Cold turkeyed off Effexor and Etrafon

“I continue to cite your book to all I can reach. I believe in you, and thank you so very much!”

I’ve read “PROZAC: PANACEA OR PANDORA?” with great interest after your first “Art Bell” show. I was fortunate to be able to tape the second show with B. Simpson.

Thanks to your efforts, I now have all the support I need to warn friends about the pitfalls of these drugs.

My story:

Long term depression. Working physical job at printing outfit. Duties included fork lift driving. I went to the doctor for some relief; he prescribed Effexor, and Etrafon-forte.

My most pronounced side effect became noticeable to my wife; the persona of pure apathy.

Her father was killed in a car accident, and at the funeral, I couldn’t cry- became ultra-spiritual about his role in “the afterlife.” He was a Salvation Army officer and musician in the string band. He was loved by everyone. I miss him, but I do feel his presence even today; four years after my cold turkey episode.

My personal hell came in the form of unwanted thoughts that, without a firm spiritual background, I might have acted upon- as some of the examples presented in your case studies.

I decided that the drugs were the cause of my thoughts, and just stopped taking them one day. Things got worse, and I resorted to a relapse to drinking after a four year sobriety.

My drinking took off to three day binges, and I assaulted my loving wife while in a blackout.

Iwas jailed, and went through treatment. Over a six year period I’ve had three such episodes, but remain free of the SSRI’s. I’ve found relief with Librium, but they tapered me off of it while in the last treatment. I now feel totally lost, and have all the physical problems of stress, including fibro myalgia. I am now self employed making furniture.

I just got on the net at home, and wish to thank you for your insight-full work exposing this problem. I continue to cite your book to all I can reach. I believe in you, and thank you so very much!

Yours in central MN

Jon Allen
hihat02@yahoo.com

Leave a Reply