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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by AmyN on January 30, 2005, at 5:50:53
I am on Effexor XR (150) and have been for about two and a half yrs. I was just wondering if anyone has been on effexor this long and has had any issues with aggression while still on the drug (not withdrawl symptoms). I suddenly feel highly aggressive (for about a month)and feel like I'm just waiting for someone (anyone) to start something and throw the first punch. I'm not a fighter (usually fairly rational) and I'm starting to scare myself...I'm going to go see my doctor but was curious as to whether I was the only one feeling this way--is it me or the effexor?
Posted by heroin on January 30, 2005, at 6:07:25
In reply to Long Term Side Effects--Effexor, posted by AmyN on January 30, 2005, at 5:50:53
This aggressive or agitative state seems like it could be akathisia, which those kinds of medicines can cause to happen to you, it isn't a permanent thing.
Posted by Fathe on January 30, 2005, at 12:36:45
In reply to Long Term Side Effects--Effexor, posted by AmyN on January 30, 2005, at 5:50:53
I did not experience this while on Effexor but whoooaaa did I ever during withdrawal. I did become pretty confrontational at work which is very unlike me...I usually sit quietly and stew in my own thoughts. But the worse however is when something out of my control happened, I still went a bit over the top.
One night my laptop issued by my employer for night production support (I am in IT) would not start..so what did I do? I tried to get it to start several times and when it didn't, I picked it up, pounded it a few times, threw it very hard to the floor, some of the plastic broke off it...etc..needless to say, what ever was wrong with it originally was probably fixable by the Help Desk people at work. But my antics completely broke it for good.
It was weird too becuase I knew this was a symptom of withdrawal and I did not control it better..luckliy my employer just thought I dropped the laptop and gave me a new one but I still was highly shameful of my behavior.
I feel much better now that the symptoms of withdrawal have started to wane and my emotions are leveling off. But that was very scary....
Posted by med_empowered on January 30, 2005, at 23:34:30
In reply to Long Term Side Effects--Effexor, posted by AmyN on January 30, 2005, at 5:50:53
To me, your problems sounds like you could either have akathisia (more common with anti-psychotics, but it does pop up now and then with anti-depressants) or possibly a mildly hypomanic reaction. Either way, I'd recommend a new antidepressant, as soon as possible. Effexor washout certainly isn't fun, but neither is akathisia. Personally, I've found cymbalta to be effexor-like (and kind of tricyclic-like) without as many side-effects...other people find combos, like lexapro and wellbutrin, do the trick as well.
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