Luckyv2.....none of us "like" the idea of being on anti-d's its just something we have to suck up and do. I look at it like this.....if I had a heart condition like my friend does, i would have to take meds for that for the rest of my life right? Depression is no different, except not everyone has to take them forever.
As for the Effexor....if you are only on a dose of 75 mg....that is a pretty low dose. The typical maximum dosage for Effexor is 300 mg (and sometimes a few docs will go higher, but not often). You should first ask your doc to bump up your dosage to give you the extra coverage while you are undergoing these liver treatments. Once they are over with, you can always bring the level of your anti-d back down. Also, if your doc continues to bump you up and you are still experiencing deep depression, you might ask him to add a second anti-d to the mix. I am doing quite well on 150 mg of Effexor and 300 mg of Wellbutrin.
Hang in there and just do what you need to do to feel better.....taking meds (or anti-depressants) is not a sign of weakness....remember that.
Hugs,
Jenna