Posted by MarkinBoston on February 16, 2001, at 0:01:46
In reply to Re: NO Motivation on Effexor XR » Sandee, posted by Janie on February 15, 2001, at 18:12:52
I hear ya! I've been on Effexor twice before and lack of drive is the #1 reason I stopped taking it - well, maybe after anorgasmia. Yes, going off and on and... insures that I'm going to have relapses for the rest of my life, but not having any drive or passion feels like not having a life.
I think the whole apathy/complacancy effect is from too much serotonin. It took a while after getting off meds for the gradual improvement in motivation to become noticeable. One thing I'm doing this time is taking a stimulant with Effexor and not feeling so apathetic. I guess I had ADD and never knew it until noticing that stims helped me and reading what people wrote here about how they thought and perceived things so typically ADD. It was a revelation to me that most other people DON'T think that way.
> > I've been on Effexor XR for about 3 months and I thought this side effect would eventually go away. Currently taking 150 mg. Instead it has gotten worse. I have NO MOTIVATION to do ANYTHING!!! Sometimes even taking a shower seems a huge undertaking. (But of course I manage. lol) I don't want to go out anywhere. I am bothered or irritated by the presence of people more than usual. I just want to veg out and hibernate. I can't even imagine taking a class or anything.
> >
> > I too, experienced the jerking as I drifted off to sleep the other day. I was also awakened by this zapping feeling in my feet the other nite. Today I had my teeth bump together and I couldn't prevent it.
> >
> > I am going to go off this med because the bottom line is that it has not helped my depression at all. In fact, at times it seems worse. Guess I'll start by removing some of the little balls and doing all the other prescribed things I've read on this board.
>
> Hi guys. I'm rolling through these Threads again because I have been on a reduced dose of Effexor XR, 37.5 mg/day since last October, and I think the lethargy and sleepiness gets worse over time. I am also considering weaning off the drug. I have to FORCE myself to go to the gym, I rarely leave the house on off-days, wash my hair about once a week, and have no interest or motivation for doing anything except sitting in front of the computer, smoking cigs. That's another problem. My smoking has increased, and I have NO motivation to control or stop it. Sometimes I feel like I've been reduced to an infantile state again...just eat, sleep, and veg out. This has got to stop...there must be more to life, and perhaps a little anxiety is what I need to get me moving again.
poster:MarkinBoston
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010212/msgs/54121.html