Posted by zinya on July 18, 2003, at 16:35:36
In reply to thinking about effexor - need advice, posted by bori on July 17, 2003, at 21:02:21
hi Bori,
an intriguing name!
I had essentially the same reaction as you when i first found this site, the night before i was planning last November to start on Effexor. The side effects i heard described made me very wary and i decided to at least wait. I tried a zillion other things (not drugs - i'd already tried several a-d's without help or with bad side effects i oculdn't tolerate).
Like you, the reason for Effexor for me is the added norepinephrine (adrenal system) effects since i have a pretty depleted adrenal system and also deal with chronic pain.
I finally decided after a few more months of getting nowhere and realizing it was more than just grieving (i lost my mom last year, who i'd bought a house for to live with me and the loss was profound) and i started the Effexor in late May.
I decided to take it really really slowing, even dividing capsules to start at half the usual dosage - 19 mg, then 37.5, then 56, then 75, and now up to 100, after what? i guess 7 weeks ...
I have had some side effects but so far they've been tolerable. I've felt some good benefits although i'm still waiting for "the biggie" in terms of the norepenephrine side. They say that that only kicks in at levels of 150 mg and higher, although i'm guessing that varies by individual like everything else.
What you need to know most of all is that there is absolutely NO WAY of knowing how your body is going to react until and unless you try it. More than any drug perhaps (but apparently like almost all a-d's) every person has a different reaction (Effexor makes some sleepy, some unable to sleep, some gain weight, other lose, etc. etc.)
I'm glad I am trying it. If anything at this point, i wish i'd started sooner. But i still don't know what the final upshot will be. Part of me wants to get to 150 mg level fast, but the bigger part wants to make sure i don't have a bad reaction i can't handle. It is a potent drug. And i decided to take it very very slowly so my body adjusts the best possible.
I don't want to either encourage or discourage you. It's kind of a gut thing, i think. And for me, my gut instinct at first said wait, but finally it said to start. But the only thing i can say is that the horror stories of some side effects here are not everyone's experience, only some people's, and it seems impossible to predict which effects you would have.
good luck and keep us informed what you decide!
zinya
> Hi,
>
> I am new to this site. I have been having increasing symptoms of anxiety and some OCD like (though not clinical level) symptoms. I also have a history of eating and body image issues. A few years ago I was on prozac and did well on it. My therapist suggested maybe trying it again. However, I also have a vulvar pain issue and some people are taking Effexor XR for that (I guess the part that works on the neuroepinephrine helps with chronic pain). So, I was thinking that if I tried Effexor it might possibly hit two birds with one stone. However, I have heard a lot on this site and my other one about strong side effects on effexor. I didn't have any when on prozac and so am wary to try effexor where prozac worked without all these side effects. Yet, as I said, Effexor could help with pain, and Prozac wouldn't. So, if my anxiety is not severe and it won't necessarily help with the pain, is it worth the risk of all the side effects? Any and all advice is really appreciated.
>
> Thanks!
> Bori
poster:zinya
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030718/msgs/243269.html