Posted by saint james on March 17, 2000, at 21:15:20
In reply to Re: I'm Sorry Guys!, posted by gloria on March 17, 2000, at 10:50:08
I am taking Effexor tablets. Is Effexor XR better. What is the difference?
James here....
I have been on Effexor since 1995 and XR since 1998, basically when each came out.
I find a big difference between tablets and Effexor XR. Effexor is a short acting med so an extended release formulation makes sence. The original Effexor is a hard pill which accounted
for the GI problems, I think. I have no sideeffects with the XR and the sweating problem has stopped.It is important to remember that Effexor is short acting, even in the XR. Unlike most other AD's, with halflifes measured in days and weeks and where a missed dose makes no difference, in Effexor you will often feel a missed dose. This accounts for peoples problems in stoping Effexor. The dose has to be tapered very slowly or replace Effexor with a long acting AD (with good 5-HT action) like Prozac. 1 or 2 doses of Prozac will end any any w/d problems.
I find Effexor to be the most powerful AD I have ever been on. It is a very powerful 5-HT RI (more so than Prozac) and a somewhat powerful nor-e RI. I am a nor-e person, none of the SSRI's or any AD that effects 5-HT work on me. I notice the nor-e effects at 150 mgs but need to take a higher dose to avoid break-thru depressions.
james
poster:saint james
thread:27316
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000312/msgs/27400.html