![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 5300 to 5324 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by Nina83 on September 26, 2003, at 21:09:55
In reply to metal mouth on Effexor, posted by skp on September 24, 2003, at 9:22:34
The metal taste can be an overload of toxins i think. That happened to me when i was doing a detox. You are tasting the toxins. I would suggest maybe drinking more water, and not just when you need it-constantly throughout the day and keep a bottle by your bedside. I wake up in the middle of the night starving, but it's usually thurst. If that doesn't work, maybe ask your doc?
Posted by Nina83 on September 26, 2003, at 21:21:29
In reply to Stopped Effexor XR - extreme side effects...Help!, posted by bossman7876 on September 26, 2003, at 17:40:24
Why is everybody going cold turkey?! Did your doctor tell you to do this? No! Of course you are going to get these side effects if you suddenly deprive your body of something it has become accustomed to! If you don't want the effects of stopping effexor to interfere with your life, i suggest following the instructions and slowly decreasing the dosage under your doctors supervision. I suppose because you feel alright one day, you figure they're not doing anything so you can just stop them and it won't affect you, but obviously it does.
Posted by Sufferfromeffexor on September 27, 2003, at 3:49:18
In reply to Effexor Lawsuit, posted by kcg33 on September 26, 2003, at 5:43:29
I hear your frustration and pain! I am going into my second day of trying to withdrawl from this AGAIN! Each attempt has never been successful, but I am determined to follow this through this time, even if it lands me in the ER! I actually wrote a letter to Wyeth last night (well an email on their website) telling them Shame on themselves for doing this to people without giving warning AND without providing doctors background on the withdrawls. Each doctor I go to tells me it isn't possible for me to be having these symptoms, they are all "in my head" and let me tell ya, when a doctor can't tell you what is going on...that is the scariest thing in the world. I told my doc about this website and he actually told me to stay off because "they are wack-jobs"!!!! What kind of a doctor uses that language?!?!?!?!? I am sick and tired of the docs playing God with only half a deck. I am definetely on board with whatever justice we can bring for ourselves and for those of you who think this drug is so great right now...I even want to make them liable for YOU down the road...because "there will come a day".
Posted by Sufferfromeffexor on September 27, 2003, at 4:04:16
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit, posted by zeldas on September 26, 2003, at 16:05:20
oh, slow down please! I think everyone has the right to talk freely, clearly, and respectfully as I believe the last poster has been. If you simply want to go on a message board where you want everyone to be in agreance (sp) with you, well good luck! I have been reading posts on here for over a month or so and this section of the board seems to FOCUS on the meds, is there another part of the board you are trying to get to? This poster is not attacking you and I am offended that you have attacked her! Now can we get back to civility pleeeeeeaaaaaassssssseeeeee!
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit, posted by O'Ryan on September 26, 2003, at 13:44:56
> Look, if you are simply anti-meds then, I do not believe you belong on this thread. I gotta be blunt here: this is sounding like a scientology spew. I don't appreciate it. I come here to learn--NOT to listen to political biases.
>
>
>
>
Posted by zeldas on September 27, 2003, at 4:06:43
In reply to Re: please be civil » zeldas, posted by Dr. Bob on September 26, 2003, at 18:49:39
> > Look, if you are simply anti-meds then, I do not believe you belong on this thread. I gotta be blunt here: this is sounding like a scientology spew. I don't appreciate it. I come here to learn--NOT to listen to political biases.
>
> Please respect the views of others, be sensitive to their feelings, and don't post anything that could lead them to feel put down, thanks.
>
> Bob
>
> PS: Follow-ups regarding posting policies, and complaints about posts, should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration; otherwise, they may be deleted.Well, Bob , considering that you said pretty much the same thing the other day--I am out of here.
robyn
Posted by zinya on September 27, 2003, at 13:00:17
In reply to Re: any good xperiences withdrawing from effexor?, posted by Prinnie on September 26, 2003, at 20:28:07
Hi all,
I haven't been back for over a week but in the interim I saw my md. and -- for a change -- got a REAL and vital and nonpharmaceutical answer to something I hadn't thought about - -and he hadn't suggested in advance (which ALL mds should when they prescribe Effexor and maybe other SSRIs too)
Namely: Gatorade. I've never been one to sweat my whole life -- even major exercise NEVER made me sweat the way Effexor has. Therefore I had no lifetime habit of thinking in terms of electrolyte loss and need for replenishment. I've been drinking twice as much carbonated water (my preference) as ever, but when I told him of the intolerable sweating which was one of the TWO big reasons why I decided to go off Effexor (and couldn't wait for my appt with him to do so and had already begun tapering off since Sept 2 -- after being on it since May 27, and at 150 mg for 6 weeks by Sept 2) -- He made me realize that that inordinate amount of sweating was causing an electrolyte loss which I had not known to compensate for.
