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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by chickey on September 12, 2006, at 8:19:31
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by Attitude on September 12, 2006, at 5:08:13
Thank you so much for your kind words. I have never been on any medication and thought this was this first time I had to deal with depression. After being on Effexor XR for a month know I belive I have been fighting depression for many years without even knowing it. My husband is still against me taking the drugs but I think he is starting to see a change in me the will hopefully change his mind. It is so nice to hear some reassurance from people here when you have no one to talk to in person.
Posted by dancing fool on September 12, 2006, at 9:44:49
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by tedhazzard on September 12, 2006, at 6:48:55
Good points Ted. I couldn't agree more. I've started looking for information once I was experiencing things that were new to me - so they had to be side-effects :-). New: inability to control social drinking - incessant ringing of ears - shorter fuse - sweats ...
Nothing to go ape about. Nothing severe enough to stop an unexpectedly successful treatment after being on other antiD's, but I'm sort of bracing myself for what's to come. Especially with this notorious withdrawal.Next time I see my doctor, I will have a serious evaluation of all my options - let him know what I've learned
Posted by Colleen D. on September 12, 2006, at 19:51:40
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » tedhazzard, posted by dancing fool on September 12, 2006, at 9:44:49
I tried Zoloft and had terrible sedation. I then tried Effexor and felt better than I have in years. I did have some annoying side effects...sweats, delayed orgasm, etc. but it worked so well for my depression and anxiety I stayed on it until I "thought" it had pooped out on me after almost 2 years. I then tried many others including Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, and other combos but just recently went BACK on Effexor. I found out that my "poop out" was caused by my having undiagnosed physical pain on a daily basis and now that has been resolved. I'm on week 3 and feeling MUCH, MUCH better. I didn't have withdrawal symptoms because I had switched to other ADs from Effexor, so if I ever decide to discontinue it, I will "withdraw" by using other ADs to help.
Best of luck to all of you still using it. I think it's a very good and powerful anti-depressant for SOME people.
Colleen
MDD, OCD, GAD and SP
(Also taking clonazepam and Lyrica.)
Posted by Attitude on September 12, 2006, at 23:07:31
In reply to Adding to this thread once again..., posted by Colleen D. on September 12, 2006, at 19:51:40
I understand issues people have with meds, I've been on them for the longer duration of my life. Everyone is different and has different variables to consider. I excercise a lot and try and eat healthily, I am physically in good shape and am not on any other meds at this point. So in these aspects I am lucky. Medication in conjunction with behavioral modification and physical well-being, has helped me tremendously. A positive attitude means everything! Focus on that inner dialogue, turn those negative reactions and thoughts into positive ones. All I know is I have been proactively experimenting with meds and behavioral modifications and I think I have found the combos that work for my body well at this time. You've got to listen to your body and your mind, no one else can tell you what's going on in those arenas.....And yes, things change but the longer you have faith in yourself and get to know yourself, the better.
Posted by meri on September 15, 2006, at 14:02:15
In reply to Re: Adding to this thread once again..., posted by Attitude on September 12, 2006, at 23:07:31
I am shocked at all the posts about the negative effects of Effexor. I went to a well known MD and she started me on 75 of Efexor, then went up to 150. I have been on this dosage for about 8 months. Yes I felt great at first. But the first side effect I felt was the sexual dysfunction which has stayed with me. Once I forgot to take it for 3 days. I didn't know what was happening to me when I felt very dizzy, my vision was very blurred, I felt exhausted, nauseous and very weird. The horrible thing is that I was driving at the time and coudn't stay on the right side of the road. I got right back on the drug and all the symptoms went away.
Now I am noticing that I am irritable and have been saying things to people that are unecesarily sharp. Way beyond assertive.
I am very afraid but I'm going back to my MD and ask her to help me get off this drug.
Thanks for tips about acupuncture, etc.
meri
Posted by Galennt on September 15, 2006, at 17:50:14
In reply to Re: My Concerns about Effexor ..., posted by meri on September 15, 2006, at 14:02:15
Hi- I know there are some people who have intolerable side effects with Effexor, and others who go through horrible withdrawal effects. I don't discount those experiences. But there are many others with different experiences. I have gone on and come off Effexor and am now on what may be a world record high dose of XR. As with most ADs there are start-up effects. Don't panic; give your system time to adjust--two to three weeks at least. I know numerous people who, like me, have taken Effexor for years without bothersome, even noticable, side effects.
