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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ginger on May 15, 2001, at 17:54:18
Hello! I wanted to share with everyone the many ways in which Effexor XR did NOT help me!
Effexor XR has been anything but a wonder drug for me. My 80-year-old HMO psychiatrist chose to ignore my repeated and consistent complaints of side effects because he felt like I wasn't "supposed to be having" these experiences (is that a fact!?!). Thank God for the medical message boards, where I was able to find that I wasn't alone in experiencing some rather bizarre side effects.
Anyway, the past three and a half months of my life have been totally disrupted as a result of his ignorance and my being advised to "wait" for weeks on end because the side effects "should subside"...
Following is the list of side effects that I experienced on Effexor XR, a 75 mg dose taken once daily. Some of them are not officially listed as "common" side effects and I completed hours on end of thorough and exhaustive research to even find some of them mentioned at all.
Here we go:
Totally bizarre and abnormal dreams, nightmares and night terrors on a nightly basis since Day 1 of taking Effexor XR.
Chronic fatigue as a result of my severely disturbed sleep.
A pervasive feeling of being "spaced out", resulting in a lack of concentration and motivation on my part.
MORE WEIGHT GAIN, plus, the weight I gained during my major depressive episode hasn't moved, despite my efforts. Now, instead of 15 pounds, I need to lose 25.
Chronic constipation like you wouldn't believe.
Anorgasmia (I'm only 29 and have NEVER had this problem before, not even when I was on Zoloft!).
An episode of dizziness, usually occurring once per day, for a period not lasting more than a few minutes. Once, I slammed myself right into a wall because of it. Needless to say, THAT didn't feel too good!
Strange tingling sensations, like electrical currents running up and down the right or left side of my body, right up into the right or left side of my head. They were not uncomfortable, just strange.
Morning vs. Evening dosages: If I took the Effexor XR in the morning, I would be drowsy the entire day and still wouldn't sleep well at night. If I took the drug in the evening to combat the drowsiness, the bizarre dreams would then turn into fully-fledged nightmares and night terrors, which were very disturbing. I used myself as a guinea pig on a few occasions to test this out, changing from morning to evening dosages for a few weeks a time during each stint. I got the same results every single time.
Muscle and joint stiffness. I have never before experienced this either, but I'm here to say that right now, I am very stiff all over and have been for a few weeks now. Again, I'm only 29.
The psychiatrist actually wanted to keep me ON the Effexor XR and prescribed Trazadone to "mask" some of the side effects. He was very evasive in describing to me exactly the purpose of taking the Trazadone and barely mentioned that it was yet ANOTHER anti-depressant which should help me sleep. This just didn't feel right to me and when I questioned him on this, suggesting that I perhaps didn't agree with his judgment, he had a "how dare you question my judgment -- just take your meds" attitude, which I found extremely intimidating.
Well, I'm here to say that I do have enough reasoning and intellect to know that I'm NOT a pharmacological guinea pig. I never took the Trazadone because I had a very strong gut feeling that told me not to.
The only positive benefits I can report on the Effexor was that it did seem to help the anxiety and depression -- moreso the anxiety. HOWEVER, the stimulus that was causing the severe anxiety and depression (a very bad job situation), was removed when I left my job. Starting the new med and leaving my job both took place within weeks of each other. So really, which one was it that was helping the depression and anxiety the most? There's really no way of telling.
I found it quite interesting that most people experienced the bizarre and abnormal dreams upon withdrawal from Effexor XR. (Note: Please be careful when discontinuing this drug and be sure that you taper down your dosage per your doctor's advice; otherwise, you will experience horrible withdrawals! My best friend is a rep with Pfizer and told me that one of her doctors refuses to prescribe Effexor XR anymore because of the difficulty he has experienced with withdrawing his clients from this medication).
I'm not trying to "scare" anyone and I don't have a vendetta against Wyerth-Ayerst. The truth is that everyone's metabolism is different and prescription meds have different effects on different people. For some of you, Effexor XR will be your godsend. However, I totally believe that knowledge is power and I felt compelled to share my experience. This is still a relatively new drug (The XR version is). That means that, in essence, WE ARE the guinea pigs. Remember, too, that this is YOUR brain chemistry that is being altered.
