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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 10:54:39
Hello all, I am new to the board. I have been on Effexor XR for about a year now and up until last week I was on 150 mg's. I am now on 225 mg's and experiencing alot of the side effects you all speak of. I am feelin tired throughout the day (i take it in the morning). I am also experienceing like a "high" feeling. I feel almost out of body at time and my brain seems like its trying to catch up with my vision. I'm guessing it's just the dosage change and hoping it will go away within the next couple days/weeks. Anyone else experince this type of thing? Also just a side note: I used alcohol and marijuana for a while and let me just tell you all from a person who has sufferd from anxiety/depression since the age of 13. It is one of the worst things for your illness. Alcohol just made me feel depressed and anxious for a bit after I use it. And marijuana mades me unbeliveabley anxious for weeks after I used it. I just wanted to let everyone know who did'nt know that about these things. Hopefully you all did. I know alcohol is a despressant, but when it interacts with the medicine it just makes it 10 times worse. My doctor informed me of all this info. I am glad to be a part of this board. Hope You all welcome me with open arms. Thanks
Posted by SLS on March 11, 2006, at 11:56:50
In reply to Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go away?!, posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 10:54:39
> Hello all, I am new to the board. I have been on Effexor XR for about a year now and up until last week I was on 150 mg's. I am now on 225 mg's and experiencing alot of the side effects you all speak of.
Hi.Welcome!
How quickly did you titrate the dosage from 150mg to 225mg?
It is difficult to predict whether or not the side effects will disappear completely, but they probably will subside. I have taken 300mg of Effexor and found that the side effects you describe did subside quite a bit after a few weeks. I hope your experience with this drug is similar. Many people don't get the full benefit from Effexor until they reach 300mg. Sometimes, people go as high as 600mg.
Good luck.
- Scott
Posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 15:42:14
In reply to Re: Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go away?!, posted by SLS on March 11, 2006, at 11:56:50
> > Hello all, I am new to the board. I have been on Effexor XR for about a year now and up until last week I was on 150 mg's. I am now on 225 mg's and experiencing alot of the side effects you all speak of.
>
>
> Hi.
>
> Welcome!
>
> How quickly did you titrate the dosage from 150mg to 225mg?
>
> It is difficult to predict whether or not the side effects will disappear completely, but they probably will subside. I have taken 300mg of Effexor and found that the side effects you describe did subside quite a bit after a few weeks. I hope your experience with this drug is similar. Many people don't get the full benefit from Effexor until they reach 300mg. Sometimes, people go as high as 600mg.
>
> Good luck.
>
>
> - Scott
>
>
>
> i went from 150 mg's to 225 mg's just like that. There wasnt any gradual increase. I've noticed as today goes on that I dont have that High feelin as bad anymore. So i'm lookin forward to stayin on this as long as it works.
Posted by spriggy on March 11, 2006, at 19:32:27
In reply to Re: Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go awa, posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 15:42:14
Welcome!
I hope you feel relief soon (from the side effects and depression/anxiety). I'll keep an eye on you because I'm considering Effexor or Cymbalta ( I can't take a straight SSRI).
When I took LExapro, I had similar visual disturbances and "out of body" feelings. I kind of felt like I was on an acid trip ( only a really bad one ROFL).
Anyway, keep us posted! Also, I want to know if you have any weight changes.
I have a friend on Effexor and she's lost 20 pounds..
Posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 21:19:27
In reply to Re: Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go awa, posted by spriggy on March 11, 2006, at 19:32:27
> Welcome!
>
> I hope you feel relief soon (from the side effects and depression/anxiety). I'll keep an eye on you because I'm considering Effexor or Cymbalta ( I can't take a straight SSRI).
>
> When I took LExapro, I had similar visual disturbances and "out of body" feelings. I kind of felt like I was on an acid trip ( only a really bad one ROFL).
>
> Anyway, keep us posted! Also, I want to know if you have any weight changes.