The first time I went off Effexor I eschewed half measures, decreasing from 250mgs to 0 in one day. I didn't do that again. Since then I have tapered off with no problems. Again, I know others who have done the same. I know one woman with unusually severe side effects who was much helped by taking a second medication until off the Effexor.
Honest, I don't work for Wyeth. But when no other medication worked, Effexor probably saved my life. Several post-marketing studies have shown it to be more effective than the SSRIs. I hope people don't reject it out of hand because of the experiences of others.
Good luck,
gt
Posted by LynneDa on September 15, 2006, at 21:26:34
In reply to Adding to this thread once again..., posted by Colleen D. on September 12, 2006, at 19:51:40
Just putting in my two cents . . . I tried Effexor XR last year and gained 25 lbs in 3 months (I am normally a very thin person)and it made me feel so sedated I had to go off of it. Also gave me night sweats. I was so numb and dull-minded I almost lost my job! Depression symptoms were gone, of course, I was too out of it to feel or worry about anything!!
I went off of it by going on Zoloft and had no problems with withdrawal-type symptoms.
Good luck to all of you!
~ Lynne
***********************
Posted by pinkpink on September 16, 2006, at 9:47:42
In reply to Re: Adding to this thread once again..., posted by LynneDa on September 15, 2006, at 21:26:34
Hi..been on and off Effexor for several years..have a highly stressful job..am feeling as if the Effexor ER 150 is not knocking back the anxiety as it used to..any suggestions on a higher dose or additional medications such as Zoloft (i've never taken anything in combo with EF)
Posted by Colleen D. on September 16, 2006, at 11:53:09
In reply to Re: Adding to this thread once again..., posted by pinkpink on September 16, 2006, at 9:47:42
Posted by meri on September 16, 2006, at 11:53:20
In reply to Re: My Concerns about Effexor ..., posted by Galennt on September 15, 2006, at 17:50:14
Thanks gt and others. I'm not ready to give up on Effexor yet so I appreciate hearing different points of view.
Posted by Galennt on September 17, 2006, at 18:47:14
In reply to Re: My Concerns about Effexor ..., posted by meri on September 16, 2006, at 11:53:20
Hi Meri,
I am glad you are giving Effexor a chance. Many side effects mitigate after between one and three weeks. Also, as with other ADs, people are often underdosed. So, they try a week or two at a relatively low dose like 75mg, feel more side effects that improvement in mood, and give up. People should give a dose of at least 225mgs enough time to be effective--four weeks minimum. I have been on and off Effexor several times. Once it kicked in on the fifth day, another time not until the end of the fourth week.
Also, for a number of people the severity of Effexor side effects is in inverse proportion to dose--the higher the dose, the fewer and less severe the side effects. This was the case with me.
Good luck with it,
gt
Posted by Galennt on September 17, 2006, at 18:50:59
In reply to Re: Adding to this thread once again..., posted by pinkpink on September 16, 2006, at 9:47:42
pinkpink-
It is better to increase a low to medium dose of the first medication than add a second. At 150mgs you have plenty of room before needing to consider augmentation.
Good luck,
gt
Posted by corafree on September 18, 2006, at 20:19:18
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » tedhazzard, posted by dancing fool on September 12, 2006, at 9:44:49
Okay here's my story. Effexor-XR saved me prob' 3-4 times. No side effects. No withdrawal effects. (I know ... I'm weird I guess.) I decided I no longer wished to take it because I wanted my emotions back. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.(?) I feel bad many peeps have so much trouble. Because I didn't have any bad side effects, it doesn't mean the drug isn't a complicated one ... I think it is. That may be another reason I discontinued it, forever.
bestwishes, cf
Posted by pinkpink on September 18, 2006, at 20:47:48
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by corafree on September 18, 2006, at 20:19:18
Thanks GT,Colleen, Corafree for the responses...I've been taking 4000 units/day of omega 3 fish oil and i'm going to doc tomorrow to get testosterone inject to get the "well-being" hormone...yes, I'm a woman over 50...I've had one other injection back in January and I felt really good for a long time...until the middle of August when new job, new environment, new people, with lots of paperwork and involvement (public school) I thought about resigning this past week but now I think I can do it a while longer, maybe till the end of the school year...who knows? Life is more than a job/career and I've got grandkids I need to be around for...Effexor saved me more than once, so I can't knock it...it's better than the depths of depressio/anxiety (paralysis) love to all who are dealing with this....later, pink
Posted by Attitude on September 18, 2006, at 22:19:41
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » corafree, posted by pinkpink on September 18, 2006, at 20:47:48
I spoke with my psych about the 225mg dosage as opposed to the lower dosage. At the higher dosage, the seretonin and norepenephrine levels are affected. At the higher dosage, the Effexor is, in fact, acting as 2 meds. I would up my dosage before adding other variables to your experiment.
