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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 shlac on February 16, 2004, at 19:40:44
I'm going to try to be hourough without boring y'all to death... I'm getting quite desperate and could really use some advice! Quite frankly my Doctor is useless... he's extremely busy and I only see him for 15 minutes every three months...
I've been taking Effexor XR, 375, for around three years now and it has been an incredible help! But things are changing and I'm feeling trapped... I feel like the drug is going to have its way... lol, paranoia isn't my thing, but the addiction takes on a taking-over-the-universe element, if that makes sense.
So in the beginning, probably even the first year, if I missed a dose it was okay, if I ran out and stopped taking it for a while, no bad effects, except the returning depression of course... For the next year and a half to two years if I missed a dose the withdrawal effects began within hours! First sweating and nightmares (I've always taken it at night), very disoriented feeling the next day, excessive eating, after a couple days nausea... I've never gone more than 4 days, cause I think I'd probably rob a pharmacy before I would experience the hell of day 5!
So until fairly recently I'd pretty much accepted that I would always be on this medication... forever and ever. Oh well, no big deal, it's done wonders for me, and I really have no good reason to go off it.
Now though... for the last couple of months I've been having mild withdrawal symptoms constantly, even though I haven't missed taking it, furthermore the effectiveness has decreased significantly and the withdrawal-like symptoms are slowly getting worse!
What's going on? I've heard of meds losing their effectiveness, but withdrawals??? So, I'm becoming rather frantic about this, my dose is already high... but at the moment I'm planning to ask the doc to agree to increase it until I graduate in May (I can't afford to screw up my last semester for the second time!), then get off of it as quickly as possible if I have to be locked up to do so...
Anyway, if anyone else has had this happen, please let me know...
Posted by terrics on February 16, 2004, at 20:29:46
In reply to Heaven to hell (Effexor XR), posted by shlac on February 16, 2004, at 19:40:44
Try getting yourself through the school year any way you can, then find a new pdoc.
I have never heard of having withdrawl without discontinuing the med or at least decreasing the dose.
Good luck with school. terrics
Posted by Bill LL on February 17, 2004, at 7:54:18
In reply to Heaven to hell (Effexor XR), posted by shlac on February 16, 2004, at 19:40:44
Medications as a rule, do oftentimes lose effectiveness over time. Usually, a dose increase is all that is needed. Or the addition of a second drug. For example, a lot of people take either Wellbutrin or Remeron with Effexor. You should call your doc and discuss some options.
Posted by terrics on February 17, 2004, at 9:44:59
In reply to Re: Heaven to hell (Effexor XR), posted by Bill LL on February 17, 2004, at 7:54:18
Like Bill said wellbutrin can be added to the effexor. I find it helps keep me alert or at least awake. terrics
Posted by shadows721 on February 17, 2004, at 14:56:03
In reply to Heaven to hell (Effexor XR), posted by shlac on February 16, 2004, at 19:40:44
I wonder if you may need more Effexor to get the original effect you had in the beginning. This may be why you are having a protracted like withdrawal symptoms. It's just a gut feeling that I have on this situation.
Posted by Smeegle on September 8, 2004, at 23:41:53
In reply to Re: Heaven to hell (Effexor XR), posted by shadows721 on February 17, 2004, at 14:56:03
I am at 300 mg and have been on Effexor for over three years and I know exactly what you are talking about. At first it was great, but now I feel like a crack head. I panic when the bottle gets low. I get those awful side effects when I am late taking a dose even just a few hours late. And we are having to adjust my dose every couple of months (up, of course). I need to get off this ride. It's outta control.
This is the end of the thread.
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