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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by PoohBear on July 26, 2004, at 9:45:30
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? - Wil, posted by Atticus on July 24, 2004, at 21:47:02
> I have been on Effexor XR about two months now, and while I think my dosage needs some fine-tuning at this point (it has started to fade in effectiveness toward the end of the day, leaving me jittery), overall this has really been an incredible med for me. Following eight years of disappointments and a real crash-and-burn early in June, it has turned my life around. I also have noticed the onset of incredibly vivid and stunningly intricate dreams since I started taking it, but they haven't been particularly nightmarish -- just exhausting. The same plotline, with a million complex twists, turns and challenges, seems to run all night long. It's a little like playing the hardest video game I've ever encountered for seven or eight straight hours, and I usually wake up drenched in sweat. Maybe there are frightening parts that I'm just not remembering. I'm not sure. This med definitely is screwing around with my REM sleep. In spite of that, though, I'd have to agree with lorily: the positives and gains have far outweighed any negatives at this point. Atticus
Atticus:
Yes, you may need to play with the doseage; I did. However, just to let you know, some of what you're experiencing are normal side-effects of Effexor...
These include (and I've experienced each...):
- Extremely vivid technicolor dreams
- Night sweats
- Jitteriness/shakiness
- Orgasm or erectile dysfunction
- Dry mouth (cottom mouth)
- Extreme yawning/tiredness (all those dreams...)
- plus some that I've forgottenMy dreams have moderated somewhat, though I'd really prefer not to dream at all. I still get night sweats sometimes, though more infrequently than before. The erectile dysfunction (for males) is much better now, though Wellbutrin helped at the beginning. The dry mouth isn't as bad, but I still drink plenty of fluids. I don't yawn anymore like I did, etc.
I think you can see a pattern here: The side-effects tend to either go away or moderate with time.
My pDoc and I did, however, go on a 3 month side trip to find a good sleep med that didn't cause to many side-effects ( like Remeron that caused terrible weight gain). We finally managed to land on Seroquel at 100mg every night. I now can sleep through the night most nights or wake and go back to sleep, something I've never been able to do.
The biggest thing for me is that Effexor not only helps with the depression, but also help me to control my streaming thoughts.
There IS life after depression, or near misses like you experienced. Hang in there and continue on your road of improvement: it DOES get better.
Tony
Posted by lorily on July 26, 2004, at 12:00:03
In reply to Re: Effexor Side Effects Atticus, posted by PoohBear on July 26, 2004, at 9:45:30
IT GETS WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY BETTER. :)
Posted by starlight on July 26, 2004, at 12:59:07
In reply to Re: Effexor Side Effects Atticus, posted by PoohBear on July 26, 2004, at 9:45:30
I'm happy to report that I went to a party on Saturday night and my social anxiety was reduced so much it was impressive. Great drug.
starlight
Posted by corafree on July 26, 2004, at 14:47:27
In reply to Re: Effexor Side Effects Atticus » PoohBear, posted by lorily on July 26, 2004, at 12:00:03
I'm away from computer on and off for a couple weeks as am staying out near my children a bit, while my supportive daughter goes to CA for a vaca. Still hanging in there, but missed my appt with my DBT counselor this a.m. I can't seem to keep track of time....thought I had time. Looked at clock. Too late. Anyway, I've been getting some help here while she is gone. My energy level is so low tho', can really only do one errand a day, two if have a nap. cf
Posted by corafree on July 26, 2004, at 14:48:58
In reply to Re: Effexor Side Effects Atticus » PoohBear, posted by lorily on July 26, 2004, at 12:00:03
Oh, this is Effexor-XR, right Atticus? best wishes cf
Posted by corafree on July 26, 2004, at 14:55:02
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? - Wil, posted by Atticus on July 24, 2004, at 21:47:02
What's your dosage and regimen Wil? cf
Posted by carriejane on July 26, 2004, at 16:04:38
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? YES! , posted by Shel on July 18, 2000, at 1:35:45
ive got the prescription in my hand but now ive read about all the side effects some of you have experienced, im worried. I cannot put any weight on, that would just feed this depression, and the sexual disfunction would do me in also, as i have a few probs in that area anyway. What should i do?
Posted by pablo1 on July 26, 2004, at 16:29:27
In reply to pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by carriejane on July 26, 2004, at 16:04:38
Well it effects people differently so I'd go ahead & give it a shot if you think it's the appropriate thing for your condition. If you never tried other SSRI's I'd probably suggest starting with Prozac first because it's easier to get off of. If you never tried anything before there are drugs like wellbutrin that are more likely to make you eat less and improve sex but those are generally not as effective on depression.... but might work for you so should be tried first. I don't know your situation & I'm not an expert but that's my advice.
