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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by cmcdougall on January 13, 2002, at 14:57:36
In reply to new side effect, posted by melmel on January 10, 2002, at 14:06:11
Hi,
I took effexor xr for about 18 months & was taking 150mg twice a day. I started to have the "tracer" or "trailer" effect too. It only lasted a short while right when I woke up in the mornings. My pdoc said he had heard of that, but not to worry about it, so I didn't. Unfortunately, the effexor pooped-out and withdrawal was TERRIBLE. While it worked tho', it worked good and not everyone has horrible withdrawal.
Good luck,
Carly
> i've been on effexor xr for approx 2 months now, 225 mg in the morning. i've noticed lately that when i first get up, before i take the medicine, if i wave my hand in front of my face (or another object moves by), it has a trailer behind it. (by trailer i mean like a tail following behind, kind of hallucinogenic) very weird. anyone else experience this?
Posted by babyface on January 13, 2002, at 17:04:15
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by michelle a. on January 13, 2002, at 13:00:14
i had taken it before but had headaches, but this time around wasn't getting them. so she agreed. but the weaning off!!! i was on 150 mg (xr) and went to 75 for a week, then 37.5 for a week, and stopped (her directions). way too fast. very dizzy, to the point of being nausious (sp). so i then did 37.5 every other day for a week and then stopped. STILL had the side effects. so it came to just taking it when i couldn't stand it anymore, and now i'm off of it, but not without a lot of frustration and dizziness. i still get that feel-like-i'm-falling effect sometimes, but not as bad as before and very few and far between. to sum up: i didn't like it, but a lot of people have had success. if you do go on it and then decide that it isn't for you, just make sure to wean off, and it would be a good idea to have a psychiatrist do it, not a gp like i had. they go by the "book" and the book isn't always like real life. but my gp didn't know that because she's not a psychiatrist. good luck!!!!
Hi,
Just read your advice on going off Effexor slower than per week. I take 21/2 tablets of 75 mg a day.
My psych. told me to go off half a dose a week, do you think that that is slow enough?
I freak because I also feel the fuzzy head feeling after missing one dose a day so I am scared to go off to quick. Anyone have experience with going off half a dose a week?
Thanks for any feedback.
Posted by Dr. Bob on January 13, 2002, at 18:10:18
In reply to Re: posting problems, posted by Dr. Bob on January 4, 2002, at 1:18:52
> Best as I can tell, the problem was the server taking too long to email notifications (since this is such a long thread). So now I'm limiting it to just the most recent dozen. Let's see how that works...
I guess it's still a problem. So please be aware that posts to this thread may take a long time (possibly a few minutes) to be processed. I think I have a way to speed it up, but it'll take me some time to make the change. Thanks for your patience,
Bob
> PS: Follow-ups about posting problems should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration, etc.
Posted by broadville on January 14, 2002, at 12:03:47
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I just started Effexor for the second time and as far as the Sexual side effects are concerned is it possible to mix Effexor for the depression and add on the Wellbutrin for the increase in sex drive--has anyone tried this.
I also was on Depo Provera which seriously gave me a poor libido...
Thanks in advance
Posted by petters on January 15, 2002, at 1:21:45
In reply to Anyone tried an Effexor Wellbutrin mix for sexual , posted by broadville on January 14, 2002, at 12:03:47
> I just started Effexor for the second time and as far as the Sexual side effects are concerned is it possible to mix Effexor for the depression and add on the Wellbutrin for the increase in sex drive--has anyone tried this.
>
> I also was on Depo Provera which seriously gave me a poor libido...
>
> Thanks in advanceHi...
I would very strongly recommend Remeron as an add on strategi. It is very usefull in this aspect.
Best Wishes...//Petters
Posted by michelle a. on January 15, 2002, at 13:27:18
In reply to Anyone tried an Effexor Wellbutrin mix for sexual , posted by broadville on January 14, 2002, at 12:03:47
see my previous post!!! i'm not sure i can copy it, but i'll try..ok, i think it worked.. this was in reply to someone asking about their exp. with effexor, and mine just happened to include wellbutrin. i've taken depo, by the way, and boy, did i gain weight!!! my body seriously thought it was pregnant!
