![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by maryhelen on August 6, 2003, at 19:21:54
I am not sure if I have seen a medication discussed as much as Effexor and Effexor XR.
With all of the negative comments about the medication and the horrendous diffculty with the withdrawal symptoms, it doesn't make sense to me.
I do not read all of the posts, there is just too many, so maybe I am missing something.
Would someone be able to explain this to me?
maryhelen
Posted by stjames on August 6, 2003, at 19:55:18
In reply to Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by maryhelen on August 6, 2003, at 19:21:54
This board is not representative of the all people who take AD's. At best it represents
people who have trouble with their meds. So,
drawing a consclsion the X or Y meds is "bad"
based on this board would be a mistake.I have taken Effexor since 1995, it saved my life.
I can go on and off it with little trouble.
Posted by linkadge on August 6, 2003, at 20:04:32
In reply to Re: Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by stjames on August 6, 2003, at 19:55:18
It really does work for many people.
My theory is that those who are on effexor (slightly more upping and motivating) are
the ones who are 'out and about'. The
SSRI junkies like me just want to sit around
and talk rather than actually doing anything :)Actually effexor is quite effective. It has
a very high remission rate for depression. Better
than any SSRI. These people have no need
to search out boards to discuss medication problems cause they're in remission.
Linkadge
Posted by River1924 on August 6, 2003, at 23:48:52
In reply to Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by maryhelen on August 6, 2003, at 19:21:54
It works. Sometimes I can't take it because it seems to interact with stimulants and sometimes I need them. It is harder to quit than all the other anti-depressants I've tried in my opinion. But I think that is because I really notice a decline in myself if I need to quit it and that dopiness/spaciness/anxiety is, to me, a sign that the med was doing something positive in the first place.
Posted by galkeepinon on August 7, 2003, at 3:50:24
In reply to Re: Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by stjames on August 6, 2003, at 19:55:18
same with me, I went on and off it with little trouble. I will not, however, be going back on Effexor again. It saved my life at one time and I am grateful for that.
> I have taken Effexor since 1995, it saved my life.
> I can go on and off it with little trouble.
Posted by snood on August 7, 2003, at 10:00:32
In reply to Re: Why so many keep trying Effexor? » stjames, posted by galkeepinon on August 7, 2003, at 3:50:24
I took Effexor XR for about 2 years, and found that I needed to either try another AD, or up the dose, because, at some point, it wasn't working as well as before. I was already up to 150mg, and did NOT want to up the dose, so I chose to try something else. I had very little withdrawal.
I have to say that for the first 1 1/2 years, it worked wonderfully for me. I felt alot better. But I felt that Effexor, at a lower dose, should have been sufficient to treat my depression, and that upping the dose might give me the side effects that others have a sensitivity to. I now take Zoloft and Ritalin, and this change has helped so much, I can't even explain. I feel 99% better.
Effexor was great, and I thank God that it helped with the depression when it did. I just felt that it was just time to move on.
So, some people try it, because, it works for others, and when you are so depressed that you can't leave your bed, or whatever is ailing your mental health, well, sometimes you're willing to try anything.
JMHO
Jeanine
Posted by maryhelen on August 7, 2003, at 11:35:50
In reply to Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by maryhelen on August 6, 2003, at 19:21:54
When I posted this thread I wondered if I should send it.
I should have explained why I was questioning the choice for Effexor when there seems to be such horrible withdrawal.
I in no way intended it to sound like a criticism of people's choices, rather I am very worried about my daughter.She has four young children and was becoming depressed and had a great deal of anxiety. Her doctor prescribed Effexor XR a little over a year ago now, I believe choosing it for it's anti-anxiety effect. It has helped tremendously with my daughter's anxiety, but her doctor wants to up the dose because, I would imagine, with tolerance, it is not having the same effect.
It just scared me when I saw so many threads about withdrawal. It sounds like her doctor does not want her to be on it for too long of a period.
