a shoulder to cry on...

[raw-siobhan]

I look forward to the time when I can come to this forum to offer advice and to give the support that I so often ask of you all here, but unfortunately this is not one of those occasions.

I have been on effexor for almost 9 months now to combat depression and all has been well more or less until recently. I have developed ugly symptoms usually associated with going off this drug WITHOUT actually going off it. I have decided to taper off slowly and rid my body of this drug.

My fears and frustrations are that I have done so well with this drug for the past 9 months or so and all of a sudden I have to drop it. I think that getting my hiney in gear with being persistent and consistent with eating properly (RAW) I might have a chance of coping successfully with the depression I have, but I guess I am just scared, you know? I am not really open at this point to any other prescription because I have tried several others and eventually the side effects get to me and I simply cannot function in my activities of daily living.

I really would just like to hear what you all have to say. I thank you for your help.

[salsababy]

I totally understand where you are coming from. I have struggled with depression for years and try really hard to not take medication for it. But this year I am on Paxil but have to come off it after Christmas.

My inital reaction to your symptoms was that your body has adjusted to the dosage and wants MORE. Kindof like you need to increase your dosage after a while of being on the meds. Now, if you want to get off them, then DONT increase them. But slowly taper down. However, if you are extremely depressed (suicidal) then continue on them. I know that may cause some people on here to squirm but coming from the extreme side of depression I have first hand knowledge that rationality becomes altered and getting off would not be wise at that time. I'm not saying that is where you are at, but I am just throwing that piece of advice out there.

The other thing, exercise is a GREAT way to cure depression. I took up exercising reguarly about 5 years ago and it's definately helped my depression. Hope this helps. Feel free to e-mail me. :o

[luckitri]

Go 100% raw! That thing hanging over you might just be enough incentive. Also I recall that effexor has some nasty side effects especially when getting off of it(?) I think that if you "google" effexor side effects you will encounter some forums where people have written about their experiences kicking this drug. I think the Rx industry admits that they don't really know how it works and because the doctors are not in the habit of taking patient feedback and creating a data base with it - we don't know - but I think all of their meds are nasty and depression and psych meds are particularly nasty and have many unintended and unwanted effects. Go to the pharmacy and buy a pill cutter so you can wean yourself off of this. It takes much longer than the doctor knows. There are herbal formulas that supposedly work but from what I am reading most of the herbs that we find at our local HFS are not very potent. Also, due to the lack of standardization, even if we find a good formula - trying to duplicate it with our own concoction of HFS herbs may not be possible.

[raw-siobhan]

Thanks for your advice. I have a tapering plan in place as of this afternoon. It will take about a month to taper off it. It requires taking another antidepressant in conjunction with it. I feel like a slave to this regimen right now.

Luckitri - the side effects are truly nasty. Vertigo, headache, strange eye movements, body aches. I even have a bilateral eye twitch today out of no where. I have had it all day. This is sick. I cant stand it. ...and you know what, I do think that this is what I need to kick me into RAW again. I really have to say that I have struggled with the whole RAW lifestyle because of my financial situation and just feeling overwhelmed in general, but I simply dont want to play any games any more with my health. I really feel like doctor's, pharmacists (my best friend is a pharmacist), and others in the medical field have a degrees of knowlege but a serious lack of understanding of the body as a whole. I feel like they are out of touch with the needs of the body as a whole...and i have put my trust in them only to be brought to this point of being no better off than I was before being treated for depression. Only now, I am dealing with side effects of drugs and trying to cope with the stress of knowing I will be fighting depression on my own. It makes me so mad. You know?

[luckitri]

Yeah, I know. Hopefully if you get really raw you won't have to deal with this issue with other parts of your body as well. I am really getting a poison view of doctors.

[RawTruth]

Thanks for your advice. I have a tapering plan in place as of this afternoon. It will take about a month to taper off it. It requires taking another antidepressant in conjunction with it. I feel like a slave to this regimen right now.

