It doesn't appear your doctor studied up on how to withdraw a patient. It has to be done very slowly over a 3-4 month period.

My doctor had me on a variety of antidepressants because they were "supposed" to help OCD. None of them did and when he withdrew me from the Paxil too quickly I had electrical shocks down my arms and chest and then, my head. I thought I was having a stroke and talk about sick. I had a house full of company at the time and pretended I was fine but I wasn't and it was scary. I called my doctor (finally!) and he put me back on the Paxil and then, slowly took me off.

The Wellbutrin turned me into Martha Stewart. I was up at 4 am lining kitchen drawers and cleaning. That wasn't so bad because I had so much energy but then, I got real edgy. So, they took me off that. I'm a human tester I think. Prozac made my migraines worse and Cymbalta finally didn't cause any weird things to happen but it did kill my sex drive.

I'd rather have no sex drive than try to live with deep depression. Since no meds have worked on my OCD and I'm tired of trying new ones, I'm now being slowly weaned off the Cymbalta. I should be finished in another week. I'll just have to live with my counting disorder.

I've taken Effexor and many many other antidepressants. As someone else said, different drugs affect different people in different ways. Because something works or doesn't work for me, does not mean it won't be the perfect drug for you. I don't think we should judge Effexor or any other drug by the side effects someone else has. ALL drugs have side effects, even aspirin and vitamins. Sometimes you must make a trade off. I gained a LOT of weight on one drug and my libido became nonexistent, but I believe it saved my life; so how can I complain about side effects?

It's SO important to be closely monitored by a good psychiatrist. I was being treated by my regular doctor for years and he kept giving me more antidepressants. Finally, when I was taking THREE different meds, I saw a psychiatrist who said they were all contributing to the problem. No wonder I got worse every day! He switched me to one medication that my other doctor hadn't tried in the years we were experimenting with various drugs, and in two days I was a different person. I wish I'd seen this psychiatrist years ago and saved myself a lot of suffering.

Marsha Jordan
a.k.a. "The Peanut Butter Queen"
author of Hugs, Hope, and Peanut Butter
www.hugsandhope.org/pb.htm

Hi Everyone, I am new to this site and was glad to find a post about Effexor. I have been on Effexor for about 3 years and am in the middle of getting off of it. At one point I was taking a 75mg. and a 37.5 mg tablet along with 10mg. of Lexapro. I am now at the point where I'm taking 75mg. for three days then a 37.5mg. for one. I can't imagine doing it any slower as it's taken me a long time to get to this point. But now that I'm down so low the depression is coming back stronger and I'm worried that I'll never get off of it. I read that some of you did get off of it and I was wondering how you did it and did you go through depression while doing it. Is it better just to stick it out and get to the other side? Did things get better once you were off of it for good? Did you have any physical problems as well as mental when you went off of it? I'm so glad to find others that are going through what I am. Thanks for any help.

DonnaM,
There are a lot of us here on this site who have been/are still on anti-depressants. I've suffered from low-grade depression all my life, but went undiagnosed until my late twenties when I finally suffered a massive breakdown and severe depression for many years. Since then I've been on and off medications, usually on for 3-4 years at a time, then off for 5-7 years, then on, etc. I'm just in the process of deciding to go back on Effexor again.

Everyone's different, but because I suffer from chronic low-grade depression (dysthemia), I've decided to try to live without meds as much as possible. They do make me feel better, and I can feel myself slipping back into that sadness as soon as I come off the meds, but knowing what it is and having come to terms with how I want to deal with it makes it easier to live with it.

But if I could find an AD that had less side-effects, I'd consider taking it, just to take the edge off. Many here will suggest that if the meds are working and help you to feel better, to stay with them. Most of us who suffer from depression have chronic chemical imbalances that need those medications in order to fix that problem (and make us feel better). I agree with staying on the meds, and I know my life would probably be a lot easier with medication, but I keep putting it off.

I guess I'm not much help, am I! I'm still working through this myself at this moment, knowing that I should go back on the meds, but wishing I could do this on my own, but knowing that it's probably not within my capability to fix that chemical imbalance without medication.

I think everyone has to figure out what works best for them - with the help of others who have been/are there, and your doctor/therapist as well.

Hello everyone, I am bringing this topic forward because I have a couple of questions. Eagle, I am wondering if you ever did go back on Effexor. If you want to PM about this, let me know via a post, and I will email you because my email is not public. Dianne, I am wondering if you did complete weaning from Cymbalta, and if you tried another anti depressant? What was the migraine preventative that could have caused vision problems and killer stomach? Who knows, I may be on it! I am suffering from depression. I've increased my Celexa but it's not working. I don't want to get out of bed, but I do. I am aching inside. I can't answer the question about JOY in the active topics forums of 9/8/ I have gratitude, but I don't know JOY. It has been missing from my emotional make-up forever. I refuse to go to therapy again. Been there, done that to infinity and beyond (the tears!) I have enough office hours in therapy to certify myself! Besides, I'd be arrogant enough to tell a new therapist to first read my book that brought me to this place of depression so I wouldn't have to pay for sessions to hear myself tell the story that I already spent eons writing. "If YOU want to have ME for a client, read my book first!" I want to try Cymbalta because it may also ease the aches & Pains of fibromyalgia. Or perhaps Wellbutrin: I could use a little Martha Stewart like energy, and I'm always edgy anyway. Granted, I have been besieged by family concerns since my nephew died in February, non of which I begrudge, because ALL of it, some a blessing, some not so, but ALL of it is for God's purpose, but I don't think I should be thinking that it should have been me instead of my nephew who died that day. But thinking about death is no new thing for me...I've often crossed the line. I'm not actively suicidal, just profoundly depressed. From all my research and studies, I do align my thinking with the theory that trauma can cause permanent changes to brain chemistry, thus blocking the JOY pathway while triggering the sad track. Any comments from boomer sisters? L

Oh Lynnie, the first thing that I'm going to say is how much you are loved. I know all too well how very hard it is to hear that and believe it, but Lynnie, it's true, and ever since I dared to believe it was true, my life has been changing radically. We are loved more than we can imagine.

