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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 4860 to 4884 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by theo on July 28, 2003, at 22:28:18
In reply to RE:Theo, posted by Scooter1 on July 28, 2003, at 7:50:45
No, but I experience some soreness in my knuckles sometime, I notice it most when I work out.
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 8:24:06
In reply to Re: welcome back, Kim!! » KimberlyDi, posted by zinya on July 28, 2003, at 21:19:14
I come back to Pyscho-B this morning & see a Big-Old Welcome Back Kim! Made my morning. Thank you.
Ok, at 200mg, I was cruising along, stabilized, fewer Side Effects, and noticeably not so "AWARE" of taking Effexor. As long as I was eating healthy, getting enough sleep at night (very important) and generally taking care of myself (not pushing my limits of endurance), then I was feeling good. (I have to watch myself on trying too hard to catch up on all my *should haves*.) I had energy in the morning and afternoon. But since upping to the higher dosage, I'm mired back in SE's again. I'll re-evaluate in a week or so.
How's your experience going since upping to 150?
KDi in Texas> Kim!!
>
> welcome back! we missed you!!
>
> this is a copy of a post i just left you over at Social too...
>
> i know Cher has written you already over on Social... When this all suddenly got upended on Friday night and our posts were getting redirected all over the place, i left you and Willie a post on this site to tell you how to find us, but i don't know if that post is even still here... If you feel like 'catching up' and you've gotten the drift of how the Social site works, on the "master page" at the top you'd have to enter the archived posts for the week of 7/19 (seems that each Saturday that shelve the previous week's posts and start over) and there's a thread called something like 'Controlling men and pleasers' which says it was sent by Dr. Bob but it's really all of our posts inside his post that he redirected over their in his name ... It's very different the way it works there. And indeed it caught us so off guard and RIGHT in the middle of an intense thread of personal sharings, having no idea we weren't supposed to be doing that ... so we just found each other by e-mail and have written like crazy over the weekend (well, i sort of) ... Anyway, we'd love to have you write to Cher's address in her post and join us if you're interested, as an alternative, regardless of what we wind up doing ... In any event we can no longer have a one-site-serves-all kind of place for dealing with our meds and "issues" too ...
>
> Gosh you went to 300! and i went to 150 last week (and frankly i'm going through an expectation-letdown cuz my energy level still sucks)! i'm dying to hear more about what changes you're feeling ...
>
> again, welcome back!
> zinya
Posted by zinya on July 29, 2003, at 10:42:47
In reply to Re: welcome back, Kim!! Geee THANKS! :) » zinya, posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 8:24:06
hi Kim!
You mentioned in another post that you are feeling "jittery" ... You mean throughout your body? What other SE's are you experiencing now, if you don't mind describing - when you have a chance. Are they the same ones you felt when you first went to 200 or other lower levels too? How long had you been at 200?
And another question i've really been curious about: Do you have any idea how to compare your levels with XR levels? Is 300 for you the same as 300 XR in terms of potency, just that the timing of release is different? And does 300 for you mean 150 twice a day?
I actually haven't had a resurgence of side effects like at lower levels -- and this was my biggest single jump to date by far -- from 100 to 150. But i had heard so much about 150 being such a turning-point level for the norepinephrine effects kicking in (actually only one poster said that in terms of it being a sort of "rule" -- which i realize now he was overstating, or else maybe it'll turn out that Effexor just doesn't work for me which would seem very disappointing... but the expectation stuck with me and also a couple of others said that they'd had sudden energy too at 150, i've asked for confirmation of that from Dr. Bob and others but no one has been willing to answer my Q) and so i was left with a kind of expectation and hopefulness of finally having a real turnaround in energy levels, but alas so far NADA and it's been a week now.