Luckitri - the side effects are truly nasty. Vertigo, headache, strange eye movements, body aches. I even have a bilateral eye twitch today out of no where. I have had it all day. This is sick. I cant stand it. ...and you know what, I do think that this is what I need to kick me into RAW again. I really have to say that I have struggled with the whole RAW lifestyle because of my financial situation and just feeling overwhelmed in general, but I simply dont want to play any games any more with my health. I really feel like doctor's, pharmacists (my best friend is a pharmacist), and others in the medical field have a degrees of knowlege but a serious lack of understanding of the body as a whole. I feel like they are out of touch with the needs of the body as a whole...and i have put my trust in them only to be brought to this point of being no better off than I was before being treated for depression. Only now, I am dealing with side effects of drugs and trying to cope with the stress of knowing I will be fighting depression on my own. It makes me so mad. You know?If you feel comfortable doing so, please email me privately. I can help you with this since I was on mega-doses of Effexor XR for years and successfully weaned myself off.

There is a way to do it that reduces the evil side effects, but please understand that you WILL have side effects no matter what. Do not under any circumstance just stop it ... and please don't taper off until you get more information. Even though your best friend is a pharmacist, neither s/he or doctors may know the best way to get you off of it.

By the way, for anyone lurking, I am NOT advocating that anyone on psychotropic drugs or who is clinically depressed go off their meds. They saved my life at one point when I was eating cooked foods and living a less-than-ideal lifestyle. However, when someone is interested in and willing to go 100% raw, make other lifestyle changes, and they have a stable environment, I fully support them reducing and eliminating antidepressants.

[jiujitsugirl]

hey raw-s, i have depression too bad but my comes in the form of my bulimia so now ive been seeing therapist forever and when i was 100 percent raw my bineges were less, i felt i think a lot happier and i didnt really purge but a few times, but now im kinda caught in days of almost very little raw and im depressed again and im seeing a psycologist tuesday and im being forced to take these pills i dont know yet what shes gonna prescribe i know ive been given prozac once but i didnt feel right and quit it immeadiately, i need some relief though ive been battling way too long and i know some say its ok sometimes if youve just about tried everything- i hate meds believe me! but i still think if i could get my booty back into raw for a few weeks again things would get better than again i think maybe both would be good...im sorry to hear youve been a fighter too and look at least you know your maybe ready to get off them and im sure raw will help just keep at it!
i know sometimes when i feel depressed bananas kick butt, i know when im raw i feel that cloud lift, and i can literally see better, GOOD LUCK!!
-much love amanda

[DavidZaneMason]

-You must be very frustrated. I have SOME experience with depression.

The above posts are great and spot on. Remember that eating / diet is only a fraction of what we are. In my opinion only, one should definitely be doing joyful and passionate things in their life....and then they will feel right. It's not the other way around. In conjunction with your health professional - go ahead and make a plan to wean yourself from medications. Improve your diet. Identify your dreams - and don't talk yourself out of them. If you cannot bring joy and passion to your own life - attach yourself to an organization that you truly believe in and work towards THEIR goals with all your heart, soul and mind. Service work can take you out of what the Buddhists call ego......and open you up to ways of observing the world that, by definition, you did not know existed.

-The way you feel is not the ONLY way to feel - and a person doesn't know EVERYTHING. Have courage that there are better ways to feel and know.....and have the courage and the lifetime commitment to go after them and accept what happens in their pursuit.

-Just some thoughts. Power and success to you.

-David Z. Mason

[RawTruth]

. . . attach yourself to an organization that you truly believe in and work towards THEIR goals with all your heart, soul and mind. Service work can take you out of what the Buddhists call ego......and open you up to ways of observing the world that, by definition, you did not know existed.Great suggestion - this really works.

[shanshan]

I've just finished reading Alissa's book - Living on Live foods...and now truly believe this is the transformation I was longing for. I've read 4 other books on Raw, but I still didnt feel fully convinced. But Aliss'a answered it all.
I am going thru a bad bout of depression but not on any meds. I refuse to take them any more. I haven't touched any in 8 years.
I have no support for this transformation which is depressing as well. I am now at a point that if I don't do this transformation, I'll act on 'those thoughts'. But I'm determined to change. I've been a servant for others for so long, I have totally neglected myself.
I have tried beaming with positivity and doing great things for others like all those spiritual books (as well as Alissa's) say...be good and good will come to you. I've been persistent at it for 2 years but i am still surrounded by the most negative people that just want to suck me dry of any energy i may have.
I believe this forum may be the missing link to what we need. The on-line support to encourage and stay positive for each other should help us tackle to bumps and potholes on life's rocky road.
Just me 2 cents...hope it made sense!