But that's not always easy to swallow, is it! But I can only tell you my own experience. I did not go back on any AD. I decided to try swallowing this whole "I am loved" thing first [but please note that I was not profoundly depressed - if I had been, I would have gone back on Wellbutrin]. "Embraced by the Light" by Betty J. Eadie helped me cross a threshold I'd been standing at for ever so long. I don't know if I will ever be touched by depression again, since it's a chemical imbalance and therefore a BONA FIDE ILLNESS. But I know that since embracing the possibility of God loving me more than I can imagine, I've actually been experiencing joy and serenity such as I've never felt before.

You were absolutely NOT MEANT TO DIE instead of your nephew. That I can say with unequivacable (sp?) confidence. As long as you continue to wake up in the morning, you are absolutely meant to be here...your purpose and reason for being here on earth are not finished. The fact that you are still breathing is proof that God still wants you alive.

I think that profound depression calls for immediate action of some kind - medication, someone to talk to (ideally a therapist, but oh how I understand your revulsion at the idea of starting all over again with someone new - been there!) But you cannot continue to go through this alone, and you know that. Any therapist worth your money and time WILL want to read your book, so don't be afraid to insist on it - that will tell you if that therapist is the one you want to go to anyway! But even if you're adament about not going back into therapy, at least change your AD so that it gives you some relief.

I want to be so much more helpful, but am already on the way to making this into a novelette. But just know that you are dear to my heart and I'm carrying you in prayer from this moment on. I know it's hard, but please try to trust that God also is ON YOUR SIDE and will provide everything you need to get you through this. Look around and see in your life what's there - people, doctors, medicine, support, books, music - use it all, use whatever He has put there in your life for you to get through this darkness. And please stay here with us, stay close and let us help you through. You ARE LOVED, more than you can imagine.

Eagle Heart, thank you so much for your heart felt reply. I know your journey, and that you speak from experience. How I enjoy that you are experiencing more joy and serenity! Thank you so much for taking the time to reach out to me when you are needed elsewhere. You are truly like the mother eagle who is born to give wounded birds their wings. No doubt I love our God & our planet; if only I could ever love myself.

Hi Lynnie,

I just happened by the forum this evening and saw your post. I'm so sorry you're feeling so terrible. It's good that you're writing about it on this forum. When I get that way, I also go to bed and think about the same things you think about.

I've been on anti-depressants and in and out of therapy for years. Depression runs in my family and I've seen what happens to those who choose not to help themselves, but me, I believe that if medication and therapy improves the quality of my life, I'm all for it. However, whenever I'm in a funk like you seem to be now, I don't want to do anything to help myself.

I started Prozac 16 years ago and it was helping up until the last year or so then I seemed to become ammune to it. I had a lot of stuff going on in between but don't want to bore you with it now.

So I talked to my doctor about how I was feeling and he switched me to Cymbalta, Wellbrutrin and an anti-anxiety med called buspar. I was doing well on these meds until my son got into trouble a few months ago (long story).

After way too many crying spells, headaches, and mental health days from work, I decided it was time to find a counselor. I loved the one I had in NY but hoped never to have to go to therapist again after moving to Florida.

I found a name on my ins. site and have been going for three weeks now. She's around my age and understands all the issues boomer women face thes days. I'm starting to feel a bit better but it's going to take a while I think.

Lynnie - you should really talk to your doctor about changing anti-depressants. If you are feeling the way I've felt, then you are not thinking logically right now. It's a chemical imbalance that you can't fight at the moment so don't try to do it on your own.

Listen to Eagle Heart, she knows what she's saying. And I hope what I'm saying will help as well.

I've only joined NABBW recently but I already feel the love these women have for one another so it's a good place to ask for help.

You're welcome to email me privately anytime. Just know that I'm here for you.

Lynnie, This is a long and arduous road that you walk. You might wonder about the "why" of it, the point of it all, the never-ending agony. I don't know all your "why's", the greater purpose behind this journey you make, but I do know that it is not all for nothing, that your pain is not empty of meaning. I know, because of my faith, that God has a plan for you and this is ALL somehow working together to bring that plan and mission to fruition.

You are not alone, and you are not a failure - in fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. You are a glorious beacon of light to others who share the same pain, the same shame, the same agony as you. Don't underestimate the power of the light that shines from your scars and the life-changing inspiration that others find in your courage to keep breathing. You are precious to God, a brilliant, sparkling woman of courage and He loves that you are...and He loves ALL THAT YOU ARE, every morsel and tidbit of who you are...He knows, He knows, He understands, and He loves you. That's the truth, the only truth...that you are loved beyond your own wildest imaginings.

Lynnie, I agree with Eagle and von. And I know that on good days and during better times, you believe all that. But right now you are in a valley. Remember that mountaintop experiences often follow.

I encourage you to reach out and try a medicine change. I also encourage you to come and post often, or email us if you wish. Your boomer women friends are here for you and will do all we can to keep offering suggestions for you to keep climbing up.

I will add you to my prayer list. I've read your book and love, appreciate, and admire you for all that you are and have been your entire life. Keep reaching out and know you are being held in prayer...and prayer is powerful, especially when it comes from boomer women.

Have you been entertaining family lately? While it can be fun to have family around 24/7, it can also be draining.