>
> I have a friend on Effexor and she's lost 20 pounds..Yea i too have been on Lexipro. Never had those feelings though lol. I've pretty much been on every med based for anxiety. Docotor gave me ativan yesterday for my major panic attacks. They seem to help calm me down alot, but i wont take them all the time cause I have an extremely addictive personality. Depression really isnt a problem at this point thank goodness. It's just the extreme anxiety. I would love to lose weight on this cause I actually am an pretty obese person. I havent gained any weight on the meds in a year. I just started a new low-cal diet 2 weeks ago and I am shedding some pounds but I think its more the diet than anything. I will definetly keep you posted on how I'm doing. I actually am feeling a little better hour by hour, day by day. I just feel a lil more tired than usual. I'll let ya know. Thanks...JB
Posted by ed_uk on March 13, 2006, at 21:05:29
In reply to Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go away?!, posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 10:52:25
Hello
You might find it helpful to take Effexor in divided doses eg. 75mg three times a day. Let me know if you try it. It might help to reduce the side effects.
Ed
Posted by LynneDa on March 13, 2006, at 21:05:29
In reply to Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go away?!, posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 10:52:25
Hi - you are very welcome here on this board, with open arms and ears (oh, eyes I guess!).
I just upped from 75mg to 150mg and the only side effect I experienced again was insomnia. It's been a couple of weeks and I'm starting to sleep better. But I'm still sleepy during the day and feel like I'm getting stupider by the hour on this stuff!
Here's my situation and I would like to hear from anyone who wishes to offer an opinion :-)
I have been on a variety of ADs over the past 2 1/2 years for just regular garden variety depression that crept up on me in my late 30s. They all make me so sleepy, sedated, out of it and I can't always think clearly. I work a full time job, have a family, etc. Effexor makes me numb/dumb. Lexapro made me sleepy. Wellbutrin was okay, but didn't help my depression symptoms enough. Celexa, Cymbalta, Sarafem, all of them make me sleepy & out of it, no matter the dosage.
I need to function. I'm failing at my job of 18 years, where I used to be considered one of the more productive employees, I'm not helping my kids in the evening cuz I'm exhuasted mentally and physically, I'm letting my husband down in many areas, not only in the bedroom.
Anything else I should consider - combos of meds, supplements, etc? I tried the natural route for a year or so - didn't find the right combo.
I go to a primary care doc, not a pdoc, maybe I should switch?
Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read all of this. I'm really frustrated & miserable & tired of feeling this way . . . and I know the wonderful folks on this board understand!!
~ Lynne*********************************************
> Hello all, I am new to the board. I have been on Effexor XR for about a year now and up until last week I was on 150 mg's. I am now on 225 mg's and experiencing alot of the side effects you all speak of. I am feelin tired throughout the day (i take it in the morning). I am also experienceing like a "high" feeling. I feel almost out of body at time and my brain seems like its trying to catch up with my vision. I'm guessing it's just the dosage change and hoping it will go away within the next couple days/weeks. Anyone else experince this type of thing? Also just a side note: I used alcohol and marijuana for a while and let me just tell you all from a person who has sufferd from anxiety/depression since the age of 13. It is one of the worst things for your illness. Alcohol just made me feel depressed and anxious for a bit after I use it. And marijuana mades me unbeliveabley anxious for weeks after I used it. I just wanted to let everyone know who did'nt know that about these things. Hopefully you all did. I know alcohol is a despressant, but when it interacts with the medicine it just makes it 10 times worse. My doctor informed me of all this info. I am glad to be a part of this board. Hope You all welcome me with open arms. Thanks
Posted by demon_child_cin-666 on March 13, 2006, at 21:05:29
In reply to Re: Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go away?! » JB908, posted by LynneDa on March 11, 2006, at 17:35:56
Have you asked your doc about mood stabilizers? they work along with AD very well...for me anyways. It never hurts to ask.
> Hi - you are very welcome here on this board, with open arms and ears (oh, eyes I guess!).
