt on October 30, 2003, at 18:32:44
In reply to Re: Effexor XR I'm new here I'm scared » blndefire, posted by Dinah on October 30, 2003, at 15:22:23
Blndefire,
Oh my goodness, it seems you have so much on your plate right now! I think that if it seems overwhelming, it might just be because it is. I know that the meds can seem to be quite alot, but there are alot of people here who will attest to the fact that once the right combination is found, you will start feeling so much better.
I take effexor XR, 300 mg per day, and also Lithium, Seroquel, Cogentin, and a few others. I can say that I actually do feel better than I did. That doesn't mean that I always feel fine, I still have times when I struggle, I still find that at times I am in crisis, but these times are spreading out, and the lows aren't as low, and the highs don't get me in trouble like they used to.
What I'm saying is that seeing how many meds you are put on can be alarming, but it doesn't mean that you are especially sick, it's just everyone is different, and need a different mix.
Please take care of you,
Dee.
Posted by carolee on October 31, 2003, at 7:34:55
In reply to Re: Effexor XR I'm new here I'm scared, posted by deirdrehbrt on October 30, 2003, at 18:32:44
i agree....don't get yourself discouraged...it really is just a matter of finding which combo.works best with your situation. sometimes it doesnt' feel like anythings going to work, and then the meds., seem to kick in and relieve some aspect of the problems we feel.
hang in there -
prayers to your children -
carolee
Posted by Dr. Bob on October 31, 2003, at 11:10:51
In reply to Re: Effexor XR I'm new here I'm scared » blndefire, posted by Dinah on October 30, 2003, at 15:22:23
[Posted by Clayton on October 31, 2003, at 0:22:49]
> You are on too many meds. It's a soup and a crap shoot. No one understands the mechanism of action of even a single antidepressant.
>
> The nice thing about Effexor is that it blocks reuptake of both seratonin and norepinephrine. Both are strongly implicated in many types of depression although they were slow to catch on to epinephrine. Remaron affects the same two neurotransmitters though a different mechanism - more like stimulating theitr production.
>
> I was on Paxil for mood depression and SAD. It had marginal posative effects but kills libido. A new pdoc added remaron as a second antidepressant.
>
> It was like magic within one week. The mood depression was all but gone. The SAD was similarly vanquished. I also have insomnia. It diminished about 80%.
>
> Only TWO meds and they benefitted me more than I had dared hope.
This is the end of the thread.
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