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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Torsten on April 6, 2000, at 21:23:37
Hi i'm new.
I've been on Efexor XR for a few weeks now at 150mg for cyclothymia.
And often during the day I get a feeling like my head is a beachball floating on water.
It's not like the other nausia feelings i've had with other meds.
Aurorix made me nausious to the point where I would throw up. Zoloft made me nausious
with chronic stomach cramps and diorhea. But this feels different.
I guess it's that stoned feeling some people have mentioned.
It's just one of the side effects i'm getting but it's got me a bit worried as I feel like i'm
going to pass out and it's usually followed by a nasty downer.
Any advise would be appreciated.Torsten
Posted by Cam W. on April 6, 2000, at 21:46:31
In reply to Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Torsten on April 6, 2000, at 21:23:37
Torsten - Building to a dose of 150mg of Effexor in only a couple weeks may be a little too high, too fast. Tell your doctor how you feel and he may want to reduce your dose for a while, until your body has a chance to adjust to the drug. Then he may want to gradually increase it after that. What you are probably experiencing are the initial side effects of Effexor, which do (usually) dissipate as your body adjusts to the drug. Good luck - Cam W.
Posted by Grae Hall on April 13, 2001, at 4:54:39
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Cam W. on April 6, 2000, at 21:46:31
I just got put on 75 Miligrams of Efexor XR today. Am about to take it now. I'm being put on 150miligrams in 3 days, and in a few weeks, 300 miligrams.
What do I have to look out for, I've been given no documentation, nothing. I did get it for free from a mental health clinic, which is fine. I was told it wasn't an SSRI (as previous SSRI's had been unsuccessful), I was worried it was an MAOI, I'd read they had bad side effects. So far any reading I've done indicates that it IS an SSRI. So is it that and more, or what? Was the doc placating me, or was he 'technically' correct?
What are some risks / side effects of this particular drug, also how effective is it in treating depression? :) Why is it administered in doses that are significantly higher than that of SSRI's (Eg, between 10 - 60mg). When he said 375miligrams, I was a bit suprised.
Any feedback, advice, experience etc would be appreciated :)
Posted by Torsten on April 13, 2001, at 8:37:29
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Grae Hall on April 13, 2001, at 4:54:39
Hi Grae,
It seems like years ago I posted that message.
Effexor is what they class as an SNRI which is an SSRI plus an added component. SNRI stands for Serotonin and Noradrenalin Reuptake Inhibitor so your dector is telling fibs.The adjustment takes a while, and your head will go through some major changes.
The only advice I can offer here is that it's not a decision to be taken lightly. It has it's good parts in the sense that you will feel beter, but it has it's downsides too in that if you miss a dose or want to get off it you will feel worse than you have ever imagined possible.
If you want more detailed info, mail me personally and i'll tell you honestly about my experiences.
Best, Torsten
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> I just got put on 75 Miligrams of Efexor XR today. Am about to take it now. I'm being put on 150miligrams in 3 days, and in a few weeks, 300 miligrams.
>
> What do I have to look out for, I've been given no documentation, nothing. I did get it for free from a mental health clinic, which is fine. I was told it wasn't an SSRI (as previous SSRI's had been unsuccessful), I was worried it was an MAOI, I'd read they had bad side effects. So far any reading I've done indicates that it IS an SSRI. So is it that and more, or what? Was the doc placating me, or was he 'technically' correct?
>
> What are some risks / side effects of this particular drug, also how effective is it in treating depression? :) Why is it administered in doses that are significantly higher than that of SSRI's (Eg, between 10 - 60mg). When he said 375miligrams, I was a bit suprised.
>
> Any feedback, advice, experience etc would be appreciated :)
Posted by AnneL on April 13, 2001, at 10:37:56
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Grae Hall on April 13, 2001, at 4:54:39
> >
> >
> What are some risks / side effects of this particular drug, also how effective is it in treating depression? :) Why is it administered in doses that are significantly higher than that of SSRI's (Eg, between 10 - 60mg). When he said 375miligrams, I was a bit suprised.