"i did the same as you, did some research on effexor before taking it and stumbled upon this site. i was looking for an alternative to paxil because of the sexual side effects, and had heard that effexor was better in that area. so i tried it. i found that it was no different as far as the side effects, and when i missed a couple of dosed by accident, boy, what a freaky feeling!! my doctor prescribed wellbutrin to help with the sexual side effects, and it did help a little. but then i thought, why take this if it's not helping the problem i had in the first place? so i asked my dr. if i could just wean off the effexor and do the wellbutrin by itself. i had taken it before but had headaches, but this time around wasn't getting them. so she agreed. but the weaning off!!! i was on 150 mg (xr) and went to 75 for a week, then 37.5 for a week, and stopped (her directions). way too fast. very dizzy, to the point of being nausious (sp). so i then did 37.5 every other day for a week and then stopped. STILL had the side effects. so it came to just taking it when i couldn't stand it anymore, and now i'm off of it, but not without a lot of frustration and dizziness. i still get that feel-like-i'm-falling effect sometimes, but not as bad as before and very few and far between. to sum up: i didn't like it, but a lot of people have had success. if you do go on it and then decide that it isn't for you, just make sure to wean off, and it would be a good idea to have a psychiatrist do it, not a gp like i had. they go by the "book" and the book isn't always like real life. but my gp didn't know that because she's not a psychiatrist. good luck!!!! "
Posted by binx on January 15, 2002, at 15:12:23
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? Paulio, posted by MaKi on January 12, 2002, at 19:25:50
I have had success on Effexor XR 250 mg 1x in the morning (well success
as part of the multidrug cocktail I'm currently taking). The most obtrusive
side effect has been the eradication of my libido. Strangely I've had no
bad experience with stopping the medication... i couldn't get to the
pharmacy to pick up the refill a couple of weeks ago and went
three days without the Effexor... no horror stories relate from just
stopping for a couple of days.
Posted by dee on January 16, 2002, at 17:38:19
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? Paulio, posted by binx on January 15, 2002, at 15:13:29
I have seemed to have good sucess on Effexor I am now on my 5th week of taking. Some slight side effects at start, the first week I felt sick.
But everyday I seem to feel alittle better. More energy, and starting to actually be able to get out of bed and start my day more positive.
Posted by NatA on January 17, 2002, at 11:57:26
In reply to Re: Effexor Ex and Nicotine Patch HELP » NatA, posted by Ron Hill on January 5, 2002, at 16:14:18
Ron,
Thanks for the info.. I am fairly new to this whole thing.. and this is the first med i have tried.. but it seems to do well with me. But I cut my the patch in half for 4 days, and then no more patch and just started doing the gum at hard times in the day. You know, coffee in the am, and meals. What an instant improvement. The rage went away, and so did the tight wound up feeling inside. Thanks for the info and the response. I was really feeling out of touch with the real world there for a while. Good news, it has been almost 4 weeks!!
Well, Thanks again!!
Nat
Posted by SusanG on January 19, 2002, at 21:46:32
In reply to Re: Effexor Ex and Nicotine Patch HELPThanks, posted by NatA on January 17, 2002, at 11:57:26
I have read most of the posts on this message board and appreciate everyone's input. I thought I would share a bit of my experience with Effexor XR. I had been given low doses of Paxil, and later Zoloft, by my gyn to help with peri-menopausal mood swings. I went off each due to unwanted side effects. After experiencing some tremendous personal stress last August I called my gyn and asked for Effexor to help me get through my crises. It definitely helped and though I still struggled emotionally, I was able to function. However, after about 2 months on it I suddenly gained about 20 pounds over the next 2 months. Yes, my activity level had decreased and my eating increased (darn holidays!) but this seemed extreme even in view of those factors. Against the advice of the posts I'd seen here, I decided to just take myself off of it. After all, I only took 75 mg. The first day or so was ok, no noticable change. However, by the third day, I was an emotional wreck. I couldn't even go to work and spent the entire day sobbing. My husband was supportive yet alarmed and urged me to see someone. But who would I see? The gyn really only deals with the mood-swing aspect of things, not real depression, and had told me in the past that if these meds didn't help I would have to find someone else who could help me with meds. My family doc doesn't even know I'm on this and isn't particularly knowledgable about anti-depressants (I'd mentioned them to him before). The counselor I'd seen briefly and whom I called for a psychiatric referral so I could get this straightened out, thinks I am just hormonal. So I have gone back on the Effexor and don't know what to do from here. Just thought I'd share all this with you folks. Any suggestions are appreciated though I am easily overwhelmed these days and the thought of starting from scratch to figure out what is wrong with me feels so burdensome.
