Posted by Zellie on January 28, 2004, at 9:05:32
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR yes !!!!!!!!, posted by EFFEXED on January 27, 2004, at 19:40:15
I began Effexor back in May, and my pdoc titrated me up in baby, baby steps, allowing lots and lots of time between the increases. It was torture on me at the time, but looking back, I am very glad. I have found him to be an excellent physician (I do not feel that way about many docs at all who prescribe psychotropic drugs). He specializes in the very disorders we all talk about here, and he is very into biochemistry. He does thorough research, and shares it with his patients faithfully.
I was on 37.5 mg for about 4 weeks. Then went to 75 for 5 or 6 weeks. Then 112.5 for 7 or 8 weeks. Then 150 since then. With each increment, I felt better for a few days, but then, at some dosage levels, the depression grew almost unbearable after a week or so. I realized at that point that, for me, the med was working on the anxiety first (as it is known to do), and leaving me to fight the depression without the help of my anxiety any more. I realized then that the anxiety, as unhealthy as it had been, had actually served the purpose of prodding me through the depression. Once it was taken away, wow! I felt rotten. By 112.5 I was feeling considerably better, but still on the cusp of feeling depressed after about 6 or 7 weeks. So my pdoc upped the level once more to 150, and I've been good there since.
I have ADHD in addition to anxiety and depression, so Wellbutrin was added in November (we tried Concerta...ritalin based...but I could not tolerate it....must be in our family, since our youngest (12) tried it at the same time, and he, too, couldn't tolerate it, so he went back to Dexedrine...also used to treat ADHD). We pondered my trying Dexedrine, but since it is more stimulating than Wellbutrin, we opted for the Wellbutrin, given my high anxiety. It has gone well, and has helped me stay a little better on task.
Anyway, it is a guessing game as to how your body and brain will react. Just be very patient, and titrate up SLOWLY...it will help you to tolerate the med better, and will give it time to settle in. By the way, if you discover any sexual side-effects (delayed or absent climax), then it may subside or at least decrease substantially after about 3 to 6 months. If not, Wellbutrin can sometimes also help with that. Most side-effects ought to subside, given time....if they do not (as in the case of a close friend of mine who became unbearably tired on Effexor), then it is not the drug for you.
Don't ever miss a dose, take it at exactly the same time every day if you can, and if you do ever have to come off it, titrate down at even a SLOWER pace than a snail moves at, to mitigate intense side-effects that seem to accompany abrupt decline from the med. (P.S. Carry a spare dose with you, in case you realize once at work that you forgot to take your meds.)
Kindest regards,
Zellie> LIKE I SAID BEFORE I TOOK THE 37XR FOR 2 WEEKS NOW I AM ON THE 75XR WAS MOODY FOR THE FIRST 2 DAYS BUT NOW DAY 4 IS HERE AND TODAY IS THE BEST I HAVE FELT IN YEARS THIS STUFF IS GREAT I REALLY WAS ABLE TO GET UP THIS MORNING GO TO SCHOOL ON TIME AND AT THE END OF THE DAY I DID NOT FEEL LIKE I WAS GOING TO PASS OUT ON THE WAY TO PICK UP MY KIDS FROM SCHOOL MY DAUGHTER EVEN ASKED WHY I COULD NOT PLAY WITH HER LIKE THIS EVERY DAY I FEEL GREAT THANKS TO THE EFFEXOR
>
> PS.I KNOW THIS IS ONLY DAY 4
> HOPE IT LASTS.
>
> THANK YOU.( EFFEXED )
poster:Zellie
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040127/msgs/306362.html