[RawTruth]

ShanShan, you might want to check out Revvell's posts in the Personal Growth section here ... and also her workshops.

[cassidy]

Hey - just a quick note about effexor ... You need to bump up ever (I think 3 months). Most people start out at a very low dosage and then go up from there. It platous after a few months and then you bump up a few miligrams and you have to keep doing this until you reach a certain dosage.
Have you spoke to your doc. about the fact that you feel you are going downhill.
I am all for the no drug aproach - but if you are still interested in using it for your depression I would ask your doc. to up the dosage a bit.
Only know this because it happened to me. I tapered off only to realize that I had just reached a platou and needed to up the dosage. Instead I tapered off like you are now.
Sorry you are hurting right now. I see you have 3 lovely children... all the more reason to get better!
Are you seeing a therapist? It is much easier to get well if you have the tools to do so.

[BGVDiva]

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt!

Withdrawing from Effexor is probably one of the most difficult things I've ever done, even harder than quitting a pack a day cigarette habit. The "doctor recommended" tapering off program was to go from 150 mg a day to 0 mg a day in a two weeks. :eek: I only made it two days before I felt like I was going to crawl right out of my skin. I had lots of product on hand so I had the ability to take the "tapering off" into my own hands and go much more slowly; taking two "tiny time pills" out of the capsule on day one, four on day two, six on day three, etc. until I was off. Considering that there are approximately 150 "tiny time pills" in a capsule, it took about 2.5 months to get completely off.

I also had a prescription for Xanax for anxiety which came in handy on those days when the withdrawal symptoms would interfere with my ability to get through the day. I didn't have to use it much since I was dropping my dosage so slowly but it did come in handy on a couple of occasions.

This is a seriously addictive drug. There is even a website with information about a class action suit against the drug company that makes Effexor due to the fact that their literature does not clearly state the problems people have had and are having withdrawing from this drug.

Even if the source of your depression has been determined and dealt with (mine was caused by undiagnosed sleep apnea which caused severe sleep deprivation, resulting in depression) you will most likely suffer mild feelings of depression as you withdraw due to your body's dependence on the increased levels of seratonin and norepinephrine (the "feel good" brain chemicals). Time and a healthy lifestyle will ensure that these levels return to normal. Call your doctor IMMEDIATELY if you have strong feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts.

Stay positive! There is an end to the journey.

[BGVDiva]

Re-posting to add:

I didn't read your post correctly before I posted the above response. I thought you were going off of Effexor on your doctor's advice.

Please talk to your doctor about the problems you are having with your Effexor BEFORE taking matters into your own hands. THEN if you have problems weaning off under your doctor's plan, ask to take it much slower. That is all.

[raw-siobhan]

I am definitely done with medications for the time being. It has been about 18 hours since my tapering plan was put into effect and so far so good. I read that studies were done in this type of a situation and temporarily adding a low dose of SSRI to the Effexor while weaning off will take the edge off of the symptoms and it is working for me. I know that severely bad things can happen if a person just goes cold turkey off of Effexor, so I definitely am not trying going cold turkey.

I know that a lot of things have change/resolved since I went on Effexor earlier this year. It seems that I go through periods of depression and then periods where everything is just fine. I know that I am what is referred to as a "highly sensitive person" and that predisposes me to depressive feelings, but that fact in and of itself was unknown to me when earlier this year and just knowing that I am a senstive person, easily overwhelmed, etcetera, etcetera helps me to cope better when feelings of depression hit. So, I honestly think at this point in my life I am armed with more knowlege than I had previously and can pull through any bouts of depression so long as they are minor. I am anxious to get to a point where I a can recognize my feelings and combat them with positive self talk, which I have been able to do in the past. :)

I love everyone's advice and I will be taking you up on all of those pieces of advice.

Thank you all so very much for your help and input. I never regret sharing my struggles and desires with you guys because there is always such a positive, helpful response from everyone. :)

[alex]

This may sound simplistic but if possible get out into sunshine every day for half an hour (no sunscreen!!!!)

If that is not possible - supplement with vitamin D - most people are defficient in this vitamin especially in northern climates.

You have to get yourself off all drugs - this should be priority #1. Find an alternative health care professional who does not use drugs in their practice and work with them.

It is not possible to be health while taking any medication.

Please read books by Sherry A. Rogers


alex