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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Hannah_LouLou on October 4, 2004, at 15:21:21
Hey everyone
Just looking around on the internet for information on effexor and I was delighted to come across this site. Everyone seems so helpful and supportive.
I am 22 years old and a university student, and before last year I didn't really have any experience with depression. I'm not really sure where things went wrong... I had a really great childhood and no major problems in high school and always considered myself to be very well-adjusted. Maybe it was the stress of living on my own away from my support systems ... I'm not quite sure. But basically last year I had a nervous breakdown. I had to leave school for a month and go home. I was having really bad anxiety problems, and then I pretty much fell into a bad depression from there. It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through... it was completely overwhelming because I felt as though I was being swallowed up by it. I was constantly crying, having the darkest thoughts imaginable, I wanted to kill myself... it was bad. I could go through it all with you now but really, it's just an awful story. There is a history of depression on my dad's side and he's been through it before so it was great to have his support -- actually I don't think I could have gotten through it without him. He took me to a doctor who put me on effexor. I wasn't on a very high dose but i felt the relief within two weeks. This was in October/November of last year. It all happened so fast.
After a while, I felt so much better and back to normal that I felt like I really didn't need to be on the medication anymore, so I weaned off in February. For a few months i was fine. Then in the summer, I started feeling a few twinges of anxiety and depression again, and I tried to shake it off. I wanted to learn how to cope without the drugs. but then in August, things kind of swelled up again and I had another nervous breakdown. I didn't feel as bad as i did before at all, but I didn't feel good either. So i went back on the effexor. Right now I'm on the 75 dose, which i know is not a large dose but that's the dose I was on before as well.
Now it's October and I'm feeling okay, but the thing is, I still don't feel like my normal self. It worked so fast before, and i just don't feel like it's working so well for me. Should I up my dosage or maybe considering switching to something else? Is it harder for it to work the second time around?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your time.
Posted by Mike634 on October 4, 2004, at 17:15:31
In reply to Starting up again on Effexor, posted by Hannah_LouLou on October 4, 2004, at 15:21:21
Hi there,
I was 21 and in school when I came down with depression (actually bipolar but mostly depression) things got better on lithium and depakote and I finished my degree but fell into another depression a year later after I weaned myself off. Effexor cured my of that one- but I weaned myself off again and yes, once again came down with bipolar depression - effexor hasnt worked very well this time, so dont feel alone.You have lots of options with antidepressents (a new one called cymbalta just came out) but I think its common for the meds to not work as well as they get used again and again. The best thing to learn is to be carefull about weaning yourself off meds- especially without a doctor. Hope that helps---
Posted by jdawg on October 5, 2004, at 18:06:23
In reply to Starting up again on Effexor, posted by Hannah_LouLou on October 4, 2004, at 15:21:21
You can try increasing your Effexor dose -- 150 mg/day is standard. Some take more depending on symptoms and side effects.
I think you should be fairly aggressive about treating your relapse. We know that depression when not treated (or inadequately treated) gets worse over time.
> Hey everyone
>
> Just looking around on the internet for information on effexor and I was delighted to come across this site. Everyone seems so helpful and supportive.
>
> I am 22 years old and a university student, and before last year I didn't really have any experience with depression. I'm not really sure where things went wrong... I had a really great childhood and no major problems in high school and always considered myself to be very well-adjusted. Maybe it was the stress of living on my own away from my support systems ... I'm not quite sure. But basically last year I had a nervous breakdown. I had to leave school for a month and go home. I was having really bad anxiety problems, and then I pretty much fell into a bad depression from there. It was the hardest thing I have ever gone through... it was completely overwhelming because I felt as though I was being swallowed up by it. I was constantly crying, having the darkest thoughts imaginable, I wanted to kill myself... it was bad. I could go through it all with you now but really, it's just an awful story. There is a history of depression on my dad's side and he's been through it before so it was great to have his support -- actually I don't think I could have gotten through it without him. He took me to a doctor who put me on effexor. I wasn't on a very high dose but i felt the relief within two weeks. This was in October/November of last year. It all happened so fast.
>
> After a while, I felt so much better and back to normal that I felt like I really didn't need to be on the medication anymore, so I weaned off in February. For a few months i was fine. Then in the summer, I started feeling a few twinges of anxiety and depression again, and I tried to shake it off. I wanted to learn how to cope without the drugs. but then in August, things kind of swelled up again and I had another nervous breakdown. I didn't feel as bad as i did before at all, but I didn't feel good either. So i went back on the effexor. Right now I'm on the 75 dose, which i know is not a large dose but that's the dose I was on before as well.
>
> Now it's October and I'm feeling okay, but the thing is, I still don't feel like my normal self. It worked so fast before, and i just don't feel like it's working so well for me. Should I up my dosage or maybe considering switching to something else? Is it harder for it to work the second time around?
>
> Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much for your time.
This is the end of the thread.
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