Posted by pinkpink on September 19, 2006, at 18:12:45
In reply to Re: Up dosage of Effexor, posted by Attitude on September 18, 2006, at 22:19:41
Thanks attitude, I am willing to consider that as well....Thanks for the info. I don't have a psych, just an OB-GYN who helped me through "the change" but he's up on things of this nature...Pink
Posted by vanni on September 20, 2006, at 10:43:53
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Has anyone experienced hives all over their body from taking EffexorXR? I have been on EffexorXR (in the morning) and trazadone (at night) for about 5 and a half months. In the last 10 days I have been waking up every morning with hives. They go away by the afternoon. Antihistamines help some. This all may be totally unrelated to the meds but the cyclical nature makes me wonder. I will see my GP again today and let her know the hives have not gone away!
Vanni
Posted by LC on September 25, 2006, at 14:01:16
In reply to Re: Up dosage of Effexor, posted by Attitude on September 18, 2006, at 22:19:41
I have been on Effexor for 8 days-just increased my dosage to 75 mg two days ago to treat GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder). Have been having tingling in my head, excessive sweating and anxiety symptoms. Was on Lexapro for GAD for a year with excess weight gain and decreased libido but none of these other side effects. Did anyone have these symptoms when they started taking this med and, if so, did they go away or did you have to change meds? Thanks for any info you can provide.
Posted by Attitude on September 25, 2006, at 22:12:24
In reply to Re: Anxiety Sweating, Etc. with Effexor, posted by LC on September 25, 2006, at 14:01:16
These are side-effects that I had (the sleeplessness, sweating, nausea, etc)...some of them go away and others do not. I think it depends on the individual. I definitely sweat more, I have to drink a lot of water and make sure I have enough salt in my system at times. This is not something that has gone away for me. It takes me longer to climax during sex (most do this). As far as the anxiety goes, this is the medication that has helped me the most. I was so happy to find this stuff, I've been looking for the right one for over a decade. My sister has been diagnosed with GAD, as well, and has been so glad to get past all of the initial side effects b/c it has helped her tremendously. The side effects suck, but will diminish. It makes sense that your anxiety increases if you're worring about the meds side effects, as well as what they have been designed to do. Hang in there. It may very well be worth it to you. I'm glad I did.
Posted by shelby11 on September 26, 2006, at 10:15:46
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I have been taking effexor XR for about three months for anxiety.I have a new DR and he prescribed this medicine knowing very little about me, it was my first appointment with him. I did not know about withdrawl symptoms until I started reading all of these messages. I think this mediceine works fine, I don't obsess as much and seem to be calmer, but at what expense. I don't want to take it anymore but I don't want to go through withdrawl! How long do you have to be taking this stuff to have the bad symptoms of withdrawl?
Posted by LC on September 26, 2006, at 12:19:12
In reply to Re: Anxiety Sweating, Etc. with Effexor, posted by Attitude on September 25, 2006, at 22:12:24
Thank you for the encouragement. Can you tell me if you are on the XR or regular Effexor? I ask because I hear the regular only lasts for a short time and is usually given 2-3 times a day vs the XR which is once a day. I had been taking it at night and had horrible sweats and during the day terrible anxiety but I changed last night and didn't take it at night and took it in the morning instead. I had no sweats last night and no anxiety this AM but feel like some of the anxiety may be coming on. Could it be that I am having withdrawal symptoms because I am on the regular?
Posted by Frankie2120 on September 27, 2006, at 9:45:34
In reply to Re: Anxiety Sweating, Etc. with Effexor, posted by LC on September 26, 2006, at 12:19:12
I have been on Effexor XR for 6 weeks now starting out at 37.5 for a week... then to 75... now i've been at 150 for 4 weeks now... I was also on Laxepro for 2 years before this. I started noticeing the positive effects of this drug after about 5 weeks... I used to smoke all the time at work... before i go out and talk to people... before a meeting... before lunch.. after... Not even kidding it was the strangest thing in the world but the cravings completely went away and i havn't had a smoke in 2 weeks now and don't even care... I also used to have a real problem with people being around me when i was working out or even in crowded places... doesn't bother me one bit now... when i stopped with the laxepro some of my nervous habits came back (like picking at the eyebrows) but that has since calmed down (although now they are very thin again haha)... The side effects that I noticed when starting was I would get extremely tired... That has since gone away... I'm always hot no matter what so i really didn't notice the sweating. The one side effect that did stay with me though is the ringing in my ears... I only notice it when i think about it but it's always there... not too loud but there... completely tolerable though because of the incredible way this medicine has helped me with social anxiety and the added bonous of the smoking... It's really helping with the depression as well... I actually have a follow up visit with my doctor today and a few more questions i'm going to ask... I'll let u know if i hear anything more interesting....
