Hi cookie6845 I wanted to respond because I can relate to not wanting to be on effexor! I was on it (venlafaxine) for almost 20 years. I successfully got off in February 2020 (right as Covid-19 was peaking everywhere). It was a horrible ordeal to go through the withdrawals... I'm not sure how much was exacerbated by timing (pandemic stress). But the good news is there is life after effexor! I posted a lot about my experience in Feb on a Mayo thread 'getting off venlafaxine' (something like that title). I might have done better tapering with a 'helper' antidepressant like Lexapro but decided I could handle it knowing what I was in for... I felt I was going crazy but just kept telling myself it was 'okay' that my brain would eventually re-adjust, and eventually it did. But for 2 weeks I felt like I was on hallucinatory drugs day & night - not fun. Anyway - the REASON I am posting here is that 3 years ago I had 2 types of genetic testing (one may have been Genomind). What matters MOST is to have someone qualified to interpret the results. In my case my MD/Psychiatrist said I was deficient in several important neuro-related nutrients/supplements and that if I brought those to functioning levels I wouldn't BE depressed. At the time I did not believe him (as I said, for ~20yrs I 'needed' venlafaxine). About a year later I had established a consistent routine of the recommended supplements. A year after consistently taking these I began having the strange sensation of feeling happy for 'no particular reason'. I also began to notice venlafaxine made me fuzzy-brained. So I began lowering the dose (gradually) which actually made me feel - Less Depressed! So in my case, genetic testing was key to resolving my depression. I was not offered a 'cure' for depression - I had sought genetic testing for a completely separate issue. But the geneticist told me I was seriously deficient in several important vital 'nutrients' that would make me healthier overall. Once I supplemented with these consistently (took 2 years) I was no longer depressed. Every person is different - that's why genetic testing is so important. In the hands of a skilled neuro-geneticist your own individual needs can be assessed. The solution for me would not be applicable to you (or anyone else) because were not genetic equivalents! We all have unique needs. The sooner Doctors learn how to use this testing the better - cookie-cutter medicine should be a thing of the past... It will help with the current system of 'trial and error' prescription of psychotropic medication that causes so much stress and heartache...

'Love Lexapro~~it really works for me!