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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Psychopoppy on January 16, 2004, at 3:08:58
Hi
I've read the extensive body of writing here on Effexor withdrawal and finally got to experience it first hand today.
YYYYY---III---KKKK---EEEE--SSSSS !!!
Its definitely the wrath of the gods descending upon one all at once with no mercy.
Everyone uses different creative words to describe the pure hell but its the same hell for everyone almost.In the meantime my pdoc has started me on Wellbutrin (which i'm yet to take), since Effexor stopped working for me.
The question is: Has anyone tried taking welbutrin at the same time as withdrawing from Effexor and is there any (even a teency-weency ounce) of hope that it'll help alleviate the "demonic", "satanic" withdrawal symptoms of effexor ???
Or, Is it better for me to quit effexor for a while and suffer hell before starting welbutrin ?
HELP, PLEASE !
Posted by SLS on January 16, 2004, at 7:58:04
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal and Wellbutrin Start-up, posted by Psychopoppy on January 16, 2004, at 3:08:58
> I've read the extensive body of writing here on Effexor withdrawal and finally got to experience it first hand today.
> YYYYY---III---KKKK---EEEE--SSSSS !!!Did you stop taking it abruptly?
- Scott
Posted by Psychopoppy on January 16, 2004, at 15:34:49
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal and Wellbutrin Start-up, posted by SLS on January 16, 2004, at 7:58:04
I was always on the lowest possible dose (37.5) and so I started taking it once every two days to go off gently. Its the second 48 hr-period without Effexor that brought the withdrawal symptoms on....I caved in and took a pill but two days from now I'll be facing the same dilemma and I hope I'll be strong enough to resist taking it. (and they say this stuff isn't addictive ?!?!).
I havent started on the welbutrin yet. probably this weekend.
Posted by SLS on January 16, 2004, at 23:31:26
In reply to Re: Effexor Withdrawal and Wellbutrin Start-up » SLS, posted by Psychopoppy on January 16, 2004, at 15:34:49
>
> I was always on the lowest possible dose (37.5) and so I started taking it once every two days to go off gently. Its the second 48 hr-period without Effexor that brought the withdrawal symptoms on....I caved in and took a pill but two days from now I'll be facing the same dilemma and I hope I'll be strong enough to resist taking it. (and they say this stuff isn't addictive ?!?!).
> I havent started on the welbutrin yet. probably this weekend.
Just wait until you begin to feel the withdrawal effects, then take smaller and smaller fractions of the pill. That has worked for me in the past.I wish you luck.
- Scott
Posted by Simcha on January 17, 2004, at 20:43:55
In reply to Effexor Withdrawal and Wellbutrin Start-up, posted by Psychopoppy on January 16, 2004, at 3:08:58
Hi,
EffexorXR was the first drug I was treated with for depression. When it came time to stop it my pdoc thought the WellbutrinSR would be a good replacement.
As I decreased the EffexorXR I titrated up on the WellbutrinSR. I have to say that it was rough going. I did not have as bad a time as many have posted on the board. Maybe the WellbutrinSR was helping with some of the withdrawal side effects. Possibly it was that I have a different body chemistry.
Once I got to taking the WellbutrinSR alone I was a mess. I could not get songs, ideas, and other throughts out of my head. I seemed to be unable to switch on or switch off my thoughts. The pdoc realized that I had some components of OCD. He told me that I needed an SSRI at all times.
This is when he started me on Celexa. I titrated up to 40mg of Celexa with 200mg of WellbutrinSR. This worked well until last month (about three years).
I had some depression about a month ago and the pdoc switched me to WellbutrinXR and increased my dosage to 300mg. Now I'm on a therapeutic dose of Wellbutrin. I do have to say that this has helped me immensely. I also have 600mg of Neurontin to take at night because I normally have sleep issues. I also have extra Neurontin to take when I need to take it because the pdoc says that it can help in higher doses when I have an even harder time sleeping. I find that this works too.
I hope you find the best medication regemin for you. It has taken experimentation to find the proper blend for me. I suspect that this is not the end to experimentation for me. I'm sure that the pdoc will be changing something else before long. He says that eventually he would like to switch me from Celexa to Lexapro. We shall see....
Blessings,
Simcha
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