My SE's are the ones like sweating that started happening at i think 37.5 and have never really stopped. I also fall asleep earlier than i used to (meaning by midnight now) but i also wake up earlier -- i'm grateful now when i sleep until almost 7 am ... Waking at 5 am last Friday and Saturday had me a zombie of sorts by Sat/Sun... Also my appetite is way down but i'm not losing weight -- 10 pounds that i gained last fall normally would have been gone eating less the way i am on Effexor but they're still there. I think i had one day last week of feeling some weird head sensation return, the day after going to 150, but it only lasted one day unlike at some lower levels. That was a positive surprise, but i'm just craving energy, so desperately, that it's a real disappointment that 150 hasn't been a turning point as it has been for others...
I'd love to hear more about how you're doing, but meanwhile send empathy for the SE process and understand if you don't feel like writing much...
hugs,
zinya> I come back to Pyscho-B this morning & see a Big-Old Welcome Back Kim! Made my morning. Thank you.
>
> Ok, at 200mg, I was cruising along, stabilized, fewer Side Effects, and noticeably not so "AWARE" of taking Effexor. As long as I was eating healthy, getting enough sleep at night (very important) and generally taking care of myself (not pushing my limits of endurance), then I was feeling good. (I have to watch myself on trying too hard to catch up on all my *should haves*.) I had energy in the morning and afternoon. But since upping to the higher dosage, I'm mired back in SE's again. I'll re-evaluate in a week or so.
>
> How's your experience going since upping to 150?
> KDi in Texas
>
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 11:57:06
In reply to welcome back, Kim!! ....higher level (side) Effex » KimberlyDi, posted by zinya on July 29, 2003, at 10:42:47
Hey Zinya,
>You mentioned in another post that you are feeling "jittery"
Yep, my legs are doing their thing again. I'm bouncing them again when I'm sitting down. My fingers drum the desk. I've always thought that I might have ADHD like my son. Effexor might be making that worse, I dunno. It's a livable SE, bothers others more than me <grin>, and maybe I'm burning more calories.
>What other SE's are you experiencing now, if you don't mind describing?
Constipation, big-time. I can't tell if I'm gaining weight, pregnant, or just need a full basket of bran muffins. Some sweats too <new one>. Keep thinking I'm coming down with something. Nervous habits increasing; such as biting nails, picking at things (zits, bugbites, hangnails, etc.). And I keep checking to see if I turned the curling iron off in the morning. I'm so distracted that I can't remember. More memory problems.
>Do you have any idea how to compare your levels with XR levels?
I believe 300mg XR is stronger than 300mg Non-XR. Because of Absorption perhaps, more lost in the Non-XR version. I don't know the ratio of strength comparison.
>How long had you been at 200?
From 1-1.5 months.
>And does 300 for you mean 150 twice a day?
I'm supposed to be taking 100mg 3x daily. But I take 200mg in the morning and 100mg at 2 pm. My highest stressors are at work.
> I'd love to hear more about how you're doing, but meanwhile send empathy for the SE process and understand if you don't feel like writing much...
I used to have to function going through alcohol withdrawal or hangover at work. Effexor SE's are still a breeze for me. :)
{{{{{{Zinya}}}}}}
KDi in Texas
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 13:08:11
In reply to RE:Theo, posted by Scooter1 on July 28, 2003, at 7:50:45
Jaw tension? Grinding teeth(bruxism)? I suffered through that as well, yet again, as I increased from 200mg Non-XR to 300mg Non-XR. I'm hoping it'll go away like it did before.
KDi in Texas> No, I haven't made the jump yet. I will probably in a week or so. I have been experience some jaw tension and it feels like my ears are hurting. Did you experience this at all?
Posted by Gill Angel on July 29, 2003, at 13:26:40
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I am on effexor and despite the trial recommendations took about 6 weeks to wean myself off it. I then had a cheery 2 weeks of feeling normal then out of the blue felt ratty but if you can understand I could see I was being ratty without actually being swallowed up in it. I work in law and told my secretary to take the client calls as I knew I would lose it when they complained about trivial things but other than that I felt completely calm, it was wierd. Suddenly after 2 weeks of taking no tablets at all I started sleepwalking. I have an ensuite but sadly according to my eldest daughter kept walking in the middle of the night to our spare room and weeing. My God how embarrassing. I have never in my life sleepwalked and this has scared me. My doctor did not really understand and simply suggested that I should come off the tabs slower and so I am on a reduced dose for the next three months and then it will be reduced again. But I am not overly happy with this as there are a number of other wierd symptoms I keep suffering. I have the most wierd feeling in my head when I miss a tablet, sort of spacey but nothing like I have felt before - like someone in the far distance, very far distance trampling on rice krispies! I also seem to have bowel movements far more than I had before, seveal times a day and much to my distress am putting on weight despite one of the side effects apparently being loss of weight. Has anyone else experienced any of these things especially the sleepwalking which is really scaring me.
