![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 4212 to 4236 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by CherC68 on June 9, 2003, at 20:13:50
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 » CherC68, posted by melley on June 9, 2003, at 17:03:58
Melley, I have had carpal tunnel for a long time now, but since I started taking effexor xr(a week ago today) the pain has doubled. I had an emg test last tuesday and I will get the results (for sure carpal tunnel) on Thursday and we will schedule the surgery soon. I will also let my doctor know that I stopped the effexor xr. After last nights worst ever panic attack, I'm very leary about bedtime. I have had the brain zaps all day long, and a very painful pressure epecially at my frontal lobe (my forehead). I'm in fear of having another panic attack. But, I haven't paced in 2 days. I walked from my kitchen, to my dining room into my living room and back into my kitchen friday night in circles like a complete freak, for no reason and my husband was standing in the kitchen and I didn't even notice him. He had to make me stop. That's nutzo. Well, I accidently took another dose of the Effexor XR and finally Saturday I said forget it. PLEASE REMEMBER - just because this happened to me, doesn't mean its going to happen to anyone else. I may not have given the Effexor enough time to work, true, but...I can't take the chance that its going to make me crazy or (lol) CRAZIER! I'm going to get exercise, and I'm going to keep moving (but not in freakin' circles like a zombie), and I'm going to laugh as much as I can, whether it be funny movies or whatever...I'm going to beat depression my way...Good luck to all. Cher
Posted by zinya on June 9, 2003, at 20:46:01
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 » melley, posted by CherC68 on June 9, 2003, at 20:13:50
gosh, Cher, you have all my empathy in this process. None of us ever know how this or any of these drugs are going to hit us, either on the way going up or on the way coming down. In retrospect, it probably would have been a help to wean off with 19mg and then, as someone here today said they plan to do, even to half of that before quitting entirely. But then who knows in advance if they're going to be the one who must wean off? Some people here go off the way you did, especially after such a short time, and they are okay. I'm just so sorry to hear of these aggravations for you.
Regarding carpal tunnel: I dealt with this a couple of years ago, although it sounds like my case wasn't as bad as yours, but i had to wear wrist braces/bandages for some time and my chiropractor was very helpful as well. What I learned from reading about it at the time was that there is evidence to suggest a linkage between estrogen levels and carpal tunnel. I mention this because you might want to have your md. check your estrogen levels, FSH levels, etc. It really hit home with me because i had just had a change in HRT levels before this had happened and it was rather amazing to read that, of all things, that estrogen change might have had an impact on vulnerability to carpal tunnel. I've learned to appreciate (more than most doctors) just how much hormones impact virtually everything.
It's reported that carpal tunnel is more common than average in women who are pregnant or have just started using birth control pills, who suffer from premenstrual syndrome, or are menopausal -- i.e., estrogen levels in flux.
Anyway, it's a 2 cents' worth I thought might interest you.
Posted by zinya on June 9, 2003, at 21:04:42
In reply to How does it work?, posted by Betty Gene on June 9, 2003, at 18:46:10
Hi Betty Gene,
I think the single best comment in your favor in your post regards your trust in your md. That is a very good starting point and hopefully will serve you well if you start questioning whether this drug works for you.If there's one single "truth" that this website is a testimony to, it's that every single one of us has a unique biochemistry and cannot know in advance how one of these drugs will affect us. As your reading here may have already shown you, some go through insomnia while others deal with grogginess and 'over'sleep; some gain weight, other lose weight; etc etc. It's kind of amazing, but i guess cuz it is dealing with a system which is so pervasive that is also so idiosyncratic--each of us with a unique nervous system calibration, etc. etc.
Actually, your md might have told you that Effexor deals with two systems -- serotonin (SSRI) and also adrenal. Some here have said that the adrenal-system effects only 'kick in' once dosage levels reach 150 mg, but i'm guessing that that too is probably something that varies by individual.
