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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lawnbrundle on April 23, 2004, at 18:25:41
I stumbled across this site quite by accident. I am into my 5th week on effexor.
YOU PEOPLE HAVE SCARED THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!!
I don't want to keep taking this. I don't want to stop it. I don't know what to do. Noone ever told me of withdrawal effects or weight gain or etc etc. Are the withdrawal symptoms lesser if you have not been on it long or is it all the same. I wish I had not found this site. Effexor is working all right for me now, only 75mg. I was thinking of going higher but now, if I can get off it easier right now, I want to.
What the heck should I do??????????????????????? I am so upset...
Posted by waterfall on April 23, 2004, at 18:50:57
In reply to HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by lawnbrundle on April 23, 2004, at 18:25:41
I recommend three deep breaths and a bubble bath in the dark with a mug of warm milk and some incense burning. THEN, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor and ask her/him about all the things that you've learned here about Effexor. Explain your concerns, and rank them. This is a good site, but remember, mostly folks come here when they need support or have a problem. The Effexor wonder stories are less likely to appear here.
BTW, all anti-depressants have side-effects for at least some of the people who take them. It just comes with the territory. But rarely does one experiences ALL of the side effects for a particular drug.
Posted by King Vultan on April 25, 2004, at 10:35:48
In reply to HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by lawnbrundle on April 23, 2004, at 18:25:41
I was on Effexor on and off for years and went through a couple of withdrawals, one of which was unwisely done cold turkey and was rather debilitating. The other was done properly, where the medication is gradually tapered. I still suffered some symptoms, but they weren't as bad. I think people have different tolerances for the withdrawal process, just as they do for pain or being sick or whatever. I guess I would rate my own tolerance as rather high, and I suppose I would even be willing to go on the drug again if I thought it made sense.
I don't know what the prevalence of weight gain is, but Effexor always made my appetite go down. Perhaps this is atypical, but I've heard of other people also losing weight on Effexor. As far as its antidepressant qualities, I've tried ten different drugs, and I think Effexor is relatively powerful and effective. I could never get over 150 mg/day, mainly due to insomnia, but if I went on the drug again, I would request a sleep aid such as trazodone to help me sleep. Other people experience a different array of side effects, but in response to your concerns, I think this is a good drug overall, and I would advise trying to relax and calm your fears. Keep in mind that no drug is perfect and that they all have both drawbacks and side effects. The important thing is what works best for a particular individual.
Todd
This is the end of the thread.
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