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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Rrissa1317 on March 25, 2002, at 20:21:00
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Shanti on March 24, 2002, at 12:46:41
Shanti
If you ever want to talk one on one...my email address is Rrissa1317@mindspring.com
I know writing on here has done a lot for me, but occasionally I wish I could write a personal letter that just everyone couldn't read.
Clarissa
Posted by Rrissa1317 on March 25, 2002, at 20:23:23
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Hank on March 24, 2002, at 16:37:30
I didn't have any problems going on it. Just horrible crap trying to get off. Started on 150mg Wellbutrin today. We'll see how this one goes...
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 25, 2002, at 20:58:16
In reply to Re: Go to P-B homepage, scroll down link is at bottom » Shanti, posted by JANNBEAU (homenym) on March 25, 2002, at 19:49:51
> NOW, with that behind us, Let's see if we can get to Psychosocial Babble.
Thanks for redirecting yourselves! Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020325/msgs/20895.html
Bob
Posted by SusanG on March 25, 2002, at 22:13:20
In reply to Redirect: getting to Psychosocial Babble, posted by Dr. Bob on March 25, 2002, at 20:58:16
I was confused and thought we were trying to get to a chat room and not just another place to post messages. I'd prefer a more interactive way to communicate so maybe using Yahoo chat would work better. I think we can even set up our own user room. I tried to do so the other night but my computer froze up! Thanks for being patient with us Dr Bob while we get this going.
Posted by Dr. Bob on March 25, 2002, at 22:38:37
In reply to Re: Redirect: getting to Psychosocial Babble, posted by SusanG on March 25, 2002, at 22:13:20
> I was confused and thought we were trying to get to a chat room and not just another place to post messages.
If you've already joined Psycho-Babble Open (which is a different process than registering here), then you should be able just to go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/psycho-babble-open/chat
Bob
Posted by SueDoeN on March 25, 2002, at 22:44:44
In reply to Re: Redirect: getting to Psychosocial Babble, posted by SusanG on March 25, 2002, at 22:13:20
> I was confused and thought we were trying to get to a chat room and not just another place to post messages. I'd prefer a more interactive way to communicate so maybe using Yahoo chat would work better. I think we can even set up our own user room. I tried to do so the other night but my computer froze up! Thanks for being patient with us Dr Bob while we get this going.
Some of us girls set up a sort of e-mail club. We write each other and send "carbon-copies" to the others in our group. We're enjoying getting to know each other and learning to cope with our "illnesses". If you want to join in please write to me at SueDoeN@aol.com I'll be gone for about a week, but then I'll be back.
hope to hear from you.
Posted by SueDoeN on March 25, 2002, at 23:04:04
In reply to Re: Go to P-B homepage, scroll down link is at bottom, posted by JANNBEAU on March 25, 2002, at 13:40:54
> Sue, Thank you, thank you . . . Shanti, Lolly, Angel Girl, others-- let's see if we can get there!
>
> JannbeauMy computer doesn't allow me to chat at open chat. However:
Some of us girls set up a sort of e-mail club. We write each other and send "carbon-copies" to the others in our group. We're enjoying getting to know each other and learning to cope with our "illnesses". If you want to join in please write to me at SueDoeN@aol.com I'll be gone for about a week, but then I'll be back.
hope to hear from you.
Posted by SusanG on March 25, 2002, at 23:07:57
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by Dr. Bob on March 25, 2002, at 22:38:37
Whew, I finally found it. Thanks for the message, Dr. Bob, I just wish I'd read it earlier. If you others are interested in chatting, follow Dr Bob's info and you'll get to the chat room as well. I hope to see you there.
Posted by Shanti on March 26, 2002, at 20:37:58
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by SusanG on March 25, 2002, at 23:07:57
> Whew, I finally found it. Thanks for the message, Dr. Bob, I just wish I'd read it earlier. If you others are interested in chatting, follow Dr Bob's info and you'll get to the chat room as well. I hope to see you there.
ok, so i signed up with yahoo but when i try to sign in to dr. bob's i need a verification number which i don't have yet
helllp!
shanti
Posted by SusanG on March 26, 2002, at 21:44:52
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by Shanti on March 26, 2002, at 20:37:58
Shanti, I don't know what to tell you. I know when I signed up in Psychobabble Open I was able to get in to the chat room right away. I don't remember if I was asked for or given a number...maybe I was...my short term memory stinks. I hope you are able to get this straightened out. Sorry to be of no help.
