Posted by babak on April 9, 2003, at 2:33:22
Hi again,
I have finally, that is after seven years, persuaded my pdoc to change my medication from Effexor.
I am cross tapering with Paxil. Initially I started on 10mg and then 20mg while reducing Effexor first from 150mg then from 112.5 XR to 75mg XR. Things were fine, so I increased Paxil to 30mg and reduced Effexor to 50mg and after two weeks on that I reduced Effexor to 37.5 and Paxil to 40mg. I even thought I had noticed some improvement, but probably it was my imagination. I had some classic withdrawal symptoms like electric shock like feelings in my arms and legs but they weren't severe at all and they went away after a couple of days. Generally things were again fine for about a week. Then I started getting more depressed and developed headaches, back ache, acid stomach, feeling tiered and tense again.
Now I am not sure if is it withdrawal or that Paxil is not working at least not as well as Effexor. Should I increase Paxil or give up on it and go back on higher doses of Effexor and start all over again with another drug.
I really need to come of Effexor. Although it has been the best amongst the few that I have tried so far, I am still very far from a complete remission and the worst of its side effects are that I have totally lost my libido as well as becoming completely anhedonic.
Can anyone shed light on my predicament and give me a couple possible suggesstions?
Thank you as always.
poster:babak
thread:217700
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030407/msgs/217700.html