Posted by MaKi on January 20, 2002, at 8:15:09
In reply to My story of Effexor, posted by SusanG on January 19, 2002, at 21:46:32
Hi Susan,
It's really good that you could tell everyone your story,
I think asking for other people's advice or opinion is
always a good thing. First of all, I'm not even sure what
to tell you. I've been on Effexor XR for 6 full weeks now
and since then I've lost about 15-20lbs (yes I know that's
alot in a matter of 6 weeks). Most of the posts that I've
read so far read that most have lost weight at the beginning
and then gained in the later months. I'm really keeping my
fingers crossed because I don't want to have to deal with the
stress of gaining weight. So far, the Effexor has helped me
somewhat with my panic disorder. I've been able to go out more
and have no panic attacks. Sometimes I have the odd one while
at home but they seem to be alot milder, and happen less frequent.
I started off on 37.5mg and continued with that dosage for 5 weeks,
just a week ago, I increased to 75mg per day. Since my increase,
I've been extremely tired and can barely function. Sometimes I think
of going back down to 37.5mg but I'm sure my family doc wouldn't
agree with me, as he says that is not a therapeutic dose. So, like you,
I'm a bit confused these days as to what I'm supposed to do.By the way, how many mg's were you taking per day? Did you have any side
effects, including sleepiness? I hope my story helps you out even just a
little bit and please keep us posted.Good Luck,
Joanne (MaKi)
Posted by AnneL on January 20, 2002, at 15:28:44
In reply to My story of Effexor, posted by SusanG on January 19, 2002, at 21:46:32
Hi Susan,
Thank you for sharing your story and for seeking some information regarding Effexor. I have been on Effexor for 1 year and am taking 225 mg. daily.
Approximately 2 months ago, I decided to get off of Effexor because I have been feeling very good and like my "old self" again. I dropped my dose down to 150 mg. daily x 3 days and did just fine so I dropped my dose down to 75 mg. for another 2 days until I saw my psychiatrist. After I casually mentioned that I had dropped from 225 mg. to 75 mg. with 5 days he became very alarmed and "asked" me to please increase my dose back to 150 mg. at the very least because he was concerned that I would experience "discontinuation syndrome". I conceded his point and the following day I upped my dose to 150 mg. SEVEN DAYS later I started sobbing and could not stop! I had very odd thoughts of causing bodily harm to myself and totally "freaked out". I called my pdoc on a Sunday as an emergency call and thank God that I have a very patient and compassionate doctor! He explained that what I was experiencing was not some psychotic event or return of major depression but that I was one of the unfortunate people who are very, very sensitive to changing levels of seratonin and that I should immediately take 225 mg. of Effexor and stay at that level until my next appt. I was fine within 24 hours of resuming my dose.
The moral of the story is this: Effexor is a very helpful medication for many, many people. But do not try and discontinue the medication without professional advice. I will follow my pdoc's advise this time. Luckily, it only takes me one time to learn something!
Good luck!
Anne
Posted by AnneL on January 20, 2002, at 15:29:22
In reply to My story of Effexor, posted by SusanG on January 19, 2002, at 21:46:32
Hi Susan,
Thank you for sharing your story and for seeking some information regarding Effexor. I have been on Effexor for 1 year and am taking 225 mg. daily.
