Hi Lady, Glad to see you back! Thanks for sharing your story and you are on the right path. You have made many changes over the last couple of months and this can be challenging. Things are turning around for the better. Just like smoking, you do need some you time everyday to pamper and just relax. Take some time to go through the program and see the knowledge and support provided. It can help get you started and on your way to progressing. Unfortunately, as moderators, we can not assist your with medication dosages and usage. Continue working with your doctor and ask about clinics and health benefits to perhaps help cover some costs. There are also many generic brands of many medications, and they come at a cheaper rate. Check with your pharmacist and doctor to see if this applies to your medications. You are doing a great job and we hope you continue to share with us. You have a lot experiences and knowledge to share and we are here to assist you every step of the way :) Josie, Support Specialist

I've been here before but found very little activity. I am hoping this time will be different. I am a member of another support community by these good people that is very successful and helped me to quit smoking. I'm hoping to find help in getting over or through depression as well. This is the forum for that. I am Lady and here is a little of my story. I quit smoking nearly 2.5 years ago and found that I had used nicotine to squash depression for probably my entire adult life. It took me 1.5 years to finally talk to my doctor about it, seek counseling and get some help. Mainly out of desperation. I wasn't able to function normally anymore. My doctor and I went through several medicines before we finally found the right combination. I've seen a counselor just about every week for the past year. I've hated being on medication just to get through normal life. To me, I just don't think I should have to take 3 pills a day (sometimes more) just to be able to keep the tears from falling and to work like an every day person. I've made a lot of changes in my life. I've relocated to a new area about 4 hours away from where I was living. This removed a lot of obsticles I had in my life, my exhusband, my father, my daughter (who is 20, grown, married and pregnant). I have two sons, 14 & 5 and the schools here are awesome compared to where we were. I have the dream job that I worked many years to get through school and obtain and I have a new love that absolutely amazing. What more could you ask for??????? So since I have all these positives going on in my life I want to get off the medication. Also, things are tight financially after the move because I still have my home in the old city I lived in and the cost of living here is much higher. I'm trying to cut costs at every opportunity and this medication isn't cheap. So here I am again. I take 150mg of Effexor XR a day. I also take Buspar twice a day and have Klonipin that I take when I need something extra. The times I need extra are usually when I'm around all those things I mentioned above that I have left. I have 75mg Effexor that my doctor and I tried to cut down to a couple of months ago. After just a few days of the lower dosage, the counselor and I decided that with all the changes going on I should wait another six months to try to cut down and then eventually come off the medication. I guess that is plenty for now. I hope to get some responses and support this time. Lady