Posted by hez on December 20, 2004, at 14:33:52
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR?, posted by kinglear on December 18, 2004, at 14:40:14
Ok, so, Effexor XR worked (is working) for me. I was on the 75mgs for a few months and then had a "relapse" of emotion and anxiety and decided to increase to 150mgs. Let's just say, for me, Effexor works so good that I feel like I am not on medication. It makes me feel so normal that I can't even believe it is working. (I know, duh).
A few things tho, once I increased the dosage to 150mg BAM! I gained 15 lbs. SO not happy about that since I have a past with an eating disorder and my body perception is a huge part of my unhappiness. As someone has written once on this board before, "I would rather be thin and miserable, than fat and happy."
Second side effect: I cannot go to the bathroom to save my life. And I was an every morning type of gal, and now even Smooth Move tea does NOTHING.
Third side effect: I get these weird body jerks, (not unlike a muslce spasm) but only when I am relaxing.
Fourth side effect: It totally interfered with my alcohol intake! (this is a joke kinda) I am not a big drinker, but a few times went out with friends (and had first dates...ugh) and drank my normal range of drinks. (Between 3 and 4) over the course of an evening.) I would be fine, mildly buzzed, having fun and then BAM! I was completely trashed. I wasn't falling down drunk, but manic and just crazy. Needless to say, my first date never called me back.
Once the dosage was upped, I lost my awesomely vivid dreams (no more alien, barbarian invaders!), and my brain zaps (or what I call, Electric Head).
That said, I decided to get the hell off of the 150mg dose and told my doctor. She suggested that I come off it in 6 month increments. 75 for 6 months than 37.5 for another 6 months. I started to do that but then found myself VERY melancholy, or mildly depressed EVERYDAY. I was completely anti-social and would rather go home and put my PJ's on and watch movies, than see friends.Being that I feel I am in a pretty good situation in my life to support me coming off this drug, I decided to come off it sooner, in 6 months rather than 12. My rational is, I'd rather be really miserable for a month than mildly miserable for 6 months.
ANYWAY, I got the flu and my perscription ran out and I was so sick I couldn't get the refill for 4 days and I thought I might just go cold turkey...uhh, word of advice. Don't do that. I WAS CRAZY. I was manic and unfocused and had these awesome twitches. I felt like I was a second behind myself for 4 days. This was right before Thanksgiving and I tried to food shop (and get my refill) the night before and couldn't find a parking spot and literally lost it in the Safeway parking lot. I just totally screamed in my car and shook my head and hands around. It was really funny. I mean, I can find the humor in it. I really needed the drug but I so couldn't deal. So I just drove home. HAHAHA. I did get it the next day and scarily, within 2 hours was back to "normal."
Soooo, I am coming off the drug. My Doctor is supportive but a little clueless on withdrawal side effects. She was like, "If we see that you have break through depression, than we will know that you still need to be on it." I was like, Hello! that is a major withdrawal side effect! duh.
Overall, it really helped me. It got me up off the floor during the most trying/depressing time of my life and kept me from crying every two seconds. It worked! I curse the weight gain, but I am in the gym everyday and working hard.
poster:hez
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041217/msgs/432090.html