Diving + Venlafaxine (Effexor XR)

[DocVikingo]

Hi Moichael10111,

What, exactly, do you mean by "the MEDICAL LEGAL opinion..." within the context of your inquiry?

Cheers,

DocVikingo

 

[raftingtigger]

I have been diving on citalopram 20 mg for about 5 years (since restarting diving) without any noticeable effects. Sometimes I forget to take if for several days and get a little irritable and some of those times I have also been diving. I function fine without it, but find life more enjoyable on it (I tolerate stupidity better).

 

[WrmBluH2O]

I've been on Effexor and Welbutrin for over 15 years. I've never noticed any kind of side effect while diving. I'm curious to hear others experience.

Glad glad you have not perceived any side effects while diving on Wellbutrin for ~15 years. Although I don't happen to take any anti-depressant medication myself, I did read Doc Vikingo's 2003 piece above and noticed the Brits (in the form of the U.K. sport Diving Med Committee) seemed cautious about the Wellbutrin.

I'm glad that for you it has had no apparent side effects. Diving, depression, and/or medications does seem so complicated and individualized.

You're brave to post. Wishing you and your youngest (other thread) many happy years of diving!

 

[WrmBluH2O]

To the experienced diver who deleted her post, how do you forget to take your citalopram for a few days...? We all screw up, but you are both in the medical profession and a diver. I don't wish to be judgmental (but am, I fear in this case); however I couldn't read your post as anything but flip or cavalier, no matter how I tried to do otherwise. My apologies if I have misunderstood.

 

[BertStevens]

Glad glad you have not perceived any side effects while diving on Wellbutrin for ~15 years. Although I don't happen to take any anti-depressant medication myself, I did read Doc Vikingo's 2003 piece above and noticed the Brits (in the form of the U.K. sport Diving Med Committee) seemed cautious about the Wellbutrin.

I'm glad that for you it has had no apparent side effects. Diving, depression, and/or medications does seem so complicated and individualized.

You're brave to post. Wishing you and your youngest (other thread) many happy years of diving!

I don't consider it brave, but I post so others will not feel so reluctant. For too many, there is a negative connotation with depression. I see it as a chemical imbalance. Like my grandfather who took insulin.

Depression can be many things. Suicidal to general blahs. Personally, I deal with lack of concentration, loss of enjoyment and exhaustion. Meds counter those symptoms.

I hope one day more people won't feel so hesitant to discuss it.

 

[WrmBluH2O]

There shouldn't be a negative connotation associated with depression. Nevertheless, I understand you're posting for the benefit of others. I appreciate your doing so and hope you don't mind my characterization of you as brave.

 

[BertStevens]

There shouldn't be, but too many times there is. I don't believe it's brave to discuss my diagnosis, but won't argue with your characterization. I'll just say thank you.

 

[raftingtigger]

To the experienced diver who deleted her post,

If you mean me, Raftingtigger, I didn't delete it. It is still there.

how do you forget to take your citalopram for a few days...? We all screw up, but you are both in the medical profession and a diver.

Simple, I'm human just like everyone else. Anyone who tells you they are 100% compliant with medication is either lying to themselves, lying to you, or an extraordinarily disciplined individual. Doesn't matter that I am in the medical field, or that I'm a diver, or even that I used to be an airline captain - while I strive (and to date have) to be 100% accurate on critical items (such as: giving the right medicine to the right patient, making sure I have sufficient breathing gas, or that my plane is properly fueled), some things (taking my citalopram 100% of the time) aren't critical at all. The only reason I mentioned that sometimes I didn't take the medicine was to show that I didn't feel any different on days diving that I had taken it vs. days I hadn't.

I don't wish to be judgmental (but am, I fear in this case); however I couldn't read your post as anything but flip or cavalier, no matter how I tried to do otherwise. My apologies if I have misunderstood.

I'm sorry but you do come across as judgemental - at least to me - but you do warn you might. Also your other posts on this topic are better. I'll call it just curiosity. Not being either flip or cavalier. I posted to give the OP more examples of diving while both on and off an SSRI.

I don't consider it brave, but I post so others will not feel so reluctant. For too many, there is a negative connotation with depression. I see it as a chemical imbalance. Like my grandfather who took insulin.

Depression can be many things. Suicidal to general blahs. Personally, I deal with lack of concentration, loss of enjoyment and exhaustion. Meds counter those symptoms.

I hope one day more people won't feel so hesitant to discuss it.

Very well said. I have to say I was reluctant to post but felt it would contribute. Too many people who would benefit by mood therapy won't seek it because of the negative connotation. Depression, anxiety, bipolar are all spectrum conditions. They range from very mild to life altering. Antidepressants are used throughout this spectrum, and in many cases for things off this spectrum.

There shouldn't be a negative connotation associated with depression. Nevertheless, I understand you're posting for the benefit of others. I appreciate your doing so and hope you don't mind my characterization of you as brave.

That was nicely said.

 

[WrmBluH2O]

I have had time to reflect on my posts in this thread. Although I meant well, my initial post to BertStevens didn't need to be made. It added no value. My mother would have suggested I mind my own business. And, instead I could simply have read, learned, and refrained from posting. I'm sorry for inserting myself where, again, I added little. That said, I do like BertStevens' willingness to talk about his experience, to help others, to encourage others to do the same, and because he was curious to hear the experiences of others.

In a similar vein, I should have minded my own business where raftingtigger's post was concerned. In addition, I was overly harsh. Thank you very much to raftingtigger for answering my question despite the judgmental nature of my post.

Raftingtigger, I do have a concern that even though apparently you have never experienced anything resembling SSRI discontinuation syndrome in the past by abruptly stopping for three days, you might in the future. I would worry a bit for you and your buddy with (even infrequent) intermittent, abrupt stops of an anti-depressant rather than tapering or remaining on it. I imagine you well understand that this medicine isn't PRN for depression. Forgetting for three days would be considered an abrupt (though granted a temporary) discontinuation. But, it is, of course, ultimately your choice as to whether or not to dive with folks when doing so. Although you may believe it impossible, extremely, or very unlikely that you could unexpectedly experience severe discontinuation symptoms while underwater, this is one diving risk you can lessen.

I know boatloads of people aren't 100% compliant with with medication. But, SSRI's are truly meant to be taken consistently.

Again, it now (to me) boils down to I should have refrained from posting that initial message to you, raftingtigger's. I apologize for having made the post, the tone, and the content. Shouldn't have inserted myself in to the conversation. I am truly sorry I was a judgmental jerk. Thank you for having been gracious in your reply. And a hearty thanks for contributing so that hopefully others who could greatly benefit from mood therapy will seek it!

 

[BertStevens]

WrmBluH2O, I took no offense to your post. In fact, I was not aware of the concern with taking Wellbutrin and diving. So I did find your post informative and contributing to the discussion.