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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by sickcheck on January 1, 2005, at 23:08:37
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I must be among the few who have had great success with effexor xr. My problem when on it long enough ( and seeing my Psych ) I fall to the belief I'm getting better and stop taking them. YOU GOT IT! Stopped. Not once but twice, cold turkey. Not a withdrawl at all. Considering I was (and not back on again) taking 225 mg per day. 2 in am & 1 in PM all @ 75 mg. Honestly folks. You are your best advocate on what does and what does not work. Been on Depekote & had the hellish feelings some have mentioned of Effexor. Bottom line is, YOU need to tell your Dr if you need to get on another med. If you need them, why deny it? But don't trust the MD or PHD behind their names to know better than you on the effects. KNOW THYSELF
Posted by twilson on January 2, 2005, at 6:11:37
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by sickcheck on January 1, 2005, at 23:09:02
Actually, a couple things...
1 - My wife just started taking this for anxiety/stress/depression/helplessness & it is working well for her so far. Major side effect for her is difficulty in achieving orgasm. Is there any meds that any female here has had success with for similar conditions that has not lowered their sex drive & ability to orgasm?
2 - I was physically abused as a child from infancy until ~7 years old. It was a pretty extreme case, our dad putting cigarettes out on our mom & shootouts with cops/hostage situation. Been to shrinks before, they put me on st. john's wart & gaba gaba?? i think it was. Didn't do anything for me. I am now 23 years old, have most things under control, but still have problems controlling anger. I get 'weird' around large groups of people or around people that make me uncomfortable. I rarely get angry anymore, but when I do(~5x-10x a year), it is an uncontrollable rage that I'm aware of, but can't do anything to get it to go away. I'll say & do stuff that I regret later. I just have to wait it out - usually 20 to 30 minutes, which a lot can happen in 20 to 30 minutes. Anyone here have suggestions for medication/s to go on or good experience w/ similar history?
~thanks
Posted by jubilee on January 2, 2005, at 12:03:35
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? -t » sickcheck, posted by twilson on January 2, 2005, at 6:11:37
Well just lately I had my first orgasm in 4 years, kind of accedently, and go ahaead and laugh. effexor also made it too painful to have intercours , and how it does that I dont know.
Yes , it is a good antidepressant, but not worth the price you pay.
What to talk about anger. Well I am a christian and in withdrawal I have had to deal with everything I can do not to say the Lords name in vien after 4 years on effexor . I believe it is a dmonic drug and by the way I just want to thank Dr Bob and the site he put here for us to share the insanity of living on it and worse of all the withdrawal and will these anger attacks ever leave.? I necer thought I would ever have to take Xanex, but it is all that gets me through the attacks or I would be tearing my trailer up.
Do you want to go there my friend ,.. I suggest your wife getting off asap. I have gone through the death of a son in Feb, he was 27 and healing completely finally from Multiple Personality and I have no personalities i can switch to when I am out tolunch. Just me and God now. Forgiveness is how I healed from that if anybody is interested.
Forgiveness is the great healer but you must be willing to get pissed off to reach the forgiveness. I mean I want them to burn in hell God. He knows how you really feel . Make a list of 500 offenders like I di and then take a few months hating and then forgiving through the power of the Holy Spirit. I just wanted to share a healing proces that keeps me out of depresion. What strarted my healing 2 years ago ( I had 21 personalities) was tithing to christin TV. Cant go wrong with that "ground" Well I know I have said some strange things here today , but I believe on working on issues and not taking pills . I was under bondage to suisidal depression for 19 years and I took effexor to l;oose wieght . Yea , also lost my vision and my memory and the ability to sleep and became selfcenteredly hyper manic al side affects of effexor. Go to the petition on line
try: "" http://wwwpetitiononline.com/effexor/""
without parenthisis of course.
