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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by jmj on June 2, 2003, at 16:13:54
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Hello,
I've been taking Effexor for a little over two years now. It saved my life. My dosage grew in the beginning until it hit a max of 325mg per day. Right now I'm in the process of coming off of it and I haven't felt better. The main thing to remember is that each medicine effects people differently. I was really nausious when I started taking this medicine but it went away after about a week. What helped me was to eat before I took it. I did have tremors in the beginning, especially if i drank anything with caffine it it. It basically feels like your on a major caffine high. For anyone out there suffering, just don't give up and keep trying things until you start feeling better. For me, I didn't care how bad the physical effects got, as long as I became mentally happy in the end.
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 2, 2003, at 16:16:46
In reply to Re: Tapering down??, posted by jb07 on May 8, 2003, at 13:06:59
I am a recovering alcoholic. Effexor eliminates my cravings for alcohol, I presume because it numbs me. Be careful. Your concerns about becoming an alcoholic could be justified. It will take more & more drinks to numb you. Talk to your doctor about it.
Good luck! Kim
> I too have to get off this drug. Funny, the evening drinking binges happened to me?? I guess once the medication wore off, I turned to alcohol for my escape and numb feeling??
>
> If anybody else had the same drinking episodes in the evening, please feel free to share them with the board...I am beginning to think I am an alcoholic???
>
> B/C this alcoholism runs in my family...and I am beginning to get scared!!!
>
> P.S. I have tapered down to 18mg....broke open a 75 mg pill and split it into 4. I feel much better, b/c the drug is slowly getting out of my body, but am still having a few drinks every night to numb me out!!!
Posted by Napaba on June 3, 2003, at 7:43:41
In reply to some thoughts, including therapy first, posted by melley on June 2, 2003, at 7:02:01
FYI for those of you wanting to get off EXR. I quit taking EXR four day a go, I was taking 75 mg. I had tapered down from 150. I switched to Lexapro 10mg. I started taking it the day after my last dose of EXR. I've had no side effects. I'm not sure if the lex is working yet, but praying it does. I really want to feel better without all the side effects I experience from EXR.
> I am getting off of effexor. Now down to 37.5 mg. from 225. First of all, I think therapy alone should be the first thing tried for someone who had not had therapy or med for depression. Cognitive/behavioral therapy is the best. Esp for someone who has had a traumatic experience. Going right to drugs is doing yourself a disservice. I personally think the thing about effexor being addictive shows from the people who have to keep upping their dose. Plus I really found effexor numbed me. It feels so good to have feelings again. Some have been a bit bad but hey that's what makes us human and not the stepford bunch. Sorry to be a naysayer.
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 3, 2003, at 8:01:13
In reply to Re: New to Effexor, posted by CherC68 on June 2, 2003, at 8:24:50
brain shivers-I believe I experienced those coming off of Paxil. They aren't painful, at least mine wasn't, but they are frightening because they just don't seem normal. This website is scaring me alittle, but my suicial urge to drive into a tree and end it all scares me more. 5 days on Effexor and I'm already more stable. ^5 to Effexor. It's working for me. As for Effexor Withdrawal, I've gone thru alcohol withdrawal before (not bragging) which ended me up in a hospital. As long as Effexor withdrawal isn't worse than that, I can handle it.
Posted by Napaba on June 3, 2003, at 8:10:03
In reply to Re: New to Effexor, posted by KimberlyDi on June 3, 2003, at 8:01:13
I'm not an Effexor fan, but I can relate to your driving in to a tree feeling (except mine was off the local bridge). What I did while I was waiting for the benefits of EXR was to try and remember I would feel better in a few weeks. It helped to keep me alive. I no longer have the urge to drive off the bridge and for the most part feel pretty normal. I am currently switching to Lexapro. I couldn't handle the side effects from Effexor.
