Effexor (venlafaxine) for Bipolar Disorder

I think Effexor has been very beneficial for me - I've taken it for about six years. A word of warning: Do NOT let your prescription run out or take yourself off Effexor abruptly! I experienced this by accident while waiting for a mail-order prescription to arrive (my doctor was just moving into a new office and didn't have samples available). Within 2 days, I was a wreck emotionally (depressive, sobbing for no reason), cognitively (all over the place, no concentration), and physically (impaired motor coordination among other things). The "brain shivers" a feeling like an electrical current running from the brain down the spine and back again, are very disconcerting! I got samples from my doctor's former office and was noticeably better within hours of 1 dose. Effexor saved my life. I never knew what I "had" could be cured. I'd tried other antidepressants but they made my anxiety worse or vice versa. Effexor has given me back a will to live. It's lifted the fog of anxiety. I take 150mg. My stress level and blood pressure is WAY down. Someone mentioned strange dreams, I'd like to second that. I have been on Effexor XR for approximately 7 years now. I was started off at 75mg and have since been raised to 225mg over the years. I have had good results on this medication. One downfall is the terrible withdrawals that I experience if I miss a dose. These effects happen within the first couple of hours of not taking it. Terrible headache, foggy feeling, and extreme eye sensitivity. Within a day of a skipped dose I become agitated, argumentative, and defiant. I do not look forward to switching from this medicine to a different one, which my doctor has suggested, due to the withdrawal symptoms.