This week , my first whole week off effexor after comming down for 5 months I went 3 days without loosing control of my anger and I am not normally a person with an anger prblem . I have gotton so much support , thank you all. Hope I helped someone today. God Bless Jubilee
Posted by jubilee on January 2, 2005, at 12:11:21
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? -t, posted by jubilee on January 2, 2005, at 12:03:35
Whoops I meant 50 offenders and that was hard enough , but I heard this pastor teaching on how to breakthrough forgive rather than re forgiving over and over like I did for years. (which keeps you sick and depressed which is what depression is about, suppressed anger. ) Panic attacks came up for me in AA and I got on Inderal , and then those old men that reninded me of my molesters didnt bother me anymore. Can't forget the time spend on my knees helped mostly, Jubilee
Posted by FaithT on January 2, 2005, at 13:23:02
In reply to whoops , I meant 50 offenders!!, posted by jubilee on January 2, 2005, at 12:11:21
If you read my posts above, you will see that I have only benefited from this drug. Again, the withdrawl was crappy, but after 1 1/2 years on the drug, I did it.
Due to my circumstances however, I slipped back into that black hole, and Effexor is the only drug that keeps me getting up in the morning, and face my fears. I am GRATEFUL for this drug, and would never sign a petition against it.
I'm confused....Is this a sight for people that only hate Effexor? Let me tell you guys, there are other drugs out there that are no picnic either. I would be devastated if Effexor was ever taken off the market in my lifetime, and I bet alot of other people would as well. I don't know why they're not speaking out.
Every circumstance is different and you cannot lump everyone into one catagory. Some people like me, facing cancer or other illneses, need this drug to function. It seems that posters on this sight are repeatedly posting the same side effects over and over again, and scaring people. That in my opinion is wrong. We all have to make educated choices, and be our own advocates. If your clinical depression is severe, Effexor may be a life saver. I would honestly worry about the withwrawl, when and if that time comes. If the medicine works for you, then be grateful and "live'!
Faith~
Posted by dancingstar on January 2, 2005, at 13:56:03
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by FaithT on January 2, 2005, at 13:23:02
...but just for the record, if anyone does want to complain about the drug and get the most mileage out of their gripe, this is the correct link. The petition is nice and informative but won't do as much good.
https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/
People do an online search when they get sick and want to know what is happening to them. Often they wind up here. That's what I did. And I thank Dr. Bob for having his site available so that we can figure out what was going on with our bodies when this happened by sharing information with each other.
I didn't know, Faith, that it took you a year and a half to fully recover the last time you stopped taking Effexor. To me that is a long time. I understand that there are some circumstances that make even that length of time tolerable, but it isn't to me. Wyeth told my doctor that there were no side effects at the time I began to take this drug. That is the furthest thing from the truth. I wasn't depressed and never took it for depression. Patients are being given Effexor/XR for all kinds of problems today, the least of which is serious depression if it is one of the four most common drugs prescribed because most people are not seeing pdoctors. That means that lots of people could possibly be innocently harmed by taking Effexor. You are taking it with your full knowledge of all of the potential harmful reactions that it causes and your explicit consent unlike many of us. There is a huge difference.
Blessings,
Bebe
Posted by KaraS on January 2, 2005, at 14:04:32
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by FaithT on January 2, 2005, at 13:23:02
There are others here who have spoken out and said they have/had a positive experience on Effexor. I am one of them. I only had a partial response to Effexor but it was better than most other meds for me. I wouldn't hesitate to go back on it. Unfortunately, the withdrawal process can be difficult if not done correctly (and maybe even if done correctly) and people need a forum to vent about that and get support going through it. Like anything else in life, you hear more about things when people aren't happy than you do when they're content. It doesn't specifically mean that this site hates Effexor - though it could easily give that impression.
Posted by eeyorena on January 2, 2005, at 14:16:50
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by FaithT on January 2, 2005, at 13:23:02
Faith--
I'm very glad that Effexor works for you. And I'm also very glad that you are getting what you need to survive cancer.
My sister had cancer and depression. I have severe clinical depression and have been hospitalized for it.
I think a lot of the anger around Effexor has to do with the complete lack of information around its risks as well as its rewards. Until Wyeth VERY recently was goaded into publishing the information that they had about withdrawal and so forth, there was nothing. In fact, there was worse than nothing. There was denial.
And for people who have fought very hard to get treated for a condition that others may not be able to "see" in blood test results or on an Xray, this is a very devestating experience. You are sick AND have to convince medical providers that you aren't "imagining things." It's a nightmare. It was for me. Luckily, there is a little part of me that is cantankerous and stubborn even when I am very sick. And, also lucky, I have had the same very good medical providers for a decade. They know me very well. Many others don't have that luxury.
