Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 337848

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Effexor XR: Should I even start?

Posted by Essarro on April 19, 2004, at 17:56:17

Hey all. I was on Zoloft for about 8 years, then switched to Celexa to see if had less sexual side effects or helped with anxiety, though I was better on Zoloft than I had been before. My main problem is anxiety rather than depression. Anyway, recently I started having a lot of anxiety and thought the Celexa was not working properly. I went to the nurse practicioner and she thought Effexor RX would be good for the anxiety. I started today on 37.5 mg and am supposed to go to 75 mg after a week. I had never heard of this medication so I started reading about it and mostly everything I saw here scared me. Maybe I should just go back to the Zoloft instead of trying this? Right now I am feeling very anxious but I don't know if it is from going off the Celexa or maybe from reading all this, it is having a psychological effect. Are there ANY success stories? I am supposed to go back to the doctor in 2 weeks. How long will it take me to tell if this will work for me?

 

Re: Effexor XR: Should I even start? » Essarro

Posted by psychosage on April 20, 2004, at 0:27:34

In reply to Effexor XR: Should I even start?, posted by Essarro on April 19, 2004, at 17:56:17

> Hey all. I was on Zoloft for about 8 years, then switched to Celexa to see if had less sexual side effects or helped with anxiety, though I was better on Zoloft than I had been before. My main problem is anxiety rather than depression. Anyway, recently I started having a lot of anxiety and thought the Celexa was not working properly. I went to the nurse practicioner and she thought Effexor RX would be good for the anxiety. I started today on 37.5 mg and am supposed to go to 75 mg after a week. I had never heard of this medication so I started reading about it and mostly everything I saw here scared me. Maybe I should just go back to the Zoloft instead of trying this? Right now I am feeling very anxious but I don't know if it is from going off the Celexa or maybe from reading all this, it is having a psychological effect. Are there ANY success stories? I am supposed to go back to the doctor in 2 weeks. How long will it take me to tell if this will work for me?

I've only been on effexor once, but I tried both immediate release and extended release.

From what I have read and heard, Effexor is more of a second-line drug because of its side effects and difficult withdrawal. However, it is as efficacious or even more so than the SSRIs.

Some speculate the withdrawal effects {when not being weened off properly and very slowly or missing a few doses in a row} to be associated with the fact effexor may indirectly affect opiod receptors and act like a painkiler.

For many, the side effects are just too much, so you have to just be vigilant and honest about how it is affecting you.

It's been called "prozac with a punch", but the withdrawal has been likened to heroin withdrawal.


Good luck, and if you just don't miss doses and titrate down slowly if you need to get off it then you should simply have a more typical, non-horrific experience whether it works or not. Just be ready for nausea and dizziness. Colors were immediately very bright and I fell sleep for a short nap the afternoon I first took effexor several years ago.

 

Re: Effexor XR: Should I even start? » Essarro

Posted by Sad Panda on April 20, 2004, at 11:59:42

In reply to Effexor XR: Should I even start?, posted by Essarro on April 19, 2004, at 17:56:17

> Hey all. I was on Zoloft for about 8 years, then switched to Celexa to see if had less sexual side effects or helped with anxiety, though I was better on Zoloft than I had been before. My main problem is anxiety rather than depression. Anyway, recently I started having a lot of anxiety and thought the Celexa was not working properly. I went to the nurse practicioner and she thought Effexor RX would be good for the anxiety. I started today on 37.5 mg and am supposed to go to 75 mg after a week. I had never heard of this medication so I started reading about it and mostly everything I saw here scared me. Maybe I should just go back to the Zoloft instead of trying this? Right now I am feeling very anxious but I don't know if it is from going off the Celexa or maybe from reading all this, it is having a psychological effect. Are there ANY success stories? I am supposed to go back to the doctor in 2 weeks. How long will it take me to tell if this will work for me?
>
>

I like Effexor, but it causes sexual side effects too, just like the SSRI's. If Zoloft worked well for you I would go back to it & add something to fix it's side effects such as Wellbutrin or Remeron.

Cheers,
Panda.


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