Posted by swingsnroundabouts on July 31, 2002, at 17:14:16
In reply to Help: Insomnia/Inorgasmia, posted by sillyhead on July 30, 2002, at 9:50:56
> Hello Everyone,
>
> I have been taking Effexor XR for about a month. I started at 37.5 mg and after each week, I have increased this dose by 37.5 mg. Now I am on day 8 of my recommended dose: 150 mg.
>
> At first I felt no real side effects, but now I am noticing that since I started, I have not been able to have an orgasm, which is really frusterating b/c this has never been a problem for me.
>
> Also, since I increased by dosage, I have been waking in the night, thrashing around in bed, talking in my sleep, and having bizarre and vivid dreams that are generally too intense, making them unpleasant. I am going to wait this one out, b/c I think once things stabalize this will go away, but it is hard b/c the lack of sleep is making me tired! And I never had that problem before either! I could sleep anywhere before the effexor!
>
> I am also very concerned about the inorgasmia as I have a boyfriend of 2 1/2 years and we are not used to this. And what is worse, is that finally my sex drive has come back, only to find out I can't climax!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> Please, Please share your experiences with insomnia/inorgasmia with me. Does this go away?
>
> Thanks a ton,
> Sillyhead
Yes have had both of these side effects each and every time I have been on efexor. It has worked much better for me than other antidepressants so far as far as mood is concerned - in other words it does the job it is supposed to do.HOWEVER my sleep was wrecked and I got to the point where the ONLY way I could sleep on efexor was by using sleeping tablets, e.g. zimovane / zopliclone (had to have a high dose of all of these to get any effect at all). I also experienced sexual side effects - strange weak orgasms which although tolerable, not as fulfilling.
I have just stopped taking efexor and have started on mirtazapine (zispin / remeron). It is so wonderful to sleep without the sleeping tablets. However I am wiped out and sleeping too much (hope this will wear off as it has only been a week) and the orgasms - well ;^)- I say no more.
A WORD OF WARNING Do not let your doc convince you to stop taking efexor abrubtly I have a seriously bad withdrawal syndrome - this drug should be tapered off gradually.
poster:swingsnroundabouts
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020731/msgs/114681.html