>
> Any feedback, advice, experience etc would be appreciated :)Hi Grae,
I too had difficulty with the classic SSRI's such as Celexa, Paxil, Prosac, etc. I have been on Effexor now for a month, and have worked my way up to 112.5 mg. daily. My 13 year old daughter is on 150 mg. daily and is doing so much better! As I understand it, the higher the dosage, the more it acts on seratonin, norepinephrine and to a lesser degree dopamine. Your doctor is correct it is different technically than a straightforward SSRI. You will read many posts from people who are satisfied with the medication and many who had little to no response and than many who had difficulty withdrawing from the medication and many who had very little troube withdrawing from the medication as they followed their doctor's tapering schedule. Get informed, do not believe everything you read specifically from this message board, go to outside sources on the internet from reliable sources such as teaching universities, medline, etc. Yes, I do believe the potential for withdrawl reactions does and can occur and yes I believe that many doctors are not experienced with this particular phenomenon, however, many doctors are well-versed with helping their patients withdraw form Effexor comfortably. In other words, know your *sh t* and your own mileage may vary. Good Luck to you and remember, the reader should be wary!!! And one more thing to remember. . . successful takers of any medication usually do not spend their time posting on message boards such as these. . . I believe there are knowledgable people on this board who want to genuinely share their experience, strength and hope and then there might be the hysterics. You ultimately decide the course of your own actions in taking any medication. Good Luck to you and keep us posted.
AnneL
Posted by SalArmy4me on April 13, 2001, at 12:38:31
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Grae Hall on April 13, 2001, at 4:54:39
I myself took Effexor XR up to 375 mg. The only side-effects I had were sexual in nature, and these were remedied by mirtazapine.
You should consider a trial of Effexor because:
*It has the possibility of affecting serotonin, norepinephrine, _and_ dopamine--more chemicals--thus increasing your chances for relief.
*It has no anticholinergic side-effects.
*Sexual disturbances are reported less than with SSRIs.
*It has gained the acceptance of psychiatrists worldwide in less than 8 years of U.S. FDA approval.
*It has few significant interactions with other medications.
*The idea of it being addicting due to withdrawal effects is unfounded; if it had any chance of being addicting, it would have been labeled a Schedule IV substance by the U.S. DEA.
Posted by Torsten on April 14, 2001, at 8:43:33
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by SalArmy4me on April 13, 2001, at 12:38:31
Dear Grae,
My apoligies if it sounded like scaremongering as that was in no way intended and as stated it's been a while since I posted to try and get some answers as to why The Effexor was making me feel the way it did. Most of my time in terms of looking at messageboards has been on ones specifically on how to deal with its side effects.
I only offer this advice as unlike some who seem to pass through 'tapering' with little trouble, if i'm over half an hour late taking my dose then withdrawal kicks in. Try doing a search in any search engine for 'Effexor Withdrawal' and you may get an idea of what I mean.
But...
> You should consider a trial of Effexor because:
> *It has the possibility of affecting serotonin, norepinephrine, _and_ dopamine--more chemicals--thus increasing your chances for relief.I wholeheartedly agree it has been the best thing for lifting my depression. Nothing has come close.
> *Sexual disturbances are reported less than with SSRIs.
True I have had no problems in this department, unlike some of the SSRI's i've been on.
> *It has gained the acceptance of psychiatrists worldwide in less than 8 years of U.S. FDA approval.
This seems to illustrate clearly how little is known about longterm effects that are being discovered about its use such as 'withdrawal' and potential kidney damage.
> *It has few significant interactions with other medications.
Trueish although don't use St. Johns Wort while on it as it has been known to increase the chance of serotonin syndrome.
> *The idea of it being addicting due to withdrawal effects is unfounded; if it had any chance of being addicting, it would have been labeled a Schedule IV substance by the U.S. DEA.