I'm not much ahead of you in terms of time spent on Effexor, but i have tried other a-ds (anti-deps) in the past and i've read a lot of posters here going back to November when i was first prescribed Effexor but then i decided to postpone taking it and only started 2 weeks ago. And, given my past history of bad side effects on other such drugs, i decided to take only half the level my md. had prescribed, so I've been dividing the granules of each capsule in half and taking it twice as slow.
So i'm just now moving up to 37.5 -- as of Sat. night. Too soon for me to offer much personal experience except that i've had side effects but they've been manageable so far.
I'm writing to wish you well and, given the limits of my experience, to say i'd be happy to offer any more comments if you have more q's. I do my share of questioning here still too.
Posted by CherC68 on June 9, 2003, at 21:51:40
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 and carpal tunnel » CherC68, posted by zinya on June 9, 2003, at 20:46:01
Dear Zinya,
You have been my source of strength through this. You listen and you are actually very wise, and I seriously appreciate your help through this. Carpal Tunnel and hormones. Well, I had a tumor 4 years ago and a complete hysterectomy (ovaries also) and I do not take hormones. I had endometriosis also and even though I have no uterous I still have it on my external/internal organs. That and being a legal secretary and I think the Zoloft really made it kick in worse. Thanks again for listening - its past bedtime, and I am not feeling too swift. Take Care. Cher
Posted by sierra1 on June 9, 2003, at 22:04:37
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
hey "B" just checking in on you. How are you doing ? How are you feeling?
Since i've been on the 150 mg dose I feel as if i'm on uppers. I am excited and talking constantly just babbling on and on.... I have to be careful because i take blood pressure meds too.. its a weird feeling but again i don't really mind it.
ok gotta go try to go to sleep now, take care
Posted by jtc on June 9, 2003, at 22:58:39
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2, posted by mark UK on June 9, 2003, at 14:49:22
> Hi i am on day 2 off effexor I dont feel as bad as i did yesterday but the brain freez electric pulses are as bad as ever,although they dont feel as bad after finding this suport group.
> Quite releved that the dizzines is to be expected.
> Just how long will i get the electric pulses and brain freez? I was not advised by my gp to lower the dose ,just take them till ther finished.
> Thanks for the reasuring advice i have found.
> MARK UKHi Mark UK,
I was told by my psychiatrist to just stop "cold turkey" taking the Effexor XR. I was on 75 mg. When I tried to stop cold turkey I had a very hard time. So I just tapered down to 37.5 mg for about 2 weeks then went to every other day for 2 weeks then stopped. That seemed to lessen the dizziness and the electric brain shocks. I think you should gradually lower the dose before stopping, but if it is working for you to just stop without tapering then that is good. Good luck and take care, jtc
Posted by zinya on June 10, 2003, at 9:26:28
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 and carpal tunnel » zinya, posted by CherC68 on June 9, 2003, at 21:51:40
Gosh, Cher, i can't tell you how out-of-the-blue comforting it is to think i'm being helpful. Part of my own depression is a kind of catch-22 of isolation or hiatus from the person i knew as 'me' who always thrived on such an image of myself, as teacher, friend, whatever. Plus i've felt connected to you too, in a way that i frankly, selfishly, felt a personal bit of letdown that you weren't going to be going through this "with me" over time. But i also hear that it doesn't sound right for you (and may prove not to be for me either for all i know).
In fact, with your new info shared, my first reaction is to wonder even more about whether it's hormone-withdrawal which has led you to the depression symptoms. Is there a reason related to the endometriosis why hormones are not advised? Otherwise, it would seem that with the uterus removed, you wouldn't need progesterone (which has had the most problematic research findings) and that you could try taking something like estratest, for a balance of estrogen and testosterone (I assume you know women have --and need -- low levels (compared to men) of testosterone too, which i think plays a role in energy levels too. If this isn't something you've already looked into and ruled out for other reasons, i'd think that once you get through this new withdrawal, from effexor, that you might raise it with your md. and consider it.
