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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Simon John Wilson on January 30, 2004, at 12:58:15
Help, Dr-Bob,
I'v been on Effexor for a week now, and I'v got an embarrising side effect, I can't reach orgasim and ejaculate, is this normal? What can i do about it?
Regards
S. J. Wilson (Age 22 - 23 on 3rd Feb)
Posted by Chairman_MAO on January 30, 2004, at 13:36:30
In reply to Effexor - URGENT - Help, posted by Simon John Wilson on January 30, 2004, at 12:58:15
Sexual dysfunction happens to some extent in about 70% of people who take Effexor. If your doctor is not familiar with some ways to treat this, you should find another doctor. It would probably be prudent to wait another three weeks to see if it gets better or worse. In my opinion, the optimal solution for SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction is a little bit of extra dopamine.
Show this study to your doctor (although there's a good possibility he/she could be of more help than I am, I'd hope):
Ropinirole for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction
by
Worthington JJ, Simon NM, Korbly NB,
Perlis RH, Pollack MH;
For the Anxiety Disorders Research Program.
Int Clin Psychopharmacol 2002 Nov;17(6):307-10ABSTRACT
Sexual dysfunction is a relatively common side-effect of antidepressants, occurring in approximately one-half of patients, and is associated with significant distress and treatment non-compliance. Dopaminergic agents have been reported to be helpful for the treatment of antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction and, in this report, we examined the efficacy of the dopamine agonist ropinirole for this indication. Thirteen patients (three women, 10 men), aged 42.6 +/- 7.7 years, who reported sexual dysfunction on a stable dose of antidepressant, were treated openly with ropinirole initiated at 0.25 mg/day and titrated up to 2-4 mg/day over 4 weeks, as tolerated. Ten of the 13 took ropinirole for at least 4 weeks, one discontinued due to an adverse event and two because of lack of response. Sexual dysfunction, as assessed by the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale scores, was reduced from 18.8 +/- 3.6 to 13.8 +/- 4.3 after 4 weeks on ropinirole at a mean dose of 2.1 mg/day. Overall, seven of 13 patients (54%) were rated as responders on the Clinical Global Impression of Improvement Scale. The addition of ropinirole may represent a potentially useful treatment strategy for antidepressant-induced sexual dysfunction.
Posted by Sad Panda on January 31, 2004, at 13:37:04
In reply to Effexor - URGENT - Help, posted by Simon John Wilson on January 30, 2004, at 12:58:15
> Help, Dr-Bob,
>
> I'v been on Effexor for a week now, and I'v got an embarrising side effect, I can't reach orgasim and ejaculate, is this normal? What can i do about it?
>
> Regards
>
> S. J. Wilson (Age 22 - 23 on 3rd Feb)Me too, I take Remeron with my Efexor to reverse this problem. It could be something that goes away with time, but it didn't for me. You need to see if Efexor is going to help with your depression before you ditch it & try another med. I'd give it atleast 4 weeks.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by meiko on February 2, 2004, at 4:55:45
In reply to Re: Effexor - URGENT - Help » Simon John Wilson, posted by Sad Panda on January 31, 2004, at 13:37:04
I just found this message board tonight and I'm very grateful for all of you sharing your experiences with effexor xr. I have been on it for about 7 months or so but now believe my depression is over with and I would like to get off of it. I also just lost insurance coverage through my parents and as a student/pt. employee I cannot afford the $100 a month to pay for effexor xr.
My dilemma is that my dr. wants me to come in and talk about my decision to quit. I told him I can't afford to come for a visit and could he half my current dosage (75mg) and wean me off. He never got back to me and so when I ran out and had no more pills for two days and experienced the usual symptoms we're all so familiar with (nausea, brain shivers, vertigo), I went to the pharmacist. She told me it doesn't come in a capsule and there was not a smaller dose. I must be going to one uninformed pharm. if what y'all say is accurate. I don't know what to do now because my pharmacist told me to take 75mg every other day and then every third day for approximately two weeks.
Yet, according to others, I shouldn't be missing a dose...and would this do anything to help wean me off? I am now experiencing insomnia and occasional brain shivers...have done this every other day routine for a week now. has anyone found this to be effective?
thanks for your time.
Posted by justjustine on February 2, 2004, at 8:42:19
In reply to your opinion appreciated, posted by meiko on February 2, 2004, at 4:55:45
effexor does come in 37mg dosages, but anyway you need to split those 75mg doses up. (75mg doses are cheaper, so don't even try to get the smaller ones, it's a waste) if they are capsules you can open, just pour some out - you can set it aside to save $$ later. if you've got tablets (i've never seen em, but have heard of them) get a sharp razor and cut them up. start with a smaller amount, taken at the same time every day. very gradually reduce this - but do it daily, do not skip days. effexor has such a short half life that the every other day plan doesn't work very well - you just end up with withdrawal symptoms every other day!
call that dr. back and let him know what is going on with you. he needs to know the trouble you are having, please don't miss an opportunity to educate him about effexor withdrawal! you might save other patients the trouble of coming off it, if doctors would think twice and be more informed before they prescribed it in the first place. even if he doesn't help you, even if he never calls you back, please inform him so at least the next time he can't say he wasn't aware of the possiblity of horrible withdrawals from effexor.
thank you and best of luck.
> I just found this message board tonight and I'm very grateful for all of you sharing your experiences with effexor xr. I have been on it for about 7 months or so but now believe my depression is over with and I would like to get off of it. I also just lost insurance coverage through my parents and as a student/pt. employee I cannot afford the $100 a month to pay for effexor xr.
>
> My dilemma is that my dr. wants me to come in and talk about my decision to quit. I told him I can't afford to come for a visit and could he half my current dosage (75mg) and wean me off. He never got back to me and so when I ran out and had no more pills for two days and experienced the usual symptoms we're all so familiar with (nausea, brain shivers, vertigo), I went to the pharmacist. She told me it doesn't come in a capsule and there was not a smaller dose. I must be going to one uninformed pharm. if what y'all say is accurate. I don't know what to do now because my pharmacist told me to take 75mg every other day and then every third day for approximately two weeks.
>
> Yet, according to others, I shouldn't be missing a dose...and would this do anything to help wean me off? I am now experiencing insomnia and occasional brain shivers...have done this every other day routine for a week now. has anyone found this to be effective?
>
> thanks for your time.
>
Posted by meiko on February 6, 2004, at 2:55:30
In reply to Re: your opinion appreciated, posted by justjustine on February 2, 2004, at 8:42:19
Just a quick update....I went to the doctor's a few day's ago and he gave me 3 weeks worth of 37mg samples to take. I am supposed to take 37mg every day for a week and then 37mg every other day for a couple of weeks. If I still need more of them, than I am supposed to take 37mg worth every third day for however long they last me and then I should be fine. thanks for your input!!
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