ThePurple

Hey everyone, I don't really know where to start so I'll go ahead and tell you what my problem is. I've been taking Effexor XR for panic attacks and severe anxiety for a number of years now and up until recently I had almost forgotten I had panic attacks. Long story short, Blue Cross dropped the coverage for Effexor because I purchased an allergy medication that went over the insurance rate, I went through a rough patch with the generic but now thanks to an aunt I have plenty of the XR (extended release)to last me the rest of the year. Even though I am back on the dose of Effexor XR I was on before, I have been having severe anxiety problems, every day has been a struggle and I've been on a regular dose for almost a month. I have been smoking Marijuana for about 3 months now. I read spirals thread titled "Marijuana and Antidepressants", and saw something about seratonin levels and recognized that chemical word from numerous neurologists appointments (suposedly my seratonin levels are irregular). I then went to the Effexor XR website and noticed this bit about Seratonin levels: Serotonin Syndrome Can Be Potentially Life-Threatening more info A potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome can happen with Effexor XR treatment, particularly when taken with other medicines that affect serotonin. This includes medicines used to treat migraine headaches (known as triptans), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), lithium, tramadol, St. John's wort, MAOIs (including linezolid, an antibiotic), and tryptophan supplements.

Before I saw Spirals post I had brushed off the thought of Marijuana doing me harm. So my question is, do you think it is likely my Marijuana usage is interfering with my medication and making my situation more difficult?

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- Austin

StonedBassist

Haha, I'm no expert on this, but what if you take a break from smoking and see if you feel any better. If not go to a doctor. Or both.

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Never go chasing bud, if you believe in it, it will always find its way to you.

dirtbomb

Pot has no impact on Serotonin levels.
I've been using both Prozac and Marijuana, with the full knowledge of my Psychiatrist, as a "cocktail" for several years now.

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