I need help

I have been taking Effexor for about 25 years and I am going nuts!...I am having  problems every which way I turn. I am reading  posts  after post and now it scares me to death. Can anyone please tell me  or at least give me some advise  how I can make this a little easier for myself?....I have not seen a shrink in about 4 years, my regulsr Dr. and my  sleep Dr. has been giving me my meds and I was doing ok with them, but now I am a mess, I cry all the time. my husband  is about to divorce me, and he just is tired  of my whole bickering and bitching  al the time. I have though  of going to the  7th  phych. ward several times but that would just make  things worse all the way around.  Can I get some advise please....I will be getting a Dr.. hopefully  sometime this week..due to the holiday it maybe hard but I am going to try....Honestly I would just rather stay away from people and just be left alone..and I know that is not the answer...

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[spikerusty]

You sound that your in much distress possibly as the result of your poor mental state and it's damaging effect upon some wider social relationships as i'd recommend seeing your Dr, be it a Dr who knows about mental health and specifically about depression, or bravely ask to be referred to a Psychiatrist to possible benefit from their areas of knowledge and expertise. I too i'm on Effexor but have recently changed to the XL version. Is this an option for you possibly to have more balanced & steady neurotransmitter levels in your brain and wider body as i understand generic Effexor / venlafaxine has a short half life which leads to possible some daily states of withdrawal if you take them in the morning. Your medication regime may have lost it's overall effectiveness over time as 25 years on one anti-depressant i feel is a good innings with one as it may just be losing it's effectiveness with you. You may have to consider other options medication wise & jump on the medication roundabout as you could either try sometime else, or remain on Venlafaxine increasing the dose or have it further augmented by another medication. A Psych or a really good GP will help you to go through your options aided by your own very personal experience and wider learning on here and other places as obviously you want yourself to be back being yourself again.  I'm no DR as just speak from experience and with having the "black dog" in my life for nearly 20 years, revisiting the same similar ground sadly as you so evidently are at this minute but hang on in there and try to talk to trusted confidentants and be brave enough to see the DR / Psych to explore what could be done as you deserve better than this as keep hopeful now. Best wishes and hope that things get a lot better for you.

[dana237]

Thank you so much...I have already been on the XL..so I am going to look at some other med,  as I said before I will be looking into it this week.  I know I will be having  a hard time coming  off this crap but I know I have to do it..my body says its time to change...I am a likeable person and  I just dont feel right...and thank you  so very much....I am looking forward in feeling better really soon, but not looking forward in the witdrawls..:(.....thank you again....:)

[spikerusty]

What about augmenting on top of what yer having as their still maybe some gain from yer current meds regime?? what about the "califiornia Rocket fuel " scenario?? The Original with mirtazapine didn't work too well wityh me, but there are other combinations, wellbrutin being one i was considering as had to work out what kind / sort of depression i felt that i suffered from in order to match it up with what kind of targetted neurotransmitter meds. Just some further thoughts / ideas as its good that yer seeking answers and to try to get yourself back to who you are as those around you need to be mindful of that.

If you go down the withdrawal route do it planned and don't be afraid of considering some diazepam or something to aid the withdrawals. I was anxious about this 2 years ago when i last really desperately needed a change as could hardly speak, had no vitality and felt really depressed and that i had no personality it was extremely painful, especially as it was just after christmas. The Gp wrote me up a script as was going to come off Mirtazapine but this was'nt too bad coming off. I'll cross that bridge myself in time if it happens as a lot of bad press about it but not always consistent. Have done seroxat & prozac with the first being more nastier as was cold turkey in a different country due to running out of meds. not nice.

anyhows hang in there and you'll get there, yeah.

[Anneinside]

I am going to suggest that you also start therapy if you are not going right now. Sometimes it is hard to tell if which started first, life conditions (trouble with spouse) or depression. In either case, having therapy, along with medications, can really help. You might even want to have marriage counseling.