Posted by KaraS on December 24, 2004, at 13:45:25
In reply to Re: Side Effects- Lethargic, Skin Rash?, posted by dancingstar on December 24, 2004, at 11:14:52
I just wanted to add another perspective here. Effexor helped me more than any other antidepressant to date (and that includes MANY years of trials). I also tolerated it unusually well. I couldn't even tell I was taking anything except for the muted sexual desire and anorgasmia. Unfortunately, despite being better than anything else I've taken to date, Effexor still only gave me limited help. (I used to think that maybe I had 20% mood lift from it but now that I'm off of it I realize that the number is probably more like 40-50%.) I recently went off of it to search for a more comprehensive solution - one that would help provide some energy and motivation.
My experience going off of Effexor wasn't all that bad either thanks to the advice I received on this board. I decreased my dosage very slowly and then substituted a longer acting SSRI at the very end. Without that strategy it probably would have been a nightmare. I think it's criminal that most pdocs don't know enough to utilize this method of withdrawal with their patients. I don't know if this method would end the withdrawal problems completely but it sure can't hurt (and in my case it DID take care of the problem completely).
I would not hesitate to go back on Effexor and try to augment it with other medications in the future. I am not trying to discredit other people's experiences here. I'm just giving you my experience. YMMV.
Kara
poster:KaraS
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041223/msgs/433784.html