Effexor
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Join Date: Feb 2008
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Effexor
I stopped taking Effexor two months ago. I was given it for anxiety (I live in NY City and had a hard time going into the subways after 9-11, I needed to work so I opted for something that I thought would help me.) .... and it was the worst thing that could ever happen to me. I became suicidal, something that has never crossed my mind before.... I really could not take it... So I took myself off it slowly and went thought the horrible withdrawals.... NOW... two months later, I am so utterly depressed. I never felt this way... I am worried that the Effexor has done damage to my system. (I was on it for 2 years, the doctors kept increasing my does and making all different combinations of drugs.) I am so scared to go to a doctor, because I really can't take this medication solution.... has anyone felt this way coming off Effexor? Will I ever feel normal?
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: My House
Posts: 1,122
Can you try a different doctor? I have this issue with doctors where I have a hard time going to them when I know that I have not done all that they wanted me to do. But then one of my doctors plainly told me one day that I shouldn't ever be afraid to tell my doctors exactly what is going on and exactly how I feel, because doctors are used to patients relapsing and are getting paid pretty good money to help us through said relapse. But if you cannot go back to the same doctor, maybe you could try another one? Either way, someone needs to know that you did not like the Effexor. If not a medical doctor, what about a psychiatrist?
To Life!
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 9,293
CBT is often effective for anxiety. It's cognitive behavioral therapy which helps you challange the source of ill founded thoughts that lead to fears. Too bad that the doc didn't have you see a counselor first.
Then, there's mind/body techniques that you can try. Mind/body breathing exercises, physical exercise, yoga, tai chi, self-hypnosis, meditation, and biofeedback are just some of the stress reduction techniques used for anxiety. Try different techniques and determine which routine you can stick to with your schedule.
Aromatherapy is supposed to help too. Decaf tea is soothing. I use it nightly to calm down before bedtime.
There are different herbs you can research on the net. But, you must use caution, cuz, they can interfer with meds prescribed by your doc.
Oh, and for a much more benign anxiety medication, that was effective for me, try BuSpar. I wish you the best. Please let us know how you're doing.
Shalom!
Then, there's mind/body techniques that you can try. Mind/body breathing exercises, physical exercise, yoga, tai chi, self-hypnosis, meditation, and biofeedback are just some of the stress reduction techniques used for anxiety. Try different techniques and determine which routine you can stick to with your schedule.
Aromatherapy is supposed to help too. Decaf tea is soothing. I use it nightly to calm down before bedtime.
There are different herbs you can research on the net. But, you must use caution, cuz, they can interfer with meds prescribed by your doc.
Oh, and for a much more benign anxiety medication, that was effective for me, try BuSpar. I wish you the best. Please let us know how you're doing.
Shalom!
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 123
I agree with History teacher
Cbt is really great for treating and managing your anxiety. I had to take all kinds of meds the past few years for my anxiety and depression after sobriety, and I hated all the side effects. Finally my new doctor recommended joining a cbt group and over the course of just 16-weeks I was enabled to take the upper hand on my anxieties. You have to work on the coping skills exercises in between sessions if you want it to work. I do the TEA form exercise from the cbt book by sam obitz everyday to keep on top of my anxieties and they really keep you focussed and energized.
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: With any luck, I'm lost in a view finder
Posts: 2,954
some anti-depressants have been shown to increase suicidality in some, but usually it's in people under 24...and tends to help with suicidal thoughts in those over 65. So basically...people our age (early 30s) shouldn't have many issues with this, but that doesn't mean some of us still don't.
I've been on Effexor for several years now. As far as i know, it's been good for me (other than those horrid withdraw symptoms when I've forgotten it or missed a dose or 2 for some other reason). However, it appears my pdoc doesn't think it's continuing to help me so starting today....i'll be weening off it.
POINT #1: make absolutely certain you are seeing a psychiatrist for any kind of perscriptions about mental health issues. I don't even trust 1/2 of THEM to know what they are doing or paying attention to....and there is certainly NO WAY I'd trust a general physican to have a clue about how to treat my mental illnesses.
