Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 86790

Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

new to effexor

Posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 10:37:12

I just started Effexor in the past 2 days and have seen some side effects that worry me a little. Mostly nauseaness and jitteryness. Are these normal symptoms, and should I wait them out. Will the symptoms go away?

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by cmcdougall on December 13, 2001, at 10:54:38

In reply to new to effexor, posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 10:37:12

Give it a week or two and see if you start feeling better. What you describe is pretty common for a lot of anti-depressants - it usually passes. What dose of Effexor are you taking? Did your doctor instruct you to increase the dose slowly?

Carly

> I just started Effexor in the past 2 days and have seen some side effects that worry me a little. Mostly nauseaness and jitteryness. Are these normal symptoms, and should I wait them out. Will the symptoms go away?

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by sid on December 13, 2001, at 11:09:17

In reply to new to effexor, posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 10:37:12

Yes, it's normal and will likely go away. The first 2 days I had trouble working (felt stoned), but on the fifth day I felt fine except for major insomnia. Now, after 3 weeks, I have no side effect left, except some insomnia but not every day.

Give it a couple of weeks. Then talk to your doctor if need be.

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 11:16:23

In reply to Re: new to effexor, posted by cmcdougall on December 13, 2001, at 10:54:38

He has started me on 37.5 mg for the first week, and to be increased to 75mg the second week. I will hang in there. Hopefully the symptoms will go away. Thanks for the info.

> Give it a week or two and see if you start feeling better. What you describe is pretty common for a lot of anti-depressants - it usually passes. What dose of Effexor are you taking? Did your doctor instruct you to increase the dose slowly?
>
> Carly
>
> > I just started Effexor in the past 2 days and have seen some side effects that worry me a little. Mostly nauseaness and jitteryness. Are these normal symptoms, and should I wait them out. Will the symptoms go away?

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 13:02:14

In reply to Re: new to effexor, posted by sid on December 13, 2001, at 11:09:17

Did you have any symptoms of indigestion or heartburn with the medication?

> Yes, it's normal and will likely go away. The first 2 days I had trouble working (felt stoned), but on the fifth day I felt fine except for major insomnia. Now, after 3 weeks, I have no side effect left, except some insomnia but not every day.
>
> Give it a couple of weeks. Then talk to your doctor if need be.

 

Re: new to effexor » mrspockets

Posted by Elizabeth on December 13, 2001, at 16:10:53

In reply to new to effexor, posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 10:37:12

> I just started Effexor in the past 2 days and have seen some side effects that worry me a little. Mostly nauseaness and jitteryness. Are these normal symptoms, and should I wait them out. Will the symptoms go away?

Are you taking immediate-release Effexor (tablets) or Effexor XR (capsules)? What dose are you taking?

Yes, the side effects should go away after a little while, but going down to a lower dose and then waiting before increasing it again, and keeping the dose increments small as you increase it, might make it easier to get up to an effective dose.

-elizabeth

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by mrspockets on December 14, 2001, at 7:33:40

In reply to Re: new to effexor » mrspockets, posted by Elizabeth on December 13, 2001, at 16:10:53

My doctor started me on 37.5 mg for the first week, and then to be increased to 75mg the second week.

> > I just started Effexor in the past 2 days and have seen some side effects that worry me a little. Mostly nauseaness and jitteryness. Are these normal symptoms, and should I wait them out. Will the symptoms go away?
>
> Are you taking immediate-release Effexor (tablets) or Effexor XR (capsules)? What dose are you taking?
>
> Yes, the side effects should go away after a little while, but going down to a lower dose and then waiting before increasing it again, and keeping the dose increments small as you increase it, might make it easier to get up to an effective dose.
>
> -elizabeth

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by sid on December 14, 2001, at 12:23:08

In reply to Re: new to effexor, posted by mrspockets on December 13, 2001, at 13:02:14

I have a bit of heartburn from time to time but I am not sure it's the Effexor.

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by sid on December 14, 2001, at 12:24:44

In reply to Re: new to effexor, posted by mrspockets on December 14, 2001, at 7:33:40

That's fine, it's the smallest dose (37.5), assuming you're taking Effexor XR (extended release), which supposedly has less side effects.

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by Elizabeth on December 14, 2001, at 13:18:06

In reply to Re: new to effexor, posted by mrspockets on December 14, 2001, at 7:33:40

> My doctor started me on 37.5 mg for the first week, and then to be increased to 75mg the second week.

Which formulation? Are they tablets or capsules?

One thought: you might be going up to 75 too soon. IMO, you shouldn't raise the dose unless you're tolerating it well at the dose you're at, and even then you might do well to stay at the lower dose a little longer if the higher one causes you trouble.

-elizabeth

 

Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth

Posted by sid on December 14, 2001, at 13:43:33

In reply to Re: new to effexor, posted by Elizabeth on December 14, 2001, at 13:18:06

Thanks Elizabeth, it'll be useful for me too. My doc prescribed 37.5mg Effexor XR for an entire month, I am not sure what will happen next, but I suspect we'll get to 75mg and perhaps more. I'll make sure the undesirable side effects are gone before I take an increased dosage (they are at this point for 37.5mg).

 

Re: new to effexor

Posted by Pamela Lynn on December 14, 2001, at 17:31:04

In reply to Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth, posted by sid on December 14, 2001, at 13:43:33

I feel so lucky...I have been on Effexor for awhile now and NEVER had one bad side effect to really speak of....Hope they go away for you.

