Posted by T_R_D on October 24, 2003, at 10:00:40
In reply to Effexor: My story and some Unusual SE's??, posted by Effected on October 22, 2003, at 17:07:41
Hi, I was on Effexor for years...I never experienced any joint pain. Still, sometimes these drugs can do funny things and *rare* side effects can occur that aren't usually published in major studies etc... One thing that I have noticed, however, is that if you are prone to a specific side effect it will rear its ugly head fairly quickly! Also, there is a definite link between arthritis and stress (hell, all ilnesses and stress!) so it could be that. The mind and body are connected, my friend.
If you do want to stop taking the Effexor, tapering is usually best but it doesn't guarantee that you won't have withdrawal problems. You probably will. I took Prozac for about 3 days and it cut some of the symptoms (the brain zaps, emotional mood swings etc...) and then some Benadryl for a couple of days to kill the cold/flu-like symptoms. The reason this works (theoretically) is the Prozac affects your neurotransmitter levels fairly quickly to re-establish an equilibrium but has a really long have life (7-9 days where Effexor has one of 5 hours!) Because the Prozac stays in your system longer your body has more time to adjust to the changes happening. Worked like a charm for me.
I know it's tough when you're faced with the prospect of losing your job and then having to pay out-of-pocked for your meds. Still, your health really is your number one priority. If your mood starts to slip once off the Effexor, don't mess around and get right back on the meds.
It sounds like you're had quite the roller coaster ride lately but you sound very grounded and strong. Good for you!
Best of luck,
Karen
poster:T_R_D
thread:272013
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031021/msgs/272686.html