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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JohnHapkin on June 26, 2004, at 13:22:19
Hi, this is my story. I have been following and reviewing the various message boards/posts, internet sites for about 4 months now. I am my self have some anxiety from time to time, depending on the various situations in my life.
Back in January I injured my self while lifting weights. I went to a doctor to check if anything was wrong. I was worried that something serious happened instead it was just a muscle pull. I saw doc 3 times. Each time doc insisted that I should take antidepressant which will help me with my anxiety. I constantly refused, but on the third appointment not knowing what an antidepressant really is I agreed. The doc assured me to take effexor because its the "safest" and "least" toxic drug. I asked a doc a specific question "will there be any side effects or withdrawals, the doc told me non whatsoever. Thinking that antidepressant will RELAX me, I finally took one before going to sleep...was i wrong. Well from that horrible night (in February)until now the effects started. I took only one tablet 35.7mlg the rest I threw into the garbage. Its now 4 months. I experienced various side effects from sweating, brainzapping etc... The side effects subsided and became less intensive after 3 months. I still now experience muscle twitching, rush of adrenaline and memory lapses (short term) and this was only one tablet. Hopefully all will get to normal in time. I cant understand how these docs could getaway from prescribing such strong, harmful medications. Maybe aybe this drug works for some people but after reading a lots of websites and discussion groups, I think this drug does more harm than good. Does anyone else still experience the side effects from effexor after months of being free from the effexor ?
Thanks,
John
Posted by Buckeye Fan on June 26, 2004, at 14:54:16
In reply to Effexor withdrawal 4 months since last tablet, posted by JohnHapkin on June 26, 2004, at 13:22:19
Dear John,
Just to clarify...you took 1(one) 37.5mg
tablet of Effexor 4 months ago?I have done alot of research on the bad side-effects of Effexor....but have never heard or read anywhere, that the symptoms you are describing can be attributed to 1(one)37.5 tablet
back in Febuary.I would advise seeking an accurate diagnosis of
your symptoms...my heart goes out to you, having to live like this.Something else is wrong...IMHO
Buckeye Fan
Posted by JohnHapkin on June 26, 2004, at 16:04:09
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal 4 months since last tablet, posted by Buckeye Fan on June 26, 2004, at 14:54:16
Yes, thats right I only took one tablet of effexor 37.5 mg. i dont if it was extended release or not. In about 20-40 minutes that same night, I began hearing a dazzling buzz in my ears, I could not sleep all that night and skipped college the next few days. The next day I felt horrible, I dont what it was. I was very irritated and felt like crazy. Then the days after, there were this same flu symptoms that people describe. I had vivid dreams. One weak I was sleeping like maybe for the full 12+ hours, other weeks I could not sleep at all. Then I bought benadryl to have atleasr some sleep. I was sleeping like 3 hours a day and when I woke up, I was not feeling tires but sort of enrgized. Then those horrible, teriffied brain zaps. I had them, maybe for 1-2 months maybe litte less dont rememember. I also experinced when going to sleep, like something is poking me with the needles from the inside + insomnia whch I countered with bendaryl. I was very hypersensitive to light (sometimes when going for a walk at night all the light were very bright to my eyes)and especially to sound and noise. I am still somewhat hypersensitive to sound, I hope it will evntually go away. I had those memory lapses, when i talked to my someone explaining somthing, while explaining I would forget what i talked about. I also experinced the depersonalization effect when looking at the mirror (asking my self is it me or someoneelse). When watching a movie for example matrix 2 i experinced those adrenalin rushes very often to the point when I just turned off tv to relax. I dont remember what else i experince.
And yes, again I took ONLY ONE TABLET OF EFFEXOR 37.5 and the rest I threw into the garbage the next day. It was stupid of me agreeing with the doctor to take antidepress in the first place and not knowing what an antidepressant really is. It was one day, I still dont feel like I felt before that horrible day. I though that antidepressant is a Relaxant and will help me sleep better at night I did not know it was an enrgizer that lasts i dont for how long. This the truth, I experinced all those effects maybe more that i dont remember now. Also while "withdrawal" I did not have a single thought some weeks, my mind was blank, while before my brain worked ok. Now i am able to have thoughts but dont remember how it was before that tablet. I still experince muscle tweatching, hypersensitivity to sound (which somewhat lessened but still there), rush of adrenaline (also lessened but still there), and sometimes problems with memory which i did not have before. By the way, i just remembered, i also had an eyelid twitching which was horrible. it was like one eyelid one week at time sometimes more. One week or 5-7 days I will have twitch in my left eye. Next week I will have a twitch in the right eye. The most interesting part that I have experienced is that these so called "withdrawal effects" work like one week you have one of the sideffects then the next week you have another one somtimes you have more than one at the time. I just wish I never had taken this horrible tablet. It was my stupidity that I listened to the doctor and was naive in believing him that i needed the antidepressant. I repeat again this is the TRUTH, ONLY ONE tablet, still have some sideeffects. I just hope that someday I will be back to normal again. I did not take any antideppressant before, like i said i did not even know what an antidepressants really are. i think this same docs should take thos antidepressant themselves and then prescribe them.
