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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by AnneL on March 20, 2001, at 22:36:31
I've been on Effexor 37.5 mg for one week now and have gotten over the "wierd feelings" associated with getting used to this med. I still get some anxiety from time-to-time, but am able to ride it out. Klonopin 0.5 mg. at night makes for a very anxiety-free, pleasant sleep. Can I expect all my various side effects to double when I double my dose to 75 mg?Will my insomnia lessen over time? Thanks, AnneL
Posted by Bill L on March 22, 2001, at 7:09:27
In reply to Increasing Effexor - A beginner's Question, posted by AnneL on March 20, 2001, at 22:36:31
Anne - I have never taken Effexor. I know that 37.5 is a starting dose. But you said that you are able to sleep with the Klonopin. You also said that your anxiety has subsided. Do you currently have depression? Unless the answer is yes, maybe you should not increase the Effexor at this point in time. You can always increase it in the future if you feel the need to.
> I've been on Effexor 37.5 mg for one week now and have gotten over the "wierd feelings" associated with getting used to this med. I still get some anxiety from time-to-time, but am able to ride it out. Klonopin 0.5 mg. at night makes for a very anxiety-free, pleasant sleep. Can I expect all my various side effects to double when I double my dose to 75 mg?Will my insomnia lessen over time? Thanks, AnneL
Posted by medlib on March 26, 2001, at 14:37:25
In reply to Increasing Effexor - A beginner's Question, posted by AnneL on March 20, 2001, at 22:36:31
Anne--
Welcome to Babble! I've taken Effexor XR for about 16 months (12 months at 375mg/day); the initial side effects (nausea, dizziness with movement) returned with each dosage increase and lasted from 2-3 days to 2 weeks (at the highest level). Since I knew what to expect and that it was temporary, the ramping-up process quickly became just a recurring annoyance, more than offset by the clinical improvement. E. has made a very big difference to me and I would not consider stopping it; but, be aware that it is a very powerful, broad-spectrum drug from which many people have difficulty withdrawing. The insomnia it causes does NOT subside; I must take Ambien (a hypnotic/sleeping pill) nightly. At each dosage level, allow at least 2 weeks after initial side effects subside to evaluate (with your pdoc) whether clinical symptom improvement is adequate.
Many people here have found keeping a daily meds diary invaluable; I use an abbreviated chart kept near my meds. Mine has just 3 columns plus the date--mood level (numerical, 1-10); activity level (same schema); and side effects/symptoms. (I note med changes in red.) Of course, this procedure is best suited to those of us who have had *big* problems for a *lonnng* time. Hopefully, yours will prove milder and/or shorter-lived.
St. James, a knowledgeable, long-time Babbler, has put together info on Effexor from Babble archives and other sources; if you're interested, click on "Psychobabble Tips" in the text near the top of this page.
This drug prompts many people to express very strongly-worded opinions (some with more "heat" than "light"). Since you are new here, please note our board motto: YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). In the world of psych meds, individual differences in reponse are the *rule*, not the exception.
One other "note" in this long-winded "word-of-welcome": many Babble participants have treatment-resistant, atypical depression, although a wide range of other psych problems are presented here. We are in NO way a representative sample for drug-response-profiling purposes. Most of us do not find adequate symptom-remission from a single med; I'd guess that the average psych "cocktail" contains 3 meds, chosen by laborious trial-and-error to fit that individual, and requiring semi-regular adjustment/change. The ideas, info, and support found here help us through that interminable ordeal.
Well wishes---medlib
> I've been on Effexor 37.5 mg for one week now and have gotten over the "wierd feelings" associated with getting used to this med. I still get some anxiety from time-to-time, but am able to ride it out. Klonopin 0.5 mg. at night makes for a very anxiety-free, pleasant sleep. Can I expect all my various side effects to double when I double my dose to 75 mg?Will my insomnia lessen over time? Thanks, AnneL
Posted by AnneL on March 26, 2001, at 22:39:57
In reply to Re: Increasing Effexor - A beginner's Question » AnneL, posted by medlib on March 26, 2001, at 14:37:25
> Medlib,
Thank you so much for the word or words of welcome! I look forward to reading more of your postings. You are very informative. :) Anne
This is the end of the thread.
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