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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by DN on July 26, 2001, at 12:48:34
I've been on effexor for at least 6 or 7 weeks. 4 or so of those weeks at 225mgs. I have seen little or no improvement. Is it time for me to throw in the towel. My underlying condition is GAD,OCD,Panic.
Posted by girlie on July 26, 2001, at 15:34:46
In reply to Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by DN on July 26, 2001, at 12:48:34
> I've been on effexor for at least 6 or 7 weeks. 4 or so of those weeks at 225mgs. I have seen little or no improvement. Is it time for me to throw in the towel. My underlying condition is GAD,OCD,Panic.
Here's what I wrote in another post to someone who's just starting Effexor XR. Hope this helps!
"Glad to help, if I can. It's been so long since I first started....let's see, I think it was about 3 weeks before I noticed small things, and 3-4 months before I noticed the big things. I think I was at 150mg at the time.
The thing is, I didn't wake up one day and say, WOW I feel better! I just DID (or DIDN'T do)things I would have before. I would realize, sometimes after the fact, that I hadn't thrown myself into an anxiety attack over something, that I just dealt with it when the time came. Not to say that I never worried, but it didn't control my life.
I remember my doctor telling me, when he prescribed the medicine, that if it was Monday and I had something going on on Thursday, I wouldn't worry about it every day until Thursday. I told him that he was crazier than I was if he thought that was going to happen to ME! But he was right!
It just came gradually and, like I said, I noticed some things after the fact. I did visit my parents (who live in another state) about a month after I went on Effexor. I think I was at 75mg at the time. I hadn't told them I was on the medication and, after the trip, my mom called to tell my that she and my dad were talking about how relaxed I was on the trip and what a great time they had with me. (I'd never been the kind of person to be described as "relaxed" before!) I told her about the medication then and she said, "stay on it, it works great!" LOL
Sorry so wordy, just want to help!
girlie "
Posted by PaulB on July 26, 2001, at 15:46:16
In reply to Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by DN on July 26, 2001, at 12:48:34
> I've been on effexor for at least 6 or 7 weeks. 4 or so of those weeks at 225mgs. I have seen little or no improvement. Is it time for me to throw in the towel. My underlying condition is GAD,OCD,Panic.
With your particular symptoms I would think Effexor was a fine drug choice.
Because you have already come a long way with the Effexor and are now at a relatively high dose of the drug it would be a shame to discontinue it if it was to begin to start working and I stress begin,as if you are going to see a response you should do very soon. If you feel you can you could suggest a little longer trial(1-2weeks) during which time the dose can be increased further. During this time I would ask myself (and my pdoc) why the Effexor wasnt doing it for me so that I could suggest another option that may work.
Posted by Jocor on July 27, 2001, at 7:40:21
In reply to Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by DN on July 26, 2001, at 12:48:34
Don't give up yet! It may take as long as 8 weeks at a certain dose before you see anything.
Like another post said.....it is a gradual improvement rather than a "WOW, I feel better".
You could also go up to 300 mg - that's what I had to do.Good luck,
Jocor
Posted by DN on July 27, 2001, at 8:27:16
In reply to Re: Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by Jocor on July 27, 2001, at 7:40:21
Appreciate all the great response. Thanks
>Don't give up yet! It may take as long as 8 weeks at a certain dose before you see anything.
> Like another post said.....it is a gradual improvement rather than a "WOW, I feel better".
> You could also go up to 300 mg - that's what I had to do.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Jocor
Posted by Stef on July 27, 2001, at 12:10:43
In reply to Re: Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by Jocor on July 27, 2001, at 7:40:21
> Don't give up yet! It may take as long as 8 weeks at a certain dose before you see anything.
> Like another post said.....it is a gradual improvement rather than a "WOW, I feel better".
> You could also go up to 300 mg - that's what I had to do.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Jocor
Hi, since you have experience with effexor could you maybe give me some insight into the sweating problem? I am on 112.5 mg of effexor,have been for almost two weeks, and I can't stop sweating,and I feel jittery a lot as well.
The jitteriness I can deal with,but the sweats are out of control.
Have you had experience with this? Do you know if it goes away for most people?
Any input would be great.
Thanks so much! Stef
Posted by DN on July 27, 2001, at 12:34:34
In reply to Re: Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by Stef on July 27, 2001, at 12:10:43
> > Don't give up yet! It may take as long as 8 weeks at a certain dose before you see anything.
> > Like another post said.....it is a gradual improvement rather than a "WOW, I feel better".
> > You could also go up to 300 mg - that's what I had to do.
> >
> > Good luck,
> >
> > Jocor
>
>Stef
I had some sweating at 225 mg for about 2 weeks but it went away when i up the dose. I also added zyprexa to the coctail which might of helped. But I never did have any problem with jittering
-------------------------------------------------
> Hi, since you have experience with effexor could you maybe give me some insight into the sweating problem? I am on 112.5 mg of effexor,have been for almost two weeks, and I can't stop sweating,and I feel jittery a lot as well.
> The jitteriness I can deal with,but the sweats are out of control.
> Have you had experience with this? Do you know if it goes away for most people?
> Any input would be great.
> Thanks so much! Stef
Posted by Jocor on July 27, 2001, at 15:01:58
In reply to Re: Should I Give Up On Effexor, posted by Stef on July 27, 2001, at 12:10:43
Hi,
I didn't feel the jittery but the sweats....BIG TIME. Not so much during the day (unless it was very hot) but at night I would wake up drenched in sweat so much so that I had to get up and change my night shirt!!!
I understand that it is a normal side effect as when you sleep different hormones are secreted and Effexor interacts with these hormones to promote sweating.
I have found that by wearing light night shirts and just a sheet I would be OK. I tried not wearing anything at all to bed but I seemed to sweat more???
Hope this helped.Jocor
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