Posted by invisiblemanpa on October 11, 2004, at 3:18:22
In reply to Re: How long do the withdrawal symptoms usual last?, posted by pmz on October 10, 2004, at 19:10:03
PMZ, You had some very valid points and some sage advice. Of course, none of this medication should be used without being a dr's care. But, any of us that have been the rat in the maze before with other medications, often times more than once and it my case and in many others, quite a few. The family practioners and psy. docs are throwing darts at a board with meds. on it instead of numbers. It is a best guess, at best, for coming up with the right cocktail for each individual. I must say though, after being thru the here let's try this about 10 times, I know the signs and symptons of what works and what when my body is telling me "this is not working get it out of me or else!". And most recently for me, it was Effexor XR, really hitting home in August, while on an increase dosage schedule, I hit an all time low. So I knew it was time for a change. I knew I had to start weaning myself off so I would be ready to hopefully start something better for me. I have gotten to the point of not calling my psy dr. with every issue or asking for another appointment, because unless it is a life threatening crisis, it is next to impossible to see them. So I have starting writing letters to them in advance of my next visit, which I did 3 weeks in advance of my visit this week, explaining what had happened and what I had planned to do. And my visit this time is with a nurse, not even the doc. (which is usually a waste of time, except to get refills...but in this case, I would hope she has read my memo before hand and will have a new game plan for me when I go into the nurse.) I think that in the case of mental health issues and any health issue people need to start taking the initiative to be informed and willing to take steps on their own, especially if their doctor is not doing so. I think this is especially true for someone being treated for mental health issues by their family doctor, many of them just don't know and are willing to hand out whatever starter pack that the lastest drug rep brought by along with all of those good freebies, cookies, subway sandwiches and probably a lot more that would surprise us all. The drug companies are playing a high stakes game. It is scary, very scary, look at Serzone...Off the market and that was the first AD that I was put on back in like 1999. Sorry for rambling.......it is early, the coffee is still perking and my pill box has no Effexor XR in it for the first time in almost two years.......
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poster:invisiblemanpa
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041007/msgs/401412.html