> brain shivers-I believe I experienced those coming off of Paxil. They aren't painful, at least mine wasn't, but they are frightening because they just don't seem normal. This website is scaring me alittle, but my suicial urge to drive into a tree and end it all scares me more. 5 days on Effexor and I'm already more stable. ^5 to Effexor. It's working for me. As for Effexor Withdrawal, I've gone thru alcohol withdrawal before (not bragging) which ended me up in a hospital. As long as Effexor withdrawal isn't worse than that, I can handle it.
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 3, 2003, at 8:41:27
In reply to Re: odd tastes, and coffee in particular » zinya, posted by Napaba on May 28, 2003, at 7:49:41
How funny, I was sitting here wondering about the strange aftertaste so many things seem to have now and this subject just jumped out at me. This change in my tastebuds is bearable. More preferrable than the hearing loss I seemed to suffer while taking Welbutrin for years. btw, Welbutrin was great, except it didn't help enough with my anxiety. Needs change along with life and my new high-stress job changed my med requirements. Effexor leaves me feeling very... emotionally insulated.
Posted by CherC68 on June 3, 2003, at 8:56:13
In reply to Re: odd tastes, and coffee in particular, posted by KimberlyDi on June 3, 2003, at 8:41:27
I am on day two now and I woke up at 1:00 a.m. Wide Awake! I had a battery taste in my mouth. (That taste when you were little and you stuck your tongue on a the tip of a battery). I only had one cup of coffee this morning and I am not too nauseous today, yet. I've been taking my pill about an hour after dinner hoping that it will help. I had a few drags of my friends cig. yesterday,but probably shouldn't have tried to quit smoking until I'm used to this medicine, but I probably will quit for good, haven't had anything today. I see my doctor Thursday for a stress test and I will let him know then if I am going to keep with it. The real test will be tomorrow when I go to work. I work only Wed. & Fri's and ALWAYS have a headache on the day I work. We'll see. Thanks for all the posts on my original post.
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 3, 2003, at 9:08:24
In reply to Re: new to effexor, and I have questions, posted by wnj on May 28, 2003, at 17:57:43
No drug in the world is going to completely take away the pain of a husband's betrayal, especially at this most vulnerable time of your life. I hope Effexor, or any other anti-d, can help you along until you are strong enough to deal with those emotions. You have the right to feel hurt, and angry. Good luck. You deserve to find happiness, and your baby needs you.
Posted by ROVER on June 3, 2003, at 10:13:36
In reply to Re: New to Effexor, posted by CherC68 on June 2, 2003, at 8:24:50
Hi Folks
I am new to the board and to ADS.I have suffered from depression and GAD for many many yrs. but only got the courage to seek help six weeks ago.My doc. has started me on Effexor XR.
Week one 37.5
Week two and three on 75
Weeks four,five and six one 150.That is where I am at the moment.
On the plus side I have had no side effects but on the negative it has had no effect on my GAD or depression.
Should I have had positive effects by now?
I am going back to doc.next week should I ask for an increase? Should I stay at 150 for longer? or should I try another med.?
This is a new venture for me I have read about all the possible withdrawl problems but at this moment I really dont care I will try anything.
Thanks for reading this
Posted by Napaba on June 3, 2003, at 10:44:51
In reply to Re: New to Effexor, posted by ROVER on June 3, 2003, at 10:13:36
I can't believe a doctor started you out with Effexor. (I'm not a fan) I'd give it four weeks at a 150 if that's the dose your doctor has planned for you. Before you let him up it from 150 I'd look into the long term side effects of a higher dose and have him/her perscribe something else. There are so many anti-deps out there that don't have the side effects of Effexor.
> Hi Folks
> I am new to the board and to ADS.I have suffered from depression and GAD for many many yrs. but only got the courage to seek help six weeks ago.My doc. has started me on Effexor XR.
> Week one 37.5
> Week two and three on 75
> Weeks four,five and six one 150.That is where I am at the moment.
> On the plus side I have had no side effects but on the negative it has had no effect on my GAD or depression.
> Should I have had positive effects by now?
> I am going back to doc.next week should I ask for an increase? Should I stay at 150 for longer? or should I try another med.?