Posted by Shanti on March 26, 2002, at 21:54:35
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by SusanG on March 26, 2002, at 21:44:52
> Shanti, I don't know what to tell you. I know when I signed up in Psychobabble Open I was able to get in to the chat room right away. I don't remember if I was asked for or given a number...maybe I was...my short term memory stinks. I hope you are able to get this straightened out. Sorry to be of no help.
i have a address and i am finally on! I could not find any one elses i will go online
canadianshanti@yahoo.cai will see you there in a minute?
shanti
Posted by JANNBEAU (homenym) on March 26, 2002, at 23:26:51
In reply to Redirect: getting to Psychosocial Babble, posted by Dr. Bob on March 25, 2002, at 20:58:16
> > NOW, with that behind us, Let's see if we can get to Psychosocial Babble.
>
> Thanks for redirecting yourselves! Here's a link:
>
> http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020325/msgs/20895.html
>
> BobAh, Dr. Bob, so glad you're back at work! Thanks! We really got tangled up in this one.
Cheers,
Jannbeau
Posted by lolly on March 27, 2002, at 0:08:18
In reply to Re: Redirect: getting to Psychosocial Babble » Dr. Bob, posted by JANNBEAU (homenym) on March 26, 2002, at 23:26:51
> > > NOW, with that behind us, Let's see if we can get to Psychosocial Babble.
> >
> > Thanks for redirecting yourselves! Here's a link:
> >
> > http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020325/msgs/20895.html
> >
> > Bob
>
> Ah, Dr. Bob, so glad you're back at work! Thanks! We really got tangled up in this one.
>
> Cheers,
> JannbeauHi Guys
just found my way in to the chat and missed shanti. you can email me at pkslolly@yahoo.com i'm on west coast so i'll try to catch up with you, also on at work.
lolly
Posted by valenphy on March 27, 2002, at 14:42:45
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I began Effexor XR for depression and anxiety about a month and a week ago...currently I am on the 75mg/day dose. In the beginning I definitely noticed increased energy, less depression and less anxiety, however, recently these have been less noticeable. I feel tired again and anxious. Do you think I may be in need of a dose increase or is this the pattern? And am I doing this posting stuff right?
Thanks.
Posted by valenphy on March 27, 2002, at 14:47:32
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I began Effexor XR for depression and anxiety about a month and a week ago...currently I am on the 75mg/day dose. In the beginning I definitely noticed increased energy, less depression and less anxiety, however, recently these have been less noticeable. I feel tired again and anxious. Do you think I may be in need of a dose increase or is this the pattern? And am I doing this posting stuff right?
Thanks.
Posted by JANNBEAU on March 27, 2002, at 17:32:08
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by Shanti on March 26, 2002, at 20:37:58
Shanti, check your email. The registration confirmation number comes to you via email.
I found it and chatted a little while last night. Angel Girl was there, among others.
Cheers,
Jannbeau
Posted by SusanG on March 27, 2002, at 18:31:39
In reply to I am new at this and Effexor XR, posted by valenphy on March 27, 2002, at 14:42:45
Valenphy, I had similar concerns. At first I felt great on Effexor and had no significant negative side effects. However, after about a month or so I noticed increased fatigue, significant weight gain, weird dreams, and difficulty sleeping deeply. My depression still seemed to be in check so I never increased my dosage. I finally decided it wasn't worth it so I went off. But what you describe is similar to my experience in that all seemed well in the beginning, then the honeymoon ended.
Posted by lolly on March 27, 2002, at 19:24:14
In reply to I am new at this and Effexor XR, posted by valenphy on March 27, 2002, at 14:42:45
Valenphy,
I started effexor xr 2 years ago and went up to 150 mg about a year in. Untill just recently I thought everything was ok. I developed a rash, headaches etc. I also noticed it didn't seem to be doing the things it was supposed to. I am having trouble sleeping and weird dreams when I do sleep. From all I've read, when the side effects start(after the initial) they don't go away. I finally gave up. Keep reading some of the other posts before you decide, you might want to try the higher dose. Good luck.
Lolly
Posted by tessy on March 28, 2002, at 19:44:37
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by JANNBEAU on March 27, 2002, at 17:32:08
Hi everyone,
I'm tessy and have been on effexor xr for about a month now. It has really helped for my depression, and I hope it will continue to work. I have been on and off Zoloft a few times, but it seems to lose its effectiveness after a while. Hope to hear from you.
Tessy
Posted by Elizabeth on March 28, 2002, at 22:44:57
In reply to I am new at this and Effexor XR, posted by valenphy on March 27, 2002, at 14:42:45
Hi, and welcome.
Can you tell us when you were feeling more energetic -- how long after you started the Effexor, that is? You generally have to take antidepressants, including Effexor XR, for several weeks before the effect completely kicks in. Usually, a response to antidepressants is gradual, with a little bit of improvement each day; you might not start noticing anything until a couple weeks after you reach an effective dose.