By the way, there's a great book by Christiane Northrup called _Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom_, that i learned a lot from which you might like too. She's an md. who specializes particularly in post-menopausal but treats the entirety of hormonal factors and she's also a big believer in the underlooked role of the adrenal system which also starts to show signs of age and peter out in many folks beginning in the 40's which, for some women, it can compound the effects of menopause, surgical or natural, because the adrenal glands are our bodies one other site for hormone production. She also highly promotes natural routes of hormone replacement.
It also seems to me that, based on what others say here about tapering off, that if you continue to have bad withdrawal symptoms today, you might open a capsule and take even just a few grains of it, 1/4 of the 75 mg total or less, as it might even at this point help your body to taper off -- even though you didn't go beyond 37.5. It seems even at that level, there can be a need to taper off gradually.
But maybe you''ll be 'over the hump' today and won't need to consider that -- I hope so.
wishing you well, and sending hugs,
zinya
Posted by CherC68 on June 10, 2003, at 10:38:40
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 and carpal tunnel » CherC68, posted by zinya on June 10, 2003, at 9:26:28
Dear Zinya,
Thank you again, but I will always keep up with this website and I'll try to be there for you the best that I can.My best friend is on Paxil and she gets these weird head tugs, etc. and she's been on it a year and she doesn't care, she throws up quite a bit and she doesn't care, its like she's running high 1/2 the time and she doesn't care. To her, the side effects are like a tiny little nuisance, that can be endured, even the fact that she's very underweight now and forgets to eat sometimes or sometimes eats too much (which of course, she doesn't care about). She is so happy with the drug because she isn't in the pits of hell with her depression (Manic-Depressive/bi-polar). She said she'd stay on it the rest of her life if she could.
She's been on medicine on/off (mostly on since the age of 15) and she just turned 30). Medicine does work for many, just I think its not working for me. I am going to do the over-the-counter herbal hormone replacement. I might also try the st. john wart, and laughing.
I know I have a high abundance of adrenalin (I had tests when I was little and supposedly have too much adrenalin) but I don't quite remember that particular test for some reason, its something my parents talk about though because of my physical strength.
Right now for some reason, I have no adrenalin. I'm so dang tired, which is very odd. But no big bad panic attack, so I think the side effects are slowly diminishing. I'm going to be A-O-Kay and I am sure everyone on here is going to be. If you are on this website, you at least are trying and the 'Sun will come out tomorrow' or at least that's what I keep saying to myself! Take Care, Love, Cher
Posted by Napaba on June 10, 2003, at 10:51:12
In reply to Re: grogginess from effexor dose increase? » zinya, posted by CherC68 on June 6, 2003, at 18:59:26
I've experienced this with every anti-depresent I've been on. If there's one out there that doesn't cause this lack of connection in conversation I'd be willing to try it.
Dear Zinya,
> I know what you mean. I'm at 37.5 and on day 6. After the 7th day I go to 75 mg. I feel like I'm in a stupor sometimes. I can do my work (at work) but in communicating with people I talk like I'm a zombie. I've never had a problem speaking to people. I can get on a stage and sing - I can talk to a room of 500 strangers for hours about anything and everything, but I can't seem to keep my mind on the subject at hand. If asked a simple question, I have to think about what the person said and I can't seem to form a thought. I take my medicine after dinner or about 8:00 p.m. I'm really having a tough time too. I see my doctor on Thursday and will discuss this with him, you really should talk to your doctor too, because if my doctor can't understand that these side effects are making me way more depressed, then he's not the doctor for me.
> Take Care Zinya and Thanks everyone for posting and helping so much
Posted by Napaba on June 10, 2003, at 10:54:29
In reply to re:brian, posted by sierra1 on June 6, 2003, at 22:46:30
Go back to your doctor and have her prescribe soemthing other than Effexor. It shouldn't be used unless other meds didn't work. Effexor has A LOT OF SIDE EFFECTS.
