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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Maxelle on January 25, 2006, at 15:13:33
Well after weeks of hesitation I finally went ahead and started treatment today. I am depressed (although not severely) and have social anxiety... I cry every day, often for seemingly no reason, and my self confidence is practically non-existent now... a BIG change from before (about 5 years ago). I hate any kind of socializing now... I always just want to stay home, curled up on the couch. This is just not me. I have a great boyfriend who is consistently happy and carefree and I feel even worse knowing that I drag him down and always need to talk about "how I feel". Anyway... there's got to be other women/people out there like me. I'm 27 and live in Vancouver. Just wanted to say hey to everyone else who is on this journey... it's good to know this board is here. Hoping the side effects won't be too bad.
Posted by picklehead on January 25, 2006, at 15:17:44
In reply to Just took my first Effexor, posted by Maxelle on January 25, 2006, at 15:13:33
Welcome, I hope it works for you. You'll find a LOT of encouragement on this board. The people here really care. (I'm sort of a newbie - from the states.)
You can also do searches on this board to see what all has been said about Effexor (I know there has been some things recently if you just scroll up a bit and/or click January.)
Good Luck!
~ Jane
Posted by mogger on January 25, 2006, at 15:22:07
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor, posted by picklehead on January 25, 2006, at 15:17:44
Maxelle,
that is positive that you are trying Effexor. It takes a lot of courage to try new treatment. Hang in there, your mind will love you for it! mogger
Posted by naughtypuppy on January 25, 2006, at 17:41:48
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor, posted by mogger on January 25, 2006, at 15:22:37
I had a couple of good years from Effexor, one of the very few meds that worked at all, so It's worth a try. Not from Vancouver though, PoCo! It's probably the miserable rain that's depressing all of us.
Posted by Phillipa on January 25, 2006, at 20:02:35
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor, posted by naughtypuppy on January 25, 2006, at 17:41:48
And the lack of sunlight and cold weather.
Posted by naughtypuppy on January 25, 2006, at 21:15:32
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor » naughtypuppy, posted by Phillipa on January 25, 2006, at 20:02:35
It's all right, we have all mutated in this neck of the woods to have webbing between our fingers and toes. We can see in the dark as well.
Posted by maxelle on January 26, 2006, at 13:22:21
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor » Phillipa, posted by naughtypuppy on January 25, 2006, at 21:15:32
Thanks everyone, for the words of encouragement! I really appreciate it. I'm sure this Vancouver winter ain't helping... still love it here tho. Did anyone else feel... strange the first day? I was working a few hours after taking it and definitely felt hyper, sweaty and like my mind was racing. I was also definitely clenching my jaw, and woke up super early this morning and could NOT fall back asleep. I cried this morning, but it was very very wierd... I felt the sadness fully but the tears did not flow out easily as they usually do. Now I'm feeling somewhat normal but it's time for another one!! Sorry for the day by day description... this is very new to me. Hope everyone's well :)
Posted by naughtypuppy on January 26, 2006, at 15:52:57
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor, posted by maxelle on January 26, 2006, at 13:22:21
That sounds exactly like me when I first started taking it. The teeth grinding (bruxism) and the insomnia. Don't take any crap frop your gp. He's the one that presribed the stuff to you and it's his obligation to treat the side effects. My doc kept telling me that I "should" be able to sleep better and left it at that. One of the common side effects of Effexor is insomnia. I was taking muscle relaxants and anti histamines to sleep because my doctor wouldn't presribe anything. Tell him to give you a benzodiazepine like oxazapam or a tricyclic such as trazodone. And yes, you can take low dose trazodone with Effexor even if the physician's desk refernce says it's contradicted. And no, benzodiazepines are not addicting unless you have or have had substance abuse problems. Most gp's don't know squat about psycotropic medications and really shouldn't be presribing them anyway. They just do what the drug company rep tells them. He probably gave you samples unless he already gave them all away.
Posted by 4WD on January 26, 2006, at 21:19:31
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor, posted by maxelle on January 26, 2006, at 13:22:21
> Thanks everyone, for the words of encouragement! I really appreciate it. I'm sure this Vancouver winter ain't helping... still love it here tho. Did anyone else feel... strange the first day? I was working a few hours after taking it and definitely felt hyper, sweaty and like my mind was racing. I was also definitely clenching my jaw, and woke up super early this morning and could NOT fall back asleep. I cried this morning, but it was very very wierd... I felt the sadness fully but the tears did not flow out easily as they usually do. Now I'm feeling somewhat normal but it's time for another one!! Sorry for the day by day description... this is very new to me. Hope everyone's well :)
Maxelle,What dosage were you started on? If I take too high a dose I get the early awakening and the teeth grinding feeling. I've read here from some people that that lessens with time but happens again with each dose increase.
I hate the early awakening thing. It's okay for a day or two but then you really start to feel the missed sleep. If it doesn't resolve, then trazadone is a good suggestion. It knocked me out for about 12 hours the first time I took it.
Marsha
Posted by maxelle on January 27, 2006, at 12:45:04
In reply to Re: Just took my first Effexor » maxelle, posted by 4WD on January 26, 2006, at 21:19:31
Still feeling pretty wired but a definite improvement from the first day. This gets better with time I hear? Horrible sleep again last night... I look like sh*t! Going to look into trazadone I guess? Anyone have negative experiences with it?
Posted by maxelle on February 2, 2006, at 16:00:41
In reply to Just took my first Effexor, posted by Maxelle on January 25, 2006, at 15:13:33
After one week of not sleeping, not being able to cry, feeling trippy and confused and hyper I decided I shouldn't stay on Effexor. It was just making me feel tooooo drugged. I really appreciated the support here. Going to my doctor today to talk about alternatives, and I started taking St. John's Wort yesterday. The not sleeping was making me feel crazy!!!
This is the end of the thread.
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