For me the sexual side effects went away in a week and sex was better than before. Some people lose weight on it.
Posted by Camille Dumont on July 26, 2004, at 16:56:46
In reply to pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by carriejane on July 26, 2004, at 16:04:38
> ive got the prescription in my hand but now ive read about all the side effects some of you have experienced, im worried. I cannot put any weight on, that would just feed this depression, and the sexual disfunction would do me in also, as i have a few probs in that area anyway. What should i do?
Its true that some of the S-E are bad ... and can be really bad for some people ... but thats not everybody. Many people actually lose weight on Effexor XR (yours truly included) because it supresses the appetite a bit ... its a zillion times better than say ... Paxil in terms of weight gain.
Effexor can be a real life saver if you're in a really deep dark depression where things like sefl injury and / or suicide are very real potential treaths.
If this can help you perhaps gain some confidence, I have had barely any side effects from taking Effexor. The basic dry mouth thing and a bit twitchy and nervous at the beginning and the nightmares but those went away. As for the sexual dysfunction ... its both an issue and a non-issue at the same time. Its not like you "miss" having a desire ... its just not there and most of the time I didn't notice. Seemed more to be a problem for my partner ... and I did feel a bit bad for him.
As for the withdrawal, I did everything wrong, went cold turkey from 300 ... felt bad for a week and now I only take a small dose of Celexa and I'm not feeling any side effects from the withdrawal so Yes it can be bad but it can also make you feel a zillion times better. And its not a necessarily a life sentence ... IT IS possible to get off the stuff either.
I would say give it a try, take it for 2 or 3 weeks but if you feel to horrible, just stop and tell your doctor to give you something else ... and you never know, it could be the right medication for you.
Posted by Violet4EVR on July 27, 2004, at 1:19:40
In reply to Re: pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by Camille Dumont on July 26, 2004, at 16:56:46
Hey there,
Do not be so afraid of Effexor.... I have been taking it for three months, and not only do I feel *BETTER* (from anxiety disorder) but I have lost about 8-10 pounds... I would give it shot.....you honestly have NOTHING to lose..rigt? try it out and see for yourself......If you do not like it, you can always ween off it (very slowly of course, as you should with ALL meds.....keep this in mind).
Take care,
-Violet
Posted by Rockson on July 27, 2004, at 11:59:17
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
I wanted to thank all the posters for generously sharing their individual journeys - your words and stories have helped me more than I can say. If I may, I'd like to pose a question/situation to anyone that has any suggestion... My sister recommended Effexor XR to me - it has done miracles for her, although she received it originally for hot flashes. She is on a 75 mg dose. I had been going through a really difficult time and my drinking was slowly overtaking my life. My father is alcoholic and my mother used to say that he would have been an excellent candidate for medication. At any rate, I started Effexor XR six weeks ago but have still been drinking (4-5 drinks) nightly. I recently added another 37.5 XR (total 112 MG) to my regimen, and am feeling quite a bit happier. Has anybody had/heard about this type of situation? I'm wondering whether it makes sense to increase my dosage until the "drive to drink" diminishes. My drinking has diminished somewhat, but I'm concerned that higher dosages may create more problems than it solves. Thanks for your time, everyone. You guys/gals rock!!
Posted by starlight on July 27, 2004, at 12:07:52
In reply to pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by carriejane on July 26, 2004, at 16:04:38
No weight gain, and no problems acheiving orgasm AND, I accidentally started at a higher dose. I started at 75mgs instead of the 37. I love it and highly recommend it. I'm planning on staying at 75 since that seems to be working well for me and I take Lamictal and Trileptal in addition. But I've had great success on it.
Good luck & don't be scared! "Fear is the ultimate mind killer" from Dune.
starlight
Posted by starlight on July 27, 2004, at 12:14:01
In reply to pretty scared of venlafaxine! ? carriejane, posted by pablo1 on July 26, 2004, at 16:29:27
I personally would stay away from Prozac because of the weight gain effect, but I'm hypersensitive to weight gain having had an eating disorder in the past. I do recommend wellbutrin, but think it's important to watch out for the agitation that it can cause. So far out of all the ones I've tried (wellbutrin, zoloft & effexor) I've liked effexor the best. I loved zoloft, but the weight gain was too much to bear. To me, effexor has the anxiety reducing qualities of zoloft, but without the nasty side effects.
starlight
Posted by Camille Dumont on July 27, 2004, at 14:32:13
In reply to Effexor and Alcoholism, posted by Rockson on July 27, 2004, at 11:59:17
Thats an interesting question. From what I understand alcohol is a "depressant" so it tends to be rather counterproductive when taking AD medication ... but then again, if it makes you less depressed and maybe give you less of a reason to drink then maybe its a good idea.