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 14:22:10
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Gill Angel on July 29, 2003, at 13:26:40
You poor thing,
I have had sleepwalking incidents recently while being on effexor. However, I've sleepwalked before, beginning in childhood. Mostly during times of extreme stress. I sleepwalk, sleeptalk. Heck, I've even used a boyfriend's leather shoe as a water bowl for his pets and tried to climb out a window while sleeping. THAT was embarrassing.I don't have any advice. I'm helpless against the sleepwalking episodes. I do wish you luck.
KDi in Texas
> I am on effexor and despite the trial recommendations took about 6 weeks to wean myself off it. I then had a cheery 2 weeks of feeling normal then out of the blue felt ratty but if you can understand I could see I was being ratty without actually being swallowed up in it. I work in law and told my secretary to take the client calls as I knew I would lose it when they complained about trivial things but other than that I felt completely calm, it was wierd. Suddenly after 2 weeks of taking no tablets at all I started sleepwalking. I have an ensuite but sadly according to my eldest daughter kept walking in the middle of the night to our spare room and weeing. My God how embarrassing. I have never in my life sleepwalked and this has scared me. My doctor did not really understand and simply suggested that I should come off the tabs slower and so I am on a reduced dose for the next three months and then it will be reduced again. But I am not overly happy with this as there are a number of other wierd symptoms I keep suffering. I have the most wierd feeling in my head when I miss a tablet, sort of spacey but nothing like I have felt before - like someone in the far distance, very far distance trampling on rice krispies! I also seem to have bowel movements far more than I had before, seveal times a day and much to my distress am putting on weight despite one of the side effects apparently being loss of weight. Has anyone else experienced any of these things especially the sleepwalking which is really scaring me.
Posted by zinya on July 29, 2003, at 15:35:50
In reply to higher level (SE's) Effexor » zinya, posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 11:57:06
hi Kim
so how would you characterize the primary positive effects (I gather from what you say that one of them would be feeling like it keeps you from alcohol?? is that mostly from feeling less depressed? It sounds like you're not feeling less anxiety? or is that relative to previously less too?)
gosh, i empathize with your side effects. I do have the constipation, although it's been a lifelong tendency for me and i'm not sure how much it's gotten worse... At about level 37 or 75, i wound up buying some of those fiber tabs though actually i think i prefer prunes but never have found an ideal "solution"...
Let me know how you progress through the week and i'll be crossing my fingers for early "fade out" of these side effects!
biiig hugs back to you too!!! :))
zinya
Posted by TLK on July 30, 2003, at 3:24:39
In reply to starting effexor... keep posting.. success/dosage?, posted by jp on October 25, 1999, at 12:01:53
My husband has been taking effexor for two weeks. Started at 37mg now up to 75mg a day.The tension in jaw has stopped but the sexual problems still persist. How long do they last? He wants to stop taking it but it seems to be helping with the depression.
HELP
Posted by Scooter1 on July 30, 2003, at 7:53:39
In reply to RE:Theo » Scooter1, posted by KimberlyDi on July 29, 2003, at 13:08:11
I am still on 37.5 of the Effexor xr, I don't know what my problem is about taking the jump to 75. I guess I am just scared of the SE's. Yesterday I felt a little anxious and jittery all day. I don't know if it would help to go to the 75 or make things worse. I go see my doc next week. I am sure he is going to want me to increase my meds. I will see. Any words of encouragement out there? I guess I am just scared to go to high for fear of to many withdrawel symptons when I decide to come off. Plus if this medicine doesn't work. Oh know.....
