Posted by Caroll on August 27, 2000, at 10:01:52
In reply to Withdrawal from Antidepressants 101, posted by stjames on August 26, 2000, at 2:40:49
> I am in the military...Air Guard. I was just informed that they can kick me out of the service because I am taking anti-depressants. I have been taking Effexor
for 1.5 years trying to deal with a stress and other depressions and life in general.
Two weeks ago a quit cold turkey because I am afraid that if I keep taking it I will be kicked out of the military and I only have 3 years left before I retire.
I have been sick, tired, unable to sleep, nervous, crying..even over commercials.. I don't know what to do! I am scared and getting paranoid about everything people say. My head feels like it's swimming in quicksand and I'm getting buzzy feelings in my head. Can someone out there please tell me what I can do?
> For those of you having problems with withdrawal
> from AD's, I'll sum up the basics that people here say
> works. Taper dose to as low a possible and the substute
> and long acting AD, Prozac is the best it seems, for a few days.
> Prozac is very long acting, like month(s), so a few doses
> and you will coast off the Prozac slowly, avoiding the
> withdrawal. This is well established protocal in dealing with
> withdrawal from other meds, ie, moving from shorter acting to longer acting
> meds. Doc Bob's Tip's mentions the Prozac trick. It has been
> written about in publications. Share this info with your doc.
>
> If I stop Effexor I get some of the problems y'all get, but they
> last just a few days. I take a benzo, Atavin, for this that works very
> well. Stops the shocks, the wired feeling, I don't snap at people, cry, ect.
> I would suspect for those having a really hard time for an extended period
> Klonipin would be ideal to give 24/7 control. Of course,
> here we go down the path of an adictive med. However, ~.25 mgs
> for 1 to 2 months (or ~.5 mgs atavin 2X/a day) could be stopped
> with out problems of adiction in most. If I was going thru
> the kind of withdrawal effects mentioned as of late and they lasted more than a few days
> I would call my doc and ask, demand if need be, something to
> make it stop. Using a benzo for this has a good benifit to risk ratio and it is
> short term.
>
> james
poster:Caroll
thread:43762
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000822/msgs/43824.html