Anyone with increased sweating, I urge you to also stock up on Gatorade and DRINK it with every bout of sweating. If, like me, it's waking you up in the middle of the night with drenching wet night clothes and sheets, have a bottle of it by your bed to drink ...
Otherwise, for me at least, my energy level only gotten WORSE due to electrolyte loss from sweat instead of the improvement that Effexor was supposed to help with due to norepinephrine component.
(The other reason I'm quitting, increased heart rate so bad that even gardening has become an aerobic exercise to a scary level and i couldn't risk "real" exercise anymore for fear of heart attack - a problem i also had NEVER in my life had a concern for given my low blood pressure and no heart problems)
As to quitting, those of you who say you are going cold turkey off Effexor, PLEASE rethink immediately and taper off instead.
I went from 150 down to 100 for 1 week (by dividing the capsules of 2 150's into 3 roughly equal allotments -- then to 75 mg for 2 weeks, now I'm down to 50 mg (2 100's divided into 3), then plan to go to 37.5, then half that amount. From all the reading here, it seems that that very last step is the biggest... and so i plan to even divide the 37.5 into 3s after dividing it in halves, so that i go to 10 mg before ever considering quitting and even then i might go to 10 mg every other day before quitting completely. This is what reading this site off and on for six months has taught me is VITAL... If you don't do something similar to this, you are asking for trouble. I urge you to go slowly. So far, i haven't had any withdrawal symptoms and the rapid heart beat is finally easing away. Alas, the sweating is still there. But it started at 37.5 mg on my way UP the ladder, so I don't expect it to quit til i'm below 37.5 again...
Good luck to everyone.
zinya
Posted by Prinnie on September 27, 2003, at 18:23:31
In reply to Stopped Effexor XR - extreme side effects...Help!, posted by bossman7876 on September 26, 2003, at 17:40:24
Hi,
Day Two, and besides grinding my teeth, which I am going to start chewing ice..I am doing quite good..with a lot of help from the big guy upstairs..slept last night, ate as usual, been taking antacid, which I normally take anyways, and tylenol. I find so far keeping myself busy is the best thing. I have a great support system, and yes, I would advise this way for everyone, but I have always been this way about stopping anything.
Take Care,
Prinnie
Posted by Prinnie on September 27, 2003, at 18:27:43
In reply to Re: Stopped Effexor XR - extreme side effects...Help!, posted by Nina83 on September 26, 2003, at 21:21:29
hi,
If you see the post that says I would advise everyone to do it this way, ignore it! I meant wouldn'tThanks again,
Prinnie
Posted by zinya on September 27, 2003, at 19:12:29
In reply to Hey Zinya...It's Willie, posted by willie on September 22, 2003, at 7:27:23
Hola Willie!
Just saw your post and glad to hear from you. As i recall, you take 37.5 right?
I might have said this before but as to the weight gain, i had a similar effect clear up until after i'd been at 150 mg for several weeks and FINALLY i started losing some weight. When i started i was already 10 lbs heavier since last fall but what happened for me on the Effexor was that my appetite dropped to about half, literally, and yet my weight stayed constant. Which said to me that it was having the weight-gaining effect on me.
As you can see from my post earlier today, i'm still on my way off of it and so far doing okay ...