I plan to write a letter to the FDA, recounting my experience with this drug. If anyone else is experiencing similar "unusual" side effects with this or any other anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drug, side effects that aren't officially listed as "common", please, please write to FDA and tell them. If an overwhelming number of similar complaints are received by the FDA, the FDA can force drug companies to revise their pamphlets and literature with regard to potential adverse effects. Remeber, it's our bodies and our minds that we are dealing with.
Today, I visited my family doctor who is well informed on my medical history. He agreed that the Effexor XR (which he said that he and his circle of colleagues refer to as "Side-Effexor") was not working in sync with my metabolism. He is slowly tapering me off of the Effexor XR and is starting me out on an initially lower dosage of Celexa. I am very comfortable with his recommendation. I know I need something to keep my problems with depression at bay and I actually have a good feeling about Celexa. Fingers crossed...
Thank you for reading and good luck to you all. And if you ever have a strong gut feeling about a medication you are taking, be it bad or good, please, trust your instincts. Your "gut feeling" is there for a reason -- to protect you. Remember, doctors do not know everything and they certainly don't know your body as well as you do. :o)
Posted by Bill L on May 16, 2001, at 7:21:16
In reply to My nightmare experience with Effexor XR, posted by Ginger on May 15, 2001, at 17:54:18
I have been on Celexa for over a year with good results (20 mg). I felt tired for the first few weeks but then that went a way. The only side effect that lasted was sexual. But then I added 120 mg Ginkgo (60 mg 2x per day) and it reversed the sexual side effects in just 2 days of use. So if you have this side effect with Celexa, like you did with Effexor, discuss Ginkgo with your doctor. It's supposed to be safe, but I read that it can cause bleeding problems in some people.
> Hello! I wanted to share with everyone the many ways in which Effexor XR did NOT help me!
>
> Effexor XR has been anything but a wonder drug for me. My 80-year-old HMO psychiatrist chose to ignore my repeated and consistent complaints of side effects because he felt like I wasn't "supposed to be having" these experiences (is that a fact!?!). Thank God for the medical message boards, where I was able to find that I wasn't alone in experiencing some rather bizarre side effects.
>
> Anyway, the past three and a half months of my life have been totally disrupted as a result of his ignorance and my being advised to "wait" for weeks on end because the side effects "should subside"...
>
> Following is the list of side effects that I experienced on Effexor XR, a 75 mg dose taken once daily. Some of them are not officially listed as "common" side effects and I completed hours on end of thorough and exhaustive research to even find some of them mentioned at all.
>
> Here we go:
>
> Totally bizarre and abnormal dreams, nightmares and night terrors on a nightly basis since Day 1 of taking Effexor XR.
>
> Chronic fatigue as a result of my severely disturbed sleep.
>
> A pervasive feeling of being "spaced out", resulting in a lack of concentration and motivation on my part.
>
> MORE WEIGHT GAIN, plus, the weight I gained during my major depressive episode hasn't moved, despite my efforts. Now, instead of 15 pounds, I need to lose 25.
>
> Chronic constipation like you wouldn't believe.
>
> Anorgasmia (I'm only 29 and have NEVER had this problem before, not even when I was on Zoloft!).
>
> An episode of dizziness, usually occurring once per day, for a period not lasting more than a few minutes. Once, I slammed myself right into a wall because of it. Needless to say, THAT didn't feel too good!
>
> Strange tingling sensations, like electrical currents running up and down the right or left side of my body, right up into the right or left side of my head. They were not uncomfortable, just strange.
>
> Morning vs. Evening dosages: If I took the Effexor XR in the morning, I would be drowsy the entire day and still wouldn't sleep well at night. If I took the drug in the evening to combat the drowsiness, the bizarre dreams would then turn into fully-fledged nightmares and night terrors, which were very disturbing. I used myself as a guinea pig on a few occasions to test this out, changing from morning to evening dosages for a few weeks a time during each stint. I got the same results every single time.
>
> Muscle and joint stiffness. I have never before experienced this either, but I'm here to say that right now, I am very stiff all over and have been for a few weeks now. Again, I'm only 29.
>
> The psychiatrist actually wanted to keep me ON the Effexor XR and prescribed Trazadone to "mask" some of the side effects. He was very evasive in describing to me exactly the purpose of taking the Trazadone and barely mentioned that it was yet ANOTHER anti-depressant which should help me sleep. This just didn't feel right to me and when I questioned him on this, suggesting that I perhaps didn't agree with his judgment, he had a "how dare you question my judgment -- just take your meds" attitude, which I found extremely intimidating.
