I don't know your whole story...but just wondering something. Usually people are given Effexor, which is an SNRI, after having tried a few SSRI's. If the SSRI's don't work, then they try Effexor. Effexor increases not just serotonin, but also norepinephrine -that's the N part.

For me, it's the only thing that works. I'll be on it forever, like a diabetic and insulin. The reputation that effexor has which you've read about is for people who have tried going off it, usually unsupervised. When following a good withdrawal regime, from what I have read, it ain't all that bad. A good pdoc can help you, if necessary. And as someone pointed out (I forget...dex?) the good news stories don't usually get posted! Those folks are water skiing.

I would still try SSRI's first....that's my personal, non-medical opinion!