So I believe that the anger you are reading about is directed at Wyeth and how, since they held back important information about this drug, they took something very important away from patients. They took away "choice." We couldn't choose to take a risk. We were told that there were no risks. Even after we raised concerns.
Take care--
Eeyorena
http://happynothappy.blogspot.com
Posted by dancingstar on January 2, 2005, at 14:31:45
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by eeyorena on January 2, 2005, at 14:16:50
...just want to add that I loved the blog. You made me laugh. It's always been my experience that guys appear from out of nowhere when I'm at my most unattractive and never when I am put together and think I look half decent. Must be some unwritten law of nature.
Posted by KaraS on January 2, 2005, at 15:15:11
In reply to I agree and... » eeyorena, posted by dancingstar on January 2, 2005, at 14:31:45
I also should have added something about Wyeth's not providing the information that they should have regarding Effexor in my previous post. I agree completely that people should have the all of the facts and be able to make an informed decision. Though my experience was mostly positive with Effexor, I understand why other people are angry - and I would be too had I had their experiences. I too want the drug companies to be held more responsible but I don't want to see Effexor removed from the market. It's an option I want to keep.
k
Posted by dancingstar on January 2, 2005, at 15:34:23
In reply to Re: I agree and..., posted by KaraS on January 2, 2005, at 15:15:11
Even I am not saying that it should be completely removed from the market...now that I am thinking more clearly after three months of withdrawal hell.
I just want it severely limited and not offered as a panacea for the symptoms of mild depression, menopause, a broken heart, bad weather, lost job, bad grades, even the death of a loved one. You better be physically depressed and know what you are getting yourself into, know each and every possible side effect and maybe even have to sign something acknowledgeing that you know what the side effects are before taking Effexor.
Posted by corafree on January 2, 2005, at 17:13:03
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by FaithT on January 2, 2005, at 13:23:02
I am on Eff-XR and doing 'fine'; it suppresses my emotions a bit much sometimes, but then if my emotions right now were not suppressed, I'd prob' be dead. Some day I would like to change to a lesser AD, maybe Elavil, ya' know 'maybe the old things were the best things', but that is only because I think Eff-XR may be effecting my brain chemistry. I am not emotionally or financially stable enough to change to diff' AD or stop taking one currently. You are not alone in being grateful for it ... it is really the only one that has worked for me; tried pretty much them all. Way back, tried Elavil, but didn't give it a chance. Just a thought. The withdrawal info is here for those to 'prepare' whether or not their withdrawal is bad or not; others are able to use alternative therapy; there is prob' quite a bit of concern over changing brain chemistry too, but individual depth of depression is a factor. love your name, cf
Posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:06:06
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR...yes.(long), posted by dancingstar on December 30, 2004, at 22:39:38
Bebe, not everyone gets all the symptoms and if they do get some, they usually go away after your body adjusts. BUT with some people they dont, which means its not the right medication for that person. Renee
Posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:10:52
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR...yes.(long), posted by FaithT on December 31, 2004, at 0:54:37
Hi Faith~ My insurance wont allow my gp treat depression/anxiety or any "mental health" disorder either. So thats one reason why I went a psychiatrist and my older sister made a good point anyways, they are the ones who are the most knowledgable in "mental health" and those types of medications. I have been on effexor for about 2- 2 1/2 years, prior to that paxil for about 1 1/2 years. I liked effexor better than paxil. Renee
Posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:21:04
In reply to Doctors are not all negligent..., posted by eeyorena on January 1, 2005, at 22:05:08
Bebe and others who have had a hard time with Effexor......I hope you dont think that I dont believe your experiences, just because I havent had the same. I feel for all of you who have suffered and I am glad for others who havent suffered from the same medication. Renee
Posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:23:00
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by sickcheck on January 1, 2005, at 23:08:37
sickcheck, well said. Renee
Posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:38:48
In reply to Re: I agree and..., posted by dancingstar on January 2, 2005, at 15:34:23
Bebe, if the drug company provides information that they have, then the doctors should be the ones to decide what it should be prescribe for and to who. I do agree that ALL drug companies should be held responsible for the meds they put out on the market and the docs who prescirbe it should be familiar enough with it to prescibe it. I wouldnt sign a petition to limit a drug to certain problems, I would sign a petition to hold drug companies responsible for ALL information and better/longer research. But as previously posted, alot of the medical industry (the world) is driven by money. So that inevitabley puts alot of responsibility on the patient and/or consumer. IF I had your experience of not having the choice, no listing of side effects and was misadvised, I too would make it known. Just my 2 cents! Renee
Posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:48:15
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! » FaithT, posted by corafree on January 2, 2005, at 17:13:03
Faith, I too had the impression is was a site for those who "hated effexor". But I chose to keep posting my experience because I sure want anyone who falls upon this site to get boths views.