>
> Well, I'm here to say that I do have enough reasoning and intellect to know that I'm NOT a pharmacological guinea pig. I never took the Trazadone because I had a very strong gut feeling that told me not to.
>
> The only positive benefits I can report on the Effexor was that it did seem to help the anxiety and depression -- moreso the anxiety. HOWEVER, the stimulus that was causing the severe anxiety and depression (a very bad job situation), was removed when I left my job. Starting the new med and leaving my job both took place within weeks of each other. So really, which one was it that was helping the depression and anxiety the most? There's really no way of telling.
>
> I found it quite interesting that most people experienced the bizarre and abnormal dreams upon withdrawal from Effexor XR. (Note: Please be careful when discontinuing this drug and be sure that you taper down your dosage per your doctor's advice; otherwise, you will experience horrible withdrawals! My best friend is a rep with Pfizer and told me that one of her doctors refuses to prescribe Effexor XR anymore because of the difficulty he has experienced with withdrawing his clients from this medication).
>
> I'm not trying to "scare" anyone and I don't have a vendetta against Wyerth-Ayerst. The truth is that everyone's metabolism is different and prescription meds have different effects on different people. For some of you, Effexor XR will be your godsend. However, I totally believe that knowledge is power and I felt compelled to share my experience. This is still a relatively new drug (The XR version is). That means that, in essence, WE ARE the guinea pigs. Remember, too, that this is YOUR brain chemistry that is being altered.
>
> I plan to write a letter to the FDA, recounting my experience with this drug. If anyone else is experiencing similar "unusual" side effects with this or any other anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drug, side effects that aren't officially listed as "common", please, please write to FDA and tell them. If an overwhelming number of similar complaints are received by the FDA, the FDA can force drug companies to revise their pamphlets and literature with regard to potential adverse effects. Remeber, it's our bodies and our minds that we are dealing with.
>
> Today, I visited my family doctor who is well informed on my medical history. He agreed that the Effexor XR (which he said that he and his circle of colleagues refer to as "Side-Effexor") was not working in sync with my metabolism. He is slowly tapering me off of the Effexor XR and is starting me out on an initially lower dosage of Celexa. I am very comfortable with his recommendation. I know I need something to keep my problems with depression at bay and I actually have a good feeling about Celexa. Fingers crossed...
>
> Thank you for reading and good luck to you all. And if you ever have a strong gut feeling about a medication you are taking, be it bad or good, please, trust your instincts. Your "gut feeling" is there for a reason -- to protect you. Remember, doctors do not know everything and they certainly don't know your body as well as you do. :o)
Posted by sl on May 16, 2001, at 10:45:26
In reply to My nightmare experience with Effexor XR, posted by Ginger on May 15, 2001, at 17:54:18
> Hello! I wanted to share with everyone the many ways in which Effexor XR did NOT help me!
> Effexor XR has been anything but a wonder drug for me. My 80-year-old HMO psychiatrist chose to
ignore my repeated and consistent complaints ofWarning Bells! Ding ding ding.
the word "ignore" should not occur in a sentence about your doctor. I mean, you shouldn't have to say it. He should NEVER ignore anything you say.
That's horrible.> Today, I visited my family doctor who is well informed on my medical history. He agreed that
That's what I was going to suggest! My regular doctor is better. I'm really starting to suggest that to people, that they try working with their longterm general-care doctor, especially if they have probs with their psychiatrist. Your regular doctor KNOWS you, they're more likely to trust you and accept your opinions and feelings, and they're (hopefully) doing current research every time you ask a question instead of relying on info in their head that might be 5 or 10 or 30 years old!
>the Effexor XR (which he said that he and his circle of colleagues refer to as "Side-Effexor")
*ROFL* I love it.
>you. Remember, doctors do not know everything and they certainly don't know your body as well as you do. :o)
EXACTLY! Very very very true.
sl
Posted by Ginger on May 16, 2001, at 14:41:52
In reply to Re: My nightmare experience with Effexor XR, posted by Bill L on May 16, 2001, at 7:21:16
Thanks for the very helpful info, Bill!
Posted by dreamer on May 16, 2001, at 14:53:47
In reply to My nightmare experience with Effexor XR, posted by Ginger on May 15, 2001, at 17:54:18
Hi there, just thought I'd contribute on the effexor worries.
Taken 75mg for 3 years it is a very effective potent drug for *severe* depression and should only be prescribed when all other SSRI's fail.
