Effexor

[amy682]

Hi, I am a manic depressant. Been on Effexor, despite my strong refusal in the beginning. I am taking 225 mg and have heard nothing but bad things. I'm also on Trazodone to help me sleep, and due to also suffering from Fibro, I've kinda been a prescription guinea pig. Since starting all these meds I've gained over 15 lbs. I hate the Effexor, which I told the psychiatrist I would, though I hate it for a different reason than the first time I took it. I told the doc that I was prescribed it when I was in the military due to my MANY episodes... meltdowns... etc. It made me a zombie then, no interest in sex, no interest in anything. Just sorta moved through day by day without doing or saying much. So when I said I was concerned when they prescribed it this time, they said due to my amount of anxiety and depression, it is the best med for me. This time I don't feel like I'm uninterested in sex or life, I am very much alive. So why the problem? Well, if I don't take the meds RIGHT around the same time every day, I am pretty much bed ridden. My head's throbbing, my fibro gets out of control, and it's just complete unacceptable. I tried to quit, cold turkey... I know, stupid. I actually freaked myself out by that and the desire to act out some of my morbid thoughts were in the forefront. Has anyone been on Effexor and gotten off of it? These withdrawals are unbelievable!

[akuji]

Hi, I am a manic depressant. Been on Effexor, despite my strong refusal in the beginning. I am taking 225 mg and have heard nothing but bad things. I'm also on Trazodone to help me sleep, and due to also suffering from Fibro, I've kinda been a prescription guinea pig. Since starting all these meds I've gained over 15 lbs. I hate the Effexor, which I told the psychiatrist I would, though I hate it for a different reason than the first time I took it. I told the doc that I was prescribed it when I was in the military due to my MANY episodes... meltdowns... etc. It made me a zombie then, no interest in sex, no interest in anything. Just sorta moved through day by day without doing or saying much. So when I said I was concerned when they prescribed it this time, they said due to my amount of anxiety and depression, it is the best med for me. This time I don't feel like I'm uninterested in sex or life, I am very much alive. So why the problem? Well, if I don't take the meds RIGHT around the same time every day, I am pretty much bed ridden. My head's throbbing, my fibro gets out of control, and it's just complete unacceptable. I tried to quit, cold turkey... I know, stupid. I actually freaked myself out by that and the desire to act out some of my morbid thoughts were in the forefront. Has anyone been on Effexor and gotten off of it? These withdrawals are unbelievable!

I was on Effexor a long time ago and it was a terrible drug to get off of and you have to do it slowly. If I am remembering correctly I think i had to reduce the dose a little at a time and then space out taking it every day to every other day then 3 time a week and so forth. If you don’t feel the medication is working for you then you should insist on trying something else. The answer may be in taking a combination of drugs to get the right effect. Don't give up and keep trying things until you find something that works. Unfortunately you won’t be able to get away from the side effects of these drugs and I have found I am experiencing effects that I didn’t have a year ago on the same drugs. You’re not the same person you were even a year ago mentally and physically. You have the right to feel better and you should work with your doctor to find the correct solution and feel better. The worst thing about depression is that you have to have a lot of patients and wait for things to start working. Many of the drugs take 3 to 4 to 6 weeks to start working and many people stop taking the drug because they don’t feel any different. You have to hang in there and give them time to work. If you have been on something for a year or more and don’t see any improvement then insist on trying or adding something else. It’s hard to get out of the dark hole of depression but you can get out. You’re not alone in your plight and you can become an inspiration to others so hang in there.

[Allon]

I was on effexor and a host of other drugs for fibro too. Zoloft actually gave me hallucinations. But I got off all of them and only take Ativan now as needed. I took trigger point shots, several treatments worked wonders. I did stay on trazodone for a while as I went off all the SSRI's.

Turns out I was likely misdiagnosed with fibro a recent doctor told me. It seems PTSD and fibro do have some similar characteristics. I will take the PTSD even though it is no picnic. They know more about fibro now than they did when I first manifested symptoms.

I was in a fibro group and I do empathize with you. It is a terrible thing to have. Coupled with bipolar, it must be awful. I do recommend a good counselor who is supportive. Going off these drugs is truly a mental thing as well as a physical one. There is a lot of help here.