UPDATE for past few days of tapering off:
Day 6 = 112.50 thurs
Day 7 = 112.50 fri
Day 8 = 112.50 sat
Day 9 = 75mg Sunday - TodayStill same slight withdraw symptoms as mentioned previously, nothing that brings me down or causes me to not function or live my life, so far. I will tell you that I havent had 1 MIGRANE since tapering off and that was a HUGE side effect for me. I dont regret taking effexor, it did what I needed it to do for the time I needed it.
As for not having orgasm, for me the higher the dose, the harder it was. May I suggest "vigel" for any girl who needs help acheiving one. Renee
Posted by FaithT on January 3, 2005, at 7:15:18
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:48:15
Dear Renee~
I'm glad that you had a good experience while on Effexor, and I wish you good results while tapering down.
I was able to taper off the drug, after being on it for a year and a half. I did go back on it, but it wasn't becuase of the withdrawl symptoms...it was because I found out that I need to stay on it, after my depression returned with a vengence.
It works for me, and without it, I'm a blubbering idiot that sits and cries all day. Prior to my Melanoma diagnosis, I had no history what so ever of depression, but at 33, with a one year old baby, my world was turned upside down...Effexor allows me to function, despite my fears, and that's a miracle.
As far as the withdrawl, the one time that I did it...It is hard once you take the very last pill. I was fine tapering down, but I had the brain zaps and insomnia that everybody gets. It passed after about 3 weeks or so. Then,I was fine, until the depression came back..
Just go very slowly, and do it along with your psychiatrist to help. I wish you only the best.
Faith~
> Faith, I too had the impression is was a site for those who "hated effexor". But I chose to keep posting my experience because I sure want anyone who falls upon this site to get boths views.
>
> UPDATE for past few days of tapering off:
> Day 6 = 112.50 thurs
> Day 7 = 112.50 fri
> Day 8 = 112.50 sat
> Day 9 = 75mg Sunday - Today
>
> Still same slight withdraw symptoms as mentioned previously, nothing that brings me down or causes me to not function or live my life, so far. I will tell you that I havent had 1 MIGRANE since tapering off and that was a HUGE side effect for me. I dont regret taking effexor, it did what I needed it to do for the time I needed it.
>
> As for not having orgasm, for me the higher the dose, the harder it was. May I suggest "vigel" for any girl who needs help acheiving one. Renee
>
Posted by FaithT on January 3, 2005, at 7:29:36
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! » FaithT, posted by KaraS on January 2, 2005, at 14:04:32
Dear Kara~
I totally agree about what you said. I did experience the Effexor withdrawl myself. I had been on the drug for over a year, and because I felt so great, I thought I could function through my fears. So, with my psych.,I weaned off very slowly. I know that the withdrawl is difficult..more difficult for some. I don't know, maybe the key thing here, is having a good Dr. to support you?
My Dr.is the best, but even he didn't tell me about any of the bad stuff, before I went on Effexor. I don't blame him though, and to be honest when you're in such a deep, dark place...you'll do anything to feel better. Still, people do have a right to know, so it's good that Wyeth now has it in the literature.
I had to go back on Effexor after about 2 months, because I slipped right back down into major clinical depression. I'll be on it for as long as I am on this earth..and I hope that's for a long time.