Wishing you well, Willie, and do keep in touch. The exercise programs you've signed up for sound VERY key (though i confess i'd never heard of the boxing one :) ... Another thing you might look into which i mentioned once here concerns the role of sugar in our lives causing cravings - not sure if that applies to you but i'd mentioned the books on Yeast Connection and Yeast Syndrome (one in particular by William Crooks - available on amazon) which i linked once before... It might be of interest to look into and see if you relate to it... I read and applied the notions there quite rigorously about 10 years ago for a couple of years and still live by the guidelines although a bit more loosely in recent years (and with relapses :))
big hugs to you!
zinya
Posted by salty_dog on September 27, 2003, at 20:15:29
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit » kcg33, posted by Sufferfromeffexor on September 27, 2003, at 3:49:18
What I would like to throw out for discusion is the idea that the Pharamcist is far more responsible for these kinds of problems, isn't (s)he ? I mean come on now, who prints up those pretty little flyers which tell you the side effects ? I don't mean to side with the Pharmicitical Co. which makes the product, but, in every statment they have made (written or otherwise) has drawn attention to the side-effects and even the withdrawl problems of this drug.
> I hear your frustration and pain! I am going into my second day of trying to withdrawl from this AGAIN! Each attempt has never been successful, but I am determined to follow this through this time, even if it lands me in the ER! I actually wrote a letter to Wyeth last night (well an email on their website) telling them Shame on themselves for doing this to people without giving warning AND without providing doctors background on the withdrawls. Each doctor I go to tells me it isn't possible for me to be having these symptoms, they are all "in my head" and let me tell ya, when a doctor can't tell you what is going on...that is the scariest thing in the world. I told my doc about this website and he actually told me to stay off because "they are wack-jobs"!!!! What kind of a doctor uses that language?!?!?!?!? I am sick and tired of the docs playing God with only half a deck. I am definetely on board with whatever justice we can bring for ourselves and for those of you who think this drug is so great right now...I even want to make them liable for YOU down the road...because "there will come a day".
Posted by lioness on September 27, 2003, at 20:18:15
In reply to For ANYONE who is SWEATING (also re quitting), posted by zinya on September 27, 2003, at 13:00:17
> Hi all,
>
> I haven't been back for over a week but in the interim I saw my md. and -- for a change -- got a REAL and vital and nonpharmaceutical answer to something I hadn't thought about - -and he hadn't suggested in advance (which ALL mds should when they prescribe Effexor and maybe other SSRIs too)
>
> Namely: Gatorade. I've never been one to sweat my whole life -- even major exercise NEVER made me sweat the way Effexor has. Therefore I had no lifetime habit of thinking in terms of electrolyte loss and need for replenishment. I've been drinking twice as much carbonated water (my preference) as ever, but when I told him of the intolerable sweating which was one of the TWO big reasons why I decided to go off Effexor (and couldn't wait for my appt with him to do so and had already begun tapering off since Sept 2 -- after being on it since May 27, and at 150 mg for 6 weeks by Sept 2) -- He made me realize that that inordinate amount of sweating was causing an electrolyte loss which I had not known to compensate for.
>
> Anyone with increased sweating, I urge you to also stock up on Gatorade and DRINK it with every bout of sweating. If, like me, it's waking you up in the middle of the night with drenching wet night clothes and sheets, have a bottle of it by your bed to drink ...
>
> Otherwise, for me at least, my energy level only gotten WORSE due to electrolyte loss from sweat instead of the improvement that Effexor was supposed to help with due to norepinephrine component.
>
> (The other reason I'm quitting, increased heart rate so bad that even gardening has become an aerobic exercise to a scary level and i couldn't risk "real" exercise anymore for fear of heart attack - a problem i also had NEVER in my life had a concern for given my low blood pressure and no heart problems)
>
> As to quitting, those of you who say you are going cold turkey off Effexor, PLEASE rethink immediately and taper off instead.
>
> I went from 150 down to 100 for 1 week (by dividing the capsules of 2 150's into 3 roughly equal allotments -- then to 75 mg for 2 weeks, now I'm down to 50 mg (2 100's divided into 3), then plan to go to 37.5, then half that amount. From all the reading here, it seems that that very last step is the biggest... and so i plan to even divide the 37.5 into 3s after dividing it in halves, so that i go to 10 mg before ever considering quitting and even then i might go to 10 mg every other day before quitting completely. This is what reading this site off and on for six months has taught me is VITAL... If you don't do something similar to this, you are asking for trouble. I urge you to go slowly. So far, i haven't had any withdrawal symptoms and the rapid heart beat is finally easing away. Alas, the sweating is still there. But it started at 37.5 mg on my way UP the ladder, so I don't expect it to quit til i'm below 37.5 again...
