Posted by SLS on March 24, 2005, at 11:17:29
In reply to Effexor, posted by gromit on March 24, 2005, at 1:46:25
Hi Rick.
> I'm wondering if anybody here has had trouble with Effexor withdrawals but had no trouble stopping other meds. My new pdoc suggested Effexor but there are so many threads about nightmare problems tapering down that I'm a little hesitant to commit to a trial. I've never had to really taper an AD before, I've just stopped with no really bad effects but I'm possibly a mutant.
What other alternatives have you been presented with? Perhaps it isn't time to move on to Effexor just yet. I would consider Effexor a first or second line treatment, though. Other SSRIs can produce withdrawal syndrome when discontinuing.
Effexor is probably the most effective AD that physicians currently choose as a first line antidepressant. It gets more people well and gets each person more well than any of the SSRIs.
Personally, I wouldn't sacrafice the possibility of getting well for the potential for difficulties discontinuing the drug. I guess I am less afraid of it now that I've found a discontinuation taper strategy that works well for me. If you respond well to it, there will be no reason to come off of it for quite some time. The drug pipeline does not contain any antidepressants that are to be imminently approved by the FDA. JB Becker would know better than I, though.
If you are afraid of Effexor, then review your remaining alternatives and decide under what circumstances you would choose it.
I use a flexible dosing strategy to discontinue antidepressants and benzodiazepines. I remain hopeful that this strategy can be generalized to others, but I need to see more people try it.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:474855
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050323/msgs/474946.html