POINT #2: Since it's only been 2 months that you've been off of it...i'd give it some more time. I don't think Effexor can or would cause any damage or anything like that, but I'd suggest asking your psychiatrist about it. Ask why he/she might think the depression has become a new issue...
POINT #3: My first guess about what might be going on? Well, it is VERY possible that you had been having depression issues before starting on the meds, and so now that you've seen the "non-depressed" vision of life....it now seems like night and day. It is highly possible that you were triggered into the beginnings of depression by the 9/11 events and that the most diffulct symptom at the time was the anxieties you mentioned. That depression might have slowly worsened, and therefore wasn't very noticible life changes. So....it's possible that the depressions chains have been removed (by stopping te Effexor) and now it is showing it's ugly face to you through your current eyes, which have seen what life is suppose to look like and feel like without the holds of our depressions.
Just theroy.
POINT #3: Don't be scared to go to a psychiatrist!! You have to remember that they are not perfect, nor are they mental health gods that we sould listen to without question. It has taken me seeing about 10 different ones, over the past several years, for me to FINALLY knows what he's doing and is a great fit for me.
That doesn't mean I don't question a lot of things he suggests or says might be good for me. I ask "why" and I often say "I don't understand what this med is for that you are wanting me to try'/"
Anyway, asking questions about meds prescripbed, motivations and self-reservasions os leu tp helping yourself.
I hope at least some of that makes sense...i'm literally falling assleep sitting up so if some or none of that makes any sense....i appologize.
Cheers,
jenna
I've been on Effexor for several years now. As far as i know, it's been good for me (other than those horrid withdraw symptoms when I've forgotten it or missed a dose or 2 for some other reason). However, it appears my pdoc doesn't think it's continuing to help me so starting today....i'll be weening off it.
POINT #1: make absolutely certain you are seeing a psychiatrist for any kind of perscriptions about mental health issues. I don't even trust 1/2 of THEM to know what they are doing or paying attention to....and there is certainly NO WAY I'd trust a general physican to have a clue about how to treat my mental illnesses.
POINT #2: Since it's only been 2 months that you've been off of it...i'd give it some more time. I don't think Effexor can or would cause any damage or anything like that, but I'd suggest asking your psychiatrist about it. Ask why he/she might think the depression has become a new issue...
POINT #3: My first guess about what might be going on? Well, it is VERY possible that you had been having depression issues before starting on the meds, and so now that you've seen the "non-depressed" vision of life....it now seems like night and day. It is highly possible that you were triggered into the beginnings of depression by the 9/11 events and that the most diffulct symptom at the time was the anxieties you mentioned. That depression might have slowly worsened, and therefore wasn't very noticible life changes. So....it's possible that the depressions chains have been removed (by stopping te Effexor) and now it is showing it's ugly face to you through your current eyes, which have seen what life is suppose to look like and feel like without the holds of our depressions.
Just theroy.
POINT #3: Don't be scared to go to a psychiatrist!! You have to remember that they are not perfect, nor are they mental health gods that we sould listen to without question. It has taken me seeing about 10 different ones, over the past several years, for me to FINALLY knows what he's doing and is a great fit for me.
That doesn't mean I don't question a lot of things he suggests or says might be good for me. I ask "why" and I often say "I don't understand what this med is for that you are wanting me to try'/"
Anyway, asking questions about meds prescripbed, motivations and self-reservasions os leu tp helping yourself.
I hope at least some of that makes sense...i'm literally falling assleep sitting up so if some or none of that makes any sense....i appologize.
Cheers,
jenna
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 456
WOW!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Originally Posted by shutterbug 
some anti-depressants have been shown to increase suicidality in some, but usually it's in people under 24...and tends to help with suicidal thoughts in those over 65. So basically...people our age (early 30s) shouldn't have many issues with this, but that doesn't mean some of us still don't.
