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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 Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 9:52:42
After a 15 minute visit with a psychologist in Ohio, my mother was prescribed Effexor.
Her experience on this drug has been less than acceptable. This drug took a normally quiet, reserved, classy woman who normally had been responsible for her actions and bills and placed her in a manic state. She lost her moral compass and proceeded to spend her savings and inheritance wildly. She has spent over $350K and will soon lose her home. She won't listen to her family and friends regarding her situation. She has become romantically involved with a 32 year old man and now is experimenting with illegal drugs. Have you heard of this type of behavior before while using this drug?
Posted by Ines on March 26, 2007, at 11:49:02
In reply to Effexor, posted by Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 9:52:42
hello snowtiger,
I don't know much about Effexor in specific, but what you are describing seems like medication induced mania. It sounds like she could have bipolar depression, and effexor has induced a manic episode. She should get in touch with the person who prescribed the medication, as it doesn't sound like it is at right for her. Also, I would say she should go see a psychiatrist rather than a psychologist; a psychiatrist can give her a proper diagnosis, and will have more experience of medication options.
Posted by Ines on March 26, 2007, at 11:51:39
In reply to Effexor, posted by Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 9:52:42
Something else- effexor can be difficult to withdraw from. If she decides to stop taking it she should do so under medical supervision.
Best of luck, Ines
Posted by Phillipa on March 26, 2007, at 12:07:58
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by Ines on March 26, 2007, at 11:51:39
Sounds like a bipolar reaction. Love Phillipa
Posted by TheMeanReds on March 26, 2007, at 12:36:47
In reply to Effexor, posted by Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 9:52:42
Im BPII. When I took SSRIs, for some reason these set me off. I'd do just crazy stuff, that wasnt 'me'. I wouldnt have any guilt/regrets. I was either great to be around, or horrible. No grey really.
I find myself begging for forgiveness, trying to get their respect back. It takes me SO much time to 'wash away' a mistake/bad decision that took only minutes to carry out. And sometimes the past is never forgiven.
Sounds like intervention time?
Posted by Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 14:04:04
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by Ines on March 26, 2007, at 11:49:02
I appreciate all replies to this subject. I have done a lot of research on this drug and it does have issues with bipolar disorder. My mother says she will not go back to the way she was and refuses to stop taking the meds.
Also, she is taking illegal drugs now (methamphetamines) and her boyfriend is controlling her Effexor medication. Sometimes she can have it and sometimes not.
Posted by TheMeanReds on March 26, 2007, at 15:16:43
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 14:04:04
Meth Meth Meth. I've seen it tear one of my best friends life apart. I no longer see or talk to her anymore. She became somebody I didnt know.
This drug is extremely addictive. It makes the body shrivel up. Teeth rotten. A psychological mess. She will probably not die from using.
Some people even steal scrap metal from junk yards to get another fix. If they have money they will, like you said, spree it away.
You should maybe think about calling the cops. I know it may sound harsh, but sometimes if family members cannot get through to them, the law might. If they are not dealing meth, it wont be as tough on them.
Posted by Ines on March 26, 2007, at 15:51:55
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by Snowtiger on March 26, 2007, at 14:04:04
Snowtiger, I am sorry. That sounds like an awful situation. Could you talk to her doctor, explain the situation and get him to stop prescribing the medication? It's pretty harsh to go cold turkey on it, but if she couldn't get a hold of effexor perhaps it would bring her old self back and she would see sense. Also, does anyone other than her have access to her bank account? If she's just experimenting with meth at the moment, the other thing would be to cut her money at the source- assuming she's not yet at the stage where she would resort to desperate means to get drugs. You'd hold some power to negotiate then. As a last resort you could get her doctor to forcibly admit her into a mental hospital for treatment- it sounds like you have grounds to argue she's a danger to hersef right now...
I can't think of anything else to suggest for now- hope it all gets solved.
Ines
Posted by englishman006! on March 26, 2007, at 16:55:21
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by Ines on March 26, 2007, at 15:51:55
I'd like to recommend a book that may give you some insight to what's happening. "Dying For A Cure" by Rebekah Beddoe, published by Random House Australia.
I wrote a lenghty description of it earlier but lost it trying to post so here's a short one- The author,Rebekah, gets mis diagnosed with post natal depression, in truth it was mild exhaustion from tending to a very demanding, always crying newborn. Her doc hands her a sample box of Zoloft... it is to be the beginning of a nightmarish decent into real depression, suicide attempts, promiscuity, manic behaviour and so on... A sucessful business woman with no previous histoty of mood disorders ends up going nuts!!
Reading it may offer some clues and may help prevent things snowballing.
Posted by linkadge on March 26, 2007, at 19:07:59
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by englishman006! on March 26, 2007, at 16:55:21
>After a 15 minute visit with a psychologist in >Ohio, my mother was prescribed Effexor.
Thats the problem. Psychologists should not prescribe powerfull meds period IMHO. Not that something like this could have necessarily been forseen, but still.
Linkadge
Posted by FredPotter on March 26, 2007, at 22:53:44
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by linkadge on March 26, 2007, at 19:07:59
This is pretty low priority compared to preceding posts, but hopefully we can keep the subthreads apart
To my surprise, when I gave up Effexor, cold-turkey, I noticed Xanax (the regular stuff) worked better and one dose seemed to last all day. On effexor Xanax didn't seem to do much at all
Fred
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