Approximately 2 months ago, I decided to get off of Effexor because I have been feeling very good and like my "old self" again. I dropped my dose down to 150 mg. daily x 3 days and did just fine so I dropped my dose down to 75 mg. for another 2 days until I saw my psychiatrist. After I casually mentioned that I had dropped from 225 mg. to 75 mg. with 5 days he became very alarmed and "asked" me to please increase my dose back to 150 mg. at the very least because he was concerned that I would experience "discontinuation syndrome". I conceded his point and the following day I upped my dose to 150 mg. SEVEN DAYS later I started sobbing and could not stop! I had very odd thoughts of causing bodily harm to myself and totally "freaked out". I called my pdoc on a Sunday as an emergency call and thank God that I have a very patient and compassionate doctor! He explained that what I was experiencing was not some psychotic event or return of major depression but that I was one of the unfortunate people who are very, very sensitive to changing levels of seratonin and that I should immediately take 225 mg. of Effexor and stay at that level until my next appt. I was fine within 24 hours of resuming my dose.
The moral of the story is this: Effexor is a very helpful medication for many, many people. But do not try and discontinue the medication without professional advice. I will follow my pdoc's advise this time. Luckily, it only takes me one time to learn something!
Good luck!
Anne
Posted by SusanG on January 20, 2002, at 15:30:56
In reply to My Story Of Effexor (SusanG), posted by MaKi on January 20, 2002, at 8:15:09
Hi Joanne and thanks for your response. I was (and am again, having chickened out on going off of it) on 75 mg which doesn't seem like much compared to the doses some people have mentioned on here. Yes, I get incredibly sleepy at times and can barely drag myself around. Some days are worse than others and I'm not sure why. I'm not sure if the fatigue is a symptom of my depression or a side effect of the medication. I used to have a problem with insomnia at least once or twice a week, sort of in random cycles. Now I mostly work at staying conscious and have little energy.
Posted by michelle a. on January 20, 2002, at 20:17:05
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor (SusanG), posted by SusanG on January 20, 2002, at 15:30:56
hi susan...
i read your last two posts and all i can suggest is see a psychiatrist. general practioners don't have much background on psych issues/medications, and psych drugs are so funny that way... if you feel good on 37.5, i would check that out with a psych... general practitioners go by the "book" i.e. whatever info the pharmicutical companies give them. and they're in the business of making money, first and foremost. i had done some research online and come to find out, the makers of effexor didn't reveal much in the way of the side effects that people were having. it was only after that they came clean and admitted that some people do become very ill coming off of effexor, both mentally and physically. a psychiatrist, who deals with the tinkering of these meds every day, with many people, will be more in tune to the effects and sucesses of meds. i'm sure it is completely legitimate and feasable that someone could be quite happy on just 37.5 mg. why not? some people need upwards of 300 mg of effexor, some people don't. some people come off it with vertually no problems, others, like myself, are pretty sensitive. a good doctor will listen to the patient and take what they say into serious consideration when dosing. who better knows how you feel than you?
i'm off of effexor, by the way, and on wellbutrin. i just hate the headaches which are common with wellbutrin, but i feel pretty good other than that, and my sex drive is awesome!!! and i'm very sensitive to stuff like that anyway.
good luck and don't give up if you feel strongly about something. you know yourself best!!
Posted by Mr. Scott on January 23, 2002, at 21:50:23
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor (SusanG), posted by SusanG on January 20, 2002, at 15:30:56
It's the Effexor...
Posted by JANNBEAU on January 24, 2002, at 11:36:41
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor (SusanG) » SusanG, posted by Mr. Scott on January 23, 2002, at 21:50:23
> It's the Effexor...