> This is a new venture for me I have read about all the possible withdrawl problems but at this moment I really dont care I will try anything.
> Thanks for reading this
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 3, 2003, at 11:33:42
In reply to Re: Effexor and Anxiety » cruzandfamily, posted by Paco on May 2, 2003, at 20:37:20
Paco, I'm going to be optimistic and hope that there aren't any posts about "life after Effexor withdrawal" because the withdrawal finally does go away with no problems, so therefore nobody comes to this web site to complain. (Either that or they all died?) As for your repeat posts, I'm new to this group so your posts are a first to me. Thanks for the positive input.
Kim
Posted by Tristan on June 3, 2003, at 14:55:02
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Effexor has greatly improved my life. After years of panic attacks, anger attacks, general depressed feelings and a bad experience with counceling and prozac I am so happy to have found Effexor. I did not realize how depressed I was. After refusing to see a councelor who was not helping me, my regular family doctor prescribed Effexor. The first week I had a strange out of body feeling. Now, after six weeks I'm not depressed and I have a different perception of the world. It's hard to describe. It's like my focus expanded from myself and three feet around myself to seeing things as others do. My field of vision seems to have widened and I am more aware of my surroundings. I see more clearly even. Effexor has not seemed to help my panic attacks but I get angry less often and for once I feel normal. I feel like I never knew what normal was before now. WOW. I was verrrrry sceptical. The only problem I've had is sleeping. I was told this medication causes drowsiness. Not with me. It has a slight affect like too much caffeine. I'm not nervous just UP.
Posted by waterlily on June 3, 2003, at 16:31:02
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Tristan on June 3, 2003, at 14:55:02
WOW. I was verrrrry sceptical. The only problem I've had is sleeping. I was told this medication causes drowsiness. Not with me. It has a slight affect like too much caffeine. I'm not nervous just UP.
Same here. My husband kept saying that I wasn't the same person he married 14 years ago and I didn't know what he was talking about until the Effexor kicked in about a month ago. Now I actually have a sense of humor, am reasonably relaxed, and am more social. My husband said that it's nice to have me back. It's nice to be back after almost nine years of being on the wrong antidepressants and two years of therapy. I have insomnia as well, but I can deal with that - it's a small price to pay to have my life back.
Posted by bgbham on June 3, 2003, at 16:53:33
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Tristan on June 3, 2003, at 14:55:02
tristan, i have had a lot of luck with it also. i am back on it after self doctoring myself for a while ( big mistake). I am at a much higher dose than before (now at 300) and i can see a diff, but not quite ready for all the world has to offer, but can see i can do it. i am so glad to hear about your success, i have probs sleeping too which will be an issue when i go back to work, but that is manageable too. great luck to you, i am so sympathetic with your issues. feel free to write anytime.
Brian
Posted by bgbham on June 3, 2003, at 16:58:18
In reply to Re: New to Effexor » ROVER, posted by Napaba on June 3, 2003, at 10:44:51
I would stay on it, up the dose if the doc says so, my doc who I trust without fail, said most side effects and improvement comes after the dose is appropriate. great luck, stick in there.
Brian
Posted by melley on June 3, 2003, at 17:25:14
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by waterlily on June 3, 2003, at 16:31:02
> WOW. I was verrrrry sceptical. The only problem I've had is sleeping. I was told this medication causes drowsiness. Not with me. It has a slight affect like too much caffeine. I'm not nervous just UP.
>
>
> Same here. My husband kept saying that I wasn't the same person he married 14 years ago and I didn't know what he was talking about until the Effexor kicked in about a month ago. Now I actually have a sense of humor, am reasonably relaxed, and am more social. My husband said that it's nice to have me back. It's nice to be back after almost nine years of being on the wrong antidepressants and two years of therapy. I have insomnia as well, but I can deal with that - it's a small price to pay to have my life back.
