Effexor, Lexapro.....Help

[emeraldeyes1646]

I have been on Effexor XR for the past 2 years.  I was taking 300 mg a day with Lamictal 200mg/day and Seroquel 100mg to sleep.  The Effexor wasn't working so my psychiatrist wanted to drop the Effexor and replace it with Lexapro 10mg/day.  He told me to "just" drop my Effexor dose by one 75 mg pill a day and I would be "off" of the Effexor in 4 days.  Yeah, right!!!  
Having once before attempted to "stop" Effexor, I knew it wasn't going to be that easy.  A very close family member is a supervisor for the company that makes Effexor.  He gave me "advice" on how to "quit" by gradually decreasing the dose by 37.5mg over every 2 days.  The last week I should break open the 75 mg caps and take fewer and fewer granuales until I was "weaned".  I thought I had done everything to a T until yesterday when I had gone without my "fix" for 2 days and hurled all over my kitchen after staying in bed all day.  The only thing that made me feel better was taking a few granuales of Effexor.  I have almost a week off soon and plan on "detoxing" during my vacation.
I had been researching Lexapro to see the side effects and wonder if this drug is even worse that Effexor (which I would NEVER recommend to anyone)?  I read the testaments and have found several even going as far as saying they (or a loved one) were suicidal after taking Lexapro when they had never been before.  HELP...now what do I do.

[Ellie3]

Thanks for the info.  I researched the site you referred me to, then called my Dr. and had him change the prescription to XR 225 mg./day.
Thanks again.

[StupidMe]

For the difference between Effexor XR and Effexor, please refer to the following links.

http://www.athealth.com/Practitioner/mcabinet/EffexorXR.html

http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010725/msgs/72243.html

[Ellie3]

Having been on Effexor on and off since 1996, I can attest to the unforgiving nature of this drug. The longer you are on it and the higher the dose, the worse the effects when a dose is missed or decreased.
I suffer from clinical depression, and have a family history of bi-polar disorder.
I originally began taking Effexor as part of a double blind drug study for the Univ. of Pennsylvania.  The purpose of the study was to gauge the effects of the drug when rapidly loaded into the system at high doses.  The other drug being studied was Prozac.  Having taken Prozac, Zoloft and Wellbutrin to no avail, I knew immediately I was on Effexor.
The reeling, dizziness, nausea, double vision....horrible.  I eventually got used to it, and after the study, stayed on the drug, at 300 mg. a day.
It got to the point that I didn't want to continue, but was afraid to stop.  Not only could I not miss a dose, I had to take it at the exact same time every day, or suffer the consequences.
I quit Effexor in 1998, but began again in 2001, taking 75 mg. 2xday.  This time, I was on the SR capsules, which never gave me the problems the pills did.  However, it also did not lift my depression as the pills did.
I recently changed family Dr.s, and the new one determined I was under-medicated and prescribed 100 mg. 2xday.  The awful old feelings are back.  I have been ill for the past three days.  Afraid to take the meds, afraid not to.
Does Effexor come in 100 mg. SR?  If so, has anyone noticed any difference between regular 100 mg. Effexor and the 100 mg. SR?
Thanks for any help and insight you might have.

Ellie3

[StupidMe]

Please refer to the link below, paying particular attention to the key points in red, italic and big print.

http://www.psychiatrist.com/audiograph/nemeroff/jcpbook.pdf  

[StupidMe]

No body is perfect, including a psychiatrist, who is human and is therefore bound to err. Forgive your psychiatrist, who may have seen many patients without withdrawal symptoms after a quick discontinuation. Your psychiatrist has been helping you for more than 2 years. First, grieve. This includes your anger, mistrust, dissuading other not to take Effexor, turning to acupuncturist, disregarding traditional psychiatry.

[emeraldeyes1646]

thnaks for taking the time you have with me.  i was diagnosed with depression not bipolar.  i have been on the effexxor for 2 years, the lamictal for about 10 months, and the seroquel for about 2 months.  the seroquel is for the insomnia and i don't take that on a regular basis.
you are right...i am angry about the effexor withdrawl. had i known about this from the beginning i NEVER would have taken it.  right now, i, also, don't have much faith in my psychiatrist, who told me to wean myself off of the effexor over 3-4 DAYS.  while i know, i am not "cured", since i have cut down the effexor to about 50 mg daily (just to function) i feel better emotionally/mentally.  i am not as tired, sad, solemn.  am thinking very strongly about going to an accupuncturist.  a friend tried it (for other reasons) and asked if it worked for depression.  the dr. said yes...along with joint pain, headaches, fatigue, insomnia, asthma, weight loss and smoking cessation.  i figure what the heck.  right now am still on 200 mg hs and the occasional seroquel.  have appt. with psych. in 2 weeks.