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 30, 2003, at 9:07:24
In reply to Re: higher level (SE's) Effexor » KimberlyDi, posted by zinya on July 29, 2003, at 15:35:50
> hi Kim
Hello Zinya!
> so how would you characterize the primary positive effects (I gather from what you say that one of them would be feeling like it keeps you from alcohol?? is that mostly from feeling less depressed? It sounds like you're not feeling less anxiety? or is that relative to previously less too?)
>
The best thing about Effexor is that it manages my overwhelming anxiety. The physical jitters aren't a big deal to me, I've had them all my life, OFF of Effexor. Effexor silences the self-doubts that ambush me. I don't hold my head at night anymore, unable to sleep, because the turmoil in my mind won't shut up. And Effexor keeps the repressed anger in me from blowing up at the people I care about. It is still very much more beneficial than the SE's are detrimental.> gosh, i empathize with your side effects. I do have the constipation, although it's been a lifelong tendency for me and i'm not sure how much it's gotten worse... At about level 37 or 75, i wound up buying some of those fiber tabs though actually i think i prefer prunes but never have found an ideal "solution"...
>
I'm about to run to the store and buy a variety of anti-constipation aids. LOL> Let me know how you progress through the week and i'll be crossing my fingers for early "fade out" of these side effects!
>
> biiig hugs back to you too!!! :))
>
> zinya{{{{{{{{Zinya}}}}}}}}}}
I'll keep in touch. Haven't been feeling well at all lately, but that could be my allergies.
KDi in Texas
Posted by theo on July 30, 2003, at 9:36:34
In reply to Scooter1 update, posted by Scooter1 on July 30, 2003, at 7:53:39
I'm tossing in the towel with Effexor XR. 3 weeks on 37.7mg and 1 week on 75mg. I dropped back to 37.5mg today for 4 days and adding 50 mg of Luvox for 5 days then going to 50mg twice a day to see if this one will help my anxiety, slight social phobia. I was hoping Effexor XR would work but it never seemed to help me feel comfortable, even after 4 weeks. I found myself having increased anxiety around groups of people and racing thoughts. Oh well, hopefully the Luvox won't be a complete opposite and be to sedating. I guess I'll find out. Have you ever tried Luvox??
Posted by Scooter1 on July 30, 2003, at 10:23:18
In reply to Re: Scooter1 update » Scooter1, posted by theo on July 30, 2003, at 9:36:34
I am sorry to hear you are throwing in the towel with effexor Xr. I hope it works for me. You said it made you feel more anxious around groups of people. Is this something you were experience before? The dosage up to 75 wasn't good enough. Why did your doc take you off? Did you have many Se's on the 75. Please, please let me know. right now I just feel like i am on overload 100 miles per hour. Real jittery. I don't know. Why do I have to do this to myself? scooter1
Posted by catachrest on July 30, 2003, at 12:44:24
In reply to Re: effexor withdrawal IS FINE, posted by yankeegirl on July 26, 2003, at 13:03:12
For anyone who's interested, there's an article in Psychology Today (I think it's the current issue) about whether antidepressants should be considered addictive, and the first one it mentions is Effexor. Short, but interesting.
Susan
Posted by Helaine on July 30, 2003, at 13:43:43
In reply to Re: effexor withdrawal IS FINE, posted by catachrest on July 30, 2003, at 12:44:24
My dr. put me on 37.5 xr mg of effexor once a day for menopause. But, after reading so many of the side effects it looks like menopause on a "platter".I seem to had most of the SE without the medication. This is my 8th day of taking it. I have a loss of appeitie and I feel jittery. The hot flashes seem worse then ever! I was thrusted into menopause over night due to my surgery (hysterectomy)This is a very scary and confusing time in my life right now.Has any one taken this for menopause or does anyone have any comments? I would greatly appreciate it! Has any one got good results using it for menopause??? waaaaaaaaa..I am soooooo confused!
