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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mispanicked on July 15, 2005, at 10:46:11
I have been taking Effexor XR for about 4 months. I am also taking Xanax XR .5, but have tried to wean off of that. I had moderate success with depression, but have not been able to kick the edgy anxious feelings. I am haveing nightmares and sweats. Sometimes I feel so agitated I have to go home. I am often tired, but fight staying in bed. I am trying to have positive thoughts, but still do not feel great. Since starting the meds, I have been waking up very agitated and edgy, gaging and shaking. Many times it is after a very vivid or disturbing dream. I am also experiencing loss of appetite. I am losing weight(I needed to anyway). I am now trying to taper off the Effexor to go onto another SSRI. Has anyone had a similiar response to this drug? I heard it has more side effects than many other AD on the market.
Posted by bart on July 15, 2005, at 10:59:58
In reply to I am waking up panicked on Effexor XR, posted by mispanicked on July 15, 2005, at 10:46:11
Yep! sounds like a classic case of Effexor intolerance!
good luck
Posted by TamaraJ on July 15, 2005, at 15:32:22
In reply to I am waking up panicked on Effexor XR, posted by mispanicked on July 15, 2005, at 10:46:11
Yes, my experience was somewhat similar to yours. Effexor was relatively helpful for my depression, but, while on it, I experienced edgy, anxious feelings. I also experienced severe night sweats and myoclonus (jerking in my sleep, sometimes 3 times a night, which would wake me up in a panic. The jerks were so bad that I felt like I had been given an electric shock. I was literally bouncing off the bed.). My doctor did not seem to appreciate the severity of these side effects (if it is not in the PDR, then it certainly can't be happening LOL). It probably is in your best interest to talk to you doctor about changing meds, particularly since these side effects are causing you distress and affecting your functioning and quality of life. I did not have those side effects on the SSRIs that I have taken (Paxil, Celexa and now Zoloft).
Good luck to you. I am sorry you are having such a hard time.
Tamara
> I have been taking Effexor XR for about 4 months. I am also taking Xanax XR .5, but have tried to wean off of that. I had moderate success with depression, but have not been able to kick the edgy anxious feelings. I am haveing nightmares and sweats. Sometimes I feel so agitated I have to go home. I am often tired, but fight staying in bed. I am trying to have positive thoughts, but still do not feel great. Since starting the meds, I have been waking up very agitated and edgy, gaging and shaking. Many times it is after a very vivid or disturbing dream. I am also experiencing loss of appetite. I am losing weight(I needed to anyway). I am now trying to taper off the Effexor to go onto another SSRI. Has anyone had a similiar response to this drug? I heard it has more side effects than many other AD on the market.
>
>
Posted by Keeta Orenda on July 15, 2005, at 18:37:22
In reply to I am waking up panicked on Effexor XR, posted by mispanicked on July 15, 2005, at 10:46:11
> I have been taking Effexor XR for about 4 months. I am also taking Xanax XR .5, but have tried to wean off of that. I had moderate success with depression, but have not been able to kick the edgy anxious feelings. I am haveing nightmares and sweats. Sometimes I feel so agitated I have to go home. I am often tired, but fight staying in bed. I am trying to have positive thoughts, but still do not feel great. Since starting the meds, I have been waking up very agitated and edgy, gaging and shaking. Many times it is after a very vivid or disturbing dream. I am also experiencing loss of appetite. I am losing weight(I needed to anyway). I am now trying to taper off the Effexor to go onto another SSRI. Has anyone had a similiar response to this drug? I heard it has more side effects than many other AD on the market.
>
>Yeah, One of the main reasons I finally ended up quitting Effexor was all the weirdo-wacko dreams/nightmares! And I especially would have bad dreams where I'd actually scream out in my sleep if I even missed a single dose of Effexor. :-(
--Keeta
Posted by Keeta Orenda on July 15, 2005, at 18:37:50
In reply to I am waking up panicked on Effexor XR, posted by mispanicked on July 15, 2005, at 10:46:11
> I have been taking Effexor XR for about 4 months. I am also taking Xanax XR .5, but have tried to wean off of that. I had moderate success with depression, but have not been able to kick the edgy anxious feelings. I am haveing nightmares and sweats. Sometimes I feel so agitated I have to go home. I am often tired, but fight staying in bed. I am trying to have positive thoughts, but still do not feel great. Since starting the meds, I have been waking up very agitated and edgy, gaging and shaking. Many times it is after a very vivid or disturbing dream. I am also experiencing loss of appetite. I am losing weight(I needed to anyway). I am now trying to taper off the Effexor to go onto another SSRI. Has anyone had a similiar response to this drug? I heard it has more side effects than many other AD on the market.