> thanks for your reply. i am pretty new at this depression thing. I have not told my family, they think something is wrong but i just tell them i'm tired and don't feel good. I know i should but i don't want anyone to know. When my Dr. tested me for thyroid, iron, b-12, and other tests, they all came back normal. after an hour and a half visit just talking and answering a few questionaires she thought I was in a depression. She told me to go home and think about our conversation and I did. I went back to see Dr. and it was suggested to try effexor xr. I guess since I feel pretty good the dr. was correct. I will be up to 150 mg dose tomorrow. I am realy nervous about how long I must take this, and the withdrawal effects I have been reading here. How long have you been on it? lynn
Posted by Napaba on June 10, 2003, at 12:15:50
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2, posted by mark UK on June 9, 2003, at 14:49:22
I switched to Lexapro on June 6th after lowering my dose of Effexor to 75 mgs. I've had no side effects form the switch. The best part though is all the side effects I was experiencing on Effexor have subsided. I no longer have:
blurred vision
SEVERE constipation
Vaginitis
Excessive bruising
SEVERE joint pain
No more brain shivers
Nor do I drink at the end of the day to help cope with all the Effexor side effects.
Posted by jrt on June 10, 2003, at 14:35:46
In reply to Re: any good xperiences withdrawing from effexor?, posted by lovemybabies on June 8, 2003, at 19:14:51
> I agree, Brian. I'm going on five months and I feel like I've been given a new life. At least a new perspective on life. I have no reason to go off as of yet. I'm sure there are others out there who have positive results...perhaps they're not so inclined to search the Internet.
Hi, I have been on effexor xr for about two weeks now and I have had really good results as well this is also my first ad that I have ever been on so I was really nervous when I started reading all the posts with negative effects from all these ads, but I think I seriously lucked out. I have felt really good and am now able to deal with the negativeaspects of life in a much more appropriate manner then before. I hope things only get better. I don't understand why some of these people aretrying to get off the effexor because most of them have been taking it for a long period of time which means that it obviously was working for them so why get off? I personally do not plan on getting off ever unless it stops working for me. But that's just me.
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 10, 2003, at 18:09:03
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 and carpal tunnel » CherC68, posted by zinya on June 10, 2003, at 9:26:28
> By the way, there's a great book by Christiane Northrup called _Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom_, that i learned a lot from which you might like too.
I'd just like to plug the double double quotes feature at this site:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#amazon
The first time anyone refers to a book without using this option, I post this to try to make sure he or she at least knows about it. It's just an option, though, and doesn't *have* to be used. If people *choose* not to use it, I'd be interested why not, but I'd like that redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20020918/msgs/7717.html
Thanks!
Bob
Posted by zinya on June 10, 2003, at 18:24:40
In reply to Re: double double quotes » zinya, posted by Dr. Bob on June 10, 2003, at 18:09:03
Dr. Bob -- I didn't realize there was such a feature, probably never referred to a book before, but i have no reason not to use it so i'll repeat here doing so. I'll use this occasion to say i guess it's kind of a comforting reminder that you are indeed monitoring what we say and presumably would be also chiming in if we were relaying any info you thought was invalid or inappropriate?
So, to Cher, once more with feeling re book rec:
By the way, there's a great book by Christiane Northrup called "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom", that i learned a lot from which you might like too. She's an md. who specializes particularly in post-menopausal but treats the entirety of hormonal factors and she's also a big believer in the underlooked role of the adrenal system which also starts to show signs of age and peter out in many folks beginning in the 40's which, for some women, it can compound the effects of menopause, surgical or natural, because the adrenal glands are our bodies one other site for hormone production. She also highly promotes natural routes of hormone replacement.
Posted by CherC68 on June 10, 2003, at 18:44:08
In reply to Re: book recommendation to Cher » Dr. Bob, posted by zinya on June 10, 2003, at 18:24:40
Dear Dr. Bob and Zinya,
Thank you Dr. Bob for being there and monitoring. It does make me feel better knowing that you are there. The double quote feature is quite awesome actually. Thanks.And Zinya, as always thank you so very much. You are indeed such a help to me, as I wish I could be for you. I will be reading up on the book and will probably purchase it also.