Thank you,
Helaine
Posted by theo on July 30, 2003, at 15:34:03
In reply to Re: Scooter1 updatetheo, posted by Scooter1 on July 30, 2003, at 10:23:18
It was the docs and my decision. One month is plenty of time to feel some relief if it's going to happen with Effexor XR, it just wasn't for me I guess. No SE's, just jittery and half paranoid feeling around people. Not nervous but extremely restless and I was trying it for anxiety! I was also having problems with communication, like I was tounge tied all the time, that was driving me nuts because I work at a TV station in sales and marketing. For me less activating ones like Paxil work better than anything I've ever tried but it kinda pooped out after about a year. So I'm trying Luvox that you actually take at night because of tiredness but after extensive research, Luvox and Paxil are the only ones in the SSRI class that have pretty good results from anxiety and social phobia. Any SSRI that is activating can amplify your anxiety dramatically but I thought I would just try Effexor XR so I wouldn't be thinking it could be that "magic happy pill" for me. Effexor markets that it's for GAD but if you talk to most doctors they will stay away from activating SSRI's for most anxiety problems. Effexor XR would be a good AD for people that are always tired with depression. Just an opinion.
Posted by zinya on July 30, 2003, at 15:40:50
In reply to Re: effexor withdrawal IS FINE, posted by catachrest on July 30, 2003, at 12:44:24
Hi Susan,
If you have the energy for it, I'd love to hear a synopsis of their opinion about it (or are you saying all they have to say is that withdrawal is FINE??) -- It would seem to me from the difficulty of withdrawal alone that hits so many that at the very least effexor becomes addictive (by at least some definition) for at least some people who take it. (The fact that some here have reported no withdrawal symptoms at all would seem to suggest that for them it wasn't addictive.)
but i'd love to hear their synopsis, if you don't mind.
thanks!
zinya
Posted by ekvb on July 30, 2003, at 19:28:51
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Gill Angel on July 29, 2003, at 13:26:40
i am supposed to start taking it tomorrow but i am very nervous about possible side effects, can anyone help me?
Posted by Cybercrone on July 30, 2003, at 23:32:48
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Gill Angel on July 29, 2003, at 13:26:40
> i am supposed to start taking it tomorrow but i am very nervous about possible side effects, can anyone help me?
I researched the Effexor XR very thoroughly before I went on it. I had some side effects when starting and each time I increased my dosage. Mostly gas, diarrhea, loss of taste - stuff like that.
BUT - what really worries me about what I read here, is the people trying to get off it. From what I read, you have to be on it for 18 months to 2 years (timed from when you start your highest dosage)before you try to get off it, or you may have a serious relapse and then may never be able to be medication-free.
*Apparently* - and I don't know because I haven't gotten there yet, if you time it like that, there should be many fewer problems weaning yourself too.
Doctors don't seem to have enough time to read everything they should before they start prescribing, so they rely on what the pharm. sales people tell them. Consequently, I research everything assiduously myself, and then take the results of my research to my doctor and discuss them, before I will take any medication.
Canadians should always look at the US information too, since the law in the US is much stricter about them having to report adverse side effects.
Best of luck to you all - I know that since I got to the highest dosage, I'm feeling a lot better. I wasn't too impressed before that, but the jump from 150 to 225 made a huge difference within about 2-3 weeks.
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 31, 2003, at 7:48:59
In reply to Effexor for menopause, posted by Helaine on July 30, 2003, at 13:43:43
Poor thang!
I can't offer any tips because I've yet to go thru menopause. It's there hovering on my horizon though (I turn 35 in December). I'm on Effexor and can say that I've heard of it being used for Menopause, small dosages, more & more often. Hang in there, someone in Psycho-Bab will have more information than me.
