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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Euclid on February 7, 2004, at 11:10:58
There is a history of depression on my wife's side. Great grandmother down to my daughters. My wife was great on Serzone, but the Dr. took her off it because of the possible heart problems. Then she went on Lexapro. Terrible! Then to Paxil, which was semi-okay but horrendous weightgain. She went off that about six weeks ago, and started Wellbutrin, which was a big mistake. Now she stopped the Wellb. cold, and is waiting to be prescribed something new. I have been told that Effexor or Zoloft might be better. And Topamax. Any suggestions/observations/opinions? Thanks!jteacher1@hotmail.com
Posted by justjustine on February 7, 2004, at 11:26:59
In reply to Effexor or Zoloft? Plus Topamax?, posted by Euclid on February 7, 2004, at 11:10:58
please keep your wife off this drug. it's horribly addictive, and very few doctors are even familiar with the withdrawal syndrome. i would try almost anything else first.
personally, i'd have ECT before i took effexor again.
Posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2004, at 12:26:40
In reply to NOT EFFEXOR!, posted by justjustine on February 7, 2004, at 11:26:59
No drug is "addictive". Addiction is psychological, and many things that are not drugs are addictive. Addiction is the desire to do something repeatedly, and in its severe form is the desire to do something to excess at the expense of everything else. Were you pawning your valuables and prostituting yourself to get more Effexor, or missing work or school so that you could stay home and take Effexor all day?
Only drugs that actually FEEL GOOD to take generally are associated that behavior, although you'd be surprised ... And it also is worth mention that most healthy adults given IV morphine strongly dislike the experience.
Many, many drugs induce "dependency", which is what you are confusing addiction with. Dependency is your body being acclimated to a drug after chronic administration. This is _NECESSARY_ for a therapeutic effect in the case of SSRIs. During that 4-6 weeks that it takes these drugs to work, neurophysiological changes occur as a result of continued administration of the drug. One cannot reasonably expect, then, that it's possible to withdrawl the drug after these changes have occurred and expect no withdrawl syndrome.
Many psychiatrists/psychologists will agree with this entire post, and all would agree about "addiction" vs. "dependency". That is, all who should have licenses.
Posted by Sad Panda on February 7, 2004, at 12:41:54
In reply to Effexor or Zoloft? Plus Topamax?, posted by Euclid on February 7, 2004, at 11:10:58
> There is a history of depression on my wife's side. Great grandmother down to my daughters. My wife was great on Serzone, but the Dr. took her off it because of the possible heart problems. Then she went on Lexapro. Terrible! Then to Paxil, which was semi-okay but horrendous weightgain. She went off that about six weeks ago, and started Wellbutrin, which was a big mistake. Now she stopped the Wellb. cold, and is waiting to be prescribed something new. I have been told that Effexor or Zoloft might be better. And Topamax. Any suggestions/observations/opinions? Thanks!jteacher1@hotmail.com
>
>Zoloft is the safest drug of the SSRI group, I'd try that first. I am on Efexor, it seems to be working good for me.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by justjustine on February 7, 2004, at 13:47:40
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR! » justjustine, posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2004, at 12:26:40
okay, my bad. dependent. effexor if very likely to cause dependency problems in that you may get very sick when you try to stop.
i have taken prozac, serzone, and wellbutrin and never, ever got sick from stopping them. i certainly did not experience anything i would call "withdrawal" like i have with effexor.
i believe effexor is a very dangerous drug, and i thank god that it doesn't cause cravings or i surely would have been on it for life.
> No drug is "addictive". Addiction is psychological, and many things that are not drugs are addictive. Addiction is the desire to do something repeatedly, and in its severe form is the desire to do something to excess at the expense of everything else. Were you pawning your valuables and prostituting yourself to get more Effexor, or missing work or school so that you could stay home and take Effexor all day?
>
> Only drugs that actually FEEL GOOD to take generally are associated that behavior, although you'd be surprised ... And it also is worth mention that most healthy adults given IV morphine strongly dislike the experience.
>
> Many, many drugs induce "dependency", which is what you are confusing addiction with. Dependency is your body being acclimated to a drug after chronic administration. This is _NECESSARY_ for a therapeutic effect in the case of SSRIs. During that 4-6 weeks that it takes these drugs to work, neurophysiological changes occur as a result of continued administration of the drug. One cannot reasonably expect, then, that it's possible to withdrawl the drug after these changes have occurred and expect no withdrawl syndrome.
>
> Many psychiatrists/psychologists will agree with this entire post, and all would agree about "addiction" vs. "dependency". That is, all who should have licenses.