Some antidepressants, such as Effexor, Wellbutrin, and the SSRIs, are a bit activating. This is something that you may see after the first dose. It's not the main effect that you're shooting for with the medication, the "true antidepressant effect" -- it's generally considered a side effect. Sometimes, when a depressed person is very tired a lot, it can be a beneficial side effect. (Similarly, if a person has an agitated depression or is very anxious, it may be desirable to try an AD that tends to be sedating, such as Remeron or trimipramine.) Generally, the activating/stimulant effect will level out as your body adjusts to the medication. When the true antidepressant effect kicks in, of course, you should start to feel well, and that usually means more energy (but not a stimulated or wired feeling).
In summary: don't worry that the Effexor has stopped working; it probably never even started!
I take Effexor XR too. I gradually increased the dose up to 375 mg/day, which is the upper end of the dose range. I started at 75 mg/day, and I didn't notice it doing anything when I was taking that amount. Effexor has a wide range of possible effective doses, so you have plenty of room for increases. I think it's probably a good idea to increase it in increments of 37.5 mg/day, possibly 75 if you can tolerate it. I'm not sure there are all that many people who actually do well on just 75 mg/day, so don't rush to the conclusion that you have to switch ADs or that you've become tolerant (as I said, I don't think the initial effect you describe was the true AD effect). You may just not be taking a high enough dose; to find the right dose for you, you just have to increase it slowly until it starts showing benefits or until you can't tolerate it or reach the maximum recommended dose for your condition. (Do you happen to know what you've been diagnosed with, BTW? It seems to make some difference in predicting what the right dose of Effexor might be.)
I hope this is helpful to you. Don't give up. And once again, welcome to the board.
-elizabeth
Posted by ST on March 31, 2002, at 4:57:02
In reply to I am new at this and Effexor XR, posted by valenphy on March 27, 2002, at 14:42:45
Hi and welcome!
Many people have complained of the same pattern. After I got used to one level, I would get tired and anxious. I'd move up to the next level and feel good and then slowly the same thing would happen. (Last week I was so anxious and had no idea where it was coming from and then it vanished!) I'm now at 225 mg and I think I may be past the total exhaustion stage while awake, but I'm sleeping like a rock at night and can barely wake up in the morning. I feel reeeeaaaally out of it when I wake up - I could sleep 12 hours.
Does this ever go away?Sarah
Posted by Reneeb on March 31, 2002, at 13:04:58
In reply to Sleeping long hours/hard to wake up, posted by ST on March 31, 2002, at 4:57:02
> Hi and welcome!
>
> Many people have complained of the same pattern. After I got used to one level, I would get tired and anxious. I'd move up to the next level and feel good and then slowly the same thing would happen. (Last week I was so anxious and had no idea where it was coming from and then it vanished!) I'm now at 225 mg and I think I may be past the total exhaustion stage while awake, but I'm sleeping like a rock at night and can barely wake up in the morning. I feel reeeeaaaally out of it when I wake up - I could sleep 12 hours.
> Does this ever go away?
>
> Sarah
Hi Sarah, All I can tell you is that I was on 150mg for a year. It only got worse for me. I was tired all the time. I also gained 10 pounds so I am weaning off the stuff. It just made me feel numb. I had no feelings. I hope yu do better on it.Good Luck,
Renee
Posted by IsoM on March 31, 2002, at 13:10:27
In reply to Sleeping long hours/hard to wake up, posted by ST on March 31, 2002, at 4:57:02
Sarah, before you ever took meds, were you a heavy sleeper or long sleeper? I really wish I could do without the long hours of sleep I need but I find if I don't give myself lots of sleep, I go downhill. I've always seemed to need lots of sleep.
My Mom says as a baby, I slept fitfully & not much - guess I made up for it as an adult. Some people really do need more sleep than others - a genetic difference. All my sons seem to need lots of sleep too & were fitful sleepers as babies.
Posted by Reneeb on March 31, 2002, at 13:10:56
In reply to Hi, I'm new, posted by tessy on March 28, 2002, at 19:44:37
> Hi everyone,
> I'm tessy and have been on effexor xr for about a month now. It has really helped for my depression, and I hope it will continue to work. I have been on and off Zoloft a few times, but it seems to lose its effectiveness after a while. Hope to hear from you.
> Tessy
Hi Tessy, Im glad its working well for you. I had some problems with it myself.Good Luck,
Renee
Posted by Reneeb on March 31, 2002, at 13:14:30
In reply to Re: a chat room, posted by JANNBEAU on March 27, 2002, at 17:32:08
> Shanti, check your email. The registration confirmation number comes to you via email.
>
> I found it and chatted a little while last night. Angel Girl was there, among others.
>
> Cheers,
> Jannbeau
I believe I have signed up. How do you know if someone is there? Sorry, I am so behind - I was in California for a week. A lot has happened since I have been gone. I have to catch up to you guys.Talk to you soon,
Renee
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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