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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by coryjean on September 22, 2004, at 15:13:20
started on effexor 37.5 for 5 days...then up to 75mg for the last 10 days...last week on day 5 of taking 75mg..i had a horrible day, depressed, just awful so i called my doc and he said to increase up to 150mg. then the next day i felt better so i did not increase my meds, just kept on taking 75mg. monday i had another bad day, not awful but just yucky...but inbetween i have been feeling soo much relief and like my old self again. all on 75mg...shd i increase to 150mg. my doc says that on 75mg i will regularly have days that i will crash , whereas on 150mg i will be up and stay up...any advice
Posted by King Vultan on September 22, 2004, at 17:12:51
In reply to effexor xr advise, posted by coryjean on September 22, 2004, at 15:13:20
> started on effexor 37.5 for 5 days...then up to 75mg for the last 10 days...last week on day 5 of taking 75mg..i had a horrible day, depressed, just awful so i called my doc and he said to increase up to 150mg. then the next day i felt better so i did not increase my meds, just kept on taking 75mg. monday i had another bad day, not awful but just yucky...but inbetween i have been feeling soo much relief and like my old self again. all on 75mg...shd i increase to 150mg. my doc says that on 75mg i will regularly have days that i will crash , whereas on 150mg i will be up and stay up...any advice
It's up to you as to whether you can tolerate the bad days you are having on 75 mg/day. I guess if I were in your place, I would probably follow your doctor's advice. I've heard the thought expressed that depression/bad days such as you describe may be an indication that you have the right drug, but the dosage needs to be higher. A case can be made for this from a psychopharmacological perspective, but it's only theory, and there may be other factors at work in your case. I would give credence to your doctor's advice, but it is your decision.Todd
Posted by saw on September 23, 2004, at 2:45:47
In reply to Re: effexor xr advise, posted by King Vultan on September 22, 2004, at 17:12:51
I started on 75mg a day and after a month increased to 150mg. Besides the usual physical side effects which I am trying to live with, the drug brought me out of a very major depressive episode. I had the feeling that it may just be masking the depression, but do admit that I really was feeling better. Imagine my surprise that I slump badly at least once every two weeks on 150mg. I don't think it has anything to do with the med. Rather that I am fighting very hard to get better and it kinda takes a toll on me from time to time.
Wishing you strength
Sabrina
Posted by Bill LL on September 23, 2004, at 9:38:49
In reply to effexor xr advise, posted by coryjean on September 22, 2004, at 15:13:20
I would go up to at least 37.5 +75= 112.5 mg for now. Or just go to 150 mg. I agree with your doc that you need an increase.
> started on effexor 37.5 for 5 days...then up to 75mg for the last 10 days...last week on day 5 of taking 75mg..i had a horrible day, depressed, just awful so i called my doc and he said to increase up to 150mg. then the next day i felt better so i did not increase my meds, just kept on taking 75mg. monday i had another bad day, not awful but just yucky...but inbetween i have been feeling soo much relief and like my old self again. all on 75mg...shd i increase to 150mg. my doc says that on 75mg i will regularly have days that i will crash , whereas on 150mg i will be up and stay up...any advice
Posted by apenname on September 23, 2004, at 14:27:17
In reply to Re: effexor xr advise, posted by Bill LL on September 23, 2004, at 9:38:49
I would agree to raise the dosage. My psychiatrist took me all the way up to 225 mg before we found where it worked. Just as long as you don't have consistent side effects it should be ok.
My psychiatrist sketched a graph where in many people the effectiveness increased while the dosage increased (looks like the side of a hill), and at some higher dosage there's a plateau (the top of the hill). Then again, this is a memory from 3 years ago. Experts, please correct me if I'm wrong.
In my case, at 225 mg (and higher, we went up to 225 + 37.5 mg) my normal-if-not-low blood pressure became high. Make sure that gets checked, it's a frequent side effect at high dosages.
This is the end of the thread.
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