Posted by garnet71 on February 16, 2009, at 13:57:32
In reply to Re: 2-1/2 years later have permanent withdrawal sy, posted by chinaroses on February 16, 2009, at 13:03:08
""I don't think it could be the Effexor after all this time. I think it might be your neck/allergies/diet/sleeping patterns/reflux..." (And I have pursued these also, from allergy shots to sleep apnea testing to reflux meds to dietary changes.)"
Wow-you really have been through it all in terms of meds and doctors! That seems to be a rather holistic point of view there. What did your sleep apnea testing conclude?
When I was on Effexor, I did a sleep study that revealed I had central sleep apnea, which is the kind of apnea where your mind 'forgets' to breathe (not to be confused with obstructive sleep apnea). I will probably never know whether or not Effexor was the cause, and I'll probably never have the chance to do another sleep study to see whether or not I still have the apnea; not anytime soon anyway.
Just looking at the 'vivid dream' side effect alone, the xxRIs really do mess up your normal sleep patterns. Beauberry, a member here, posted above regarding the importance of sleep.
If your issues are not sleep related, why the determination to find out whether or not Effexor has caused your health problems? Unfortuantely, the Western health care system is designed to treat and manage symptoms, rather than find cures. I've concuded that for me and many others, we just have to take the risks of undesirable side effects in order to strive to be at our most productive state of functioning, our best. I'm afraid there's not going to be a lot of research out there trying to find whether or not xxRIs cause permanent damage--studies are expensive--and with the economy as it is now, funding is probably going to be more scarce, although Obama's admin. wants to allocate more for R&D. Imagine all the lawsuits that would follow any strong findings. From a political view, drug company stock effects everyone either directly or indirectly - 401ks, pensions, and capital investments necessary for businesses and institutions to thrive. If there were class action lawsuits about SSRIs (the 2nd most highly prescribed drugs in the US, or has this ranking changed??), I would guess the courts would decide for the drug companies--any other decision could have huge consequences for our economy that is too fragile as it is. Our economy has become our #1 national security risk--it just passed up terrorism, which held that slot since 9/11. I'm waiting for the day where our health, for the U.S., is on the list of top national security risks; I have a little theory of my own on that.
It's unfortunate so little is known about brain chemistry, and that our medicine - both in theory and clinical practice - is partitioned.
Oh-you didn't mention an endocronologist--did you get your hormones tested? Hormones guide all your bodily functions, not sure if such doctors as endo-psychiatrists exist; maybe they should.
Side note: I once read an article--many years ago an before the internet was used--about a man who didn't sleep for something like 20 plus years. It was a short article in a newspaper; it just said something like the only man ever known to not sleep for xx years has died at age xxx. It didn't say how or why or what this man did. I have googled and googled, and could never find out more about this. I think the unknown world of sleep and dreaming is fascinating. And underrated.
poster:garnet71
thread:880481
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090213/msgs/880501.html