Posted by Lao Tzu on June 13, 2010, at 15:15:01
In reply to help; Post longterm treatment w/ Venlafaxine L-tyr, posted by cb776 on June 13, 2010, at 12:46:19
I don't want to give advice because Effexor is a very strong antidepressant and withdrawal can be bad if you don't substitute with another type of antidepressant. Definitely, if you're going to go off it, do it with a doctor's help, not on your own. I switched from Effexor XR to Zoloft, and I like the Zoloft a lot better. Effexor is a good drug, though. But you're saying you have paradoxical depression. Do you mean Treatment-Resistant Depression, that the Effexor is not really helping you with your depression? Then you might ask your doctor about other antidepressant options. For example, some people get better on MAOIs. Another one is Wellbutrin SR, which works more on increasing dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain. Maybe that would help you better. I'd talk to your doctor about your options. There's also Abilify or Risperdal which helps to regulate your dopamine receptors. Some people get relief when using these medications, especially if you have a severe anxiety disorder or you have bipolar disorder. If you don't have an anxiety disorder or are bipolar, then I don't think you would need Abilify or Risperdal. As far as L-Tyrosine or L-Phenylalanine, I've tried them and they don't seem to affect mood very well, but they could help you a little, I guess. I believe there are some good herbs that affect dopamine, but you have to be careful with these if you are taking medication. There could be drug interactions with the herbs. Post a query on this site about herbs that affect dopamine. Somebody here is bound to know about them and can give you some suggestions. Pass that information on to your doctor and see what he says, but I would definitely ask him about other antidepressants if Effexor isn't working for you and also ask about Abilify or Risperdal if you have an anxiety disorder or have bipolar disorder. Good luck!!
poster:Lao Tzu
thread:950908
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20100516/msgs/950948.html