:)
KDi in Texas> My dr. put me on 37.5 xr mg of effexor once a day for menopause. But, after reading so many of the side effects it looks like menopause on a "platter".I seem to had most of the SE without the medication. This is my 8th day of taking it. I have a loss of appeitie and I feel jittery. The hot flashes seem worse then ever! I was thrusted into menopause over night due to my surgery (hysterectomy)This is a very scary and confusing time in my life right now.Has any one taken this for menopause or does anyone have any comments? I would greatly appreciate it! Has any one got good results using it for menopause??? waaaaaaaaa..I am soooooo confused!
> Thank you,
> Helaine
Posted by KimberlyDi on July 31, 2003, at 8:06:11
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by ekvb on July 30, 2003, at 19:28:51
> i am supposed to start taking it tomorrow but i am very nervous about possible side effects, can anyone help me?
OK, hey there. It would help if you would post the beginning dosage and why you were prescribed it. You might reply "depression, duh!, it's an anti-DEPRESSANT". LOL For some it's depression, for others it's social phobia, agoraphobia, OCD, anxiety problems, the list goes on and on.
Basic side effects: slight spacey feeling, drowsiness during the day, appetite decrease, insomnia or early morning wakeups, and decreased libido. Most of these fade away as your body adjusts to the med. There's more. You would be best off following the Effexor thread back a few months. Lots of Effexor beginners then.
Good Luck,
KDi in Texas
(I'm 100mg 3xDaily Effexor Non-XR version)
Posted by Scooter1 on July 31, 2003, at 10:56:57
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » ekvb, posted by KimberlyDi on July 31, 2003, at 8:06:11
I have to tell you, your discontinueing of effexor kind of made me nervous yesterday. I am taking it for anxiety too. I have felt jittery myself. Like I can't sit still. I was hopeing this was part of my anxiety and that uping the dose may help. Now I am scared. I almost had a panic attack yesterday from just your posting. I need this to work. Going back and forth between medications is just not something I want to do..... I am still wandering why I am going through this.....Scooter1
Posted by theo on July 31, 2003, at 14:35:24
In reply to Theo, posted by Scooter1 on July 31, 2003, at 10:56:57
I was just being upfront, didn't mean to worry you. People respond differntly to a lot of these SSRI's. Effexor XR and Prozac are activating. For some people that offsets their anxiety, others it doesn't help or makes worse. Trying different meds is a bummer but there is no quick way to tell what works. I was in the same boat you are, at 37.5mg not really working and wondering if increasing would help. I was really wanting it to work because I don't want to have to bounce to another med but that's the way these work. I'm to the point to where I wonder if any SSRI's are good for anxiety, seems they are better for mainly depression. If you do a search on "anxiety and social phobia," the ones mainly mentioned are Paxil and Luvox in the SSRI group. The best meds for anxiety that aren't benzo's are Nardil and Parnate but with the strick use of those MAOI's, I'm afraid of them, I don't think its worth trying those because of the dangers. So since I've never tried Luvox, I'm trying it to see what happens. Let me know if you find out any info, keep me posted and I'll let you know how Luvox works for me.
Posted by theo on July 31, 2003, at 15:38:07
In reply to Theo, posted by Scooter1 on July 31, 2003, at 10:56:57
Check out this link for anxiety, meds are listed at bottom of page and Effexor is not listed. This is one of MANY pages I've found where Effexor and Prozac, those activating ones, are not listed for help with any type of anxiety.
http://www.psyweb.com/Mdisord/AnxietyDis/gad.html
Posted by zinya on July 31, 2003, at 21:13:34
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » ekvb, posted by KimberlyDi on July 31, 2003, at 8:06:11
hi!
how's it going? are the side effects subsiding at all?
i hope so ... I'm having my own doubts about this but will not do anything to alter my dosage til i'm due to see md. on the 7th... I *really* needed to feel some boost in energy by now. Two months and up to 150 for 10 days and nada energy-wise. Meanwhile, i may become one of the 2% which the PDI says quit because of the sweating. It's getting *really* old already as a constant daily reality and feeling an internal heat and clamminess and flashes... That and the dizziness that comes and goes. They'd be tolerable and have been but that was a bargain :)) i was willing to make for the energy ... With no energy boost... hmmm
hugs,
zinya
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