Quite likely you're right! Seems a familiar story. I have certainly experienced this side effect. I have decreased my dose from 225 mg per day to 75 mg per day and am just now seeing an increase in alertness and a decrease in sleepiness. HOWEVER, the price I am paying for the increased alertness and vigilence is a significant increase in my GAD. Was Effexor really helping the GAD or was it just sedating me to the point that I didn't have any energy to be anxious? Who knows, but I think I'd rather be alert and anxious than sedated and not anxious.
Cheers,
Jannbeau
Posted by sweet_slider on January 24, 2002, at 19:18:33
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor (SusanG) » Mr. Scott, posted by JANNBEAU on January 24, 2002, at 11:36:41
Everyone's story is different so it may or may not be a side effect of the effexor. I have a great difficulty in getting any sleep at all and so the effexor is not at all making me sleepy or drowsy. Others have told me that it is the high dose that makes me unsleepy. Whether that is true or not it does not change my mind in taking it at that dose. I am capable of leading a somewhat "normal" life on my dose of 300mg XR where as before I was unable to due to my GAD and Depression. The side effects I experience are nothing compared to how I was feeling prior to starting effexor xr, I was on Zoloft from 25mg-200mg and it did nothing. I'm not looking forward to coming off it but for now it is helping me to function as I couldn't before. Good luck and do go see a psychiatrist as they are better acustomed in prescribing AD's then GP's just by the fact that they deal everyday with them and get to see and hear about updated side effects that GP's might not get.
~Sweet Slider~ :)
Posted by sid on January 25, 2002, at 8:47:35
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor }}SusanG, posted by sweet_slider on January 24, 2002, at 19:18:33
I had trouble sleeping on Effexor XR at 37.5mg. It would make me drowsy during the day and then I'd sleep 2 hours at night, during the 1st week. Then things got better. Now I've been at 75mg a day for a couple of weeks and I wake up a few times per night whereas I never do that when I don't take meds. During the day I feel VERY sleepy at times, although the feeling does not last long, fortunately.
So it is different for everyone. Effexor XR affects my sleep big time, even at small doses. It takes several weeks for my sleep pattern to get back to normal, so I am afraid that at higher doses I may be inconvenienced even more... we'll see.
Posted by Mr. Scott on January 25, 2002, at 20:18:35
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor }}SusanG, posted by sid on January 25, 2002, at 8:47:35
I got to Effexor after trying most of the antidepressants available in the U.S. Some were better than others and most were at least a bit helpful. However, the all have side effects or stop working. So I tried Effexor, and at first I felt like everyone else always looks when I'm depressed. Energy, optimistism, I felt everything wouls eventually be okay! I'm sure someone could even call it hypomanic. They that kind of settled down, and now I just feel like I have thicker skin, I'm not so scared and sad although I aint perfect either...
And I have side-effects too.
Agitation(mild), bruxism, delayed orgasm, low sex drive, constipation.Also the withdrawal is far worse than benzodiazepine withdrawal which I have gone through 3 times in my life.
I wish I could just go back to Prozac which at the time had no side-effects. But alas..That was many years ago..
Scott
Posted by jenna23 on January 25, 2002, at 20:22:39
In reply to Re: Effexor XR vs. Paxil and weight gain , posted by Cindy W on March 15, 2000, at 13:37:41
I've been taking Effexor xr 300mg for about 3 years and i've put on weight but thats the price you pay.
Posted by SusanG on January 25, 2002, at 21:30:27
In reply to Re: My Story Of Effexor }}Mr.Scott, posted by Mr. Scott on January 25, 2002, at 20:18:35
Thanks to all who responded to my post. I still am in a quandry about what to do next but I do know I should see a psychiatrist for help in sorting this out. Can't seem to make myself take that step...not sure why exactly though I have some ideas. I really wish I had kept a journal of my moods and symptoms since I started the medication. As I read the side effects everyone has listed, I find myself saying often, "Yes, I experienced that too!", yet many are contradictory...insomnia and drowsiness, for example. And there are so many other variables to be considered. I don't have a lot of confidence that even a shrink can help me figure this out as I'm not even sure what to report anymore...is confusion a side effect??!! I know that this weight gain may not seem a big price to pay to some people but it is extremely bothersome to me and when added to other side effects it sways the balance in favor of going off of it. I could even handle the low level omnipressant depression I used to experience but not the occasional deep dips into hopelessness. But the thought of trying to go off of this again gives me the willies.....Sigh.