>
> Good luck to everyone.
> zin
I have experienced all of the awful withdrawal symptoms, from profuse sweating ( which is also common when titrating up on effexor) to the brain zaps with visual disturbance, and jumping muscles, to name a few. I felt an odd, dissociated feeling and was quick to anger, sensitive to light and sound...etc. When i finally called my doctor, he confirmed that this is typical effexor rebound or withdrawal symptoms. Because effexor has such a short half life, the rapid drop in seratonin levels causes these symptoms. Using a longer half life seratonin agent..prozac is supposed to be best for this...you can alleviate the withdrawal symptoms from the effexor and ease the process. I have taken 10 mg. of prozac for the past three days, and my symptoms seem to be getting better. I still suffer the headache, tinitus and incredible fatigue , but I no longer find myself in a pool of perspiration. Any doctor who says that these symptoms are all in their head has no business prescribing these meds. Effexor works well for many people. I know several people who also take this drug for chemo related maladies and i used it for cfids/fms. However, not every medicine is right for everyone. Some people have to try many different meds before finding what works best with their chemistry. I do know, that if i had known that I would have to go through this much discomfort and distress, I would have opted for a different medication altogether. Live and learn, i guess. Good luck to you all.
Posted by salty_dog on September 27, 2003, at 20:30:50
In reply to Re: any good xperiences withdrawing from effexor?, posted by Prinnie on September 26, 2003, at 20:28:31
I too, have been free of alcohol and drugs for 15 years (this time), so I relate. I strongly suggest that you NOT do this cold turkey. Cold Turkey could cost you your sanity (As in locked up) and hurt others.
P.S. I have been around for 25 years so of course I am a re-tread.
> Hi,
> I have been up to 225 of effexor for the last 7 months..being a drug free/alcohol free addict for the last 15 years, I have decided enough is enough this is hurting me more than helping me..today I started cold turkey..I will let you know my progress..I guess I will find out if "that which does not kill you makes you stronger" is all about.
> Prinnie
Posted by zinya on September 28, 2003, at 1:40:18
In reply to Re: For ANYONE who is SWEATING (also re quitting), posted by lioness on September 27, 2003, at 20:18:15
hi lionness,
i'm curious how long you were on Effexor and at what level... I've been diagnosed with cfids and fms too, and as i recall you're the first other person here i've read to be taking Effexor for that diagnosis. My prescription wasn't exactly for that although everything's related. Did you get relief for cfids/fms at some dosage level? If so, and since you sound like you're only having S-E problems during withdrawal, i'm curious what made you decide to quit.
wishing you good luck too,
zinya
Posted by Sufferfromeffexor on September 28, 2003, at 4:05:03
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit, posted by salty_dog on September 27, 2003, at 20:15:29
I agree that responsibility goes in many different directions (I just happen to have the opinion that it is predominantly the fault of the pharmaceutical company, than the FDA, psychiatrist and perhaps a pharmacist)...however, I disagree that they have acknowledged this in everything they have written or talked about. It wasn't until March of 2000 that the FDA even required them to start making these statements...what about before than?
> What I would like to throw out for discusion is the idea that the Pharamcist is far more responsible for these kinds of problems, isn't (s)he ? I mean come on now, who prints up those pretty little flyers which tell you the side effects ? I don't mean to side with the Pharmicitical Co. which makes the product, but, in every statment they have made (written or otherwise) has drawn attention to the side-effects and even the withdrawl problems of this drug.
>
>
> > I hear your frustration and pain! I am going into my second day of trying to withdrawl from this AGAIN! Each attempt has never been successful, but I am determined to follow this through this time, even if it lands me in the ER! I actually wrote a letter to Wyeth last night (well an email on their website) telling them Shame on themselves for doing this to people without giving warning AND without providing doctors background on the withdrawls. Each doctor I go to tells me it isn't possible for me to be having these symptoms, they are all "in my head" and let me tell ya, when a doctor can't tell you what is going on...that is the scariest thing in the world. I told my doc about this website and he actually told me to stay off because "they are wack-jobs"!!!! What kind of a doctor uses that language?!?!?!?!? I am sick and tired of the docs playing God with only half a deck. I am definetely on board with whatever justice we can bring for ourselves and for those of you who think this drug is so great right now...I even want to make them liable for YOU down the road...because "there will come a day".
