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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by kate on April 4, 2000, at 9:41:06
this is a follow-up to my previous post. i am going to the shrink today because i am still having problems. i went skinny dipping and streaking a few days ago and completely don't trust myself with my boyfriend. i made the mistake of drinking half a glass of white wine the other night and started having hallucinations because of its interactions with the prescriptions i was on. my doctor has said that i can taper the effexor in half which i have done. they have also put me on a small dosage of klonopin to hopefully curb my mania. i will be talking to my shrink about whther or not this could be bipolar or just the results of the meds. anyway, i am still feeling weird and reckless and it is inhibiting my work. i was sent home from school last week two days in a row because of the way i was acting and feeling. i hope that today goes well. bye for now.
~kate
Posted by kate on April 5, 2000, at 8:30:34
In reply to follow-up to feeling stoned off of effexor xr, posted by kate on April 4, 2000, at 9:41:06
my pdoc said yesterday that i may be manic or that it may just be one isolated episode initiated by my meds. i am now on 75 mg of effexor. my doc wants to add a mood stabilizer to my regimen (something like lithium, depakote, or neurontin). either that, or start on a whole new antidepressant. i am leaning more towards the mood stabilizers. but i'm not really sure which way to go for sure. anyone have any ideas or insights about these drugs?
~kate
Posted by Cam W. on April 5, 2000, at 10:39:50
In reply to Re: follow-up to feeling stoned off of effexor xr, posted by kate on April 5, 2000, at 8:30:34
kate - Before you go and try mood stabilizers, I have a couple of questions. Are you taking the regular or XR version of Effexor? Have you missed any doses before your manic-like symptoms?The second question is very important to ask yourself, as missing even a single dose of Effexor (in some people - esp. on the regular variety) can cause a withdrawl syndrome that is virtually indistinguishable from mania. I have seen a couple of misdiagnoses of bipolar disorder, from a couple of very good docs, that was caught only after the Effexor was eliminated. This is not to say that Effexor is not a very good antidepressant. I have found it quite good in a variety of different disorders (esp. with its increasing effect with increasing dose).
We all miss doses, even me (and I should know better). That is why good compliance is taking your medication properly 80% of the time. Dosing compliance with regular Effexor (esp. in some people) is a must.
For some, missing a dose of Effexor may bring on withdrawl symptoms (agitation, lightheadedness, etc.) about 3 to 12 hours after a missed dose.
Oh, by the way, if this is not the case and the Effexor is working for everything but the mania, I would say that a mood stabilizer may be the way to go. Good luck - Cam W.
Posted by kate on April 5, 2000, at 12:55:26
In reply to Re: follow-up to feeling stoned off of effexor xr, posted by Cam W. on April 5, 2000, at 10:39:50
i am on the xr version and haven't missed a dose yet. i hope that whatever decision that i make, i just get back to normal. i had such a huge up and down day yesterday. it exhausted me! today is much better. i am feeling reasonably stable, am not having any problems eating, and am not too irritable either. n the mania stopped yesterday very suddenly and was precipitated by a pretty bad depressive episode. thankfully, it didn't last ttoo long. anyway, i will let you know how things go i guess. i hope they go well. how are you doing?
~kate
Posted by Cam W. on April 5, 2000, at 16:04:10
In reply to Re: follow-up to feeling stoned off of effexor xr, posted by kate on April 5, 2000, at 12:55:26
Kate - Thanks for asking. Just getting over a really bad spring cold. Have been home all week.I guess my first question was dumb (probably the Dimetapp), as XR is in the title. I just thought that before you have to go through the mood stabilizer trials, it would be good to eliminate some other possiblities. Do keep in mind that it will probably take a couple of weeks before you notice any difference on any of the mood stabilizers, but Effexor is safe with any that I can think of (off of the top of my head). You do have quite a bit room to increase the Effexor dose and the manic switch is low (0.5%). Also, like I said before, you will get increasing effect with increasing doses of Effexor, unlike the SSRIs which plateau after a certain dose.
Good luck on your decision - Cam W.
Posted by kate on April 6, 2000, at 9:37:04
In reply to Re: follow-up to feeling stoned off of effexor xr, posted by Cam W. on April 5, 2000, at 16:04:10
i had one of the worst depressive episodes yesterday. i hyperventilated and tried to cut and bruise mysefl several times. my mom abused me pretty bad last night (verbal and emotional abuse.) i just couldn't take it so i lost it. my doctor has decided to put me on neurontin which i started taking last night. she decided on that particular drug because it has less chances of causing me to gain weight ( i have a lot of weight issues) and i don't have to have blood tests with it. (i would on lithium or depakote.) so i guess that is what is going on with me right now. i am going out with my boyfriend and other friends this weekend. so i will be able to get out of my toxic house and not have to deal with my parents making me crazy. i can't WAIT to move out. only a few more months! bye for now. i hope that your cold gets better soon!
peace
~kate
This is the end of the thread.
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