Update. Last night wasn't so bad, but again I slept too much this morning. I work tomorrow and I will be up on time! (going to repeat it over and over to myself)
I talked to two of my cousins today and found out - one is on Zoloft the other on ....(you guessed it) Effexor XR. Pretty funny that nobody in my family had the courage to talk openly about it, but I did today. NEITHER has any bad side effects. Crazy or what!
I do repeat often (after I'm done complaining) that - Just because its not right for me, doesn't mean it may not be right for you. Even in my own family (first cousins), we have experienced different side effects and, two had none! Please, when you read the negative side effects keep it mind, that just because its bad for one doesn't mean it will be bad for another! Take Care Everyone. Cher
Posted by zinya on June 10, 2003, at 18:48:12
In reply to Re: Off Effexor - Day 2 and carpal tunnel » zinya, posted by CherC68 on June 10, 2003, at 10:38:40
hi Cher,
your optimism is nice to hear. I've always been an optimist/idealist except for these times when i've gotten to a point where i wound up trying an anti-dep, but none of those times lasting quite as long or being quite as profound as this one. Surely cuz the loss and grief has left me kind of defenseless this time against it. Losing my mom, who I'd bought this house for, the sole reason being to care for her as I wanted to do and thinking she'd have five years or so when in fact she only had five months, with doctors assuring me the house and moving her to live with me sounded wise even while they were obliviously failing to take the one test that should have been taken and would have at least let me make informed decisions, given that she already had full-blown ovarian cancer that no one had diagnosed despite her months of pain and taking her to 5 different docs. Because of her Alzheimer's, she couldn't describe the symptoms for them directly and despite all my insistence, they took her pains too lightly -- falsely assured me it couldn't be cancer or she'd be feeling more pain (oblivious to how Alzheimer's interferes with pain memory or perception) -- and insisted things that are just laughable, if only there was anything to laugh about -- that it was gas or irritable bowel or some other dismissive diagnosis... They checked for ulcers and kidney stones but that was it, even one night when she wound up in the ER in crisis...
Well, i don't mean to go into long saga here, but she was my hedge against depression, it seems, and now it's rather paralyzing. I can't seem to get out of a hole which has been a downhill slide these past 10 months, to the point that i had to consider the need for something as 'interventionist' as this effexor route.
If you feel inspired to keep writing here, that'd be great... Hoping you're having a better day!
hugs,
zinya
Posted by Capri on June 10, 2003, at 19:03:48
In reply to Effexor XR vs. Paxil and weight gain , posted by Louise on March 14, 2000, at 23:35:34
> Just got sample of Effexor XR. I've been on Paxil 20mg. for 1 yr. I feel great and my panic attacks are gone. BUT --- I keep gaining weight. I told my dr. to give me something else. Did anyone gain weight on this stuff? Does anyone use this for panic attacks. My dr. told me I could go right from Paxil to Effexor XR, stopping one and starting the other with no withdrawl symptoms. ANyone try it. Thanks for any input.
I was on Paxil for a year and gained weight. I'm now on Effexor after not trying anything for a few years and I've lost weight in a short time on Effexor. I may have to stop it because it has changed my appetite (I eat very little)
> >
>
Posted by bgbham on June 10, 2003, at 22:04:18
In reply to Effexor XR? , posted by mynok5 on April 7, 2003, at 12:36:58
I think the alcohol does have an effect on recovery and feeling better as soon an possible. I have been gradually increasing my XR per my doc's advise and was feeling good. Then prepared a nice dinner with the fam on the veranda last nite, and had 2 pretty stiff glasses of wine. Didn't get buzzed, but did go to bed earlier than usual. When I woke, I wanted to to down for coffee and a cig, but I stayed in bed till noon or so, and after bathing and getting some things together to take to my mom in hospital, I realized I really didn't feel goog inside like I have been feeling in previous days. So I do think there is a bad relationship especially early on, My feeling bad today i am holding myself resp for having the wine with dinner, I just think for me it is not a combo I can handle right now, my goal should be to be getting better, not my cake adn eating it too.
