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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 charley on January 11, 2005, at 14:57:18
I have read only some of the messages regarding Effexor. I started taking it in October when my young son was going through a series of anxiety attacks (due to listening to the news on the war -- thru behavioral therapy he has moved on). I decided to stay on it for a variety of reasons and am now taking 150mg. I am exhausted all day, can't sleep at night, I have night sweats, dizzy spells, and unbelievably vivid nightmares and dreams that I remember and dwell on during the day. Any suggestions?
Posted by Dan Perkins on January 11, 2005, at 15:07:16
In reply to Effexor...is it for me?, posted by charley on January 11, 2005, at 14:57:18
Is it for you? Only you can answer that.
Is being exhausted all day, not being able to sleep at night, having "night sweats, dizzy spells, and unbelievably vivid nightmares and dreams" an acceptable trade off for the relief it provides when there are dozens of other medications out there that can provide relief without these harh side effects?
Again, that is a question that only you can answer.
> I have read only some of the messages regarding Effexor. I started taking it in October when my young son was going through a series of anxiety attacks (due to listening to the news on the war -- thru behavioral therapy he has moved on). I decided to stay on it for a variety of reasons and am now taking 150mg. I am exhausted all day, can't sleep at night, I have night sweats, dizzy spells, and unbelievably vivid nightmares and dreams that I remember and dwell on during the day. Any suggestions?
Posted by KaraS on January 16, 2005, at 4:52:13
In reply to Re: Effexor...is it for me?, posted by Dan Perkins on January 11, 2005, at 15:07:16
> Is it for you? Only you can answer that.
>
> Is being exhausted all day, not being able to sleep at night, having "night sweats, dizzy spells, and unbelievably vivid nightmares and dreams" an acceptable trade off for the relief it provides when there are dozens of other medications out there that can provide relief without these harh side effects?
>
> Again, that is a question that only you can answer.
>
> > I have read only some of the messages regarding Effexor. I started taking it in October when my young son was going through a series of anxiety attacks (due to listening to the news on the war -- thru behavioral therapy he has moved on). I decided to stay on it for a variety of reasons and am now taking 150mg. I am exhausted all day, can't sleep at night, I have night sweats, dizzy spells, and unbelievably vivid nightmares and dreams that I remember and dwell on during the day. Any suggestions?
>
>Dan,
Effexor for me was one of the most easily tolerated medications (and I've tried MANY). It also has given me more antidepressant effect than any other medication (with the possible exception of one month on Prozac before poop-out). I don't think that the side effects, in general, are any worse than any other psychotropic drug out there today.There's no question that it is a difficult medication to get off of. I think that's where it's bad reputation derives from. Fortunately in my case, that was manageable. I realize that may not be any one else's experience. If I had read the boards here, however, I never would have tried Effexor and that would have been a big loss for me. (I'm a total chicken sh*t when it comes to taking these medications as I'm sure one could easily tell from my posts.)
Posted by charley on January 16, 2005, at 15:07:26
In reply to Re: Effexor...is it for me? » Dan Perkins, posted by KaraS on January 16, 2005, at 4:52:13
Dan, I get the point. There are a lot of other alternatives out there....I talked to my doctor & he's slowly taking me off Effexor.
Kara, when you say Effexor is a tough medication to get off of, what do you mean? I talked to my doc over the phone & he's weaning me off Effexor. He also mentioned the possibility of taking an anti PMS drug instead. Have you had experience with any drugs like that?
Posted by KaraS on January 16, 2005, at 18:17:12
In reply to Re: Effexor...is it for me?, posted by charley on January 16, 2005, at 15:07:26
> Dan, I get the point. There are a lot of other alternatives out there....I talked to my doctor & he's slowly taking me off Effexor.
>
> Kara, when you say Effexor is a tough medication to get off of, what do you mean? I talked to my doc over the phone & he's weaning me off Effexor. He also mentioned the possibility of taking an anti PMS drug instead. Have you had experience with any drugs like that?
Most of the problems/complaints here on the board are about people who are having withdrawal problems from Effexor. I don't know your story or how long you've been on it so I don't know if the withdrawal will pose any problems for you. I didn't have many problems because I decreased it slowly (especially the last 37.5 mg. which I cut into 4 different pieces or steps down). Even then at the end I started having some terrible side effects. If you subsitute another serotonergic agent at the end or when you start having problems (preferably Prozac but I used Cymbalta) then it will probably decrease those side effects a lot. In my case, it took them away completely.I have never used any anti-PMS drugs. I'm wondering what you doctor means by that. Is he or she referring to adding hormones or something that manipulates your hormones?
This is the end of the thread.
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