Posted by Ignatz on February 4, 2001, at 22:21:16
In reply to Re: February is Effexor month at PBabble, posted by Shell on February 4, 2001, at 21:24:12
> >
> > Dx effexor taken for ?
>
> Depression.
> >
> > did you like it or not, why ?
>
>I basically like it. I began it after 6 years on Zoloft, which worked fine until, under some personal stress, I freaked out one day and checked right into the hospital. (My last depression was really bad and I was terrified it was going to happen again.) The p-doc immediately put me on Effexor, and I was out of there, feeling totally normal, in 3 days. (Placebo effect? I dunno, but I've felt pretty much fine since.)
I have more mood swings on Effexor than I did on Zoloft. I feel pretty low at times; I can cry, which I hardly did on Zoloft. I think I prefer Zoloft because of this, but both seem to keep me non-depressed (as in what my friends call "big D depressed" as opposed to sad sometimes), which is the most important thing.
>
> > which version effexor or effexor XR
>
> Effexor XR- 187.5 a day
>
> > how it helped or did not, time of day taken
>
Keeps me sane. I take it in the morning.
>
> > side effects starting & what helped
>
Can't remember any. I was pretty freaked at the time, though.
>
>
> > side effects on the med & what helped
>
I haven't had any luck losing the loads of weight I gained on Zoloft; my appetite's still pretty voracious, and working out regularly doesn't seem to help shed the pounds, though it's sure good for mood and overall fitness.
Insomnia- I take trazadone at night to sleep.
The good thing, though, is that with Zoloft I had a heck of a hard time having an orgasm, and with Effexor, it's a lot easier.
If I go up higher than 187.5, I get a very restless feeling--what I call "the squigglies."
>
> > side effects stopping & what helped
Not planning to stop.
>
> > time on med ( days, weeks, months, etc)
>
Almost two years.
>
>
> > if you took other meds & discontinued them before effexor, if so why ?When I got depressed 9 years ago, I started on Prozac-- stopped after 3 days, way too jittery. Then Wellbutrin- didn't work at all. Then Pamelor (nortryptiline). Partial response- I'd feel okay one week, pretty lousy the next. P-doc added lithium; didn't seem to do much except make me slur words and trip over stuff when my lith levels got too high. Finally, I switched p-docs and the new one started me on Zoloft, which worked great, so I backed off all the other stuff.
poster:Ignatz
thread:53280
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010131/msgs/53324.html