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I hate to admit this, because this is more revealing than I usually am on the cellar, but I have taken Effexor, and yes, I gained weight, had "brain jolts" as you call them and had a horrible time getting off it. The "brain jolts" are unbearable when they occur every 5 seconds. Like you, I got down to 0 from 300 and couldn't stand it. I even got to the point where I was counting granules to ease myself off as slowly as possible, but it was still awful. Sometimes, I would get myself drunk, just to soften the withdrawals...it helped a little. Finally. after having tried for several months to get off the stuff, I made a gradual switch to zoloft and then a gradual switch to Welbutrin and then off Welbutrin. This method worked for me, because moving to a different medication didn't cause the withdrawal symptoms and getting off Welbutrin wasn't difficult for me. Yes, Effexor also caused ugly side effects for me, and I have heard this about a lot of other people using the drug. Sex drive suffered, too. I feel much better, now, not being medicated at all. It has been several months since I got off anti-depressants and I have lost the weight I had gained while taking them and feel good. I think they were helpful in some ways, but I wouldn't do it again, just due to the side effects.
I have a close friend who took Lexapro. It worked well for him for a while, but wore off over time until he was at the max dose. Then it stopped "working". He finally just got off the drug. He had some of the same symptoms that I had with Effexor. I don't think they were nearly as strong as mine, though, from what he tells me. He gained weight on the medicine and found it extremely difficult to take the weight off. Once he stopped taking the medicine, his weight was as easily lost as it was before he took Lexapro.
I have known people that had no real trouble getting off these drugs or even taking them.
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