>
>
Posted by trolqueen58 on September 28, 2003, at 11:58:52
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
> Hi there, I have been on Effex for 3 and 1/2 years. I recently increased it--- 37.5 at 10 a.m. and the full 75 at supper---6 pm-- and I feel like a new person. I sweat some, I have some weird dreams, but I still love sex and feel soooooooooo much better. The weeping is gone. The crying has stopped. I worked on this dosage a long time, changing the times around. Don't give up. Mine works for me.
>
>
Posted by Prinnie on September 28, 2003, at 12:43:07
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit » Prinnie, posted by salty_dog on September 27, 2003, at 20:30:50
> I too, have been free of alcohol and drugs for 15 years (this time), so I relate. I strongly suggest that you NOT do this cold turkey. Cold Turkey could cost you your sanity (As in locked up) and hurt others.
>
> P.S. I have been around for 25 years so of course I am a re-tread.
>
> Hi,
Thanks for your input, but a day at a time, I have been sober, and thank the lord above, not a retread.. This is 1:30 on the third day, and I feel good for the first time. When I get nauseous, I plan on taking an antacid, and tonight, 1/2 a dramimine...to sleep, and Gatorade to replace the electrolites in my body. I don't plan on doing this again, and although uncomfortable, compared to the flu last week, which I had, and missed work for the first time in 4 years,this is a walk in the park for me.Thanks for your concern though, and everyone should not do it this way, but for me dragging it out over a four week period, getting the same end results is not for me.
Thanks,
Prinne
> > Hi,
> > I have been up to 225 of effexor for the last 7 months..being a drug free/alcohol free addict for the last 15 years, I have decided enough is enough this is hurting me more than helping me..today I started cold turkey..I will let you know my progress..I guess I will find out if "that which does not kill you makes you stronger" is all about.
> > Prinnie
>
>
Posted by lioness on September 29, 2003, at 16:12:37
In reply to Re: (also re quitting) » lioness, posted by zinya on September 28, 2003, at 1:40:18
Hi Zinya,
I have been on 187.5 mg of effexor for about two years.I did not find it helpful for my cfids or fms, but it did help my depression. I started taking gabitril ( anti convulsant) which helped my pain and migraine a lot. In addition to that, I now take provigil (anti narcoleptic) and straterra ( non amphetamine adhd drug with AD effects) which has helped my fatigue a great deal. However, straterra has been hard for me to get used to as with each dosage increase, I felt a heavy fatigue.All in all, effexor was not the right choice for me. I wish you luck in with your effexor, as it has the potential to do some very good things for you. I hope this helps.
Lioness
Posted by Nocandi on September 29, 2003, at 20:07:07
In reply to Re: (also re quitting), posted by lioness on September 29, 2003, at 16:12:37
I'm wondering the repercussions of using both of these at the same time. Yes, I know coke is bad...blah blah....seek help...blah blah. That isn't my question, and I'm not here to seek lectures. I want to know if the usage of coke will help or hurt Effexor XR. That simple. I know coke plays with our "happy" chemicals (dopamine, serotonin, and whatever else) and Effexor regulates them (I hope). I use coke here and there because I don't want to do anything...so rail one up and out I go. An illegal anti-depressant if you will. Planning to ween myself off while loading Effexor XR...comments? Actually just sound medical advice will do.
