Posted by RWF on July 23, 2003, at 17:13:08
Hello everyone! I feel that I must share my story with you because I am a little skeptical about how well I will be doing in the next couple of weeks due to my withdrawal of that famuos emotional crippling drug...Effexor XR.
My name is Robert, I am 25 years old and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety in November of 2001. I was scared because I was crying all the time and I was scared that I was going to kill myself, even though I didn't want to die. Weird, huh???
For a year I just saw a therapist and refused to take any antidepressant drugs because I was scared of the effect they might have on me. My doctor had given me Ativan 1 mg as needed and I used it every now and then for my anxious feelings. Thank God for that drug.
In November of 2002, I broke down and tried Effexor XR at my doctor's request. He only started me on 37.5 mg a day and I was to take it only at night. Well for some reason it kept me up all night and I decided to take it every morning.
It never worked. Unless of course you count the "Numb" feelings. It's almost as if I can't feel love or hate anymore. I am just gliding by life without emotions.
It scares me because somedays I can feel love, and on other days I find myself searching for the love I once felt for my wife and my child.
I know I love my family with all of my heart, but the Effexor XR has taken my feelings away.
I decided to attempt to go off of it about three months ago and suffered severe withdrawal syndrome. I had the "Zaps" feeling in my head, and my anger and anxiety was through the roof! I lasted 4 days and then I had to go on it again.
Now I have suicidal thoughts every day and instead of becoming scary...they begin to feel comforting in a way. I never would have the strength to follow through with it, of course,...I hope anyway.
I just don't know what to do anymore. Please tell me that others have felt this way too.
I never was mental before...will I ever be the same again or will this drug have scarred my brain forever?
I never was on anything higher than the 37.5 milligrams a day, and my doctor says that I can take 1 pill every other day for a week, and then 1 pill every other two days for a week, and so on...
My question is, "Has anyone ever withdrawn from this drug before this way?"
I hope that there aren't a whole lot of horror stories out there. I really need to get off of this drug!
I need to Love my family again before I lose them forever.
I thank all of you who have taken the time to read this, and your help is greatly appreciated.
Once I start the withdrawal...I will post daily on the effects.
If you need to contact me via e-mail... you can do so at Fulp96@yahoo.com
poster:RWF
thread:244610
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030723/msgs/244610.html