The most interesting part is the doc did not make any tests on my to see if i indeed had a lowe level of serotonin in my brain, he just thought that if i worry too much then i am depressed or anxious. And the stupid me belived him. I did not take any antidepressants since and not planning to. This is not something else and still is effects of this ONE effexor tablet. This als not a psycho-physiogical problem where I think that I have this particular effect an it happens. The muscle twitching are involuntary movements in the parts of my muscles. The adrenaline rush is also involuntary. So i cannot make it happen, it just happens on its own.
I took this tabet back in February, I still count the days and hope it will eventually go away. It was Feb 15, 4 + months since.
Posted by linkadge on June 26, 2004, at 17:48:20
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal 4 months since last tablet, posted by JohnHapkin on June 26, 2004, at 16:04:09
I had a horrible reaction to effexor. On my first dose, (37.5) my pulse rased up to over 120 bpm.
This is potent stuff, and if you're not depressed to begin with it can be a bad trip.
Doctors don't really know what they are dosing out.
Linkadge
Posted by Buckeye Fan on June 27, 2004, at 16:34:48
In reply to Effexor withdrawal 4 months since last tablet, posted by JohnHapkin on June 26, 2004, at 13:22:19
You wrote
"I am my self have some anxiety from time to time, depending on the various situations in my life.Back in January I injured my self while lifting weights. I went to a doctor to check if anything was wrong. I was worried that something serious happened instead it was just a muscle pull. I saw doc 3 times. Each time doc insisted that I should take antidepressant which will help me with my anxiety. I constantly refused, but on the third appointment not knowing what an antidepressant really is I agreed. The doc assured me to take effexor because its the "safest" and "least" toxic drug. I asked a doc a specific question "will there be any side effects or withdrawals, the doc told me non whatsoever. Thinking that antidepressant will RELAX me, I finally took one before going to sleep...was i wrong"....
*************************************************
John,
Many of us have also been mislead by the ignorance and/or carelessness of the Medical Association. This site alone is filled with stories if half-truths and ignorant decisions made by MD's& PD's.It would SEEM that your MD suspected that perhaps an underlying anxiety Problem needed treatment, in addition to your physical injury.
He or she may not have been correct in their decision to try and "push" an anti-depressant on you.
But it sounds like ( even tho the details are scketchy and I could be way off) he or she SUSPECTED that you had an unusual amount of anxiety...and decided to prescribe and anti-depressant.
It could be a case of wrong diagnosis and improper practice of medicine.
Or it could be that ANOTHER underlying condition was present...and that the muscle injury
served as a catalyst to bring that condition to the surface.In any event...I would like to default to Chemist on this...and ask if it is medically probable that a single dose of Effexor could have
4 month long side effects.Chemist...what say you?
Buckeye Fan
Posted by chemist on June 29, 2004, at 2:57:17
In reply to I believe You Too John...I default to Chemist, posted by Buckeye Fan on June 27, 2004, at 16:34:48
> You wrote
> "I am my self have some anxiety from time to time, depending on the various situations in my life.
>
> Back in January I injured my self while lifting weights. I went to a doctor to check if anything was wrong. I was worried that something serious happened instead it was just a muscle pull. I saw doc 3 times. Each time doc insisted that I should take antidepressant which will help me with my anxiety. I constantly refused, but on the third appointment not knowing what an antidepressant really is I agreed. The doc assured me to take effexor because its the "safest" and "least" toxic drug. I asked a doc a specific question "will there be any side effects or withdrawals, the doc told me non whatsoever. Thinking that antidepressant will RELAX me, I finally took one before going to sleep...was i wrong"....
> *************************************************
> John,
> Many of us have also been mislead by the ignorance and/or carelessness of the Medical Association. This site alone is filled with stories if half-truths and ignorant decisions made by MD's& PD's.
>
> It would SEEM that your MD suspected that perhaps an underlying anxiety Problem needed treatment, in addition to your physical injury.
> He or she may not have been correct in their decision to try and "push" an anti-depressant on you.
> But it sounds like ( even tho the details are scketchy and I could be way off) he or she SUSPECTED that you had an unusual amount of anxiety...and decided to prescribe and anti-depressant.
> It could be a case of wrong diagnosis and improper practice of medicine.
> Or it could be that ANOTHER underlying condition was present...and that the muscle injury
> served as a catalyst to bring that condition to the surface.
>
> In any event...I would like to default to Chemist on this...and ask if it is medically probable that a single dose of Effexor could have
> 4 month long side effects.
>
> Chemist...what say you?
>
> Buckeye Fan
>
>
>
hello there, chemist here...no way 4 months effexor side effects. my *opinion* is that you need a muscle relaxant (soma, perhpas) for a short time. ADs do not appear to be indicated in your case. can you please elaborate if you feel comfortable in doing so? all the best, chemist
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