My sense is that you would feel even better if you didn,t drink as the meds wil have the opportunity to act unhindered ... but I would talk about it with your doctor and see what he recommends.
Posted by lorily on July 27, 2004, at 14:42:26
In reply to Effexor and Alcoholism, posted by Rockson on July 27, 2004, at 11:59:17
Rockson, I strongly recommend that you stop drinking. Are you taking this medication for depression? If so, why are you taking a depressant? alcohol. The drive to drink is not going to just go away on its own. Trust me, if you are able to stop and your life improves and you work a program of recovery, you will never honestly be able to come up with one good reason TO drink. I'm an alcoholic in recovery, I've had many excuses to drink, they were not reasons. Unless you consider the desire to slowly kill myself and sink deeper into depression a reason, then yeah, sure I guess I did have a reason.
It's extremely dangerous to mix the meds with alcohol. Just imagine how good you would feel if you weren't screwing up what good the effexor is doing for you? I doubt you would have had to increase the dosage.
Good luck to you!!!!
Posted by lorily on July 27, 2004, at 14:53:40
In reply to Re: pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by starlight on July 27, 2004, at 12:07:52
Women can take Viagra, too! Yes, it works.
Posted by pablo1 on July 27, 2004, at 15:27:23
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism » Rockson, posted by lorily on July 27, 2004, at 14:42:26
I had some diminishing of the desire to drink when I started effexor but it didn't last. It almost felt like the effexor sedated me some and that acted as a replacement but as I said, it didn't last. It is supposed to be true that getting the proper medication will help you not to want to self medicate. It's also true I'm sure that the drinking interferes with the medications working properly to some degree.
I guess what the other responses were saying is to go ahead and quit drinking and let the meds do their thing and that it is not possible to diminish the desire to drink. I'm not sure about that. It just came off as a moralistic lecture to me. Sorry I don't intend to attack them for that, these are simply my feelings.
BTW I can quit drinking without major withdrawl, just uncomfortable for a couple days... but I don't 'feel good' so I drink again. So it makes more sense to me that I need to find a way to feel good in order to stop drinking. Being sober doesn't make me feel good. I'm still missing something. Yes drinking makes things worse also and is obviously not a very good med but it works and that's why I do it. I'm looking for other options but until I find something that helps, it's awfully hard to give up and just feel crappy. Effexor helped some but not enough for me to tolerate the side effects for me. So far I'm willing to put up with the side effects of alcohol.
Some people get extremely addicted to alcohol abusing it in enormous quantities and behaving very badly. I don't think that's the case for you or I though Rockson.
So my answer to your question is that no I don't think you should take or increase effexor to limit the urge to drink but rather take it if it works on your symptoms. I think when you find something that works then you can stop drinking comfortably. Obviously cutting back some would be helpful.
I disagree that alcohol is dangerous with SSRI's. That's just scare tactics and simply isn't true. All medications will warn that it's unwise to drink with them but hell, it's unwise to drink alone so that doesn't really mean anything.
Posted by carriejane on July 28, 2004, at 8:29:25
In reply to Re: pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by lorily on July 27, 2004, at 14:53:40
> Women can take Viagra, too! Yes, it works.
Really? I took half a viagra once and felt nothing. Will doctors prescribe them for women?
Posted by lorily on July 28, 2004, at 8:54:33
In reply to Re: pretty scared of venlafaxine!, posted by carriejane on July 28, 2004, at 8:29:25
Carriejane,
Yes, well, my doctor prescribed it when I questioned her about trying that aid they advertise on TV for women. When you read the package insert it does explain that you may not feel results the first time, but not to be discouranged. The doctor told me take 1/2, nothing twice then I took a whole one. I have low blood pressure in comparison to the norm, and viagra was originally meant to be a med for high blood pressure!!! So, when I took it I did feel a bit light-headed. (Imagine that, hey doc, I don't know about the high blood pressure part, but guess what I can do again?!!) lol
What the viagra does is simply increase the flow of blood to the genital area, causing us to become more sensitive, as the doc put it, "like when we were teenagers" My problem wasn't lack of desire, it was lack of response. it says it will work about 20 mins after taking it and last 4 hours. For me, it's between 1/2 to 1-1/2 hours window of effectiveness,
Try again and good luck.
