PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT TAKE EFFEXOR.

It has runied my life. I started with 5 mg. of Adderall and increased dose to 100 mg. whilst studying overtime. I was so nervous on Adderall...sure...I could concentrate...but the paranoia was disconcerting. Also, I had problems eating regularly when on Adderall. I could concentrate at times, but most of the time I could not retain the information presented. I've had ADHD all my life and was "officially" diagnosed as an adult and after everything in my life just made sense. Although my IQ is high...I suffered in school throughout my life.

Anyhow, I was seeing a sleep specialist on top of seeing a ADHD specialist the former of which suggested I take Effexor to calm my nerves as a result of the Adderall. Previous to that I tried to Celexa but with little success. I've also tried to Dexedrine and Ritalin without success to treat the ADHD. The adverse effects of the drugs was too great.

Also, I had been taking Deseryl, approx. 25 mg. a night to sleep. Anyhow, the combination of these three medications sent me to the hospital twice!!! Where I wasn't taken seriouslly at the emergency room...and was told I was having just an anxiety attack (I knew it was more). I felt like I was going to jump out of my skin...my whole skin was crawling...I felt this impending doom. Both doctors didn't monitor my medications.

Anyhow, I had a week to go to write my GMAT exam...but then I ended up in the hospital again with some kind of allergic reaction...and was unable to complete my exam. I decided to stop these medications...and told the doctors. Well afterwards...I was ill for 6 MONTHS. Everything I ate...resulted in rashes on my body...I couldn't sleep...I couldn't leave the house. I broke out in a sweat at night...I was feeling anxious and my whole body was just shaking and feeling sick all the time. And then my throat started to constrict when I took the Trazadone which I had taken for the last twenty years (couldn't understand why).

To make a long story short, no one could help me!!! I tried taking Adderex for the allergic reactions...but only got worse...I started to have problems with my stomach. I had diarehhia for a month! I went to an allergist...who gave me one allergy pill after another...my throat started constricting on each one...AND NO ONE COULD EXPLAIN WHY. Needless to say, I abaonded seeing this doctor...who had never seen this before...and could not even address or explain the situation. Then I went to see an immunologoist. After explaining my medical history for the last several months...she said to me..."I don't know what's wrong with you"!!! CAN YOU IMAGINE.

Finally, I asked my family doctor if it would be a could idea for me to back on Effexor since I couldn't think of what else to do as I thought I was going to basically die. He thought it was a could idea...so I started taking the 37.5 Effexor pill...BUT HALF OF IT (apporx. 18.7 mg.) every other day. Although, the improvement was minimal and gradual over months...I stablized...along the way I developed an intolerence to wheat (which I ended up discovering for myself). Most of the doctors I've seen have been useless!!! They are quick to prescribe medications such as Effexor...but cannot treat you afterwards if you've gone of the medications too fast and have not tapered off.

Currently...I'm taking 18.7 mg. of Effexor...every five days. A month ago...I tried going off it and tried to taper off...and got extremely sick again. SEVER WITHDRAWLS. I have constant headaches...constant stomach aches...my body is not absorbing nutrients as it should...I'm scared of taking any vitamins or other medications for fear of more allergic reactions.

Anyhow, out there taking Effexor...I would recommended NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION. Or if the the very least...TAPER OFF SLOWLY wheen discontinuing use. THE WARNINGS ON THE PACKAGE ARE MISLEADING AND DO NOT EVEN COME CLOSING TO DESCRIBING THE HELL AND PERMANENT DAMAGE THIS MEDICATION CAN CAUSE.

Sure, Effexor may help you at first...but trying get off this medication...and you will see how your body reacts.

First common sense should tell you that taking 100mg of Adderall so you can study is not a good idea.

I don't know what taking effexor every other day or every 5 days would help. It's an SSRI it needs to build up in your body for about a month before it can even work properly. Which means if you take it every other day then every other day you will go through withdrawal. Can't see how that would benefit anyone.

I don't know how long you were taking Effexor (or how much is actually built up in your body because of the weird schedule) but Effexor has the worst withdrawal of any medication I've ever tried and I've tried a lot. I was seriously ill for a month and pretty sick for a few more months after that but not as brutally ill as the first month. Took me about 4-6 months until I could function normally again.