Brian
Posted by sierra1 on June 10, 2003, at 22:16:01
In reply to Re: Effexor XR? » mynok5, posted by bgbham on June 10, 2003, at 22:04:18
hey brian, im realy glad to see you here again. I was getting worried.....
so drinking is not advisable on effexor? I play softball and then go back to the bar and I have coke because im scared to have a beer. (not knowing how it will affect me). I miss the drinking part though.....
so, other than the wine are you feeling good?
lynn
Posted by bgbham on June 10, 2003, at 23:14:17
In reply to Re: drinking?, posted by sierra1 on June 10, 2003, at 22:16:01
Lynn, it's not that there was a hangover. I just knew that I was more depressed than the day before. As a matter of fact, it's not been a completely rosy ride. i had been at 300mg for over a week now, today i took 375. normally i would have been a little manic, over happy, you know by increasing it that much. At least, in the hosptial when he bumped it up, he had to lower it back because I was too happy too soon. so i am thinking is new dose of 375 will be safe, i am just going to call dr. hurst tomorrow to see if he can squeeze me in. i am sure after a week of not talking to him, there will be plenty to get off my mind.
I really appreciate your concern, I was crying earlier, being distraught over feeling blue. I let my fam know I wasn't feeling real good upstairs, just so they would know. you know how you can sometimes get, feeling how much it hurts and wanting it to be different. I am my own worst enemy sometimes, but then again, I have to remember that I am still sick, and probably not expected to make the best decision in every case. it's just so hard sometimes.
B
Posted by Ev on June 11, 2003, at 3:27:46
In reply to Re: effexor and drinking, posted by Ev on March 16, 2003, at 21:58:56
So like I promised, here is my follow after having been on Eff for several months. It has continued, that upon drinking, I usually feel lousy the next day, sometimes lasting for 2 days. Thats it, and my only complaint with effexor. I am very satisfied with it.
> > I started taking effexor about 4 weeks ago (and still have the side effects of nausea, sleepiness, headaches and loss of appetite). I've tried aropax and zoloft (both which made me really sick) and doxepin for about a year (which didn't make me sick but didn't actually help_
> > Just wondering if anyone knows about the effects of drinking and taking certain drugs when on effexor. Is it too risky?
> > I drank the other weekend and just felt a bit worse than usual.
> > Thanks if anyone can help
>
> To start off, I am a young guy in college, and I have a hard time with refraining from alcohol while taking antidepressants. I drink about once a week, and admittedly, it is usually 10 or more drinks.
>
> I once took paxil, 20 mg for about a year. It worked great with my depression and anxiety. No side effects other than sleepiness and sexual dysfunction. When I drank alcohol with paxil, I think it did seem to increase my inebriation (manic?). But as far as the benefits of the drug, I noticed no changes after drinking. So Paxil worked great for me. However, I stopped taking it for about a year and then decided I needed to go back on it. This time Paxil did not work anymore, even at a higher dosage.
>
> Then I switched to wellbutrin. It did not work.
>
> So, I asked my doctor for something that will help with anxiety like Paxil once had, and she recommended Effexor. I started taking effexor xr a month and a half ago. First week being 37.5 mg, then increased to 75 mg. I noticed no negative side effects at all. And the benefits I noticed within the week. I was feeling great! So far it seemed to be a miracle drug for me. However, I had my first night at the bars, and the next day I was not feeling too great, which continued for several days after. I then slowly began to feel better again. For me, the alcohol seems to counteract the Effexor, and it takes a couple days to recooperate... every time I drink, a few days will go by, and then I will start to feel better again. However, it has only been a month and a half, and so it is too early to really say if this is the case, or something else is going on. I will let you know after more time has passed.
Posted by Napaba on June 11, 2003, at 8:26:29
In reply to Re: drinking?, posted by sierra1 on June 10, 2003, at 22:16:01
I had no problem having a couple of drinks while taking Effexor 150 mgs. I thought it tasted different, but still enjoyed having a couple beers or glasses of wine when I was out. I told my doctor when he prescribed it, that I drink a couple glasses of wine or a couple of beers with dinner on the weekends. He said it was fine.
hey brian, im realy glad to see you here again. I was getting worried.....
