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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ChrisK on April 4, 2001, at 5:46:17
Has this turned into an Effexor board? Are doctors out there just feeding Effexor to that many people that the vast majority of questions revolve around Effexor?
I certainly hope that the majority are helped by it but it seems to be that there is a lot left to be desired according to some of the threads. I personally didn't react to Effexor one way or the other but that was 2 years ago.
I think that there a re a lot of strategiesout there in polypharmacy that can address the asymptoms of our diseases.
If something works well and then poops out please consider augmentation or dose increases before giving up.
Posted by willow on April 4, 2001, at 7:25:26
In reply to Is it Just Me or..., posted by ChrisK on April 4, 2001, at 5:46:17
Chris
"Has this turned into an Effexor board? Are doctors out there just feeding Effexor to that many people that the vast majority of questions revolve around Effexor?"
I too have wondered if it is being prescribed as much as the posts represents, though I doubt it. Some of the posters say that this is the first AD that they have tried and I don't know if this is a good idea.
Willow
Posted by Greg on April 4, 2001, at 9:28:06
In reply to Is it Just Me or..., posted by ChrisK on April 4, 2001, at 5:46:17
Chris,
In the year+ I've been here I'd be willing to bet that Effexor is the most discussed med by far. With Wellbutrin running a distant second. I asked this same question (almost) a few months back also wondering if the reason being that it might be the most commonly prescribed initially by pdocs and psychs. One of the members here assured me I was wrong. I didn't have the time or energy to research my comment, so I let it go.
What do you think about the thought that maybe it's discussed so often because it carries a higher amount of side-effects? Again I have no basis in fact, just a random thought on my part.
I hope you are well.
Greg
> Has this turned into an Effexor board? Are doctors out there just feeding Effexor to that many people that the vast majority of questions revolve around Effexor?
>
> I certainly hope that the majority are helped by it but it seems to be that there is a lot left to be desired according to some of the threads. I personally didn't react to Effexor one way or the other but that was 2 years ago.
>
> I think that there a re a lot of strategiesout there in polypharmacy that can address the asymptoms of our diseases.
>
> If something works well and then poops out please consider augmentation or dose increases before giving up.
Posted by SLS on April 4, 2001, at 10:21:46
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or..., posted by willow on April 4, 2001, at 7:25:26
> > "Has this turned into an Effexor board? Are doctors out there just feeding Effexor to that many people that the vast majority of questions revolve around Effexor?"
> I too have wondered if it is being prescribed as much as the posts represents, though I doubt it. Some of the posters say that this is the first AD that they have tried and I don't know if this is a good idea.
Different drugs become the "drug of the month" on Psycho-Babble. It does not necessarily reflect prescribing practice.
However, there is a trend towards considering Effexor (venlafaxine) to be a superior first-line drug compared to the SSRIs. The results of a recently published large-scale study comparing Effexor to SSRIs supports this notion.
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010327/msgs/58228.html
- Scott
Posted by kid47 on April 4, 2001, at 12:00:55
In reply to Is it Just Me or..., posted by ChrisK on April 4, 2001, at 5:46:17
> Has this turned into an Effexor board? Are doctors out there just feeding Effexor to that many people that the vast majority of questions revolve around Effexor?
>
> I certainly hope that the majority are helped by it but it seems to be that there is a lot left to be desired according to some of the threads. I personally didn't react to Effexor one way or the other but that was 2 years ago.
>
> I think that there a re a lot of strategiesout there in polypharmacy that can address the asymptoms of our diseases.
>
> If something works well and then poops out please consider augmentation or dose increases before giving up.
It seems alot of FXR posters are first time AD users. For those of us who have tried a number of diff meds side effects are expected or at least arent a surprise. I think because of FXR's broad chemistry it might have a greater potential for side effects in a larger % of users. Because of recent studies showing FXR's better efficacy than SSRI's it may be RX'd more than previously, esp. in folks w/ situational depression or dysthymia. This might be overkill. Put this together with docs not informing new FXR user of potential for side fx & discontinuation problems & you have a stampede of panicked first time AD users desparately seeking info.
BTW I recently read where Prozac is still the #1 selling AD.
Posted by Daveman on April 5, 2001, at 1:51:12
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or..., posted by SLS on April 4, 2001, at 10:21:46
My doc tells me the Effexor salesmen who frequent his office are trying very hard to turn Effexor into a front line medication. He's not impressed. He calls this med "Side Effexor" and refers to the salesmen as "the Side Effexor guys". He tells me that amongst his patients Effexor has had more side effect problems than any of the SSRI's, or Remeron or Serzone, thus for him it remains a definite second-line med. Useful in some patients where other meds have failed, but too many problems to be prescribed first.
BTW he also says the Prozac folks are shaking in their boots at the prospect of Prozac going generic next year- there goes that cash cow!
Dave
> > > "Has this turned into an Effexor board? Are doctors out there just feeding Effexor to that many people that the vast majority of questions revolve around Effexor?"
>
> > I too have wondered if it is being prescribed as much as the posts represents, though I doubt it. Some of the posters say that this is the first AD that they have tried and I don't know if this is a good idea.
>
> Different drugs become the "drug of the month" on Psycho-Babble. It does not necessarily reflect prescribing practice.
>
> However, there is a trend towards considering Effexor (venlafaxine) to be a superior first-line drug compared to the SSRIs. The results of a recently published large-scale study comparing Effexor to SSRIs supports this notion.
>
> http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010327/msgs/58228.html
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by pandora on April 5, 2001, at 4:51:43
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or..., posted by Daveman on April 5, 2001, at 1:51:12
> BTW he also says the Prozac folks are shaking in their boots at the prospect of Prozac going generic next year- there goes that cash cow!
>
Hence the introduction of Sarafem for PMDD...
Posted by Wendy B on April 5, 2001, at 16:03:30
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or..., posted by pandora on April 5, 2001, at 4:51:43
> > BTW he also says the Prozac folks are shaking in their boots at the prospect of Prozac going generic next year- there goes that cash cow!
> >
>
>
> Hence the introduction of Sarafem for PMDD...
Eureka! What a perfect solution! I take it the same company (Lilly?) is the marketer of Serafem? Bet they were overjoyed when PMDD became validated as a 'real' syndrome, disorder, whatever.Pandora, you are very clever...
Posted by pandora on April 5, 2001, at 18:30:36
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or... » pandora, posted by Wendy B on April 5, 2001, at 16:03:30
> Pandora, you are very clever...
not as clever as Lilly ; )
Posted by Daveman on April 5, 2001, at 22:12:01
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or... » Wendy B, posted by pandora on April 5, 2001, at 18:30:36
Another Lilly tidbit my doc mentioned- for awhile they were trying out "Prozac XR". Why, pray tell, would you need an XR for a med with a 47 hour half life? Why, "once-a-week dosing"! Guess that one didn't fly, hence (as you say) Sarafem......:)
Dave
> > Pandora, you are very clever...
>
>
> not as clever as Lilly ; )
Posted by pandora on April 7, 2001, at 3:00:18
In reply to Re: Is it Just Me or... » pandora, posted by Daveman on April 5, 2001, at 22:12:01
Well, in Lilly's defense (sort of), I can see where marketing Prozac for the treatment of PMDD could have been less than effective... remember, Prozac was the "Effexor of the 1990's" as far as controversy, etc... Still, the timing was unusually advantageous : )
This is the end of the thread.
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