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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ZeKingPrawn on January 5, 2002, at 17:53:47
I was looking for info about effexor and how to get off of it, and have read a lot of negative things about it. Here is a positive story. Two things I think that are very important that I don't think a lot of people do:
1. Find a good doctor who
[a] gives a shit,
[b] is familiar with your type of depression and causes (mine stems from partying like a rock star from 15-25 years old. You know, flooding the brain with chemicals while it is still developing)
[c] is open to different approaches
2. Stay in touch with this doctor and tell him how you are responding. These people who quit cold turkey or are more depressed than ever are not communicating with their doctors. Prozac was my first try. Then I went to effexor which didn't help either at the first dose of 150mg, but doubled to 300mg worked like a charm3. Therapy alongside. I know this can be expensive, but it makes the drugs SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE. Most insurance companies will only pay for 20 visits - go once every two weeks for two hours - that's forty out of the fifty two.
I have taken Effexor for 2 years and it didn't "save my life", but it made it a lot better. I went from being chronically sad, and above all philosophically depressed (life is pointless, nothing means anything) to being able to laugh at the same things that brought me down.
If effexor doesn't work, don't give up and think that it is an inherently evil drug. To use an analogy, think of the nerves and wiring in your brain as a machine that is not functioning properly. To repair it, you have to find the right tools. You don't curse the flathead screw driver that won't turn the phillips screw, you get a phillips head screwdriver
Hope; this helps someone
Posted by dee on January 7, 2002, at 16:08:33
In reply to Effexor Success Story, posted by ZeKingPrawn on January 5, 2002, at 17:53:47
I have to say this is a good site, and I really enjoy hearing success stories. Just starting on Effexor and having doubts about if it will work and how to change my life around. It really helps to hear this med has worked for others.
I have to say my success so far is that I am taking time out for myself and working on me. Not always concentrating on everyone who needs this or that, but putting yourself first. This was my major mistake, always putting my feelings inside to make everyone else happy and not expressing how or what I felt.
Thanks and hopefully I will have a great success story later too.
This is the end of the thread.
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