![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
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 Jen2 on January 26, 2005, at 14:20:42
Hi all,
I know there's a great debate about Effexor, so without getting into the pro's and con's (since I'm already on it, have had my share of bad side effects, and don't have another appt with the doc until Friday), can someone tell me how long it was before you had to bump up your dosage to feel better?
I've only been on for two weeks today. I started at 75mg (see my earlier post on the pharmacist's screw up) and while I had horrible side effects for the first week, I did have four good days straight until today. Today has been not very fun. I've been crying and feeling very blue - I've got anxiety/depression and am feeling a little out of control re: some school issues that are ongoing for me. I feel like, if I were "normal" I'd be able to cope with things much better than I am today. And I'm starting to get the racing heartbeat and other symptoms that I had before I started the meds. So maybe that means that the Effexor isn't doing it's job as well as it might if I were on a higher dose...?
I know some people stay on low doses for a long while and others need higher doses. I'd appreciate any comments anyone has to make on whether, after only two weeks, I should be upping my dosage.
Jen
Posted by KaraS on January 27, 2005, at 1:35:30
In reply to Effexor - when to increase dosage?, posted by Jen2 on January 26, 2005, at 14:20:42
> Hi all,
>
> I know there's a great debate about Effexor, so without getting into the pro's and con's (since I'm already on it, have had my share of bad side effects, and don't have another appt with the doc until Friday), can someone tell me how long it was before you had to bump up your dosage to feel better?
>
> I've only been on for two weeks today. I started at 75mg (see my earlier post on the pharmacist's screw up) and while I had horrible side effects for the first week, I did have four good days straight until today. Today has been not very fun. I've been crying and feeling very blue - I've got anxiety/depression and am feeling a little out of control re: some school issues that are ongoing for me. I feel like, if I were "normal" I'd be able to cope with things much better than I am today. And I'm starting to get the racing heartbeat and other symptoms that I had before I started the meds. So maybe that means that the Effexor isn't doing it's job as well as it might if I were on a higher dose...?
>
> I know some people stay on low doses for a long while and others need higher doses. I'd appreciate any comments anyone has to make on whether, after only two weeks, I should be upping my dosage.
>
> JenJen,
It's all a gamble. If Effexor is going to help you then you'd be wise to start increasing now and not so wise if it isn't going to help you. You might not know that until at least 6 weeks has passed though. Since you're having some side effects problems, I'd probably stay at the level you're at and wait to see if there's any improvement - but then I tend to be very conservative when it comes to medication. It's much too early to judge efficacy at the two week point though.K
Posted by BennyJ on January 28, 2005, at 14:37:31
In reply to Effexor - when to increase dosage?, posted by Jen2 on January 26, 2005, at 14:20:42
Hey,
Even with the right med you will still have some bad days but they will far less common. Two weeks is still very early, dont give up on eff just yet. Since youve already started and are at 75 allow yourself a few months and work towards 150mg but do it very slowly, dont make large dosage jumps. I didn't follow the trial pack directions of 37.5 for a week then 75 the next, the side effects were nasty immediately starting on 37.5 for me so I stopped and started up again going up in increments of about 18mgs (and holding until negative thoughts became common) which was very manageable for side effects. Ideally you want to stabilize, having a pretty consistent pattern of tolerable days...this will take many weeks, for me was 2 or 3 months with all side effects except sweating and some cognitive impairment gone in 6 months. Effexor was the best med ive tried for depression and its got a prooven record for helping alot of people (despite what some posters here will have u believe)keep smilin,
Ben
> Hi all,
>
> I know there's a great debate about Effexor, so without getting into the pro's and con's (since I'm already on it, have had my share of bad side effects, and don't have another appt with the doc until Friday), can someone tell me how long it was before you had to bump up your dosage to feel better?
>
> I've only been on for two weeks today. I started at 75mg (see my earlier post on the pharmacist's screw up) and while I had horrible side effects for the first week, I did have four good days straight until today. Today has been not very fun. I've been crying and feeling very blue - I've got anxiety/depression and am feeling a little out of control re: some school issues that are ongoing for me. I feel like, if I were "normal" I'd be able to cope with things much better than I am today. And I'm starting to get the racing heartbeat and other symptoms that I had before I started the meds. So maybe that means that the Effexor isn't doing it's job as well as it might if I were on a higher dose...?
>
> I know some people stay on low doses for a long while and others need higher doses. I'd appreciate any comments anyone has to make on whether, after only two weeks, I should be upping my dosage.
>
> Jen
Posted by jen2 on January 28, 2005, at 15:29:55
In reply to Re: Effexor - when to increase dosage? » Jen2, posted by BennyJ on January 28, 2005, at 14:37:31
Hey Ben,
Thanks. I was at the doc today and she encouraged me similarly. I'm glad to know that it can only get better, because - compared to before - it's a he** of a lot better already.
It's sunny today!
Jen
> Hey,
> Even with the right med you will still have some bad days but they will far less common. Two weeks is still very early, dont give up on eff just yet. Since youve already started and are at 75 allow yourself a few months and work towards 150mg but do it very slowly, dont make large dosage jumps. I didn't follow the trial pack directions of 37.5 for a week then 75 the next, the side effects were nasty immediately starting on 37.5 for me so I stopped and started up again going up in increments of about 18mgs (and holding until negative thoughts became common) which was very manageable for side effects. Ideally you want to stabilize, having a pretty consistent pattern of tolerable days...this will take many weeks, for me was 2 or 3 months with all side effects except sweating and some cognitive impairment gone in 6 months. Effexor was the best med ive tried for depression and its got a prooven record for helping alot of people (despite what some posters here will have u believe)
>
> keep smilin,
> Ben
>
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I know there's a great debate about Effexor, so without getting into the pro's and con's (since I'm already on it, have had my share of bad side effects, and don't have another appt with the doc until Friday), can someone tell me how long it was before you had to bump up your dosage to feel better?
> >
> > I've only been on for two weeks today. I started at 75mg (see my earlier post on the pharmacist's screw up) and while I had horrible side effects for the first week, I did have four good days straight until today. Today has been not very fun. I've been crying and feeling very blue - I've got anxiety/depression and am feeling a little out of control re: some school issues that are ongoing for me. I feel like, if I were "normal" I'd be able to cope with things much better than I am today. And I'm starting to get the racing heartbeat and other symptoms that I had before I started the meds. So maybe that means that the Effexor isn't doing it's job as well as it might if I were on a higher dose...?
> >
> > I know some people stay on low doses for a long while and others need higher doses. I'd appreciate any comments anyone has to make on whether, after only two weeks, I should be upping my dosage.
> >
> > Jen
>
>
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.