Faith~
Posted by FaithT on January 3, 2005, at 7:38:23
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, posted by eeyorena on January 2, 2005, at 14:16:50
Dear Eeyeoena~
I'm so sorry about your sister's cancer and depression, and also about your experience. I can relate to being hospitalized...I was very close, and if I didn't have one year old little boy, I would have gone myself.
As I said to Kara, I do agree with what you guys are saying. I'm glad that there is info. in the literature now about the withdrawl syndrome etc. As with any drug, you certainly should be made aware of all side effects.
Best wishes to you.
Faith~
Posted by FaithT on January 3, 2005, at 7:47:55
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR...yes.(long) » FaithT, posted by dancingstar on December 30, 2004, at 13:33:46
Dear Bebe~
Thank you for what you said and for your prayers.
I hope that you begin to feel better, and I can understand your frustration.
I think that anyone who is prescribed any type of psychiatic meds., should be seen by a psychiatrist...and a good one. Maybe that's part of the problem with alot of the frustration regarding this drug? I truly beleive that patients need to be seeing a Dr. who is going to moniter them very closly, and a g.p. isn't the one to do that.
My best wishes to you,
Faith~
Posted by dancingstar on January 3, 2005, at 8:23:01
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! » KaraS, posted by FaithT on January 3, 2005, at 7:29:36
Of course, my contention is that the reason that it allows you to get through that deep dark place is because the drug is doing neurological damage, perhaps irreparable, a risk other people may not be willing to take, and data that Wyeth may not be willing to release, certainly something the drug reps aren't willing to talk about.
That's why I was willing to smile while I slept through my business going down the tubes. Gee, isn't life grand? I'm so happy!!!!!! Not!
Posted by dancingstar on January 3, 2005, at 8:33:07
In reply to Re: I agree and..., posted by not2late4u on January 3, 2005, at 0:38:48
Renee,
The information wasn't available to any of us as we've said many time. While it is currenlty available to some degree, many of the side effects are still not mentioned, more likely some of the most serious and obvious and common, like the neurological damage. I cannot tell you how many people have written to me having lost their jobs because their fatigue was so bad that they couldn't stay awake. I am willing to bet that Wyeth has to this day significantly under-reported all figures regarding the side effects, as I believe they still record withdrawal problems at something like 2 percent...and anyone here is likely to disagree with that number.
I don't think that their business practices as Wyeth is any more ethical now than it was as American Home Products when they were manufacturing Phen-Phen and trying to pass that off as safe.
Posted by FaithT on January 3, 2005, at 9:22:03
In reply to Re: I AM GRATEFUL for Effexor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! » FaithT, posted by dancingstar on January 3, 2005, at 8:23:01
Woah...The original question from this link is "Did anyone have success on Effexor XR?" I found it accidentally, while searching for "Patients with Cancer on Effexor". I decided to reply, based on the fact that I have had success with the drug, twice.
Do you have scientific proof of that accusation ,that specifically "Effexor" does neurological damage? Don't you think that an accusation like that, is a bit unfair to people who are deperate and in clinical depression, and prescribed Effexor? Suppose I read your post 2 1/2 years ago, and stayed in that black hole, because you scared me so badly, by your post?
If you research pub-med or sights like that one, you can find articles stating that studies have been done on long term usage of "many" anti-depressants and psychiatric meds. You'll find studies showing every thing from brain shrinkage to liver damage, if you want to read through them.
That doesn't mean that every person taking these drugs is going to have those effects. You mentioned the figure 2% of the population having problems from Effexor as being inaccurate, in your other post. It may be slightly higher than 2%, that have side effects, but you don't factually know that anymore than I do. Out of all the millions of people currently taking Effexor, and who have happily taken it for years, they are obviously not going to be making the statements that you are. You have a right to your opinion, however I feel that your reply to the original question is very extreme, based on your unfortunate experience on this drug. I do see that there are many here who have had bad withdrawl from it, and others who share your symptoms. I am very sorry about that,and as I stated before I did withdrawl from it myself, that one time. I know what the withdrawl is like. However, it's unfair to sway someone not to try the drug, when they are asking a completely different question and possibly in severe need of it.
Best wishes to you in your recovery,
Faith~
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