Of course this is only my opinion and the list that follows applies only to my experience but it may help .1.nightmares-yes I had these whilst taking the dose on time and without missing a dose.They lasted about 6-8 months and actually helped,although not pleasant, to deal with suppressed experiences that were adding to my depression.Now dreams vivid but no nightmares.
2.Fatigue-intermittent,Reboxetine helps with the tiredness and motivation.Reducing dose for a couple of weeks also has helped.
3.Spaced-out-this is the anti-anxiety effect,some feel wired with effexor others like myself find it sedating like a mood stabilizer.
4. constipation-I changed my diet mainly due to the feeling of wanting to look after myself again but i did have constipation so I drink lots of sparkling mineral water and eat more fruit veg [easier said than done I know]
5.Anorgasma-dissapeared after 6-8 months. Does return briefly used small dose of buspar before the act.
6.Dizziness-still present but I can live with it
7.Tingling sensations-not as much as the first few months nobody knows what this is but it doesn't worry me infact call me weird but I find them quite pleasant also they are more evident if your'e a little late with the dose a kicking in feeling.
8.Muscle stiffness-I had xtreme back neck pain that dissapeared when the nightmares ceased.I put it down to my body tensing whilst dreaming and semi-awake.
9.Discontinue symptoms-be sensible.When halving the dose put the balls into a bit of marzipan or soft cheese.If you get the terrible symptoms chew one of the balls so it hits quickly[I know it's naughty but it does work just don't go overboard and eat the damn lot]
Also after several dose reductions that have been hell I am on one at the moment and I haven't had any of the withdrawal symptoms .Why? I've no idea.Feeling better the longer i'm on it I suppose some of us have bodies that take a long time to adjust.
The other SSRI's have had worse effects mainly mania with xtreme anger irritation or weight gain.One positive result~dreamer.
Posted by Elizabeth on May 17, 2001, at 15:17:55
In reply to My nightmare experience with Effexor XR, posted by Ginger on May 15, 2001, at 17:54:18
Hi there. Sounds like your doctor is...umm, well, not very user-friendly. He should be taking your reports seriously.
> Totally bizarre and abnormal dreams, nightmares and night terrors on a nightly basis since Day 1 of taking Effexor XR.
This is not among the most common side effects of Effexor (as well as SSRI antidepressants such as Prozac), but it definitely does happen.
> Chronic fatigue as a result of my severely disturbed sleep.
Nonrestorative or disturbed sleep is a common side effect of Effexor (and SSRIs), and fatigue is often a result (not surprisingly).
> A pervasive feeling of being "spaced out", resulting in a lack of concentration and motivation on my part.
Both "spacy" feelings and feelings of apathy or lack of motivation have been reported with Effexor (and SSRIs), especially after long-term use.
> MORE WEIGHT GAIN, plus, the weight I gained during my major depressive episode hasn't moved, despite my efforts. Now, instead of 15 pounds, I need to lose 25.
Again, not the most common side effect, but definitely does happen sometimes.
> Chronic constipation like you wouldn't believe.
It's surprising that you would have really bsd constipation from Effexor, although mild constipation is a known possible side effect. Are you generally prone to constipation anyway? (If so, the side effect could be much worse than it would be for someone who doesn't tend to get constipated easily.)
> Anorgasmia (I'm only 29 and have NEVER had this problem before, not even when I was on Zoloft!).
Very common.
> An episode of dizziness, usually occurring once per day, for a period not lasting more than a few minutes. Once, I slammed myself right into a wall because of it. Needless to say, THAT didn't feel too good!
I'm not sure what this is about. Can you give more details? Have you ever checked your blood pressure while on Effexor (especially, during one of the dizzy spells)?
> Strange tingling sensations, like electrical currents running up and down the right or left side of my body, right up into the right or left side of my head. They were not uncomfortable, just strange.
This sounds like something that people often report after they *stop* taking Effexor (or SSRIs), except that they usually find it quite uncomfortable.
> Morning vs. Evening dosages: If I took the Effexor XR in the morning, I would be drowsy the entire day and still wouldn't sleep well at night. If I took the drug in the evening to combat the drowsiness, the bizarre dreams would then turn into fully-fledged nightmares and night terrors, which were very disturbing. I used myself as a guinea pig on a few occasions to test this out, changing from morning to evening dosages for a few weeks a time during each stint. I got the same results every single time.