>I am almost off effexor and am delighted at feeling again. I think effexor just turns the world into stepford people. No extremes in feeling. It is better than being depressed and anxious but I missed my feelings:) Plus the side effects got to be too much at 225mg. I think effexor is the drug of choice for drs(because of hitting two things at once) but it also has many dangerous side effects and the hideous withdrawal. It hasn't been around long enough to know what the long-term consequences of its use will be. I think drs should try other stuff first.
Posted by CherC68 on June 3, 2003, at 17:50:13
In reply to Re: New to Effexor, posted by ROVER on June 3, 2003, at 10:13:36
It's funny, I never heard of Effexor before starting it. Now, every magazine I seem to pick up has an ad for it as does certain radio stations and now TV ads. I had never been on anything until a month ago the doctor put me on Zoloft and I stayed on it for 4 days only because I was so ill from it. The doctor wanted me on Effexor right away, but I hesitated until Sunday night. Good Luck all, time for another pill and wait & see.
Posted by Rickey on June 3, 2003, at 19:52:38
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
First day. Got free samples from my Doctor(months supply). Am concerned about cost. Is it expensive? I'm sure it is not on my HMO formulary list.
Posted by bgbham on June 3, 2003, at 20:13:49
In reply to Cost??, posted by Rickey on June 3, 2003, at 19:52:38
i think i pay about $20 with United Health Care. Whatever, it is worth it in the longrun, easy for me to say, not knowing your situation. but please find a way.
Brian
Posted by bgbham on June 3, 2003, at 21:08:55
In reply to Cost??, posted by Rickey on June 3, 2003, at 19:52:38
Ricky, felt anything strange yet? The first day for me, a couple of yrs ago, although pleasant, it felt like a train was running through my head. Went away the next day. Nothing unusual since.
Brian
Posted by zinya on June 3, 2003, at 21:19:21
In reply to Re: New to Effexor » ROVER, posted by Napaba on June 3, 2003, at 10:44:51
Gosh, Rover. You've been on for over a month and no effects at all?
I'm much much newer than you are to actually taking XR -- tonight will be night #10 only and because i'm sooo sensitive, i've started on only 18 mg per night so far... and i've still had both side effects and some positive effects as well... Beginning the very first day actually...
I've tried numerous other a-ds in the past and i also discovered this website and started reading on here last Dec. at which time i decided to postpone starting it... The point being that over the months i've read a lot of posters here, many of whom had such bad effects that it was why i delayed, but so far i'm dealing with manageable side effects and plan to up to 37.5 in the next couple of days.
What my reading on here tells me though as THE single biggest lesson of all is that we are ALL different. The biochemistry of each of us is SOOO unique that I would give quite different advice from your previous respondent here (napaba?)...
I think you shouldn't try to figure out on your own in advance what you're going to ask your doctor to do. Is he an internist? or a p-doc? Hopefully he has enough familiarity that he will know what to make of your lack of any symptoms either way, and I wouldn't try to pre-guess what that might be. I don't believe in letting a doctor talk you into staying on something forever (i've had that experience) but a total of 2 months would seem adviseable. Maybe it means there's some completely other source of your depression than a serotonin type cause.
One thing you might do in the interim though is to monitor yourself even more closely, if you haven't already. Ask yourself periodically if you are, for example, less anxious than usual in a given situation... Or other very concrete things rather than the more global question of "Am i still depressed?" It will help the doc at the very least by best of all hopefully help you verify to yourself in micro levels if indeed there's been no change (not that i'm doubting your word, but sometimes if we just think globally, we can forget to notice 'locally' ... so to speak :))
wishing you luck. What you didn't express but what must be motivating your finding us is considerable understandable frustation at starting such a course and finding as yet no relief. Do you also have some form of counseling?
again, wishing you very well!
z.