Posted by lorily on July 28, 2004, at 9:11:29
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism, posted by pablo1 on July 27, 2004, at 15:27:23
I'm not going to preach to anyone on whether or not they are alcoholics--that's their decision to make. All I can do is share that I am an alcoholic, I suffer from depression and I've done years of suffering the alcoholic life. If someone asks a question about alcohol effecting their lifes, you better believe I'm going give my knowledge as food for thought and maybe save someone from going through the HELL i've been through and perhaps save their life in the long run. (Or short) Bottom line is if you think you have a problem with alcohol, you probably do. That's taken from the book of Alcoholic Anonymous.
Anyway, Alcohol is a depressant. It is a drug. If you are taking more than one drug--they usually effect the way the other works. In the case of alcohol THIS IS ALWAYS TRUE. Anyone who has been through trial and error with their meds knows that sometimes it takes certain combinations of meds to work for them. When I was taking depakote, I was strongly advised NOT TO TAKE ANY OVER THE COUNTER MEDS WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH A DOCTOR. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE DECONGESTANTS!!!!!!!!!!!! because they don't work right with the med I was taking.
If you're trying to get your life on track and feel better, there is no cure with alcohol. There is no doctor in the world that would ever prescribe alcohol for mental problems.
And yes, taking an anti-depressant and a depressant defeats the purpose. Of course in my using days I would never utter those words. Upper and downer combos were the best. Some people I know LOVED and HAD to shoot coke and dope. If your motive is to get high--stop lying to yourself and trying to justify it JUST GO GET HIGH. If you're sick and want help, just admit it get help.
Posted by pablo1 on July 28, 2004, at 9:48:24
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism, posted by lorily on July 28, 2004, at 9:11:29
Doctors do sometimes recommend (or approve of) a drink in the evening for anxiety. Alcohol is a good drug in moderation. I know it's bad in excess.
Yes I like to get high. Ideally I could do that without drugs, or at least with less harmful drugs. Alcohol is better than pot because it doesn't make me a space cadet and doesn't stay in my body for weeks. Lots of these psychiatric. medications do get you stoned and that's a fact. Something people dance around and try not to admit in our puritanical culture.
Self medicating is a real phenomenon. Lots of people take drugs to feel better and successfully alleviate the unpleasant workings of a troubled mind. At least for a while it takes away the nasties and can make you feel 'normal'. Sometimes I drink heavily and it's just simply relaxing and lets me think at a comfortable pace, not necessarily sloppy drunk. I've tried other depressants and stimulants and they don't do much for me. So it's not just that I like to have my mind jumbled by drugs but there are real benefits from some. I'm aware that alcohol has some major drawbacks also. I've seen my best friend destroyed by drinking and meth. Now he's in AA & I really feel he's like a brainwashed person and don't care for that but it's certainly better than before... but not a direction I'd like to follow.
I've also seen people that drink and get by OK. I'd really rather not drink so much. I'd rather find a better answer. Alcohol is not that great but it works on a certain level.
Posted by lorily on July 28, 2004, at 10:45:49
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism » lorily, posted by pablo1 on July 28, 2004, at 9:48:24
Pablo, do you have any other outlets that give you a "feel good"?
When I was depressed and drank for it, it was to get numb because I was sooooo sick of feeling the way I was. At that time I wasn't taking ADs. It never turned off the pain, just got me deeper. I drank for so many different so-called reasons, it's hard to exxplain.
I know what you're saying about the AA thing. But, that's the individual, not the program of AA. True AA is following the principles as outlined in the book, Alcoholics Anonymous. The fellowship is a great thing for some, many get so involved they use it as their drink or drug. They really make it their life and for some in the beginning-it works for them. When I was unemployable, 20 thousand meetings back to back was safer for me than sitting home poisoning myself. I go to 1 or 2 meetings a week, have people in the program I talk with and my life is good. I've worked the steps as outlined in the book and it has freed me, after years of making fun of those "big-book thumpers" it really does work. You work the steps to take a look at yourself, get rid of your resentments, stop carrying around all that self-inflicted pain, and get the heck on with your life. I'm not an extremist with AA, but I live by the principles of the program. The book was written back in 1935 because Bill Wilson saw what people were doing with the message. They were turning all the principles to fit their own needs et cetera and spreading the word incorrectly. So, the book was written as a concrete text to show how it works. I recently read someone's quote about success rate of people using the book compared with people using the fellowship, which maybe your friend is doing--is a great difference. Either way, your friend is sober and living the life he chooses without dependancy and destruction by a bottle.
