Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum.  ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Mental Health  (Expert Forum)
 | 
Help me
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.

Help me

by LisaAnn678, Feb 10, 2008 11:55AM
I am weaning off Effexor and quit after one wk at 37.5mg.  I ended up in the ER with a MAJOR panic attack.  I am having all of the side effects, dizziness, flu-like symptoms also.  When I began weaning from 225mg Effexor I began 20mg of Prozac which I had taken several years ago.  I was 3 weeks into the prozac when all of these symptoms came on.  Does that mean that the Prozac isnt working bc I had such a big panic attack.  I have had 3 in the last 3 days and am living in fear of the next one.  Is it the Effexor withdrawl?  Is the Prozac not working?  I am also on 200mg Lamictal.  I do not think that I am bipolar.  Doc said that the panic attacks may be manic symptoms and so she told me to take zyprexa 2.5mg at night, stop the prozac and take 37.5 of effexor until she gets back in town.  She told me that she thinks that I am bipolar but I don’t understand why.  She said that she thought my panic attacks were manic episodes that manifest as irritability and panic.  I don’t get it.  I do have ups and downs but just like anyone else I think.  I have always done well with just an antidepressant but they always seem to poop out after a couple of years and that is why she put me on the lamictal.  She said that “poop out” could be another sign of bipolar.  Could the Lamictal be causing any of these problems.  Please help.  Im lost here!
Member Comments (1)

by starr28, Feb 10, 2008 03:05PM
To: lisaAnn678
I have been on effexor and prozac both.  When I came off the effexor
I kept having dizzy spells where I felt like I was going to pass out.
Also when I first started prozac my anxiety went through the roof!
You could be experiencing a combo of both.  Hopefully time will
heal your problems.

best wishes,
starr28
RSS Expert Activity
What You Don't Know About Breathing...
19 hrs ago by Steven Y Park, MD
Thanksgiving
Nov 23 by Thomas Dock, Vet. Technician
Snoring As Your Internal Smoke Alar...
Nov 22 by Steven Y Park, MD