>
> I just upped from 75mg to 150mg and the only side effect I experienced again was insomnia. It's been a couple of weeks and I'm starting to sleep better. But I'm still sleepy during the day and feel like I'm getting stupider by the hour on this stuff!
>
> Here's my situation and I would like to hear from anyone who wishes to offer an opinion :-)
>
> I have been on a variety of ADs over the past 2 1/2 years for just regular garden variety depression that crept up on me in my late 30s. They all make me so sleepy, sedated, out of it and I can't always think clearly. I work a full time job, have a family, etc. Effexor makes me numb/dumb. Lexapro made me sleepy. Wellbutrin was okay, but didn't help my depression symptoms enough. Celexa, Cymbalta, Sarafem, all of them make me sleepy & out of it, no matter the dosage.
>
> I need to function. I'm failing at my job of 18 years, where I used to be considered one of the more productive employees, I'm not helping my kids in the evening cuz I'm exhuasted mentally and physically, I'm letting my husband down in many areas, not only in the bedroom.
>
> Anything else I should consider - combos of meds, supplements, etc? I tried the natural route for a year or so - didn't find the right combo.
>
> I go to a primary care doc, not a pdoc, maybe I should switch?
>
> Thanks to anyone who takes the time to read all of this. I'm really frustrated & miserable & tired of feeling this way . . . and I know the wonderful folks on this board understand!!
> ~ Lynne
>
> *********************************************
Posted by TinMan on March 13, 2006, at 21:05:29
In reply to Effexor XR mg's bumped up. Side effects go away?!, posted by JB908 on March 11, 2006, at 10:52:25
> Hello all, I am new to the board. I have been on Effexor XR for about a year now and up until last week I was on 150 mg's. I am now on 225 mg's and experiencing alot of the side effects you all speak of. I am feelin tired throughout the day (i take it in the morning). I am also experienceing like a "high" feeling. I feel almost out of body at time and my brain seems like its trying to catch up with my vision. I'm guessing it's just the dosage change and hoping it will go away within the next couple days/weeks. Anyone else experince this type of thing? Also just a side note: I used alcohol and marijuana for a while and let me just tell you all from a person who has sufferd from anxiety/depression since the age of 13. It is one of the worst things for your illness. Alcohol just made me feel depressed and anxious for a bit after I use it. And marijuana mades me unbeliveabley anxious for weeks after I used it. I just wanted to let everyone know who did'nt know that about these things. Hopefully you all did. I know alcohol is a despressant, but when it interacts with the medicine it just makes it 10 times worse. My doctor informed me of all this info. I am glad to be a part of this board. Hope You all welcome me with open arms. Thanks
You are certainly welcome to this Board! Your input will help me & others and hopefully, some of our input can help you.I tried a couple of different things with Effexor because I was feeling so lethargic and exhausted. I take 225 mg. per day.
First, I tried adding 150 mg of Wellbutrin to help with the lethargy and sexual side effects. This was NOT a good combo for me as I felt irritable most of the time.
Then, as per someone's suggestion on this Board, I "split" the dose. I take one 75 mg of Effexor at night along with 7.5 mg of Remeron (the Remeron helps me sleep). In the morning, I take 2 - 75 mg. pills. That turned out to work for me.
I have found that a lot is trial and error. Everyone is so different. What may work for one will not work for another. That is why I think that going to a Psychiatrist for these kind of drugs is the best option. It is what they do.
Thank you for your information on alcohol and pot with depression. I agree. I can have a couple of glasses of wine (for some reason, I do not like "hard" liquor at all now) BUT anything more causes a "Effexor headache" from hell and the next day "hurts" plus I feel so blue. Ummm, not worth it. I'd rather feel the effects of Effexor.
Side note: The side effects aren't quite as bad for me now. But they still effect me and I have been on Effexor for almost a year. (Excessive sweating, thirsty, jaw clenching, lack of interest in sex, constipation,some lethargy, short term memory loss.)
Ginko Biloba helps with the energy and memory, also sexual side effects. Also, taking 5 mg of DHEA helps.
~TinMan
This is the end of the thread.
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