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Re: Ah, food and whoopee... » KennyBingo

Posted by PoohBear on March 30, 2004, at 10:50:07

In reply to Ah, food and whoopee..., posted by KennyBingo on March 30, 2004, at 1:05:54

> Hi Folks,
>
> Just here with my two cents' (if that) worth on the matters of increased weight and decreased libido. I've gained a little weight. Can't quite figure out if it's the Effexor or just the usual mid-thirties pile-up. It occurs to me that, since starting the Effexor (37.5 to 75, then 150 mg/day) a year ago, I really get a kick out of EATING much more than before. Never before has food been so enjoyable. Perhaps depression was just making me sick to my stomach all those years...
>
> As for sexual dampening. Well, again--is it age or is it pharmacologically induced phrigidity? [sic] Likely the latter, which for me isn't so bad. See, my partner has also been on the stuff (300mg/day, no less)for years. It's therefore rather convenient, if kind of sad, to see my sexual sensitivity and sensibility take a nosedive. And I'm sure she appreciates the respite from my solicitations. Still, this priest-like existence is weird.
>
> Any reflections on the above?
>
> k


I would second the thing about food tasting good. I've always loved to eat and have been deeling with getting my excess weight off over the past two years. I was almost at my Weight Watchers goal when I started on Effexor. I wouldn't say that it's *made* me gain weight, but it certainly has made it more enjoyable to eat and harder to take off the weight.

As regards the sexual issues, I'm 47 and my wife is 52. I've always been more interested in sex than she. The decline in my desire while on Effexor for the past few months was good for us because at the same time I started treatment for depression she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, had surgery and spent the next 4 months recovering before she could even think of sex.

I have noted that while at first I needed to augment the Effexor with Wellbutrin to achieve an erection and reach climax, the sexual side effects of Effexor have moderated and gone away with time. My orgasms are much more intense than they were without meds. I'm taking Seroquel as well, so it's hard to know what med is contributing which effect, but for me at least, this is no longer and issue.

I must reiterate the importance of sticking with a med long enough to really get a feel for the effects and to let side effects subside. In almost all instances they will to some extent.

I also want to second the opinion regarding taking notes about your meds and their effects on your system. I keep notes in my PDA on each med that I can refer to with my pDoc so that we can gauge where we're going and what's working and what's not. She mentioned the other day that she really appreciated me doing this. It makes her job soooooo much easier.

Tony


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