>
>Yeah, One of the main reasons I finally ended up quitting Effexor was all the weirdo-wacko dreams/nightmares! And I especially would have bad dreams where I'd actually scream out in my sleep if I even missed a single dose of Effexor. :-(
--Keeta
Posted by Colleen D. on July 15, 2005, at 20:59:16
In reply to Re: I am waking up panicked on Effexor XR, posted by Keeta Orenda on July 15, 2005, at 18:37:50
interesting. I've had some of my best dreaming ever while on Effexor. I used to have a lot of scary negative dreams, but now my dreams are more entertaining than my real life!
Go figure.
Colleen
Posted by sleepygirl on July 15, 2005, at 21:07:19
In reply to The variation in Effexor users' dreams is so... » Keeta Orenda, posted by Colleen D. on July 15, 2005, at 20:59:16
I get crazy dreams if I miss a dose, and when I take seroquel. I woke my fiance up the other night because I was talking in my sleep (again), evidently I was saying "Get out."-but in that Amityville Horror movie kind of voice. I scared him really, and I don't remember a thing
Posted by mispanicked on July 16, 2005, at 9:48:08
I don't understand this, every morning I wake up panicked. Some mornings are better than others, but still that rapid heart beat, that feeling in my stomach, and the gagging. I am hoping it is a side effect of the meds, because it is very hard to bear. I am fine later in the day and the evening. I can function well then, but the mornings are hell. Anyone else have this experience?
Posted by mispanicked on July 16, 2005, at 10:05:45
In reply to Re: I am waking up panicked on Effexor XR, posted by bart on July 15, 2005, at 10:59:58
> Yep! sounds like a classic case of Effexor intolerance!
> good luckOh my god, I thought they are really going to have to commit me. I feel so lousy, that I am hurting the people around me because they cannot understand. I woke up again in a panic today, it is a short one, but still there. I hope this goes away with a change of meds.
Posted by cherylann on July 16, 2005, at 10:43:59
In reply to I woke up panicked again, posted by mispanicked on July 16, 2005, at 9:48:08
What med are you taking?
I'm on day 5 of celexa and woke up feeling the exact same way. Yep, the gagging, panic. Tons of fun. But as the day progresses, it does subside. From what I understand, when we sleep what serotonin we have gets used up as melatonin. So, upon waking, we're very low on the good stuff. Then as the days goes on, we produce more.
Do you having something like klonopin to help you get through?
I'll be thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way.
cherylann
Posted by mispanicked on July 16, 2005, at 10:54:33
In reply to Re: I woke up panicked again, posted by cherylann on July 16, 2005, at 10:43:59
> What med are you taking?
>
> I'm on day 5 of celexa and woke up feeling the exact same way. Yep, the gagging, panic. Tons of fun. But as the day progresses, it does subside. From what I understand, when we sleep what serotonin we have gets used up as melatonin. So, upon waking, we're very low on the good stuff. Then as the days goes on, we produce more.
>
> Do you having something like klonopin to help you get through?
>
> I'll be thinking of you and sending good thoughts your way.
> cherylann
>
>
>
> I am on Effexor XR (4 months) and am starting to taper off, but the morning gagging has been constant from the beginning. I know it is anxiety, and it does pass. I am hoping a new AD would be better. The Effexor has a short half life, and I think that is part of the reason in addition to the obvious side effects that this med has. The Celexa worked well for me a few years ago, so I am hoping to go back to that. I have Xanax to help, but do not like having to take it (I do), and will continue until this episode passes. I also started to take vitamins, so I hope that will be helpful. Thanks for all good thoughts.Mis
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