Posted by Alara on October 20, 2002, at 2:24:09
In reply to Can Effexor alter personality?, posted by caitline on October 19, 2002, at 19:20:46
Caitline,
I was on Effexor for four years. For the first couple of months my mood was considerably brighter but I also went through periods of extreme irritablity and lost my temper a number of times. (I am usually very even tempered.) The irritability subsided after 3 months or so, so I'm assuming that this was some kind of adjustment reaction. Since withdrawing from Effexor 8 weeks ago, I have been struggling with the anger/irritablity again. I believe that my brain chemistry is adjusting to the reverse situation and that this will subside in time.
You mentioned your husband's headaches and stomach problems. This sounds like an anxiety reaction. I actually found that my Irritable Bowel Syndrome completely disappeared while on Effexor and returned after withdrawal. I am now temporarily on 0.5mcg of Xanax a day to help with the anxiety and the stomach problems have disappeared again. From what I understand, Effexor generally helps with anxiety but your husband may be one of those people for whom it has the opposite effect. It sounds as though the Effexor may be exacerbating his anxiety rather than alleviating it.One other point: I personally noticed AFTER coming off Effexor that my personality had changed while on the drug. Like your hubby, I became less concerned with the consequences of my actions and became less emotionally responsive on the whole.
There's a price that you pay with any psychotropic medication, I guess. If your hubby is not bothered by his mood swings, his apathy, and stomach problems, then it may be better to let sleeping dogs lie. He may feel that he is getting the relief from depression that he needs and for ANYONE with depression, any kind of relief is a Godsend. (You have my sympathy. It must be very difficult to `lose touch' with your husband like that. He looks like your husband but his soul seems to have changed.)
If your husband is NOT happy with the status quo, I'd urge him to return to the doctor to have his medication revised. Every patient is different and needs to be assessed on an individual basis.
Hope this helps.
poster:Alara
thread:124292
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021019/msgs/124326.html