>
> so drinking is not advisable on effexor? I play softball and then go back to the bar and I have coke because im scared to have a beer. (not knowing how it will affect me). I miss the drinking part though.....
>
> so, other than the wine are you feeling good?
>
> lynn
Posted by Shari H. on June 11, 2003, at 8:30:54
In reply to Re: Effexor XR vs. Paxil and weight gain , posted by Capri on June 10, 2003, at 19:03:48
I have been taking Effexor for 15 months and I gained 28 lbs!! The whole reason I was put on the effexor to begin with was to treat depression brought on by Anorexia. How ironic! My friend is on Paxil and she has gained even more weight then me. I did lots of research and spoke to my doc. The weight gain is not because you are eating more than before, it is because you metabolism has slowed shown dramatically. There is an enzyme in our bodies called Liptin. All anti depressents cause this specific enzyme to be low and as a result your metabolism shuts down. In resonse to someone elses comment about having lost weight, I also lost weight in the first few months of taking effexor.(about 5 lbs). After my body got used to it, the pound started piling on very very quickly. I decided just for this exact reason, to taper off the pills. I went from 75mg to 19mg in about 3 months. This takes time to avoidsevere side effects. This week I will try cutting my pills in quarters (9mg) and see how I handle it. My doctor told me that when I am off the pills I should go back to my "ideal" weight. Despite the fact that I gained so much weight I was quite under weight when I started (110lbs). She said that I should very easily lose about 15lbs once fully off the drug which would bring me to about 120. I don't plan to go back on any AD's because the circumstances at the time I suffered from depression no,longer exists. I hope this helps you!
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 11, 2003, at 10:51:21
In reply to Re: Effexor XR? » mynok5, posted by bgbham on June 10, 2003, at 22:04:18
I tried a marguarita w/dinner not too long ago and it left me feeling pretty weird. Effexor and Drinks doesn't appear to mix very well. I didn't get the happy/relaxed feeling from the alcohol, instead I felt uneasy and restless. Don't think I'll try that again. Others may have a different experience.
Kim> I think the alcohol does have an effect on recovery and feeling better as soon an possible. I have been gradually increasing my XR per my doc's advise and was feeling good. Then prepared a nice dinner with the fam on the veranda last nite, and had 2 pretty stiff glasses of wine. Didn't get buzzed, but did go to bed earlier than usual. When I woke, I wanted to to down for coffee and a cig, but I stayed in bed till noon or so, and after bathing and getting some things together to take to my mom in hospital, I realized I really didn't feel goog inside like I have been feeling in previous days. So I do think there is a bad relationship especially early on, My feeling bad today i am holding myself resp for having the wine with dinner, I just think for me it is not a combo I can handle right now, my goal should be to be getting better, not my cake adn eating it too.
> Brian
Posted by KimberlyDi on June 11, 2003, at 11:41:18
In reply to Re: Effexor XR?, posted by KimberlyDi on June 11, 2003, at 10:51:21
Days are OK. I'm functioning, I've dropped a few pounds because my appetite decreased, and I don't want to die anymore. That's all good. But I hate the nights. I can't sleep. Well, I can sleep briefly, then I wake up, WIDE AWAKE, and totally restless. First it was 4:00 am, now 3:00 am. I move to the couch when i wake up in an effort to avoid freaking out my husband. I toss & turn. I was rubbing my feet together once without being aware of it until hubby pointed it out. I guess the rythmic motion was soothing to me. I am finally having those vivid dreams. They are very long, detailed, and strange. So, I'm less suicidal, but apparently more weird now. Rocking is very soothing to me. I'm also starting to crave salty foods. Go Figure. I'm seeing my new PDoc next week. I think I'm going to ask her about Lexapro. If she wants me to stay on Effexor, I'll try it longer. P.S. I routinely take Benedryl, without it, I can't even briefly get to sleep.
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