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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by renae on June 13, 2001, at 11:46:01
my doc just put me on effexor. this is the first time i am trying any meds for my depression and anxiety and i am really nervous about taking them. after reading the stuff on the internet, i am even more nervous, specially about when i am ready to come off of the meds,will i have bad withdrawels? Has anyone had any good experiences?
Posted by JAMMER on June 13, 2001, at 11:59:13
In reply to effexor xr, posted by renae on June 13, 2001, at 11:46:01
> my doc just put me on effexor. Has anyone had any good experiences? - renae
Renae, I was on Effexor for a little over a year, and I didn't realize how well it was working until I ended it's use (and yes, it was very hard to end using). It worked well for both depression and anxiety, except it raised my blood pressure to the point where 2 different BP meds were needed. Now that I'm off Effexor, my BP has dropped, I'm off the BP meds, But my depression has returned, and is now as bad as ever, if not worse. Thankfully anxiety is in check, barely.
Good luck with it, if it doesn't work out, wean off it very slowly, even using doses below what's availible. THe withdrawal symptoms were very real for me.
Best wishes
James
Posted by rosalinda on June 14, 2001, at 3:02:18
In reply to effexor xr, posted by renae on June 13, 2001, at 11:46:01
Renae--I know how scary it is to try these meds for the first time. Talk to your doctor about what you've learned; make sure he/she knows about the possibility of side effects and withdrawal symptoms, so that you can be assured that he/she will know how to handle it if you have any trouble.
I was on 150 mg of Effexor for about a year and a half. It was a very effective antidepressant for me; my mood was very stable. It will probably take a few weeks for you to start feeling better, so don't be dismayed if you don't feel better instantly.
For me, Effexor had relatively few side effects while I was taking it--unfortunately the one major side effect was inorgasmia, and after a while I couldn't deal with that! But side effects are totally unpredictable and vary drastically from person to person.
The withdrawal has been extremely difficult for me. Again there is huge variation in this (and the longer you take it, the more likely the withdrawal symptoms, it seems), but I think anybody who's starting to take this med should be aware of the possibility.
I hope you feel better soon!
Best of luck--
Rosalind
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