Posted by hlynne33 on September 29, 2003, at 20:47:43
In reply to EFFEXOR - The good, the bad and the ugly, posted by bballcoach43837 on January 26, 2003, at 21:55:18
I'm in the process of going off effexor as well. i was on it for almost a year now and feeling worse then ever. i was up to 225mg a day and realized it wasn't helping me at all. i have never felt less motivated in my life. i have not felt like doing anything these days ecspecially working out...which before this drug i worked out almost every day. i haven't even felt like cleaning or doing much of anything like i use to. i'm feeling a few side effects these days from lowering my dosage. i feel like i have the flu. but all in all it help me see things clearer in the beginning. now i think it's time to start feeling again too.>
Posted by BJL on September 29, 2003, at 20:48:55
In reply to Cocaine + Effexor XR = ??? This is no joke..., posted by Nocandi on September 29, 2003, at 20:07:07
This web site seems to indicate that you could have success using Effexor for weaning off cocaine. Good luck with it! http://www.cocaine.org/venlafaxine.html
Posted by BJL on September 29, 2003, at 20:53:01
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR - The good, the bad and the ugly, posted by hlynne33 on September 29, 2003, at 20:47:43
When I started with Paxil a few years ago, I was way too intense as far as keeping the house clean, having everything perfect. After the Paxil, I not only quit worrying about things being perfect, but I lost all ambition to do anything at all. I'd hoped things would get better when I was switched to Effexor, but it didn't. Today is my 6th day off of Effexor and even with the withdrawals, I still have more ambition than I have in I don't know how long. I want to stress though that Paxil did work wonders for me and my anxiety problems, and the Effexor continued to do the same. But, I also gained 60+ pounds and wanted my life back. Who knows, maybe I'll be back on it some day. I hope to work through this with therapy.
Posted by kcg33 on September 30, 2003, at 5:49:39
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR - The good, the bad and the ugly, posted by BJL on September 29, 2003, at 20:53:01
Well, all, I hear your cries. I made it through an absolutely horrific 7 days, the last 3 of which I should have truly been in the hospital. Today, in desperation, I took the research I had done on Effexor along with my broken spirit and visited my doctor. I explained how absolutely horrible I have felt, and BEGGED for him to hear me and understand that I literally feel like I am dying here. My response? "After 7 days, Ms. Gray, you should no longer have any Effexor in your system. So it can not be the Effexor causing your symptoms. Effexor is a wonderful medication that has helped millions of people, and look here, according to my (handy dandy) little PDR, the studies they did with this medication before FDA approval indicated that NO BODY gained any weight on it, migraines were not an issue, visual disturbances were not a big issue, and in fact, 3% of the people in the study actually lost weight. So, Ms. Gray, if you have gained 30 pounds since you have been on this medicine, I assure you, it came through your teeth to get there. Are we clear? I will just put you on some Vistaril for nausea and meanwhile, hop on over to the hospital and have an MRI done on your head so we can be sure you don't have a tumor. Otherwise, everything looks fine, just try and get some rest".....
I have no idea what stupid little me was supposed to say to that. Like I had been lectured for being a tub-o-lard head case, I just took my little file to the front desk, paid them, and went on my way. I cried all the way home. And what did I do when I got here? I walked over to the desk and took the DEVIL (Effexor) out of the bottle and took one. I guess if the only way I can make the withdrawals stop is to swallow the crap because nobody believes me that this medication is killing me, then I guess Effexor wins. But I, too, do not have the money (and ZERO insurance) to continue paying the equivalent of an electric bill for medication I DO NOT WANT, yet I AM STUCK WITH IT BECAUSE I CAN'T GET RID OF IT. And my doctor really let me down today. I was so sick and so desperate, I really needed him to hear me, this week has been soooooo awful. So I put myself through a whole week of torment thinking I would come out the other side victorious over this creature, and it won anyway.
If there is anyone out there who has ever actually beaten this and was able to make it all the way- I could really use some encouragement. Without my doctor's assistance, I don't know what to do next, but I know that this past 7 days has been way more than I can ever do twice.
Posted by HS on September 30, 2003, at 7:45:43
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit, posted by salty_dog on September 27, 2003, at 20:15:29
Having suffered all life from generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder and depression, I finally reached the point where I decided that I didn't want the rest of my life to be this way - it's just too painful for me personally and it's too destructive for all the other aspects of my life. Living in the UK, you don't get referred to a psychiatrist/psycologist very easily (the National Health Service is free for ALL UK citizens, so there is effectively rationining of services, although any government would deny it), so it wasn't until I moved to South Africa (which has predominantly private medical care) for work that I was finally diagnosed. It was a huge relief for me to discover that I wasn't going mad (which, in the low moments, I had frequently wondered).
The downside of private medical care is that doctors seem to over-prescribe, prescribe much stronger drugs (my MD in the UK was horrified when I told her I'd been given a benzodiazapene)and much more expensive drugs, such as Effexor XR (which a free medical system is less likely to be prescribed). The upside was that I got referred much more quickly to a psyciatrist.
