Posted by Racer on June 13, 1999, at 12:26:16
In reply to Re: Help, please, Doctors. Effexor and ?? question, posted by Judy on June 13, 1999, at 10:03:50
Hi, Judy, thanks for entering this thread. It was getting lonely.
My experience with Effexor was wonderful, even though it hasn't helped my depression much at all. To begin with, I started it after coming off Serzone, which was awful for me. I was lying awake most nights, with all the demons in heck ranged around my bed telling me that I was the worst person in the world, etc. Just couldn't relax and get my mind off my problems to sleep. Usually cried instead of sleeping. On Serzone, I was miserable, my muscles ached from being so tense, and in the end I couldn't keep any food down at all. That was the point at which the doctor finally said that maybe it wasn't the drug for me...
The first three nights on Effexor I couldn't sleep at all. Nonetheless, I got up each morning feeling better. Even though I couldn't sleep, I was lying in bed fully relaxed, not worrying, and resting. After those three nights, I could sleep again, though I'm still waking up now and again, which may be the drug, and may be the damn cats! (Don't ask. My apartment is infested with cats. My bed is usually a demilitarized zone, but once in a while they forget that.) While it is more difficult to achieve orgasm, it's still possible and they're still satisfying. I haven't gained weight, but then the eating disorder may have something to do with that. No major bowel disturbances, though that's hard to tell since I tend to have those problems anyway. It's 100% effective on the anxiety portion of my depression. The only problem I have with it is that I'm still depressed and suicidal.
Of all the anti-depressants I've ever been on, this is my favorite by far. I only wish it were doing its job on the depression.
I'm gonna go look up Remeron now...
poster:Racer
thread:7271
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/7340.html