Struggling

[tom1]

Hi, I haven't posted in a while and while I thought not posting might help myself, things have got so bad now I need to share and have some advice.

Over the past month I've been doing some free work for my local community as a means to help challenge my axiety and also certainly for the feel good factor. However, my depression has really hit me badly and I'm feeling fatigued, uncaring, angry, and lacking motivation. So basically the Effexor I'm taking (75mg) has pooped out on me, and because I haven't had any time to go see my doctor, I decided to wean myself off the stuff because I was also sick of taking it and having side-effects too.

For the last few weeks, I started to wean myself off the medication (without my doctor's consent) from following various weaning guides off the internet. While weaning I noticed that on the days I wasn't taking Effexor I was starting to feel better, and also feeling energetic again as well as being motivated. But, eventually the withdrawals got the better of me and the headaches became disabling on their own. So I decided to just start taking it properly again and cancel the weaning process.

So, since taking Effexor properly again, I'm feeling depressed and bad in general. I don't feel any enjoyment in my life, everything seems dull and not worth the effort.

My question to you all is, why do anti-depressants eventually turn around on me and make feel worse? All the medications I've taken, all have done the same thing to me and I've had to switch or come off. I'm just wondering if there is some underlying cause that hasn't been found that causes me to feel worse.

[tommy1982]

If they work some of the time, maybe your bipolar II or something, google it and read the symptoms. You might need a mood stablizer in the mix like lithium.

The effexor seems to popped out on me too however most of the time its good. Like 90% of the time.

[jo61]

I don't agree that you should google and speculate as to what you need. Effexor is very difficult to get off and you need your doctor's support. Please go there as a first port of call, not to the internet. If it's not for you, you might need to be put on something else. :hugs:

[deb141]

I have been on effexor 4-5 months now and its really helping me. I was so bad with anxiety and panic attacks after the birth of my daughter (i have also suffered in the past). I thought my world was going to end and felt like running away and never coming back. The effexor took ages to work and i was put on 75mg. After a while i felt rubbish again and got scared that i would never get better and move forward. My GP increased the effexor to 150mg and after a few weeks i started to feel better. I now feel fab, i still have the odd day where i feel a bit rubbish but i try to push through and not analyse it too much.
Maybe you should see your gp and see what they say, you may need to have the meds increased or changed. The way i see it, some of us need that extra help and there is nothing to be ashamed of if it means you get some normality back. Good luck