Posted by Tino02 on June 3, 2003, at 21:43:59
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
i recently starting seeing a pyschiatrist who proscribed effexor to me after i had been taking paxil for 2 years with no success. i am now up to 150 mg of effexor and one paxil cr (37.5mg) a day. i feel exhausted, lethargic, and unmotivated all day long. at night, my head races and i have trouble getting to sleep. when i started getting night sweats, my doctor said they would go away, but they haven't. i feel like i have mono, which i had years ago, only now i feel worse. i get tired very easily, and the slightes activity makes me exhausted. i had also been sick 3 weeks ago with a very bad cold, and i feel like i am still having trouble fighting it. my doctor says that i am so physically and mentally stressed that my body is having trouble fighting back.
i have noticed slight improvements in my depression and anxiety, but ideally, i wanted a more noticeable change.
will i continue to improve or should i try something else?
Posted by ROVER on June 3, 2003, at 22:48:46
In reply to Re: New to Effexor » ROVER, posted by Napaba on June 3, 2003, at 10:44:51
Thanks Napaba
You have given me some things to think about.My Doc. is a internist and no I am not in any form of counseling it was such a big step for me to go and see my regular doc.
I should say that one positive effect I have had is I am sleeping better.Prior to starting Effexor I was only sleeping 2-3 hrs per night but over the past ten days I am sleeping about six hrs.per night
I should also say that after being on 75 for a week I felt better than I ever have but it only lasted two days then I crashed big time.I didnt put this in my first message as it seems so irrelevant now.
I have heard that above 150 other chemicals kick in.
Thanks for caring
Posted by Napaba on June 4, 2003, at 7:44:14
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Tristan on June 3, 2003, at 14:55:02
I found Benadryl (sp) helps me to sleep. I buy the cheapest brand (that's Sam’s club or Wal-Mart). It helps me to sleep and I don't wake up drowsy. I still have the vivid dreams, but I've adjusted to those.
Effexor has greatly improved my life. After years of panic attacks, anger attacks, general depressed feelings and a bad experience with counceling and prozac I am so happy to have found Effexor. I did not realize how depressed I was. After refusing to see a councelor who was not helping me, my regular family doctor prescribed Effexor. The first week I had a strange out of body feeling. Now, after six weeks I'm not depressed and I have a different perception of the world. It's hard to describe. It's like my focus expanded from myself and three feet around myself to seeing things as others do. My field of vision seems to have widened and I am more aware of my surroundings. I see more clearly even. Effexor has not seemed to help my panic attacks but I get angry less often and for once I feel normal. I feel like I never knew what normal was before now. WOW. I was verrrrry sceptical. The only problem I've had is sleeping. I was told this medication causes drowsiness. Not with me. It has a slight affect like too much caffeine. I'm not nervous just UP.
Posted by Napaba on June 4, 2003, at 7:53:15
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » waterlily, posted by melley on June 3, 2003, at 17:25:14
AMEN Waterlily, drs should try something besides EXR first. EXR is bad stuff. I took my last dose 5 days a go. I've switched to Lexapro. So far the only side effect is I'm a little drowsy.
I've been reading posting made by those on Lexapro and they're not scary like those you read on EXR.
> > WOW. I was verrrrry sceptical. The only problem I've had is sleeping. I was told this medication causes drowsiness. Not with me. It has a slight affect like too much caffeine. I'm not nervous just UP.
> >
> >
> > Same here. My husband kept saying that I wasn't the same person he married 14 years ago and I didn't know what he was talking about until the Effexor kicked in about a month ago. Now I actually have a sense of humor, am reasonably relaxed, and am more social. My husband said that it's nice to have me back. It's nice to be back after almost nine years of being on the wrong antidepressants and two years of therapy. I have insomnia as well, but I can deal with that - it's a small price to pay to have my life back.
> >
>
> I am almost off effexor and am delighted at feeling again. I think effexor just turns the world into stepford people. No extremes in feeling. It is better than being depressed and anxious but I missed my feelings:) Plus the side effects got to be too much at 225mg. I think effexor is the drug of choice for drs(because of hitting two things at once) but it also has many dangerous side effects and the hideous withdrawal. It hasn't been around long enough to know what the long-term consequences of its use will be. I think drs should try other stuff first.
>
>
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