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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Roo on July 9, 2002, at 8:47:26
I just took my first low dose pill today. Can anyone
tell me what sorts of side effects they experienced at first?
I'm expecting it to be just like any other ssri, even though I
know it's not quite an ssri, it seems like from what i've read, it's
mostly an ssri.
has anyone out there been able to make do on just the low dose pill
without increasing (30-something mgs)?
It seems like some people gain and some people lose weight on it,
and that it has all the sexual side effects that the ssri's do.
I'm not real excited about, but I do hope it works for my depression.
prozac pooped out at 7 years (actually i'm not really sure if it pooped out
or if the generic version just sucks, b/c that's about the time it pooped out).
At any rate, i'm pretty depressed and hope it helps.
Posted by Mr Beev on July 9, 2002, at 9:17:42
In reply to New to Effexor XR, posted by Roo on July 9, 2002, at 8:47:26
Here is my experience summary so far and - oh, my! - it has been a largely positive one. I have been on Effexor for nine weeks now.
- On 37.5mg dose in morning for one week; had immediate, near-total reduction of severe, viz. suicidal, depression; partial reduction in severe generalized anxiety. Mood not at all stable however. Side-effect: obnoxious but bearable bruxism (clenching of jaws). My pdoc says few of her patients respond to a dose this low, so I am perhaps a bit unusual.
- On 75mg morning dose for two weeks. Absolutely no change.
- On 150mg morning dose for six weeks and counting. Have achieved stability in mood. Pdoc says most of her patients are on 150mg per day. Bruxism is almost gone, and now the remaining, moderate anxiety portion of my mental disarray seems to be slow fading at last.
- No effect on my weight (unlike Zyprexa). No effect on sleep. Taken on full or empty stomach makes no difference. No interaction with moderate alcohol consumption, ibuprofen, vitamin and mineral supplements, Zyprexa, Ambien. Combining with Neurontin nearly landed me in the hospital. Have missed a dose by a couple of hours with no ill result - but woe to you if you completely miss a dose.
On the whole, I am quite satisfied with Effexor.
Hope this helps,
Mr Beev
Posted by Angel Girl on July 9, 2002, at 12:13:26
In reply to New to Effexor XR, posted by Roo on July 9, 2002, at 8:47:26
Roo
When I first started on Effexor I had extreme nausea which disappeared after a couple of weeks, extremely dry mouth and insomnia. Months later I still have the dry mouth albeit not quite as bad and the insomnia is still here. I have to take meds for that. I initially lost weight on Effexor as I had relatively no appetite and I've never had any sexual side effects. I'm one on the unlucky ones that didn't feel any AD effect until I got to a high dosage. YMMV. I think most people respond at low dosages. I was not that lucky.
As far as generic vs brand name drugs, I live in Canada and my pharmacist told me there is no difference in them. Here we are always given generic unless we/dr specifically ask for the brand name.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Angel Girl
Posted by hildi on July 9, 2002, at 12:27:43
In reply to New to Effexor XR, posted by Roo on July 9, 2002, at 8:47:26
Hi. I just wanted to tell you that I've read some posts where people have said that the generic prozac didn't help them-they relapsed back into depression, whereas when they went back on the regular, non-generic version they felt much better.
That could be what happened to you.
Hildi
Posted by wcfrench on July 9, 2002, at 14:33:44
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR-Roo, posted by hildi on July 9, 2002, at 12:27:43
Hi, i've been on effexor for 1 year and 4 months.
At first, I felt much better on it and we went up from 37.5 to 75 and things were going well. I experienced no side effects whatsoever. This is a good medicine with a low side effects profile. It's the one my doc, who is a good doc, chooses to try first. I think, however, that it's not doing the good things it had been because I don't feel as happy now. But good luck on it, I think you will find it to be mostly positive changes.
-Charlie
Posted by LynnPerley on July 13, 2002, at 22:45:33
In reply to New to Effexor XR, posted by Roo on July 9, 2002, at 8:47:26
I've been taking Efexor XR since mid March after a two week trial of generic Prozac (I gave it up after unbearable bruxism). I was on the sample pack 1 week 37.5, 1 week 75, then 150. I took 150 for 60 days after that, now I have been taking 225 for almost a month. I thought I was just going through a major depression but after reflection I believe it was a major depression with subsequent overlay of anxiety. Any how, intial side effects were #1 dry mouth, which decreased somewhat over time but still comes and goes. This is OK with me because I don't mind drinking lots of water. #2 was some sleep disruption and drowsiness during the day. This was cured by taking the med at night. #3 bruxism, much more bearable than on fluoxetine, and decreased over time, and decreased again when I went to 225 mg except for a few rare occasions. #4 decrease appetite, lasted only a short time. I noticed the effexor xr being a lot "slower" tha the fluoxetine. It has a much shorter half life. Give it several weeks or a few months before you make a final judgment. Do not miss a dose, because you will feel awful. When I choose to go off, I will decrease the dose as gradually as the doctor will allow. I did notice a faster effect on anxiety and did not get the beneficial effect on depression until I went to 225 mg. Good luck!
Posted by ShelliR on July 15, 2002, at 22:16:32
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR » Roo, posted by LynnPerley on July 13, 2002, at 22:45:33
It sounds good for you.
Why are you going off? Interested because I may try that next.
Shelli
Posted by LynnPerley on July 15, 2002, at 22:27:23
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR » LynnPerley, posted by ShelliR on July 15, 2002, at 22:16:32
Shelli, I will choose to go off sometime in the future. I don't feel comfortable being on this drug forever. It is helping me a lot, but at some point I think I need to get my mind together. If as I try to go off I go back to where I was before, I'll get back on or try something else. It's nice to be able to look back at a day at work and remember almost everything I did, to not cry at every sad song (but still be able to cry when it's appropriate), not to freak out at the possibility of my husband being mobilized to go to Afghanistan, etc. I like the drug's effect, but the underlying problem to me is a temporary one brought on by relocating across the country and by the events of 9/11 due to my husband's occupation. The things that brought on the condition are here to stay, so at some point I'd better learn to deal with them myself, if possible.
Posted by ShelliR on July 15, 2002, at 23:32:51
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR » ShelliR, posted by LynnPerley on July 15, 2002, at 22:27:23
Thanks Lynn,
I do understand. And I'm sorry for any connection you had with 9/11.
Shelli
This is the end of the thread.
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