Posted by zinya on August 9, 2003, at 13:30:25
In reply to Thank you for your replies about short term memory, posted by Helaine on August 6, 2003, at 11:22:50
Helaine,
I'm VERY concerned for you. When you first wrote, i was frankly a bit stunned that an md. was giving Effexor for menopause since my most chronic side effect (I'm now at 150 mg, having edged up twice as slowly as most people, starting in the end of May and only got up to 150 2 weeks ago) is inordinately sweating and clammy skin and body heat that does feel like flashes. I know that doctors are now so concerned about estrogen (although i do think estraderm patches are a safer way to go and without uterus concerns not needing to take progesterone) but there's nothing like estrogen to deal with menopause itself.
Is your doctor a specialist, and, if so, in what?
I didn't write to you at first because i didn't think i had any relevant input to offer and didn't want to alarm you with my initial instinctive reaction of surprise. Also, if there's one thing i've learned here it's that this med affects EVERY single one of us diffferently ... and we each have very different reactions as we increase dosage as well - some find their side effects go away, some find they get worse, etc. One person becomes sleepy, the next one insomniac; one gains weight, the next loses weight, etc etc... So what do i know?? Maybe your md. knew something I didn't...
But as you describe your symptoms after 2 weeks on Effexor, I begin to think you perhaps should try to see if you can see your md. sooner than waiting a month? Or depending on his/her specialty, maybe even consulting a second physician? I still find it odd that Effexor would be an appropriate menopause response, but there was one other person i recall who mentioned being given it for the same reason a few weeks back. You might try a search feature here for 'menopause' to find others' stories that would possibly shed light for you (although, again, EVERY individual has a unique response to these a-d drugs it seems).
Oh, btw, I would HIGHLY recommend to you a book I've mentioned previously here by a woman gynecologist, Christiane Northrup, who specializes in alternate and holistic views of dealing with menopause and all manner of woman's issues. I think she has a specific menopause book out as well, but the book of hers which i have (and find to be like a bible for understanding hormonal functions and ways of treating) is "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom".
Wishing you the best of luck, Helaine!
zinya
poster:zinya
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030807/msgs/249553.html