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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SadMum on April 8, 2004, at 2:59:37
Hi - I'm new to this, so please bear with me. After trying many drugs for my treatment resistant depression - Prozac, Seroxat, Anafranil, Effexor, Zispin, I'm now going back on 75mg Effexor and 15mg Zispin. Effexor alone made my mood good but complete insomnia event with Zopiclon and Temazepan. Zispin alone made me put on 20lbs in 3 weeks. Does anybody have any experience of the two together? I gather it's quite common in the US, but rarer over here in the UK.
Posted by Sad Panda on April 8, 2004, at 4:59:45
In reply to Effexor and Zispin together - any experience?, posted by SadMum on April 8, 2004, at 2:59:37
> Hi - I'm new to this, so please bear with me. After trying many drugs for my treatment resistant depression - Prozac, Seroxat, Anafranil, Effexor, Zispin, I'm now going back on 75mg Effexor and 15mg Zispin. Effexor alone made my mood good but complete insomnia event with Zopiclon and Temazepan. Zispin alone made me put on 20lbs in 3 weeks. Does anybody have any experience of the two together? I gather it's quite common in the US, but rarer over here in the UK.
>
>
>Hi SadMum,
I'm in Australia & take that combo, it's been pretty good to me, down here they are called Efexor(that's one F) & Avanza. :) I am taking 225mg & 30mg. So far this combination has made me fairly happy & I sleep fantastic. I have no increased appetite & my weight has been neutral, although I did need to loose a lot of weight. Only problem I have had is in the last month, I have been trying to take 300mg to get some Noradrenaline effect because I am so lethargic, but it gave me memory problems, raised my BP a little(as expected) & I had dizziness & a spacey head feeling reminiscent of the first time I ever took it.
Today is my first day back down at 225mg & I feel fabulous again. One thing I have learned about Remeron is it counters Effexor's side effects very well. Worst Effexor side effects for me have been nausea & anorgasmia, I already had initial type insomnia coupled with hypersomnia before I ever started drugs. Initially, when first taking Remeron, it will make you sleep for 12 hours solid, but after awhile it reduced down to 8 hours sleep on 15mg, or 9 hours on 30mg. I would resist taking any more than 15mg until you need more to counter Effexor side effects & then I would be tempted to cut the tablets up so you could take 22.5mg doses. I needed to take 30mg when I went to 225mg of Effexor, but 15mg was enough for 150mg of Effexor. I didn't try 22.5mg myself purely because I was too lazy. I am going to try to cut back to 22.5mg to combat lethargy & apathy, but right now I am too happy. :) (I was apathetic & lethargic before drugs where started) Remeron is also more stimulating as you increase the dosage, although this hasn't been the case for me. 45mg or 60mg just makes me cranky & irritable & makes me sleep even longer.
I know what you mean about drug induced insomnia. The first drug I tried was Prozac & it gave me terrible bad agitation & insomnia. I took 60mg of Temazepam + a good dosage of Scotch & still got no sleep. I have also swallowed 50mg of Valium & still managed to watch the sun rise on several occasions...
Sorry to talk your ear off, did I mention my social anxiety has been reduced? Good luck & I hope the combo makes you happy too. :)
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by SadMum on April 9, 2004, at 6:17:50
In reply to Re: Effexor and Zispin together - any experience? » SadMum, posted by Sad Panda on April 8, 2004, at 4:59:45
> > Hi - I'm new to this, so please bear with me. After trying many drugs for my treatment resistant depression - Prozac, Seroxat, Anafranil, Effexor, Zispin, I'm now going back on 75mg Effexor and 15mg Zispin. Effexor alone made my mood good but complete insomnia event with Zopiclon and Temazepan. Zispin alone made me put on 20lbs in 3 weeks. Does anybody have any experience of the two together? I gather it's quite common in the US, but rarer over here in the UK.
>
> >
> >
> >
>
> Hi SadMum,
>
> I'm in Australia & take that combo, it's been pretty good to me, down here they are called Efexor(that's one F) & Avanza. :) I am taking 225mg & 30mg. So far this combination has made me fairly happy & I sleep fantastic. I have no increased appetite & my weight has been neutral, although I did need to loose a lot of weight. Only problem I have had is in the last month, I have been trying to take 300mg to get some Noradrenaline effect because I am so lethargic, but it gave me memory problems, raised my BP a little(as expected) & I had dizziness & a spacey head feeling reminiscent of the first time I ever took it.
>
> Today is my first day back down at 225mg & I feel fabulous again. One thing I have learned about Remeron is it counters Effexor's side effects very well. Worst Effexor side effects for me have been nausea & anorgasmia, I already had initial type insomnia coupled with hypersomnia before I ever started drugs. Initially, when first taking Remeron, it will make you sleep for 12 hours solid, but after awhile it reduced down to 8 hours sleep on 15mg, or 9 hours on 30mg. I would resist taking any more than 15mg until you need more to counter Effexor side effects & then I would be tempted to cut the tablets up so you could take 22.5mg doses. I needed to take 30mg when I went to 225mg of Effexor, but 15mg was enough for 150mg of Effexor. I didn't try 22.5mg myself purely because I was too lazy. I am going to try to cut back to 22.5mg to combat lethargy & apathy, but right now I am too happy. :) (I was apathetic & lethargic before drugs where started) Remeron is also more stimulating as you increase the dosage, although this hasn't been the case for me. 45mg or 60mg just makes me cranky & irritable & makes me sleep even longer.
>
> I know what you mean about drug induced insomnia. The first drug I tried was Prozac & it gave me terrible bad agitation & insomnia. I took 60mg of Temazepam + a good dosage of Scotch & still got no sleep. I have also swallowed 50mg of Valium & still managed to watch the sun rise on several occasions...
>
> Sorry to talk your ear off, did I mention my social anxiety has been reduced? Good luck & I hope the combo makes you happy too. :)
>
> Cheers,
> Panda.
>
>
>
Thanks for the response - nice to hear that the combo works for you. I've started the Efexor (you were right about the spelling!) and start the Zispin tonight after 3 days of Efexor. Boy, I had forgotten how lousy the Efexor makes me feel at the start! I'm crossing my fingers that it all works OK.
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