Posted by crazychickuk on February 7, 2004, at 16:33:22
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR!, posted by justjustine on February 7, 2004, at 13:47:40
NONONONONONONOOOOO effexor is an awfull drug.. chairman i dissagree with you there, unless you have been on it then you wont know, i was onit for 3 mnths ang to get of it was a nightmare, talk about brain zapppppps, i in the end stopped it cold turkey, same amount of hell as when i tryed slowely.. just let effexor be the last resort.... i blame the effexor for my dreadfull chronic anxiety...
Posted by Ilene on February 7, 2004, at 21:50:54
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR! » justjustine, posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2004, at 12:26:40
Mao, I think you're splitting hairs, even though the explanation clarified the difference between addiction and dependence for me. As punishment, take Effexor for a couple of months--then stop.
I've taken over a dozen psychotropics, and Effexor XR was the only one that sent me into acute withdrawal, even after a slow taper. And it didn't even work in the first place!
The only two drugs that did work for me did *not* have withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking them. Was I not dependent upon them? If not, then why did they work? It did not take 4-6 weeks for them to work, either.
I.
Posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2004, at 23:16:09
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR! » Chairman_MAO, posted by Ilene on February 7, 2004, at 21:50:54
> Mao, I think you're splitting hairs, even though the explanation clarified the difference between addiction and dependence for me. As punishment, take Effexor for a couple of months--then stop.
>
> I've taken over a dozen psychotropics, and Effexor XR was the only one that sent me into acute withdrawal, even after a slow taper. And it didn't even work in the first place!
>
> The only two drugs that did work for me did *not* have withdrawal symptoms when I stopped taking them. Was I not dependent upon them? If not, then why did they work? It did not take 4-6 weeks for them to work, either.
>
> I.I did take Effexor XR for many months and then try to stop. I've also gone "cold turkey" from 80mg of Celexa while in a hospital that wouldn't give it to me. I am fully aware of what the withdrawl syndrome is like; it's like an opioid withdrawl flu protracted over weeks. I actually lived in an apartment with my g/f and another roomate, and all of us decided to go off of our respective SSRIs at once. Man, was that a fun household!
I wasn't saying that all drugs take 4-6 weeks to work; rather, I was saying that many drugs have a withdrawl syndrome, _especially_ those which take 4-6 weeks to work. I hope I was clear.
I took 60mg Ritalin/day for 4.5 years and had no immediate withdrawl syndrome, but spiralled into a depression about a month after I quit it.
Posted by fayeroe on February 8, 2004, at 6:59:42
In reply to Effexor or Zoloft? Plus Topamax?, posted by Euclid on February 7, 2004, at 11:10:58
I took EffexorXR for about two years. I lost 38 pounds and I felt like my head was full of rocks. Always....I could barely function after I had been on the med about 8 months. I don't recommend the drug at all. I took myself off, doc wouldn't even consider it was hurting me, and did it gradually. BUT after I halved the dosage, I felt like a new person within 24 hours. So that convinced me that it really was hurting me. I am on the old tried and true Prozac now and doing as well as could be expected. There is a lot of stress in my life, so I try to balance that out with everything else. But I'd try ECT before I took Effexor again. Best, Pat
Posted by sarahsundae on February 8, 2004, at 8:15:54
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR! » justjustine, posted by Chairman_MAO on February 7, 2004, at 12:26:40
Whatever you call it, it's not fun trying to stop taking it.
Posted by theo on February 8, 2004, at 9:38:09
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR!, posted by crazychickuk on February 7, 2004, at 16:33:22
I have never had any major problem stopping antidepressants, even Paxil. My doctor had me try a low dose, 37.5mg of Effexor XR for a month. It added so much anxiety even after four weeks I was scared to go to meetings and be around people. After only a month on 37.5mg, when I decided to discontinue it I took it every other day and stopped and had the worst inner fear and restlessness, major paranoia like I needed to be hospitalized just to feel secure. I know meds work differently on people but if you look at research, you'll find Effexor to be the #1 worst AD to stop, even at the lowest dose.
Posted by aussie on February 9, 2004, at 1:02:38
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR! » Chairman_MAO, posted by Ilene on February 7, 2004, at 21:50:54
Effexor is meant to be really good, I'm on it and like it.
Also it's NOT the only drug that coming off it can be a problem, I had much trouble coming off serzone. For the very reasons thatsomeone mentioned; andnot addiction. I think you are forgeting that everyone reacts differently.
Posted by justjustine on February 9, 2004, at 10:24:52
In reply to Re: NOT EFFEXOR!, posted by aussie on February 9, 2004, at 1:02:38
yes, effexor is meant to be a really good drug. of course.
as for the associated withdrawals - having been through them myself all i can say is please remember to write us back here when you do come off!
> Effexor is meant to be really good, I'm on it and like it.
> Also it's NOT the only drug that coming off it can be a problem, I had much trouble coming off serzone. For the very reasons thatsomeone mentioned; andnot addiction. I think you are forgeting that everyone reacts differently.
This is the end of the thread.
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