At first I thought the psy was great - I was so relieved to find out what was wrong with me. I am a scientist by training and profession, so I accept fully that we don't understand everything about the causes of mental illness or the treatment of them and that everyone's chemistry is totally unique - at the moment, we can't possibly have a "one-size, fits all" for this type of medication. Thus I was not daunted by the element of experimentation to try to find the right drug for me. I also accept that there are going to be side-effects from drugs - you can't mess around with brain chemistry and not expect there to be.
I had been on Seroxat before for about 18 months, which worked for depression, but wasn't that great for the anxiety and panic attacks - the initial side effects though had worn off after the first few weeks and then I was fine. I had all the usual problems coming off SSRIs, but was fine. Nothing could have prepared me for the problems with Effexor! At 150 mg, the anxiety got totally out of control - I had never experienced anything like this before - I've had bouts of mania (both up and down), night sweats, restlessness, memory impairment, cognative impairment (MAJOR problem for my work), insomnia, lack of concentration, no energy, lack of interest in life, constipation, flatulence (my husband's REALLY been having fun!). The package insert does list all of these as possible side-effects.
My complaints are with both my psychiatrist and with Wyeth: my psychiatrist did not explain the possible side-effects carefully enough and the package inserts did not give clear enough indications of the probabilities of the side-effects. Mostly I'm fed up with the psy - obviously Wyeth want to make money (over here, Effexor costs the about $125 US, which is HUGE money in South African terms or even British terms).
As a highly trained scientist, I understand and accept risks. My psyciatrist know's this. What I really resent is the arrogance of keeping telling me to perservere with a drug that was making my life a misery. I know that she must have seen hundreds if not thousands of patients with my type of personality disorders, but, as seems to happen too often with specialists, she forgot that I am an individual.
Reading through this website, it seems clear that this lack of respect for the individual is a problem that so many of us are experiencing. As a scientist, I understand the mentality of problem solving, but dealing with people is a bit different from fixing problems with drinking water.
Dr Bob - if you're listening - I don't want to stop using drugs to help me manage my mental health issues and I am also going to be starting cognative behavioural therapy next week - but I think that mental health professionals need to start looking more closely at how they interact with patients. I know there are MANY wonderful people out there helping people, but a lot of us are feeling extremely let down at a time when we are extremely vulnerable. I personally am left wondering who to trust.
Sorry for the long ramble folks, but, despite fantastic support from my husband, I am feeling EXTREMELY lost on where to go next.
Hetty
Posted by HS on September 30, 2003, at 9:39:47
In reply to Re: Stopped Effexor XR - extreme side effects...Help!, posted by Prinnie on September 27, 2003, at 18:23:31
I was having extreme side-effects at 150mg (see my previous EXTREMELY long message). After my experience with Seroxat, there was no way I was going to go cold-turkey. What I did was reduce back down to 75 mg and my side-effects have reduced dramatically. I am also taking Molipaxin at night to help me sleep and Xanax (may be called Xanor in the US, or the otherway round, I'm not sure) for the anxiety.
What my MD told me was that you can swop between different types of SSRIs relatively easily - I would suggest you try to find a doctor that you trust and can talk to, or even a good pharamacist to start off with.
I personally don't believe that drugs are really effective in the long-term without some type of therapy. I am not at all anti-drug, I just think that that they can't necessarily solve the underlying problem, they just treat the symptoms.
My dad suffered from high blood pressure - it took ages to find a drug that suited him and some of the side-effects that he went through were pretty awful, but he persevered and eventually found one that suited him.
Medication for mental illness is just the same.
Oh, and if anyone is reading this who posted about a metalic taste int the mouth - maybe the toxin thing is true, but it can also indicate diabetes, so get that checked out.
Anyway, to all of you already coming off - good luck guys and hope that things get better soon.
Hetty
Posted by BJL on September 30, 2003, at 9:50:34
In reply to Re: Effexor Lawsuit, posted by HS on September 30, 2003, at 7:45:43
Flatulence huh? I hadn't even considered it being the Effexor that might have caused that for me, but it really could have been because it's been better since I went off. My husband could definitely relate to yours. Poor guy!
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