[sewerrats]

Why do they still give this med to so many patients, most of the threads are how to get off EFFEXOR it has the worse suicide start up than any other med and the worst withdrawal .I have friends been on it years and love it . Its when you want to stop the problem starts , so the answer is don't take it if at somtime you intend to stop it seems like a good life time med . I came off it and it floored me and i am a strong guy,

[Bird Feeder]

I didn't know the reputation of Effexor when I first went on it, but boy did it work. I have been as high as 600 and currently take 450. The 1st time I reduced it was by 150 and I had no problems. Hopefully it will continue that way if I should try to go off it further.

I have mixed feelings about Effexor. The first time I stopped it was hell and I was only taking 75mg. The second time I stopped, my GP gave me Prozac to help with withdrawal. It was very effective in keeping the withdrawal effects at a minimum. I'm using Effexor again. I can't say I love it but it helps.

[onionknight]

Effexor was a nightmare for me. It plunged me into a state of apathy and blankness and stripped me of motivation, pleasure, social interactions, etc. And getting off it was an equal hell, if not worse.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Bird Feeder

I didn't know the reputation of Effexor when I first went on it, but boy did it work. I have been as high as 600 and currently take 450. The 1st time I reduced it was by 150 and I had no problems. Hopefully it will continue that way if I should try to go off it further.

That is still a high dose but if you need 400mg then that's the dose for you, the2 people I know take 150 mg no other back up meds, but there secret is they have no intention of coming off it , its pretty weight nutral to them and so long has they take it every day there is no problem. Once though when I was given Effexor in mental hospital by a young crackpot shrink , the nurse said had I was given my first dose 75mg I was the only one on the top wards to be on this med and she could not remember giving it for a long time. this shrink was new a took a stab in the NHS bible of meds he didn't have a clue , I was on 300 within 10 days and heading for meltdown.

[Pierro]

Effexor has done more for me than any other anti depressant. In saying that I had a few bad weeks where I went off it for a few days and I was in HELL. I will not go off it again.

[-jimi-]

It has a black box warning in USA. That is a pretty strong message.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Pierro

Effexor has done more for me than any other anti depressant. In saying that I had a few bad weeks where I went off it for a few days and I was in HELL. I will not go off it again.

like I said if you STAY on it you cruise along cool, if it feels wrong you get of Effexor has quick has you can. But the is no explanation why people come of Effexor if its working?????WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT

Not everyone needs to stay on AD's forever, so it makes sense that after some time of doing better, doctor's are willing to reduce and/or discontinue that med.

I was on 300mg for a long time. In my case, I have a history of AD's pooping out on me eventually which is what happened with Effexor for me (it happened on many other AD's, so it wasn't specifically an effexor issue). I was able to come off effexor fairly easily in a few weeks. Had some withdrawal effects, but nothing horrendous.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

Not everyone needs to stay on AD's forever, so it makes sense that after some time of doing better, doctor's are willing to reduce and/or discontinue that med.

I was on 300mg for a long time. In my case, I have a history of AD's pooping out on me eventually which is what happened with Effexor for me (it happened on many other AD's, so it wasn't specifically an effexor issue). I was able to come off effexor fairly easily in a few weeks. Had some withdrawal effects, but nothing horrendous.

You came off Effexor because it stopped working so of course you came off it if you had taken that many different types of meds and they pooped out, but if Effexor was still working then you would still be on it , it would not make sense not to be.

You are not reading the first part of the post which was a general statement about anyone who is on an AD. Not everyone actually needs to be on AD's forever. After time, when someone has shown stability, it is not at all unusual for a doctor to take a patient off of the AD. Most people probably only take them for less than a year to resolve temporary depression as opposed to chronic major depression. That completely makes sense.

[Webgoji]

I'll be on it for my whole life (major depressive disorder aka clinical depression). So I'm not too worried about it. We tried to stay away from it, but none of the normal SSRI's worked. They just left me numb, stupid and anorgasmic. Venlafaxine at least lets me have emotions and function sexually and since I'll be on it for the rest of my life anyway ...

But yeah, coming off of it is hell.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by 1914sierra

You are not reading the first part of the post which was a general statement about anyone who is on an AD. Not everyone actually needs to be on AD's forever. After time, when someone has shown stability, it is not at all unusual for a doctor to take a patient off of the AD. Most people probably only take them for less than a year to resolve temporary depression as opposed to chronic major depression. That completely makes sense.

I read the post, the poster had tried lots of AD,S and they all failed , then EFFEXOR failed so they came off that. EFFEXOR is not a first line med for general depression that's just a 1 off , so I assumed the people on Effexor are long term depressives

[Pierro]

Originally Posted by sewerrats

like I said if you STAY on it you cruise along cool, if it feels wrong you get of Effexor has quick has you can. But the is no explanation why people come of Effexor if its working?????WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT

You sound very angry. The reason I came off it was because I was in a bad place at the time. Yes I do very stupid things from time to time, but as I have said it has helped me more than any other AD. Thats not to say I don't have bad days because I do.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Pierro

You sound very angry. The reason I came off it was because I was in a bad place at the time. Yes I do very stupid things from time to time, but as I have said it has helped me more than any other AD. Thats not to say I don't have bad days because I do.

Why am I angry ???????, you are doing what I said is best with Effexor , it works so you stay on it. Of course you have bad days your a depressive that's normal .The guys I no are long term depressives that why they don't come off Effexor it don't mean they still don't get ill they do, but they wont risk withdrawal has they have tried most meds and Effexor is weight neutral to them and there sex life is still functioning , there not risking loosing what they have for something worse. I came off because I was in a ativan 12mg a day forced withdrawal , and bumped up to way to much Effexor for my brain to cope I attempted to terminate my life through Effexor start up and withdrawal from Ativan. It was the wrong drug for me at the time and far to big a dose, its a lot more complicated than this but that's a bad memory. Maybe that's why I seem a little unsettled to you.

[Pierro]

Originally Posted by sewerrats

Why am I angry ???????, you are doing what I said is best with Effexor , it works so you stay on it. Of course you have bad days your a depressive that's normal .The guys I no are long term depressives that why they don't come off Effexor it don't mean they still don't get ill they do, but they wont risk withdrawal has they have tried most meds and Effexor is weight neutral to them and there sex life is still functioning , there not risking loosing what they have for something worse. I came off because I was in a ativan 12mg a day forced withdrawal , and bumped up to way to much Effexor for my brain to cope I attempted to terminate my life through Effexor start up and withdrawal from Ativan. It was the wrong drug for me at the time and far to big a dose, its a lot more complicated than this but that's a bad memory. Maybe that's why I seem a little unsettled to you.

I am sorry sewerrats. I did not mean to stir up bad memories.

[sewerrats]

Originally Posted by Pierro

I am sorry sewerrats. I did not mean to stir up bad memories.

Don't worry I deal with them