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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 pretty_paints on April 13, 2004, at 17:42:38
I just wanted to know, how long did people here wait between increasing their dose of Efexor? Iv been on 75mg for 3 weeks and wondered if Im going to be able to increase to 150mg after a month. Did people here take longer or shorter times than this? What have been your experiences in doing this?
My GP said he wouldnt really want to go above 150mg. I know that you can, but I wondered why this reluctance? Im in the UK if that makes any difference. Has anybody else from the UK had a similar thing? Someone told me something about using only being able to administer over 150mg to patients actually in hospital (which im not). Is that really true??
My GP is refering me to a pyschiatrist though, so maybe he will have different opinions.
And also, how do the dose increases feel? Does it start to affect OCD at a higher dose? Please give me some feedback! The 75mg has only helped a very little.
thanks xx
Posted by Sad Panda on April 13, 2004, at 18:45:13
In reply to Increasing Efexor XR dose, posted by pretty_paints on April 13, 2004, at 17:42:38
> I just wanted to know, how long did people here wait between increasing their dose of Efexor? Iv been on 75mg for 3 weeks and wondered if Im going to be able to increase to 150mg after a month. Did people here take longer or shorter times than this? What have been your experiences in doing this?
>
> My GP said he wouldnt really want to go above 150mg. I know that you can, but I wondered why this reluctance? Im in the UK if that makes any difference. Has anybody else from the UK had a similar thing? Someone told me something about using only being able to administer over 150mg to patients actually in hospital (which im not). Is that really true??
>
> My GP is refering me to a pyschiatrist though, so maybe he will have different opinions.
>
> And also, how do the dose increases feel? Does it start to affect OCD at a higher dose? Please give me some feedback! The 75mg has only helped a very little.
>
> thanks xx
>Hi pretty_paints,
I spent about 4 weeks there before going to 150mg. How much a GP will let you take varies, mine let me go up to 300mg, but I couldn't take that amount so I have settled at 225mg. The most common reason for quitting Effexor is high blood pressure, it also limits how much you can take, so keeping an eye on it is a good idea. I don't suffer much from OCD. I use to check the doors were locked at least three times before bed, but these days I only check once.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by rainyday on April 13, 2004, at 20:00:40
In reply to Re: Increasing Efexor XR dose » pretty_paints, posted by Sad Panda on April 13, 2004, at 18:45:13
I am back at 75mg of effexor plus wellbutrin. I was on it for 8 weeks before we increased the dosage. I could not tolerate 150mg without dangerously high blood pressure (perhaps why your GP cannot prescribe. It would require serious monitoring).
PS My dx is bipolar2 and generalized anxiety, plus panic attacks.
I think this is a good medication but the side effects are really daunting.
Posted by T_R_D on April 16, 2004, at 17:44:35
In reply to Increasing Efexor XR dose, posted by pretty_paints on April 13, 2004, at 17:42:38
I'm in Canada and I don't know of any reluctance to titrate higher than 150...in fact, that's the bottom of the therapeutic curve so you really should be taking at least that. Are you taking anything else simultaneously. Some drugs act as "boosters" so you may need less of the original (eg. you get the desired positive in treatment but without potential side effects.) What's your dx? Depression?
At one time I was on 375mg with one of two boosters: Wellbutrin and A thyroid drug, Cytomel. I've heard that 375mg is the maximum outpatient dose.
Traditionally (with me anyway) titrations have only brought back the initial side effects experienced for a couple of days--and they were usually on a smaller scale then when I first started the drug. If anything, I would think that a higher dose of Effexor would help with the OCD although I'm not an expert in that area...I'm BPII myself.
Let me know,
Karen
This is the end of the thread.
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