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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mellymel_d on August 12, 2005, at 11:52:30
My doc just lowered my dose of lex to 10mg from 15 & added effexor 37.5 YESTERDAY and i've googled effexor and I'm reading some horror stories. Somebody please tell me it's worked for them without terrible side effects and that it is possible to someday get off it. This is not helping for my anxiety or depression. I'm just sitting here crying right now feeling like there's no hope for me and no good answers... I was really hoping this would be the answer and would help now i'm just more paranoid that it'll add a whole set of new problems...Somebody Help Please!!!
Posted by med_empowered on August 12, 2005, at 13:22:17
In reply to googled effexor and scared me so much...HELP!!!, posted by mellymel_d on August 12, 2005, at 11:52:30
hey! Effexor is a kinda tricky drug. I took it and went off it OK...I had some vomiting, some dizziness, but that went away after a month or so. It worked OK, but it wasnt spectacular or anything. On the other hand..it is true that some people really *can't* come off Effexor, at least not without a lot of time and work with a skilled doc. And it is also true that Effexor can have some heavy side effects, particularly at higher doses--increase in cholesterol, blood pressure weirdness...there have been a few cases of tardive dyskinesia reported that were probably caused by Effexor, but nobody really knows what the risks are for the average patient in the regard. I honestly don't know what to tell you...I've known people who have recovered quite well on Effexor, so going off was never even an issue for them. On the other hand...some people dont get better, and feel like they're stuck with it (this happens mostly at higher doses). What else have you tried? Effexor isn't an evil drug or anything, but you might want to try something else first and back-burner effexor...if other meds dont work, you can always take it then. A tricyclic might be a good idea...Effexor is basically a "cleaned up tricyclic"...in addition to helping with depression (and, to a lesser extent, anxiety), Tricyclics are usually sedating, so they can help you sleep. Elavil is a classic med for anxiety; Limbitrol, which is Elavil combined with Librium, is also an option, but it isnt used much anymore. Adding Buspar helps alot of people with anxiety and OCD..it may also bump up the antidepressant's effects on your mood.
Posted by mellymel_d on August 12, 2005, at 13:37:33
In reply to Re: googled effexor and scared me so much...HELP!!!, posted by med_empowered on August 12, 2005, at 13:22:17
I've been on zoloft before and didn't like it at all- i felt numb to all of my feelings....The lex worked for about a year and a half but then all the old stuff came back and even worse...I'm just in panic mode now. It's awful.
> hey! Effexor is a kinda tricky drug. I took it and went off it OK...I had some vomiting, some dizziness, but that went away after a month or so. It worked OK, but it wasnt spectacular or anything. On the other hand..it is true that some people really *can't* come off Effexor, at least not without a lot of time and work with a skilled doc. And it is also true that Effexor can have some heavy side effects, particularly at higher doses--increase in cholesterol, blood pressure weirdness...there have been a few cases of tardive dyskinesia reported that were probably caused by Effexor, but nobody really knows what the risks are for the average patient in the regard. I honestly don't know what to tell you...I've known people who have recovered quite well on Effexor, so going off was never even an issue for them. On the other hand...some people dont get better, and feel like they're stuck with it (this happens mostly at higher doses). What else have you tried? Effexor isn't an evil drug or anything, but you might want to try something else first and back-burner effexor...if other meds dont work, you can always take it then. A tricyclic might be a good idea...Effexor is basically a "cleaned up tricyclic"...in addition to helping with depression (and, to a lesser extent, anxiety), Tricyclics are usually sedating, so they can help you sleep. Elavil is a classic med for anxiety; Limbitrol, which is Elavil combined with Librium, is also an option, but it isnt used much anymore. Adding Buspar helps alot of people with anxiety and OCD..it may also bump up the antidepressant's effects on your mood.
Posted by tecknohed on August 13, 2005, at 19:40:33
In reply to googled effexor and scared me so much...HELP!!!, posted by mellymel_d on August 12, 2005, at 11:52:30
> My doc just lowered my dose of lex to 10mg from 15 & added effexor 37.5 YESTERDAY and i've googled effexor and I'm reading some horror stories. Somebody please tell me it's worked for them without terrible side effects and that it is possible to someday get off it. This is not helping for my anxiety or depression. I'm just sitting here crying right now feeling like there's no hope for me and no good answers... I was really hoping this would be the answer and would help now i'm just more paranoid that it'll add a whole set of new problems...Somebody Help Please!!!
Hi.
There are indeed many scarey reports out there about efexor and I understand your worry. Though I could easily find many such reports for 'any' med that I've been on. Each med will have it's followers, and it's critics.
I've been on Efexor about 4 times, taken on it's own, 225mg. Each time I had some relief for up to 4 months, then it would poop out. Each time I stopped the drug without tapering down (NOT RECOMMENDED) and experienced little discomfort, appart from some strange dizzeness. In fact I've never tapered down from any drug apart from Nardil. (makes me wonder whether sometimes tapering off a drug can make the withdrawal worse, not better).Just wanted you to here from someone who found efexor 'not all that bad'. (:
Posted by Racer on August 15, 2005, at 12:35:47
In reply to Re: googled effexor and scared me so much...HELP!!!, posted by mellymel_d on August 12, 2005, at 13:37:33
It's true that Effexor is known to have a more intense discontinuation syndrome than many other anti-depressants, and there are certainly a lot of sites out there devoted to horror stories about Effexor -- but remember this:
There are few sites extolling the virtues of Effexor simply because those people who are finding it effective are living their lives, rather than putting up websites about their drugs.
I took Effexor for several years, discontinued it slowly, and lived to tell the tale. Would I take it again? No, because it wasn't effective enough for me -- but that's the only reason. If I thought that it would be more effective than it was, I'd take it again in a heartbeat -- it was much easier in terms of side effects than any other medication I had taken up to that point. It was helpful very quickly, and it was somewhat effective for me. Effective enough that I stayed on it for several years.
So, what does that mean for you? It probably means it's worth trying. Keeping in mind that those of us who frequent this board tend to be somewhat treatment resistant -- I certainly have trouble that way -- and that your mileage will vary, I'd say that it's worth giving it a try.
The realistic answer is that there is a discontinuation syndrome, but if you start on the drug and find that it's not working for you, you shouldn't have much trouble tapering down -- the longer you're on it, the worse it can be; the higher the dose, the worse it can be.
I hope that helps.
This is the end of the thread.
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