P.L.

> Thanks Elizabeth, it'll be useful for me too. My doc prescribed 37.5mg Effexor XR for an entire month, I am not sure what will happen next, but I suspect we'll get to 75mg and perhaps more. I'll make sure the undesirable side effects are gone before I take an increased dosage (they are at this point for 37.5mg).

 

Re: new to effexor » sid

Posted by Elizabeth on December 15, 2001, at 11:34:42

In reply to Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth, posted by sid on December 14, 2001, at 13:43:33

> Thanks Elizabeth, it'll be useful for me too. My doc prescribed 37.5mg Effexor XR for an entire month, I am not sure what will happen next, but I suspect we'll get to 75mg and perhaps more. I'll make sure the undesirable side effects are gone before I take an increased dosage (they are at this point for 37.5mg).

Good -- I hope that the side effects do go away so that you can get up to an effective dose.

best wishes,
-elizabeth

 

Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth

Posted by sid on December 15, 2001, at 12:03:46

In reply to Re: new to effexor » sid, posted by Elizabeth on December 15, 2001, at 11:34:42

Elizabeth,
I've been writing on this before, but this dose seems to be effective for me. I don't have major depression anymore, but I still have chronic depression. I suspect we'll get to a higher dose, but so far I enjoy life more, my concentration is a lot better (my dissertation is moving along!!! At last !), and my outlook on life is not so grey anymore. I noted these changes after about 6 days, once I stopped feeling stoned and having major insomnia. Since I never took any drug other than a few antibiotics, I might be particularly sensitive to them.

I've been reading many posts and no one else seems to have had the same experience. However, most people writing here are dealing with major depresion it seems. That may be why I feel alone... but it's a positive lonely experience, so that's not really a problem.

I started writing here b/c I was scared of meds. I saw my father "losing it" when he tried to stop his med (no clue which one it was) when I was still living at home and the image stayed with me. I immediately called his doc who told me he probably did not take his med and to try to force him to take it or call an ambulance immediately. So I wrestled him into bed and pleaded he take it. It was traumatizing. My mother and I were running in the house, hiding anything he could hurt himself or us with, which he had threatened to do. He had never done this before and never did it after either. So I always resisted taking meds until recently. I am still scared, but so far Effexor has been good for me.

In the past 7 years I used psychotherapy and acupuncture to get out of major depression, but chronic depression remained. Intense stress would throw me towards other major episodes and I'd have to work very hard to avoid it. I have made changes in my behavior (behavioral therapy), my thoughts (cognitive therapy), I worked really hard at it. At times it was almost a full time job to "take care" of myself. I did all I could on my own, and recently concluded that it was time for meds. I realized that I am fine, and there is nothing wrong with me that I need to change anymore. I was a workaholic, my research is still important to me, but it is not my life anymore. Otherwise, whatever things I might want to change, I could not, no matter how much I tried.

Perhaps 37.5mg is enough to have some effects for chronic depression? I have no idea, but I am better now than I've been in over a decade. And the things I'd like to change in my life seem doable while before it seemd impossible. Part of life seemed to be forbidden to me. I'd constantly say "oh, that's not for me." For the past couple of weeks, I've been thinking "why not?"

Anyway... I hope I can stay this well and perhaps even better (I've had chronic depression for so long that I don't know what it's like to be better) for a long time.

 

Re: new to effexor » sid

Posted by Elizabeth on December 15, 2001, at 12:19:51

In reply to Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth, posted by sid on December 15, 2001, at 12:03:46

Hi. 37.5 mg isn't usually enough for most people, but there are always exceptions. It might have something to do with your metabolism. Consider yourself lucky. That's also cool that you had some success with cognitive-behavioral therapy; that doesn't seem to be all that common (at least, not here), either. The reason for taking medication is pretty much what you seem to have gotten out of it: to bring back your sense that you can do things, that your goals are possible to achieve.

I'm sorry about your father's problem. I hope that he has been doing better. It sounds like his depression is worse than yours. I'm in the reverse situation -- both my parents have moderate mood/anxiety disorders, I am like both of them combined.

I hope you stick around! It's nice to have a variety of people with different experiences here.

best,
-elizabeth

 

Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth

Posted by sid on December 15, 2001, at 12:33:24

In reply to Re: new to effexor » sid, posted by Elizabeth on December 15, 2001, at 12:19:51

Elizabeth,
thanks for your message.

My father did better for 3 years due to meds and psychotherapy; he then passed away from cancer.

My own major depression was triggered by these events, although I realize that I had had chronic depression for some years before that.

 

Re: new to effexor...my input

Posted by DebbieLynn on December 15, 2001, at 16:22:37

In reply to Re: new to effexor » Elizabeth, posted by sid on December 15, 2001, at 12:33:24

> Elizabeth,
> thanks for your message.
>
> My father did better for 3 years due to meds and psychotherapy; he then passed away from cancer.
>
> My own major depression was triggered by these events, although I realize that I had had chronic depression for some years before that.


Hello all!
Just thought I would add in my thoughts on Effexor. I am on 225 whopping mg of Effexor XR, and have been for about 7 months. I had horrible side effects when I first started it...Anxiety, jitteryness, insomnia, nausea, dilated pupils...you name it, I had it. But I stuck it out and everything has gone away. Effexor has been wonderful for me. I call them my "happy pills". By the way, I have generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive illness.

Good luck...it is worth the wait!

Debbie


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