Posted by multix on January 25, 2002, at 21:32:07
In reply to I'm a newie to Effexor XR, posted by CKT on April 27, 2000, at 14:12:52
> As stated, I'm a newie with Effexor XR I just started yesterday on the starter kit and i am feeling a little anxious I feel like i'm on some type of speed. Is this normal? It kind of has me worried. I have tried Zoloft and Elevil and both have made me feel "racy" My doctor put me on Effexor because i am "Depressed" i don't know why and i'm tired all the time. I can't keep my eyes open and this seems to not let me sleep eventhough i keep yawning. I guess i really don't know what to expect and i'm afraid to become a "pill-popper" can anyone help me understand better please?
Personally, I kind of liked the beginning side of Effexor. It wore off after a few days. Perhaps a week. I have taken perhaps five different types of antidepressants. Prozac and Effexor are the ones which work best for me. I have been taking Effexor maybe three months. I take notes on my behavior and I would say that Effexor is the most effective drug I have taken. I have not experienced this side effects that many seem to experience. But I think that perhaps only people who have problems will contribute to this forum. Not many contributors here have zero side effects. I have experienced one side effect. Lack of sexual response. For me it is not enough to stop taking and the drug. For me life is not worth living and if I spend all my time holed up in the apartment.
Posted by Allen F. on January 25, 2002, at 23:50:47
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
In 1990 I starting taking Prozac and thought it was no big deal. The doctor casually proscibed it and I took it up until about six months ago. I heard about Selexia (sp?) and changed ... big mistake. Didn't help. The Doctor then put me on Effexor, which I didn't do well on, so he tried me on something else. Long story short, the changes caused havic with my system and a Phyc. put be back on Effexor.
I started having physical problems (side effects) but the Phyc. says that he hasn't had problems with patients on Effexor, especially at the low dose (75 mg) I am on. He wants me to go off over a period of about two weeks. Says it will be no big deal. On the advice of another Doc. I have been reducing it at about 10% per week and have been more irritable than normal. I have had problems in the mornings all along (is this normal with Effexor) but it seems to be worse.
What have others experienced when weaning off. Any experience with tapering off over a longer period of time versus a few weeks? Does the "irritability" go away? How can I protect those around me from the effects of weaning off?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
Posted by Mr.Scott on January 26, 2002, at 14:04:33
In reply to Re: I'm a newie to Effexor XR, posted by multix on January 25, 2002, at 21:32:07
> > As stated, I'm a newie with Effexor XR I just started yesterday on the starter kit and i am feeling a little anxious I feel like i'm on some type of speed. Is this normal? It kind of has me worried. I have tried Zoloft and Elevil and both have made me feel "racy" My doctor put me on Effexor because i am "Depressed" i don't know why and i'm tired all the time. I can't keep my eyes open and this seems to not let me sleep eventhough i keep yawning. I guess i really don't know what to expect and i'm afraid to become a "pill-popper" can anyone help me understand better please?
>
> Personally, I kind of liked the beginning side of Effexor. It wore off after a few days. Perhaps a week. I have taken perhaps five different types of antidepressants. Prozac and Effexor are the ones which work best for me. I have been taking Effexor maybe three months. I take notes on my behavior and I would say that Effexor is the most effective drug I have taken. I have not experienced this side effects that many seem to experience. But I think that perhaps only people who have problems will contribute to this forum. Not many contributors here have zero side effects. I have experienced one side effect. Lack of sexual response. For me it is not enough to stop taking and the drug. For me life is not worth living and if I spend all my time holed up in the apartment.Everyone in the US takes something everyday from vitamins to coffee, to street drugs, to medicines..Your just unhappy that yours is a psychiatric drug.. See your experiment through..Might as well finish what you started especially since your results sound good so far.
Scott
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