The text has recently been amended on the packaging and insert to state possible withdrawal
problems and to recommend tapering when coming off it. If it was all good and had the FDA whatever it's called in the USA's approval then why was this not noted on packaging and documentation?
And lastly, why are there organised groups trying to mount a case against it's manufacturers?I'm the last person in the world to try and stop you finding help as like I have stated, it has been the best thing in the world for me. But to quote AnneL who has already labeled me as one of 'the hysterics' you should 'know your *sh t*' and that should include the negative as well as the positive. A quick look through the posts here should be enough to tell you that doctors quite often don't 'know your *sh t*'. I'm sure there are many good ones but as AnneL has pointed out their patients don't need to post here.
As always, I offer you my support and strength and hope that whatever decisions you make are well informed. Once again if you want more information on my personal experiences feel free to contact me directly and i'm sure AnneL and SalArmy4me would gladly answer your questions with their fortunately successful experiences.
Stay strong,
Torsten
Posted by AnneL on April 14, 2001, at 10:37:18
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Torsten on April 14, 2001, at 8:43:33
> Dear Torsten,
I do not consider you an hysteric or a scaremonger; merely a person who has had certain experiences that may have been different than mine. It is very important for people who take medications to be fully informed about benefits and risks, side-effects, etc. We are all truly unique individuals and what may work for some may not work for all. Withdrawal syndrome is certainly something that needs to be considered. I have great respect for all peoples'experiences, and that very much includes yours. The point I was trying to make, and perhaps it was made poorly, is that taking any medication is a personal decision, I am neither for nor against anyone taking Effexor or any other medication for that matter. I can only report that it works for me at this moment. And as we all know, that too can change at any given time. My apologies if I offended you or anyone else. :) AnneL
Posted by John k on April 16, 2001, at 3:37:16
In reply to Re: Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Grae Hall on April 13, 2001, at 4:54:39
> I was told it wasn't an SSRI (as previous SSRI's had been unsuccessful), I was worried it was an MAOI, I'd read they had bad side effects. So far any reading I've done indicates that it IS an SSRI.
I believe your doctor is right. The name "SSRI" indicates that the medication only increases serotonin levels. Efexor _does_ increase serotonin, but it also increases norepinephrine quite a lot and also dopamine to a minor extent. The medication is marketed as "Prozac with a punch" and it seems to work better than SSRIs for a number of people.
Efexor doesn't have any effect on the enzyme MAO (the target for an MAOI).> What are some risks / side effects of this particular drug
The side effects are more or less the same as with the SSRIs, with one exception. Some people get an elevated blood pressure with this drug so you should probably take a look at your blood pressure, especially if you are going all the way up to 375 mg.
> Why is it administered in doses that are significantly higher than that of SSRI's (Eg, between 10 - 60mg). When he said 375miligrams, I was a bit suprised.
The dosage of a medication doesn't necessarily say anything about how much effect it has in the brain. The uptake from the gastrointestinal tract is different for different compounds, and the extent that the liver breaks down a drug differs too. Also, there are differences in the uptake and metabolism of a drug in different people. So, 20 mg of Prozac may in one person result is as much serotonin increase as 150 mg of Zoloft gives in another person.
I hope I answered your questions :-)
Posted by Idi on December 14, 2002, at 4:55:11
In reply to Efexor XR beach ball effect, posted by Torsten on April 6, 2000, at 21:23:37
Hello, I am new...
I was switched from Cipramil to Efexor-XR about 3 months ago as my Dr thought it may give me more 'motivation'. I had been taking Cipramil for almost 2 years and thought it was excellent and now I think this Efexor is not so good. I have the beach-ball thing (I'd never known how to describe it!) as well as slight visual disturbances - I see bright light flashing occasionally, and often feel palpitations at the same time. Often I feel a bit of vertigo. There were no initial side-effects and my dose has gone from 75mg daily to 300mg. Still I feel depression lingering around me. I'm really not sure what to do...any suggestions would be appreciated :)
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