I've been on Effexor for several years now. As far as i know, it's been good for me (other than those horrid withdraw symptoms when I've forgotten it or missed a dose or 2 for some other reason). However, it appears my pdoc doesn't think it's continuing to help me so starting today....i'll be weening off it.
POINT #1: make absolutely certain you are seeing a psychiatrist for any kind of perscriptions about mental health issues. I don't even trust 1/2 of THEM to know what they are doing or paying attention to....and there is certainly NO WAY I'd trust a general physican to have a clue about how to treat my mental illnesses.
POINT #2: Since it's only been 2 months that you've been off of it...i'd give it some more time. I don't think Effexor can or would cause any damage or anything like that, but I'd suggest asking your psychiatrist about it. Ask why he/she might think the depression has become a new issue...
POINT #3: My first guess about what might be going on? Well, it is VERY possible that you had been having depression issues before starting on the meds, and so now that you've seen the "non-depressed" vision of life....it now seems like night and day. It is highly possible that you were triggered into the beginnings of depression by the 9/11 events and that the most diffulct symptom at the time was the anxieties you mentioned. That depression might have slowly worsened, and therefore wasn't very noticible life changes. So....it's possible that the depressions chains have been removed (by stopping te Effexor) and now it is showing it's ugly face to you through your current eyes, which have seen what life is suppose to look like and feel like without the holds of our depressions.
Just theroy.
POINT #3: Don't be scared to go to a psychiatrist!! You have to remember that they are not perfect, nor are they mental health gods that we sould listen to without question. It has taken me seeing about 10 different ones, over the past several years, for me to FINALLY knows what he's doing and is a great fit for me.
That doesn't mean I don't question a lot of things he suggests or says might be good for me. I ask "why" and I often say "I don't understand what this med is for that you are wanting me to try'/"
Anyway, asking questions about meds prescripbed, motivations and self-reservasions os leu tp helping yourself.
I hope at least some of that makes sense...i'm literally falling assleep sitting up so if some or none of that makes any sense....i appologize.
Cheers,
jenna
I've been on Effexor for several years now. As far as i know, it's been good for me (other than those horrid withdraw symptoms when I've forgotten it or missed a dose or 2 for some other reason). However, it appears my pdoc doesn't think it's continuing to help me so starting today....i'll be weening off it.
POINT #1: make absolutely certain you are seeing a psychiatrist for any kind of perscriptions about mental health issues. I don't even trust 1/2 of THEM to know what they are doing or paying attention to....and there is certainly NO WAY I'd trust a general physican to have a clue about how to treat my mental illnesses.
POINT #2: Since it's only been 2 months that you've been off of it...i'd give it some more time. I don't think Effexor can or would cause any damage or anything like that, but I'd suggest asking your psychiatrist about it. Ask why he/she might think the depression has become a new issue...
POINT #3: My first guess about what might be going on? Well, it is VERY possible that you had been having depression issues before starting on the meds, and so now that you've seen the "non-depressed" vision of life....it now seems like night and day. It is highly possible that you were triggered into the beginnings of depression by the 9/11 events and that the most diffulct symptom at the time was the anxieties you mentioned. That depression might have slowly worsened, and therefore wasn't very noticible life changes. So....it's possible that the depressions chains have been removed (by stopping te Effexor) and now it is showing it's ugly face to you through your current eyes, which have seen what life is suppose to look like and feel like without the holds of our depressions.
Just theroy.
POINT #3: Don't be scared to go to a psychiatrist!! You have to remember that they are not perfect, nor are they mental health gods that we sould listen to without question. It has taken me seeing about 10 different ones, over the past several years, for me to FINALLY knows what he's doing and is a great fit for me.
That doesn't mean I don't question a lot of things he suggests or says might be good for me. I ask "why" and I often say "I don't understand what this med is for that you are wanting me to try'/"
Anyway, asking questions about meds prescripbed, motivations and self-reservasions os leu tp helping yourself.
I hope at least some of that makes sense...i'm literally falling assleep sitting up so if some or none of that makes any sense....i appologize.
Cheers,
jenna
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