The main overall caveat about Effexor is that you should go off it slowly. It seems to be one of those drugs that people either love or hate.

I'm never fully comfortable with these conversations -- the range of what happens to a given individual on a given drug varies so widely that I don't think too much weight can be given to what individuals have to say about it.

I think we have the sense to treat what any individual says as only one data point. It's valuable to get opinions here because we are generally more self-analytic and more likely to have done a lot of research.

Quick parenting/medical question - I accidentaly dropped a Coke can on Frisco's big toe on Friday night. I felt so bad because it obviously hurt a lot and his entire toenail is now black. It is also not swollen exactly, but the nail is sort of pushed up (like the pressure from the blood on the inside is pushing it out). He's walking fine and only mentions it hurting when he's upset about something else and neither of us wants to go to the doctor. But now I'm wondering if there might be some benefit to seeing a doctor. Not sure what that would be but I'm worried his toenail won't grow back and he will be deformed for life, I guess.

I wouldn't bother with the doctor unless there's infection-type redness and pain. His toenail may fall off entirely, but it will grow back. Signed, my sister lost a toenail due to an accident with a brick at age 5 and has perfectly normal toenails now.

That sounds a lot like what happened to Dylan when he smashed his thumb in the door a few weeks back - in his case we did take him to the ER because it was bleeding so much that we couldn't even get a good look at it to see if he'd lost the whole nail or what, but if it's not bleeding and he's able to walk on it I wouldn't bother. Our doctor said that Dylan's nail would look bruised for a while and would probably grow back in a little weird, but that there wasn't any permanent damage.

Thank you, both. Parental guilt is strong.

Ouch - I hope Frisco's toe is better soon, Nonian.

Thanks, Seska. I'm actually curious to seen how long it will take to heal. Last year, on New Year's Eve, I dropped something on my big toe and it took almost exactly a year to get totally back to normal. This is probably a lot worse, and his whole toe, but I'm curious to see if he heals faster.

ION, I just got inside from shovelling. We have this driveway shaped like a Y, but with three prongs and our one neighbor always shovels the long, straight part. Still, it took me about 30 minutes to shovel our part and it was really cold! I so love that winter here comes in little bits.

Erk. Sorry if I shouldn't be asking. I just like to have anecdotal evidence - largely because doctors won't tell me anything about these drugs.

No, you totally should. Anecdotal evidence in addition to research and talking to my docs helped me to pinpoint many things that did and didn't work for me.

I think Buffistas are a pretty informed bunch; it's been HUGELY helpful to have an atypical response to something, and find out you're not the only person to respond that way. (Trazadone, I'm looking at YOU.)

(Trazadone, I'm looking at YOU.)

What was your response to Trazadone?

Oh, Nonian. I hope it'll get all better soon.

In other news: some lousy motherfucker took the copy of Nagel's View from Nowhere that I needed from the library before I could reach to it first.

Someone. Will. Pay.