I know everyone is different. I took Effexor so many years ago and have had so many meds since, that I cannot remember what it was like.
maryhelen
Posted by galkeepinon on August 7, 2003, at 17:18:49
In reply to Re: Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by snood on August 7, 2003, at 10:00:32
>>>>>>>>>when you are so depressed that you can't leave your bed, or whatever is ailing your mental health, well, sometimes you're willing to try anything.
That's why I had to start Lexapro, I guess I had to *move on* too from the Effexor. I was in a desperate situation.
Thanks for sharing
Posted by KimberlyDi on August 7, 2003, at 17:55:31
In reply to Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by maryhelen on August 6, 2003, at 19:21:54
well,
1) For some people, it works. It's a fairly safe assumption that mainly the ones with problems are drawn to this website.
2) I cringe to think of how many people quit only because of the ones who had bad experiences.
3) How many withdrawal symptoms are truly withdrawal? Everyone who reads these posts will literally be convinced that withdrawal WILL happen. Mind over matter. And of course you will feel terrible. You did BEFORE you got on the drug... the depression is still there waiting for ya.I'm not discounting anyone's withdrawal experience. I missed a dosage at a higher level and experienced a taste of it myself. I know I will have to plan tapering off very carefully when I stop taking it. It is a powerful med.
I've never been one to follow the crowd. I make up my mind based on my own experience. I know that Effexor has turned my life around. It was the perfect medication match for my brain chemistry. Others, perhaps not.
:)
KDi in Texas
> I am not sure if I have seen a medication discussed as much as Effexor and Effexor XR.
>
> With all of the negative comments about the medication and the horrendous diffculty with the withdrawal symptoms, it doesn't make sense to me.
>
> I do not read all of the posts, there is just too many, so maybe I am missing something.
>
> Would someone be able to explain this to me?
>
> maryhelen
Posted by KimberlyDi on August 7, 2003, at 18:01:52
In reply to Re: Why so many keep trying Effexor?, posted by maryhelen on August 7, 2003, at 11:35:50
hey concerned mother,
Effexor can be excellent for anxiety (that's what I take it for). I think you should advise her to never quit the Effexor cold turkey and she'll be just fine. When she decides to stop, you can direct her to psycho-babble, and get her the information she needs to withdrawal safely.Cold Turkey is bad. That's the main thing, if otherwise the Effexor is working for her. :)
KDi in Texas
> When I posted this thread I wondered if I should send it.
>
> I should have explained why I was questioning the choice for Effexor when there seems to be such horrible withdrawal.
>
> I in no way intended it to sound like a criticism of people's choices, rather I am very worried about my daughter.
>
> She has four young children and was becoming depressed and had a great deal of anxiety. Her doctor prescribed Effexor XR a little over a year ago now, I believe choosing it for it's anti-anxiety effect. It has helped tremendously with my daughter's anxiety, but her doctor wants to up the dose because, I would imagine, with tolerance, it is not having the same effect.
>
> It just scared me when I saw so many threads about withdrawal. It sounds like her doctor does not want her to be on it for too long of a period.
>
> I know everyone is different. I took Effexor so many years ago and have had so many meds since, that I cannot remember what it was like.
>
> maryhelen
Posted by snood on August 8, 2003, at 10:57:58
In reply to Why so many keep trying Effexor? » maryhelen, posted by KimberlyDi on August 7, 2003, at 17:55:31
3) How many withdrawal symptoms are truly withdrawal? Everyone who reads these posts will literally be convinced that withdrawal WILL happen. Mind over matter. And of course you will feel terrible. You did BEFORE you got on the drug... the depression is still there waiting for ya.
I have to admit that when I was coming off Effexor, I was definetly convinced that I would have all those symptoms, too. But, I only had one or 2 of the withdrawal symptoms, and they were not severe. But, I do agree with Mind over Matter. My mom says she gets depressed, or feels low, but, she says that if she can convince herself to get up and keep moving, those bad feelings go away. I WISH it were that simple for my depression.....LMAO.Anyway, every med effects ever person differently, so, it is very possible that your daughter will be fine when and if she decides to go off. (By the way, it is so refreshing to see a mother who supports her daughter. My mom thinks that I should be able to just "get over it"). Good Luck!
Jeanine
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.