Depression

By now you have started medication of some type. It will probably take a little while before you find the right medication for you. Hope all goes well for you.

Effexor is without a doubt one of the most miserable drugs to withdraw from. Not all SSRIs are like that. It doesn't sound like the situation is being managed well by your doc. Perhaps a psychiatrist (who specialises in these meds) would shed some light? If I got off effexor and was doing fine I wouldn't be so quick to be taking anything...unless your assessment of "doing fine" is somewhat skewed. : )

Hang in there, and do go to the ER if the symptoms become overwhelming.

I checked into seeing a psychiatrist or psychologist. After my health insurance deduction, my cost would be $500 for the first hour and then $70 a month for group sessions. I can not afford that program. And this is the only program that was recommended by my doctor because of health insurance plan.

I am now taking citalopram 20 mg daily. This is generic for Celexa. The cost is $10 for 30 pills. I have not been taking them long enough to know if they are beneficial.

Most doctors in my area are not taking new patients and can pick and choose their patients. I have been going to the same doctor for over 8 years and he stopped taking new patients about 7 years ago.

You'd think you were in Canada with docs like that! : )

Seriously, I completely understand about the difficulty in finding medical care.

So you have to work with what you have.

After checking with some co-workers who have more experience on the in-patient unit I have found out the following:

Effexor withdrawal is associated with ALL of the symptoms you are mentioning, and unfortunately they as yet do not have any great way to manage them. Somewhere after day 28 they tend to subside. If they don't you may need to switch to a different SSRI while your body adjusts. Fluoxitine (prozac) and zoloft are two of the more common ones tried.

Careful with Paxil, as people who have adverse reactions with effexor seem to be at higher risk for problems with paxil.

A word of warning about the celexa as well. Here in Canada, there is a caution about liver problems associated with it. Be sure to report any pain or unusual symptoms to your doc, and make sure you have a liver panel done with bloodwork every 6 mos on this drug.

28 days.

Deep breath.

Hang On.

It's my understanding that ALL of the SSRI's give the liver a pretty good workout. I think it has to do with the complexity of the molecules that the medicines are trying to deliver to the bloodstream.

At any rate, I gave up my two drinks of bourbon every Friday and Saturday night just in case.

I lived most of my adult life with clinical depression but didn't know it. I thought I was just messed up in some way, not a good person. Then 10-12 years ago I watched a program on TV about depression in general and specifically about people who had started taking Prozac. (a show like 60 Minutes). That show changed my life. When the people described themselves before meds, they were exactly describing me. It was so amazing, and for the first time I thought perhaps I could be happier. I sought out a psychiatrist to let me try Prozac or something similar.

Unfortunately the first guy I saw wasn't very good. He just listened to my stories and tossed some Paxil at me. I could have gotten that much help from my family doctor. Anyway, the Paxil did nothing for me. A few months later I saw the neurologist who treats my migraines and asked her for a recommendation. The guy she sent me to was and still is wonderful.

We talked for about 1/2 an hour and he said that Paxil was definitely wrong for me. He prescribed Effexor XR. Yes, I read what people said above, but for lots of people this med works wonders. It did / does for me too. I especially like the fact that Effexor doesn't add some happy juice to my system, it's just a re-uptake inhibitor for the serotonin that my body produces normally.

My life has dramatically changed since the day I started Effexor. I no longer have migraines, my 20 year old arthritis condition totally disappeared, I am happier, I do better at work, and I have lots more friends. Yes, there are risks with this drug as there are with all others. But I have taken the same dose for over ten years without any side effects at all. The only problem I have is when I forget to take it in the morning. Then I start sliding into withdrawal symptoms by late afternoon. It's not pretty, but I quickly remember to take the meds I forgot to take in the morning. I also carry Effexor in my car and I make doubly sure that I have my pills with me when I travel. I am more than happy to make these trade offs for the dramatic improvement in my quality of life.

So, Ordinary Girl, my advice is to do some research and find the best doctor you can who has lots of experience with anti-depression drugs. Start with very low doses and give the med a couple weeks to take effect. If it doesn't help, see your doctor and move on to something else. These meds do work for millions of people, so if you're smart and careful, one will work for you too.

Good luck

Didn't read through all the posts so I hope I'm not repetitive. Drugs have their place and can be critical. But I teach my clients meditation and self-hypnosis along with diet and exercise. Mindfulness meditation can really help if you are able to begin the practice.

Good luck!

Jack the Noobie