Posted by Yankeegirl on July 18, 2003, at 17:29:38
In reply to thinking about effexor - need advice, posted by bori on July 17, 2003, at 21:02:21
> 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!
> BoriHi Bori, I have been on Effexor for 3 weeks and have had no bad side effects at all. A very good side effect has been that I wake up in the morning wide awake; before Effexor I never felt any energy until 3pm. I take Eff for general anxiety and depression - first wk at 37, 2 wks at 75, today I started 75 + 37, although I probably would have been fine going up to 150.
Many people on this site have had problems with Prozac and you say you did not. That may make you more likely to be fine w/Effexor too.
I do not think you should let these posts keep you from trying effexor. I'm assuming that mostly people with side effect problems are going on the internet for info - people like me who are fine with it have less of a reason to be here. I've have read hundreds of posts here for the last 3 weeks, and I think it all boils down to:
1 Everybody has a different reaction to every drug. Many have minor side effects with effexor at first, but they are bearable compared to the depression or anxiety, and they go away as you get used to each dose level.
2 You have to increase effexor doses gradually.
3 If you miss a dose, you will probably have bad side effects within a few hours.
4 When going off effexor, you have to even-more-gradually reduce the dose level over several weeks time.Yankeegirl
poster:Yankeegirl
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030718/msgs/243287.html