I'm 28 years old... a project engineer and i love to go out... I have been doing well at things before but there always was some kind of internal struggle in my mind... I seriously feel like I'm awake competely for the first time in years....
ok was that long enough.. haha... so procrastinateing at work cause i'm hungry and want to eat lunch... :)
Good luck....
Posted by gabbie on September 27, 2006, at 9:53:56
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Hi. I just wanted to say my opinion before I go to work because I found this bulletin/writing area yesterday morning and I was so glad to find it because it made me think that there was hope for what's going on in my life. I have had anxiety for about 2 years now, and altough that may not be as long as other people, it still has made a horrible impact on my life. It's not as bad as it was two years ago when it first started, but I still can't stand the way I get. I cry for no reason... little things bother me for long hours, possible days. My chest tightens and I seem to get tense like something bad is going to happen.. just because of the thoughts that take over my mind. I know all of my problems are in my head and I do not have a chemical imbalance, but it's still hard to just quit thinking the way I have. Also, my life is pretty good so it sucks that I have to feel like this and be afraid to meet new people or do things regularly. I was on lexapro for 2 weeks and I stopped taking that because it was just something to help me out for a Florida trip I was taking... not long enough to see if it worked, but then I went to therapy and seemed A LOT BETTER. Then something happened this past year and I keep falling into a worse and worse anxiety/depressed feeling. Sometimes it's worse than others, but for the most part it sucks. I was on Effexor and it was a month and two weeks and I didn't really feel anything different so I stopped taking it. I was also on Zoloft for 2 weeks and that made me feel worse than I had been feeling so I called that quits. Effexor seemed to have my good days and bad days in the beginning, I yawned a lot and lost weight... which was a good thing. I read everything people were writing on here and some people made me so happy because I am going to the doctors soon to try Effexor again. I didn't wait it out long enough. I want to see if this could work for me.
To all of you who have been saying positive things/effects... thank you so much!
And to all you people who were complaining about how withdrawl sucked... that's how it works. Obviously if you are on something for so long that helps you take control of your life and feel better than before.. getting off of it is going to suck. And to you who were just saying how it's stupid to take medicine for things that bother you in life... you should just stick it out and wait. We have been waiting a long time and nothing seems to work! These people probably don't know how sad it can be to cry randomly and not want to go out and do things normally.
Posted by pinkpink on September 27, 2006, at 18:11:42
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by gabbie on September 27, 2006, at 9:53:56
> Hi. I just wanted to say my opinion before I go to work because I found this bulletin/writing area yesterday morning and I was so glad to find it because it made me think that there was hope for what's going on in my life. I have had anxiety for about 2 years now, and altough that may not be as long as other people, it still has made a horrible impact on my life. It's not as bad as it was two years ago when it first started, but I still can't stand the way I get. I cry for no reason... little things bother me for long hours, possible days. My chest tightens and I seem to get tense like something bad is going to happen.. just because of the thoughts that take over my mind. I know all of my problems are in my head and I do not have a chemical imbalance, but it's still hard to just quit thinking the way I have. Also, my life is pretty good so it sucks that I have to feel like this and be afraid to meet new people or do things regularly. I was on lexapro for 2 weeks and I stopped taking that because it was just something to help me out for a Florida trip I was taking... not long enough to see if it worked, but then I went to therapy and seemed A LOT BETTER. Then something happened this past year and I keep falling into a worse and worse anxiety/depressed feeling. Sometimes it's worse than others, but for the most part it sucks. I was on Effexor and it was a month and two weeks and I didn't really feel anything different so I stopped taking it. I was also on Zoloft for 2 weeks and that made me feel worse than I had been feeling so I called that quits. Effexor seemed to have my good days and bad days in the beginning, I yawned a lot and lost weight... which was a good thing. I read everything people were writing on here and some people made me so happy because I am going to the doctors soon to try Effexor again. I didn't wait it out long enough. I want to see if this could work for me.
>
>
> To all of you who have been saying positive things/effects... thank you so much!
