I really should have just stated clearly in the past that I don't feel comfortable with the Craigslist ads. It makes me feel like my "irritation posts" aren't taken seriously. And when no one else's posts are replied to with Craigslist ads, it REALLY makes me feel like my "irritation posts" are total petty whining bullshit compared to every single other person's posts about their problems.

I am too conflict avoidy, so I own my lack of responsibility in not saying this as clearly as possible, sooner than this.

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.

For what its worth, I went off it as slowly as humanly possible and still was quite ill. Being on it had been great but I'll never go on it again.

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.

I get that, which is why I go ahead and give my experiences with the drug. I just feel that the disclaimer is important because its not "effexor makes a person gain weight" its "effexor made THIS INDIVIDUAL gain weight." (lose their libido, perpetually thirsty, etc.)

It's certainly useful to the extent where when something goes wrong with Tramadol you learn it has happened to other people. Or if you go on Tramadol you know to keep an eye out for a particularly problem. But if someome's sole reason for not taking Tramadol is that it made Erin nuts that's not necessarily a good enough reason.

Which, like I said, never fully comfortable -- so I procede with caution.

It's certainly useful to the extent where when something goes wrong with Tramadol you learn it has happened to other people. Or if you go on Tramadol you know to keep an eye out for a particularly problem. But if someome's sole reason for not taking Tramadol is that it made Erin nuts that's not necessarily a good enough reason.

Trazadone made me crazy. Er.

I know that hearing about other people's experiences helps me to deliberate on and assess my responses to drugs more carefully. With the trazadone -- I still TOOK it, but I was not surprised I had the reaction I did, and was able to give it 4 days and say "No, this drug is not one I want to put in my body. There is no benefit opposed to the cost."

It's bright out with the sun on the 8 freaking inches of snow we got. I will have to plow out a path to get to the door and to the trash later.

And straighten my office. Ugh.

I am too conflict avoidy, so I own my lack of responsibility in not saying this as clearly as possible, sooner than this.

Eh, live and learn. So, now we know. Feel free to bitch about work. And I will cut anyone who posts an ad afterwards.

I know that hearing about other people's experiences helps me to deliberate on and assess my responses to drugs more carefully. With the trazadone -- I still TOOK it, but I was not surprised I had the reaction I did, and was able to give it 4 days and say "No, this drug is not one I want to put in my body. There is no benefit opposed to the cost."

Which is why I still chime in even though it makes me twitchy.

(Unlike Tramadol and Erin)

The bit about not being surprised by reactions is always really helpful. I have to take a lot of meds, and doctors persistently fail to warn me about some of their effects. Half the time I'm not sure most doctors are even aware. Which is not surprising if it's a GP, with all the different types of things they have to prescribe. But my rheumatologist didn't believe me for quite some weeks that a pain med was making me vomit. Turned out it makes a lot of people react like that, but he didn't know that.

So if a friend, or a contributor to a forum, has experience of the effects of something, I feel like I can be forewarned and forearmed. I'm much less likely to freak out and think I've gone entirely crazy (or got a brain-eating virus or tapeworm).

I find Pharmacists (Elena B -- HOLLAH!) to be particularly helpful with side-effects and weird-interactions discussions. In some ways, they're in a better position than physicians to see those scenarios play out.

they're in a better position than physicians to see those scenarios play out.

Our pharmacists have often pointed out to Hubby that he's taking multiple versions of the same drug from various doctors and that he's in danger of ODing on stuff. God bless the pharmacists.

ITA, Trudy. My pharmacist answers a ton of questions. I'm more consistent with pharmacists than doctors, actually.

Hee, Amish Paradise always, always makes me laugh.

Our pharmacists have often pointed out to Hubby that he's taking multiple versions of the same drug from various doctors and that he's in danger of ODing on stuff. God bless the pharmacists.

Heh. Yes, I mostly get that kind of thing from them.