If you want to stop drinking, take a good look at why you drink, why you feel you can't stop and take steps to change that. It's a very simple beginning. I wish I could get high the way I used to--it was fun. Then it turned to utter hell and I don't wish that on my worst enemy (which I really don't have any, but you know what I mean--maybe if someone killed someone I loved, something like that I'd wish something like that.)
Sure a drink or two to reduce anxiety for normal people is one thing, not 4-5 or more every single night when you're taking meds. or not.
Good luck Pablo, I hope you get your answers.
Posted by carriejane on July 28, 2004, at 11:01:39
In reply to Re: pretty scared of venlafaxine! » carriejane, posted by lorily on July 28, 2004, at 8:54:33
> Carriejane,
> Yes, well, my doctor prescribed it when I questioned her about trying that aid they advertise on TV for women. When you read the package insert it does explain that you may not feel results the first time, but not to be discouranged. The doctor told me take 1/2, nothing twice then I took a whole one. I have low blood pressure in comparison to the norm, and viagra was originally meant to be a med for high blood pressure!!! So, when I took it I did feel a bit light-headed. (Imagine that, hey doc, I don't know about the high blood pressure part, but guess what I can do again?!!) lol
> What the viagra does is simply increase the flow of blood to the genital area, causing us to become more sensitive, as the doc put it, "like when we were teenagers" My problem wasn't lack of desire, it was lack of response. it says it will work about 20 mins after taking it and last 4 hours. For me, it's between 1/2 to 1-1/2 hours window of effectiveness,
> Try again and good luck.thanks Lorily, are you in the usa? I think i may not get it over here in uk. I will ask though, and were u takin the effexor also while takin viagra?
Posted by carriejane on July 28, 2004, at 11:08:46
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism, posted by lorily on July 28, 2004, at 9:11:29
> I'm not going to preach to anyone on whether or not they are alcoholics--that's their decision to make. All I can do is share that I am an alcoholic, I suffer from depression and I've done years of suffering the alcoholic life. If someone asks a question about alcohol effecting their lifes, you better believe I'm going give my knowledge as food for thought and maybe save someone from going through the HELL i've been through and perhaps save their life in the long run. (Or short) Bottom line is if you think you have a problem with alcohol, you probably do. That's taken from the book of Alcoholic Anonymous.
> Anyway, Alcohol is a depressant. It is a drug. If you are taking more than one drug--they usually effect the way the other works. In the case of alcohol THIS IS ALWAYS TRUE. Anyone who has been through trial and error with their meds knows that sometimes it takes certain combinations of meds to work for them. When I was taking depakote, I was strongly advised NOT TO TAKE ANY OVER THE COUNTER MEDS WITHOUT CONSULTING WITH A DOCTOR. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE DECONGESTANTS!!!!!!!!!!!! because they don't work right with the med I was taking.
> If you're trying to get your life on track and feel better, there is no cure with alcohol. There is no doctor in the world that would ever prescribe alcohol for mental problems.
> And yes, taking an anti-depressant and a depressant defeats the purpose. Of course in my using days I would never utter those words. Upper and downer combos were the best. Some people I know LOVED and HAD to shoot coke and dope. If your motive is to get high--stop lying to yourself and trying to justify it JUST GO GET HIGH. If you're sick and want help, just admit it get help.
>
> Youre spot on, although im sitting here with a beer in my hand. I got off heroine over 4 yrs ago and thats when my depression came to light. Trying not to drink too much, as i started again at xmas.
>
Posted by pablo1 on July 28, 2004, at 11:13:13
In reply to Re: Effexor and Alcoholism (nm), posted by pablo1 on July 28, 2004, at 11:12:29
OK thanks for your thoughts, glad we averted a nasty flame war there.
: - )
I do have some other feel-good outlets but they are rather fleeting in a sea of mediocre discomfort. Maybe it's bad to get seduced by the euphoria of drugs as it's not easily matched by real life but if I could just get rid of that nagging mediocrity of regular life I think that'd be adequate. I need the drink to have *some* pleasure in life.
Effexor relaxed me and that was nice to feel for a while but I was not able to pursue anything inspiring. Quitting effexor, I was able to feel good again, enjoying music, etc. Oh well, I keep plugging away... I'm working on it.
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