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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by nicolebee on May 31, 2002, at 20:56:50
hi everyone,
i was looking online to try and find out more about this drug i am on...whoa nelly is all i can say!
I have been taking Effexor xr for about 6 months, increasing dose from, 35 mg to 150 mg (currently). I had some financial problems, and my doctor was out of town, so i did not take the effexor for about 5 days. (due to a prescription that needed to be refilled, and could not be afforded, anyways.)
What a nightmare!! I have been in laa laa land all week! i actually fell down my stairs twice, and have had non stop ringing in my ears, horrible nausea, acid reflux, dizziness, and this HORRIBLE phenomena i have seen referred to as "brain tingles"!!! my god! I can hear the swoosh in my head when i blink my eyes, or if i get up too fast, or turn my head quickly, it feels like my brain sloshes from side to side. I feel "seasick" CONSTANTLY, like i want to puke!!I couldnt take it anymore, so i called my doctor (who just got ba k into town) and had her call in my prescription ASAP, and borrowed the 80 bucks from a friend for the stupid bottle of pills. I just took a pill a few hours ago, and i am PRAYING to GOD i feel better soon..... i am also scared to death this will happen again!!! I am a mother of a 4 year old son, and have had no one to call over to help out...It is a nightmare!!!
What have i gotten myself into here? I know it has helped me quite a bit, but at what cost?! What has this drug done to me, and how the hell am i ever going to get off it?!! Also, before i "fell off the effexor wagon", I noticed what seemed like a lull in my improvement. Apathy, procrastination,sadness as well as some low level anxiety felt like they were creeping back. Has anyone had similar experience? Should I try to get my dosage upped??
This "withdrawal" has been such a nightmare, but i cannot go back to where i was before... I wanted to die. Does anyone have any advice?? I would really truly appreciate it.
Posted by AnneL on May 31, 2002, at 23:34:27
In reply to i feel so sick!!!, posted by nicolebee on May 31, 2002, at 20:56:50
Hi Nicolebee,
Withdrawing from Effexor is a nightmare as you now well know. If Effexor is helping you with your depression ask your doctor to give you samples. Most GP's get tons of samples from the drug reps and your GP should be glad to give them to you. All I know is that I may be on Effexor for life. It helps, I have tried going off of it twice and I just feel better on it. I am letting go of the "OH i don't want to be on medication for the rest of my life routine". It just does not matter. Also you can ask your doctor for an "indigent" form from the manufacturer of Effexor and get it for free. The best bet is to ask your doctor to save samples for you and pick them up once a month. I bet you won't let yourself run out again. I know that is the last thing in the world I would do to myself. I'd rather not eat and have a rumbley in my tumbley than have Effexor withdrawl hell. Good luck to you. AnneL
Posted by SassyMom33 on June 1, 2002, at 2:24:40
In reply to Re: i feel so sick!!!, posted by AnneL on May 31, 2002, at 23:34:27
Hi, Nicole. I really have no advice, but being a single mom of a three year old I can sympathize with you. Hang in there...plz be careful. I hope that things get back to normal for you VERY soon! If you get tired, sick, etc. Set your little one up with some snacks and a movie. Get your self some rest. No, the TV shouldn't be a sitter, but in some circumstances a break is needed. And, with no one to help...this is a quick fix that can work once in a while. Hang in there. Let us know how you are doing. ((HUGS))
Posted by nicolebee on June 30, 2002, at 23:59:28
In reply to i feel so sick!!!, posted by nicolebee on May 31, 2002, at 20:56:50
Here i am again, after going to my doctor, after doing tons of research on how i feel, and really feeling like i hit some nails on the head, as far as narrowing down my "problems/symptoms" to classification, which I have never actually done. The funny thing is, (although it actually is not so funny) that I grew up thinking that I was damned t ohell, and that if I felt that bad, it was my fault, and that I had to try my hardest to not let anyone know how sick I really was. Like acting, I guess. I have heard these types of behaviors called "coping/adaptal " mechanisms of some kind,but I have not heard/investigated since now. My doc, I can tell, somehow cannot believe I have these problems. Does she think I am looking for a life on meds as fun recreation???? I am currently on 300 Effexor ER. I have NOOOOOOOOOOOO energy, no focus, no ambition AT ALL.....I thought I did, and I believe I did at first, like the first week and a half, on Effexor, but I have not felt that since. Other than the hellish withdrawals I have mentioned earler. I accidentaly lost my meds for a few days, and was totally suicidal. I took a shower, and was not answering the phone, and my mom came over with a ladder, to scale my house, and get in through a window. I talked to my doc about changing meds, or augmenting it with something to increase my motivation. I said increase to her, but I really mean activate. I have NONE!!! By looks alone,(not bragging AT ALL, because it has caused me more HELL in my life than would have EVER!!! happened otherwise, I am easily considered in the higher "percentile" of very good looking/together.)- due to these "coping" mannerisms, I believe that I am never going to get properly diagnosed/medicated. She looked at me wierd the whole time like "why are you telling me you have probs when you look/seem so totally fine?" I know she was. I feel like I have to let go, and break down,cry, throw shit- and tell her all the ugliness, like how i forget to brush my teeth for a few weeks sometimes, as well as showers, and I cannot focus on cleaning up anything.(ANYTHING!) It is ruining my relationships with everyone, and I am getting to the point where I am so disgusted with myself, that I would almost rather end it all. I feel like such a pathetic sloth, and yet , I cannot change my outlook based upon these thoughts! I almost feel like my anxiety helped me move my ass, because I was so worried about what anyone else would think...I dont know. I have written forever. But I am at "bre3kdown" point. My current life situation is at its all time worst, and all my buttons are being pushed daily. I cant take it....but i could never leave my son. It is like i am in hell. I took online tests, and read alot about ADD, and feel that i have ALWAYS had those probs, even when the anxiety and depression werent there, and asked her about adderall, which i have read a ton about, and feel could possibly give me some kind of energy, and she said she was loathe to prescribe it, because it was a "controlled substance"....(I thought foolishy that all prescription drugs were!) She gave me 2 sheets of yellow paper, that were tests, to be given t ochildren/adolescents. (I am 26 with a child.)
One of the sheets, she informed me, was for my mommy to fill out, provided she was still living, (she is) and she was supposed to pretend I was 13 or 14 when she answered the questions. This is actually what she said! I wanted to cry!!! Is there no hope for adults who ruin their lives, and hope to get help?? I only WISH I could have been treated/diagnosed when i was 13! Maybe my life would have changed. Although, I had these problems, as far back as i can remember....at least 5 years old..I remember these feelings. Does she think I am lying? I dont understand.....I am desperate, but I felt I could not show her how despreate. I am so ashamed and disgusted with myself. I am hurting,,and dont know what fucking med is ever going to help me. i was a child, when i rememeber thinking that i was damaged, and that i would never be able to change anything. I almost believe her now.
This is the end of the thread.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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