Posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2004, at 23:16:09
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR! » Chairman_MAO, posted by Ilene on February 7, 2004, at 21:50:54
> Mao, I think you're splitting hairs, even though the explanation clarified the difference between addiction and dependence for me. As punishment, take Effexor for a couple of months--then stop.
>
> I've taken over a dozen psychotropics, and Effexor XR was the only one that sent me into acute withdrawal, even after a slow taper. And it didn't even work in the first place!
>
> The only two drugs that did work for me did *not* have withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking them. Was I not dependent upon them? If not, then why did they work? It did not take 4-6 weeks for them to work, either.
>
> I.I did take Effexor XR for many months and then try to stop. I've also gone "cold turkey" from 80mg of Celexa while in a hospital that wouldn't give it to me. I am fully aware of what the withdrawl syndrome is like; it's like an opioid withdrawl flu protracted over weeks. I actually lived in an apartment with my g/f and another roomate, and all of us decided to go off of our respective SSRIs at once. Man, was that a fun household!
I wasn't saying that all drugs take 4-6 weeks to work; rather, I was saying that many drugs have a withdrawl syndrome, _especially_ those which take 4-6 weeks to work. I hope I was clear.
I took 60mg Ritalin/day for 4.5 years and had no immediate withdrawl syndrome, but spiralled into a depression about a month after I quit it.
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:310472
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040204/msgs/310776.html