Posted by pablo1 on July 11, 2004, at 1:57:50
In reply to Re: Xyrem - Why isn't anyone curious? » pablo1, posted by Corafree on July 11, 2004, at 0:16:33
Based on my recent reading on the net... Xyrem is an unusual central nervous system depressant that creates empathy, sexual and emotional inhibition/openness and guarantees normal healthy sleep (although for only a few hours). It is only prescribed in the US for narcolepsy (spontaneous daytime sleep disorder). There are no unpleasant side effects at therapeutic doses (unless abused recreationally 24/7 every 2 hours for many months (which happens to people and is awful)). It is used in Europe as an anesthetic/relaxant in higher doses. It puts you to sleep quickly and soundly through rich REM and deep sleep cycles like normal healthy sleep. In smaller doses it is euphoric like drinking but more touchy-feely and with no hangover. It is used in Europe for heroine withdrawl also. It was popular in the US in the rave scene as a party drug and gained a bad reputation for making people pass out on the dance floor mixed with alcohol and get sent to the emergency room in a supposed 'coma' (anesthetised into deep unrousable sleep). It also gained an idiotic reputation as a date rape drug. It is very illegal now in the US except for treatment of narcolepsy. There is the hope that it could be prescribed off-label for depression, anxiety and addiction withdrawl treatment but it is so highly regulated that that is difficult. There is the suspicion that the pharmaceutical industry has promoted it's demonization.
As I understand, it gives you a short acting powerful serotonin/SSRI-like boost for a couple hours then you get a lingering dopamine boost energetic after-effect. For addicts or even for short term treatment three times a day, the dopamine boost may cause anxiety/withdrawl and a short course of long-acting opiates like klonopin can be used to ease that Ritalin/speed effect. As a sleep aide it may not be all that great as there is a tendency to get the speed rush when it wears off and have to wake up and re-dose. I tend to think it'sbetter for short term intensive daytime treatment followed up by long term maintenance usage which would equate to maybe something like a once a week martini.
One might argue that opium at similar doses could have a similar effect if moderated.
What do you mean by "poor metabolizer"? From your explanation I'm metabolizing it too quickly if I need more half a day later. Doc recommended taking my effexor at bedtime to sleep. That helps some but then I don't feel it much during the day.
I bottle up anxiety through a desperate need to be calm. My coping mechanism through my childhood trauma was to be the peaceful cooperative party. That's how I avoided stress. That is a natural approach for me but there is such a thing as taking it too far. The result is a bizarre state of repressed anxiety masked by a forced sense of calm. My presenting symptoms are stubbornness (trying to break out) and avoidance (running away). Drinking and smoking help me maintain.
I think too much (ADD/OCD) and am cursed with an overly creative/intelligent mind running wildly towards some sort of unattainable abstract impractical satisfaction.
I didn't miss 'feeling' but it sure has been a pleasure to have my feeling back in the effexor withdrawal. I tend to repress feeling anyways so it was a damn relief to have the anxiety (the most powerful feeling) gone while on effexor.
PS I do not have anxiety attacks. A lot of my obvious day-to-day anxiety is caused by knowing that I've avoided paying my bills and taking care of things. This is something I SHOULD be worried about but I seem unable to take action to correct it. This has messed up my career and caused my wife to divorce me.
Best wishes for you Corafree!
> Like I said, I feel like a zombie on Effexor-XR, but I guess everyone (I don't mean you guys), but me, likes that. I miss 'feeling'. I have night sweats. How do you bottle up anxiety? Anxiety for me is an awful unsureness, like something's missing, something's wrong, or going to go wrong, and worry that maybe I'll have a panic attack (and won't die!). I mean if I could bottle that up, I'd quit the Effexor-XR in a heartbeat! I unfortunately was turned over to a new doc a few mos. back and he is d.c.ing my Klonopin. So, I am forced to take the next best thing, and, for me, no anti-depressant ever (and I've been on pretty much all of them) has calmed anxiety like Effexor-XR does. Sounds like you may be a poor metabolizer; if you feel a change for the worse during the daytime, actually right before that point, it is my belief, at that same time everyday you should have a small follow-up dose of Effexor-XR, like 37.5mg. That fixed me. I couldn't understand why I was fine in the a.m. and afternoon to early eve was horrible. Poor metabolizers gobble up too much and its gone! And, please tell me, what is Xyrem? Good night and thanks.
poster:pablo1
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040710/msgs/364914.html