pyschiatrist hassle,anxiety, reducing efexor and..

[rosepetal]

Firstly, my apologies for coming here just to get support, and not giving much.....sorry...and this is long, too....[Sigh...]I just...need some support....please....

*$^&()__+*^%$$V<

I saw my psychiatrist yesterday, for the 1st time since my assessment in October.....well. at least THAT'S over for another 3 months.....

There were 2 medical students observing...O the fun.....I did have the choice to have them in or not, but I thought what the hell, Occ Health dr, (yes, my manager referred me to occupational health, although I'm already getting the support I need...she just doesn't get it....)GP, psychotherapist, psychiatrist all in these 2 weeks, I may as well have some med students as well......

I'm to halve my dose of efexor. From 150mg per day, to 75mg. straight away, no titration or gradual.....then after having 75mg day for a month, I'm to stop the efexor altogether......arrrrgggggg......
(mind you, he did say providing there's no deterioration of my symptoms...)

O, my, this is going to be fun.not.

I managed to get him to prescribe me some propranalol for panic attacks as needed...he was all into my learning coping methods....hell, I am doing all I can.....
besides, if he's reducing my efexor so drastically, I need SOMETHING to help me cope with all the withdrawal crap.

Arrrggggg..and I just got the sense that he was laughing at me inside all the way through....but maybe I'm just, ha, just, being paranoid.... :
At least I'll still be on the mirtazapine....(remeron/zispin) 30mg at night...

Those psych sessions just go so fast my mind can't keep up with it....I feel I have to go over it all afterwards and think what did he say again? say again?


grrrrrrrrooooouuccchhhhh


arrrrrgggggggggg

as if an appointment with my psychiatrist with 2 medical students as well wasn't enough to make my anxiety splinter, now there's the crappy arrangements for transferring an out-patient prescription to a regular one I just take to my pharmacy.....it takes so *insert swear word of choice* long....
so, ok if you're a 'normal' person it wouldn't be so bad...I accept that, but I'm feeling anxious and angry and scared and impatient about reducing my dose of this med and then so I behave in a crappy and impatient way....I'm just upset and anxious, right....
I don't WANT to feel this *insert swear word again* way.....*grits teeth*.....I don't want to behave like a neurotic and impatient difficult person...
...but when you're anxious and depressed...AND about to reduce your med dosage, its hard enough to remember all you have to do normally without having to handle this other carfuffle of wait this long and do that and try and fit it in around the routine you've developed and feel marginally comfortable with......garrhhhgghhhh

I am sooo tense....*tries to breathe*

Katie

[freakedout]

Katie,

"oh my God!!" How the hell are you supposed to feel less anxious about all that? Your post is scaring me!!

I too have seen an Occupational Health Physician (waste of time from my point of view!) and am due to see him again in about 3 weeks. This comes at around the time I see my psychiatrist for the first time. Were you on effexor 150 just for the last three months or before that too? Has your anxiety/depression ( or whatever symptoms you have) improved as a result?

Was gradual reduction of your effexor not an option? Did you have to go to the hospital pharmacy for your new meds? "oh my god!!"

Go for it, be as impatient and angry as you can be and keep swearing at the top of your voice (!!!!!!!!) I will let you know if I can hear you!!! It can't do any harm, it will help to get it out of your system!

On a serious note[V] I feel really anxious for you. I hope that you are feeling a bit better now and that you manage ok. Keep us informed with how you cope reducing your meds. If you have significantly improved since your initial appointment you may well manage a lot better on the lower dose than you are anticipating. I hope so.

Take care. Thinking of you



PS, you deserve some support, even if it does come from strangers!! We are here to give and take support as needed - no apologies necessary

[rosepetal]

hey Louisa, thank you... [8)] and I didn't mean to make you or anyone anxious through my anxiety out-pourings...

I saw the OH physician last week, and she was really nice and understanding and supportive. She also said I didn't need any extra support from them-after all I am in 3 x a week therapy, see my GP once a fortnight or so, and also this psychiatrist guy....once every few months it is from now.....yes, he dumped me in it with the efexor change and says see you in 3 months...at least I see my GP often and she's really good....
(and so's my therapist..though she told me today of all days:(that she's going to be away for a week at the end of Feb...)

I've been on efexor 150mg for nearly a year...since last February....
um, according to my psych this IS gradual reduction....([Oops!]nearly wrote 'rejection...')
No, I took my out-patient prescrip to my GPs and had to wait for a dr to sign and make a regular one....if I'd taken it to the hosp (aggh no I wasn't about to get on a bus to go to the central mid...)I'd only have got 2 weeks supply and if they think I'm going to pay out £6-50 every 2 weeks....
I have got the 75mg ones now, and the propranalol.

As I'm still to be taking the mirtazapine 9which I've been on since October) hopefully it won't be too[Ugh]

thank you for your concern, I appreciate it.

Katie

[freakedout]

Hi Katie,

I am so relieved that you are getting some support out there. Sometimes though it just feels like we need it 24/7 doesn't it? Well it does for me right now. My therapist told me today that she has a new job and will be leaving in a couple of months. I could have cried, yes self-centred I know, but I have become quite dependant on her now - now that is sad. I am such a weak pleb!!

She did inform me that my psychiatrist will be there for me. "I don't think so" It is not like you can ring a consultant up and ask for an appointment or just for a quick chat (not that I do that with my therapist but I know I could if I needed to). Sorry this aint meant to be about me.

I will be reading your posts and hoping that you are OK. I guess if things did get bad on 75mg effexor you could always go back up to 150.

Take care. I have few words of wisdom because I am Little Miss Negative
and have developed the skill of being negative all the time.