Hi fayerody

I just realized that I made a mistake when I clumped effexor in with my "refills" (only the Lorazepam was a refill - the Effexor was actually a new med). I went back in and corrected it just now.

I was on Effexor about 12 years ago along with a slew of other drugs I was getting from 3-4 different doctors and ER's at the time. It all started when a new neighbor moved in next door to us (where we used to live). Very soon I became good freinds with this new neighbor and we went places together, ate at each other's houses, visited, talked until late at night, etc.

Once day we were talking and he "confessed" to me that he was gay. While I'm not gay myself, I told him that that would'nt affect our friendship in any way. Then, over a period of many months in which he repeatedly tried to seduce me, he began telling me some really bizarre things like how he had slept with over 1,000 other guys and how he would slip his semen into their coffee and do other very odd things.

As time went on, he really started playing some serious head games with me (I assume to frighten me because I would'nt have relations with him). Anyway, I soon became convinced that he slipped some of his semen into MY coffee, that I had AIDS and was going to DIE.

I was'nt on the internet at the time but I did have an old medical manual and I poured through it daily and guess what?...I had ALL the symptoms!. I went to doctor after doctor over a period of months. I was a house-hold name at the ER and I had shoeboxes full of tests and was taking GOBS of different pills that various doctors had prescribed. I had brain shocks, fatigue, horrible nighmares, was suicidal, could'nt eat, lost a lot of weight and became as helpless as a newborn infant. I was having a nervous breakdown. I did'nt know from one moment to the next wether I was having a side effect from one med or withdrawaling from another or what the heck was going on. In fact, I'd never even HEARD of GAD, OCD, Panic, etc at the time. I just knew that I was going to die.

Then I had an HIV test. And another one. and another...and another. I convinced, bribed, threatened everyone I knew to have the test too and we ALL came back negative.

Now, that was the worst experience I have ever had to go through in my entire life and that is the very abbreviated version of the story.

Anyway, back to the Effexor. Yes, I have read that the withdrawl from it is absolutely horrible but I was on it for a month and then switched over to Paxil 12 years ago and now that you mention it, perhaps this is part of the reason I felt so bad back then (side effects and withdrawl). I do remember after about a month, the Effexor made me feel really euphoric and happy but then I discontinued it which may explain some of the weird sensations I had at the time. the head shocks were the worst!.

Oh I'm sorry Pat (forgot to answer your question)...this is regular Effexor (75mg tabs) that the doc gave me a few days ago (not the XR).