>
>
> And to all you people who were complaining about how withdrawl sucked... that's how it works. Obviously if you are on something for so long that helps you take control of your life and feel better than before.. getting off of it is going to suck. And to you who were just saying how it's stupid to take medicine for things that bother you in life... you should just stick it out and wait. We have been waiting a long time and nothing seems to work! These people probably don't know how sad it can be to cry randomly and not want to go out and do things normally.Hi Gabbie,
My doc says that these conditions are the direct result of heredity...think about your parents,grandparents, etc. who may have been disposed to anxiety/depression....I can definetly see where it came from in my family...the hardest thing is to accept that you can't do a damn thing about it except to choose to save yourself from the agony that they endured...I say life is too short(or long) to be miserable...give the Effexor TIME and maybe even increase your dose...I was on 150mg extended release for two or three years...I have recently had lots of changes in my life, job, family,etc. and the dose I was on was not able to override those negative perceptions that I was having about everything...My doc upped the dose to 300mg and just two days later..I'm feeling lots better..I'm just a pretty normal person with lots of blessings, but I was not able to feel them...Hey, our brains are different, but so what? We have to do what we can to get us back into the game of life...Love, pink
Posted by gabbie on September 27, 2006, at 21:15:41
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by pinkpink on September 27, 2006, at 18:11:42
> > Hi. I just wanted to say my opinion before I go to work because I found this bulletin/writing area yesterday morning and I was so glad to find it because it made me think that there was hope for what's going on in my life. I have had anxiety for about 2 years now, and altough that may not be as long as other people, it still has made a horrible impact on my life. It's not as bad as it was two years ago when it first started, but I still can't stand the way I get. I cry for no reason... little things bother me for long hours, possible days. My chest tightens and I seem to get tense like something bad is going to happen.. just because of the thoughts that take over my mind. I know all of my problems are in my head and I do not have a chemical imbalance, but it's still hard to just quit thinking the way I have. Also, my life is pretty good so it sucks that I have to feel like this and be afraid to meet new people or do things regularly. I was on lexapro for 2 weeks and I stopped taking that because it was just something to help me out for a Florida trip I was taking... not long enough to see if it worked, but then I went to therapy and seemed A LOT BETTER. Then something happened this past year and I keep falling into a worse and worse anxiety/depressed feeling. Sometimes it's worse than others, but for the most part it sucks. I was on Effexor and it was a month and two weeks and I didn't really feel anything different so I stopped taking it. I was also on Zoloft for 2 weeks and that made me feel worse than I had been feeling so I called that quits. Effexor seemed to have my good days and bad days in the beginning, I yawned a lot and lost weight... which was a good thing. I read everything people were writing on here and some people made me so happy because I am going to the doctors soon to try Effexor again. I didn't wait it out long enough. I want to see if this could work for me.
> >
> >
> > To all of you who have been saying positive things/effects... thank you so much!
> >
> >
> > And to all you people who were complaining about how withdrawl sucked... that's how it works. Obviously if you are on something for so long that helps you take control of your life and feel better than before.. getting off of it is going to suck. And to you who were just saying how it's stupid to take medicine for things that bother you in life... you should just stick it out and wait. We have been waiting a long time and nothing seems to work! These people probably don't know how sad it can be to cry randomly and not want to go out and do things normally.
>
> Hi Gabbie,
> My doc says that these conditions are the direct result of heredity...think about your parents,grandparents, etc. who may have been disposed to anxiety/depression....I can definetly see where it came from in my family...the hardest thing is to accept that you can't do a damn thing about it except to choose to save yourself from the agony that they endured...I say life is too short(or long) to be miserable...give the Effexor TIME and maybe even increase your dose...I was on 150mg extended release for two or three years...I have recently had lots of changes in my life, job, family,etc. and the dose I was on was not able to override those negative perceptions that I was having about everything...My doc upped the dose to 300mg and just two days later..I'm feeling lots better..I'm just a pretty normal person with lots of blessings, but I was not able to feel them...Hey, our brains are different, but so what? We have to do what we can to get us back into the game of life...Love, pink
- I like hearing how it works for people. I know that my dad gets bad anxiety occasionally, but I am sure that it's not a chemical, just something in our brains maybe. I get really irritated easily and mad over dumb things because I obsess about bad things instead of looking at how wonderful my life is. I am blessed too, but for some reason can't always let that overcome my anxiety. I know that I am not this horrible person that I feel I am... I just want to get back to being myself and happy. Thank you for reading and posting back.. it means a lot to know it worked for you. I don't want to have to get to such a high dose because i'm not horribly bad, but just a little boost of feeling better will hopefully make such a greater impact on me and the way things are going. My mood is taken out on my boyfriend, my family, and friends. I just want it to go away.
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