Posted by SLS on March 14, 2002, at 7:44:59
In reply to Re: 2+ years on Effexor.... » SLS, posted by Willow on March 12, 2002, at 20:34:54
Dear Weeping Willow,
Thanks for responding.> After re-reading what I posted I can see that it wasn't too clear. Unfortunately I'm not at my best right now, but perhaps some good will come of this little bump, though at the moment I can't imagine it.
I empathize with you. I hope the road smooths out for you soon.
A friend of mine has recently increased her dosage of Effexor from 150mg to 300mg. She had done well on Effexor (combined with Wellbutrin SR 300mg) for quite a few years. However, depression began to reappear two or three months ago. It took two or three weeks before she felt improved at the increased dosage.
Are you scared? The few times I have had medication produce an improvement, I was scared to death each day that I would be pushed back into the pit.
> What I meant by this, "And even though emotionally my moods aren't affected as much anymore, my ability to think and rationalize is more so affected and the physical symptoms are more dominant." ... is that over the years the emotional aspect hasn't governed my depression, more just apathy, fatigue and the mental fog that drifts in.
What you have described here is probably the rule rather than the exception. As one ages with depressive illness, the features of the depression change. Most often, the trend is towards dementia and away from depressed mood or melancholia. Dementia is a generic term with the following definition:
----------------de·men·tia Pronunciation Key (di-men'-sha)
n.
Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain. It is sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes.
(Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.)
--------------
Ring a bell?It is no coincidence that depression in the elderly has so often been misdiagnosed as senile dementia. This is where the term "pseudodementia" comes from.
> This is due to my "condition" mostly. The effexor though has decreased my anxiety so much that I don't have any real what if solutions. When I first started it I use to space out and now uping the dosage again I notice these moments but know they too will pass.
A friend of mine has recently increased her dosage of Effexor from 150mg to 300mg. She had done well on Effexor (combined with Wellbutrin SR 300mg) for quite a few years. However, depression began to reappear two or three months ago. It took two or three weeks before she felt improved at the increased dosage. It seems to be "sticking".
Are you scared? The few times I have had medication produce an improvement, I was scared to death each day that I would be pushed back into the pit.
> > However, I think Effexor might be reducing my drive and motivation. Have you experienced this sort of thing? Does it dissipate over time?
> Yes it did pass. May I ask how long have you been on the effexor?
I have been taking 300mg for about nine months. I recently discontinued it because I thought it might be responsible for making me feel worse when combined with the tricyclics I was taking (nortriptyline and imipramine). When I was able to identify nortriptyline as the culprit, I switched to imipramine and restarted Effexor. It has only been three days since I added it, and I plan to return to 300mg.
> I think it was around the four month period that it went away,
I couldn't tell if my lack of motivation and libido were side effects of Effexor or due to a worsening of my depression resulting from nortriptyline. If these things are persistent and due to Effexor, I might elect to go to Nardil sooner.
> > One caveat that you probably already know: ... it probably makes sense to consider continuing treatment indefinitely.
> Oh but even so it's worth repeating over and over to get through this thick skull of mine. Funny thing is before I wrote down the dates I would have said I had suffered with depression on three different occassions, when in reality there has been eight distinct bouts that I seeked treatment for. So yes I'm a lifer. Thank goodness my gp right away picked up on the fact that I had lessened my dosage.
It wasn't until recently that I realized depression emerged in me before age 10. It was relatively mild, but it definitely impacted negatively upon my social development.
> I believe with patience on our parts, having supportive family and close friends, plus a knowledgeable doctor/s will help us get some normality back into our lives.
I wish I had more patience. I had enough in the beginning. I don't know why I don't have it now. It's like having your hand placed over a flame. You can't help but to do immediately whatever you can immediately to stop the burning. You'll do anything, even make unauthorized changes in your medication. That's the way it is for me, anyway, particularly when a new medication produces side effects or makes me feel worse.
Sorry for the length of this post. Thanks again.
> BEST WISHES
> Weeping Willow...and my best wishes to you. I would wish you good luck, but I don't think you'll need any. The increase of your Effexor dosage should do the trick.
Sincerely,
Scott
poster:SLS
thread:96941
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020313/msgs/97946.html