I am going through a lot of turmoil right now... a bit of bipolar/mood swings every few hours, not getting a damn thing done, lost in my own thoughts reliving stressful/depressing points in my life...

Even though I've dealt with things like this before in my life, its never been as strong as now, and I feel like I'm in desperate need of some sort of medication to help me out. This is the first time I've had suicidal thoughts that extended over a few minutes. Not sure how serious they are, because eventually I get myself out of that funk and I'm suddenly feeling very good about myself.

Anyways, in order to salvage this term of college, I feel like I need something that works fast and hard to get me going... Effexor looks really promising... I'm willing to live through side effects if there isn't too much risk of making my depression even WORSE.

I am seeing the a college counselor on Thursday who will hopefully be able to give me some sort of prescription.

Effexor is certainlly a good drug that helps many. However, I would suggest that you wait and see what the Dr or counselor suggest first before you recomend something that you think might be best.

For starters, these drugs more often than not effect us each a little differently. What works best for one person might be the worst thing for another person. So until you actually take a given drug you will never know for sure how it will effect you. That's why I always feel like it's best to let the health care professional make the decision as to what therapy I should embark upon. However, after trying their approach, if in time I feel like I want to try another therapy, it's at that time that I speak up and let them know what it is that I want to try. ;)

That being said, when it comes to considering things just on the surface, I did read somewhere that Remeron (mirtazapine) is considered to have the lowest incidence of "relapse depression" of any prescription antidepressant medication. "Relapse depression" occurs to many people when they stop taking antidepressant medication. For some patients, their depression relapses and comes back which requires that they start taking their medication again. I wish I could remember the exact article I read about this, but its been about 7 years ago or so since I read it, and I don't remember where I read it.

Here's a link to a similar article though: http://www.upmc.com/Communications/MediaRelations/NewsReleaseArchives/By+Subject/D/Depression/Mirtazapine.htm

I hope that you are able to find some help, and I also hope very much that you will keep us posted as things unfold for you on that end.

Talk to your doctor.

Suicidiality is a psychiatric emergency, no?

Shire is attempting to have Vyvanse approved for depression apparently

sorry for taking so long to reply to this post, definately some good info there jars... mirtazapine is actually the first antidepressent i ever tried... took it for sleep actually but at some point i got up to antidepressent theraputic levels for at least a few months. unfortunately it didnt do to much but make me bit drowsy and zombified during the day :(

Just be careful if you try effexor. Coming off it can be really horrible but it's not the same as 'Relapse depression' as lars mentioned although that can sometimes add to it. Sometimes the withdrawl is mistaken for relapse depression since not many doctors I've visited even know about effexor withdrawl.

One Harvard study found 78% of patients experienced withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing effexor xr making it the only drug worse than paxil in this regard.

http://bipolarworld.net/Phelps/ph_2005/ph1354.htm (here's a link where a doctor gives a bit of information on it.)

http://mb.rxlist.com/rxboard/effexor.pl?noframes;read=5656 (another link on the withdrawl)

Good luck with everything.

is it true that effexor can cause permanent dependence?

is it true that effexor can cause permanent dependence?It's true that it CAN. It is however unlikely.


If you ever have to stop taking it I'd suggest reducing the dose very slowly. One of the psychiatrists I'd seen said to open up the capsule and remove one of the tiny balls inside and continue reducing your dose by one of the little balls each day.

Eg. Monday - take one ball out, Tuesday - two, Wednesday - three etc. etc.

This takes a long time but it's worth it if you can get over the withdrawal without feeling much. I ended up doing this and although it took about 8 months to get off, I didn't suffer many negative effects.

Make sure you talk to your doctor before trying the above, they should be fine with it but it doesn't hurt to make sure.

If effexor helps you then it's worth the drawn out discontinuation effects if you ever have to stop.

nice tip on removing the pellets one by one... i took adderall a long long time ago and they had those pellets in them... must have taken a long time, like u said.

will def keep on considering this one then

Don't recommend it unless nothing else works, but Tricyclic's have a good track record, and if you're in absolute dire emergency... MAOI's.... but yeah talk to your doctor.

Have you tried Lamotrigine (Lamictal)? It is indicated for Bipolar disorder maintenence Long Term, it is more effective in most cases for the depressive episodes.