Hmm...did you try splitting your dose into morning and evening doses? (You could try splitting it in half or taking different amounts in the AM and PM.)
> Muscle and joint stiffness. I have never before experienced this either, but I'm here to say that right now, I am very stiff all over and have been for a few weeks now. Again, I'm only 29.
I started getting problems with this in my 20s too. It might be due to or exacerbated by the sleep problems you're having.
> The psychiatrist actually wanted to keep me ON the Effexor XR and prescribed Trazadone to "mask" some of the side effects.
Trazodone could easily backfire -- I know quite a few people who have nightmares as a result of trazodone! It might help you sleep more continuously, though.
> He was very evasive in describing to me exactly the purpose of taking the Trazadone and barely mentioned that it was yet ANOTHER anti-depressant which should help me sleep.
It's not really an antidepressant at the dose that most people take for sleep. What about clonidine? That can help people sleep and is often used to suppress nightmares. You should find out about your blood pressure before going on it, though (and if you do end up taking it every day, be careful not to miss a dose).
> This just didn't feel right to me and when I questioned him on this, suggesting that I perhaps didn't agree with his judgment, he had a "how dare you question my judgment -- just take your meds" attitude, which I found extremely intimidating.
Argh. Sounds like an "old school" doctor -- very paternalistic. :-( The only thing you can do is let them know clearly that you're not going to be intimidated or bullied by them and insist that they include you in all decisions. You and your doctor are both adults (I'm assuming), and he owes you the same respect you owe him. If he doesn't agree to this, I guess all you can do is try to find another doctor. I think you were right to go to your GP for a second opinion.
> Well, I'm here to say that I do have enough reasoning and intellect to know that I'm NOT a pharmacological guinea pig. I never took the Trazadone because I had a very strong gut feeling that told me not to.
I think it would be worth trying, at least. How much did he prescribe?
If you decide to go off the Effexor, be careful; as you've heard, a lot of people suffer bad withdrawal syndromes, even with the sustained-release (XR) formulation.
> I plan to write a letter to the FDA, recounting my experience with this drug. If anyone else is experiencing similar "unusual" side effects with this or any other anti-depressant/anti-anxiety drug, side effects that aren't officially listed as "common", please, please write to FDA and tell them.
These side effects are not as unusual as your doctor claims. I think that most of them are probably listed in the prescribing information. (Also, the FDA isn't likely to take complaints very seriously unless they come from medical professionals.)
-elizabeth
Posted by jll on May 19, 2006, at 8:39:19
In reply to Re: My nightmare experience with Effexor XR » Ginger, posted by Elizabeth on May 17, 2001, at 15:17:55
I have been taking 75mg of Effexor XR for just about a month now, and am finding it to be extremely helpful. I started having anxiety attacks about 5 or 6 years ago, and thought it was due to my job situation, since they started while I held that job and subsided after I left. I was given a prescription for Paxil to help ease the attacks, and it did, but after I left that job the attacks went away almost completely, so I stopped taking it. I went for almost 3 years with probably only 2 or 3 attacks, but then last September, they started coming back. They seemed to be much more severe, and lasted a lot longer. I went to my GP and told him all about this and he gave me the Effexor. I was nervous at first, and experienced some side effects (drowsieness AND insomnia, constipation, tingles in my hands, change in appetite...), but they were all pretty minor and lasted only about a week. I really cant believe how much has changed for me since I started using it. I feel so much more comfortable in all situations, I have experienced no anxiety attacks, and I just overall feel like I am in better spirits. I do have 2 concerns, however. One is anorgasmia. I am 25 years old, have been sexually active for 9 or 10 years and married for 4, and have NEVER had an orgasm. My husband feels inadequate becasue of this, and I wish he wouldnt becasue I know it is something that is wrong with me, not him. Since starting the Effexor, not only am I not having orgasms, but my sex drive itself has almost completely diminished. My other concern is that we have been seriously considering starting a family. When I mentioned to my OBGYN that I was taking Effexor, she became very concerned and suggested that I stop taking it. She suggested Prozac and some herbal remedy that I have never heard of. I mentioned this to my GP, and he suggested that we start using birth control again until he could do some research to find something safer for me to take while pregnant. Reading about the withdrawl symptoms has made me very nervous. Any advice/suggestions on these concerns? I am so glad that I stumbled across this forum while researching anorgasmia. Your input has been very enlightening...
This is the end of the thread.
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