posted
I took Effexor XR about 4 years ago, for about 6 months, and it really helped.
I am now at a point where I need something to help me along again. Now, 4 years later, everyone seems to be so scared of SSRI's, etc. When I was on it, I had no choice. It was a life saver and discontinued because of twitches, etc.
Now I am to start back on it and was wondering what dosing others are taking.
4 years ago I was on 150 (once daily). Now my doc wants me on 150 again. He said it has to be that dose to be effective against anxiety. I'd much rather take a smaller dose, like 75 or a 75 + 37.5, but I don't really have a choice. There was no negotiatin with my doc.
Just wondering what Effexor XR users doses are and how long you have been on them, etc.
Also, I am on Armour thyroid medication (small dose) and Cortef (small dose) for adrenal issues. Off antibiotics at the moment. Also tapering off of Remeron (15mg's).
Any thoughts and input would be appreciated. While I hate the idea of starting another AD/AA drug, sometimes they are the only things that really help. I'd really appreciate Effexor XR users in particular... so you can tell me about your current treatment and if the Effexor is effecting you in a good or bad way. I say this because I was put on Effexor 4 yeas ago, right after I got sick, years before my diagnosis.
Thanks in advance.
Posts: 20 | From Ga | Registered: May 2005
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Foggy
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1584
posted
Effexor was a disaster! Made me too wirey and I was not able to function. Scary stuff.
Posts: 2451 | From Lyme Central | Registered: Aug 2001
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ConnieMc
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 191
posted
I only took 2 doses of Effexor. I had taken SSRIs in the past but had a bad withdrawal from one called Serzone and I later saw this drug was taken off the market.
I was having severe sweats due to menopause and Effexor is supposed to be a good treatment for this. As soon as I took it, I became dizzy and had difficulty standing up. Very tired as well. I developed a severe headache which would not go away until I went back off of it.
One thing about SSRIs - if you end up on one for any length of time, do not come off of it cold turkey.
Posts: 2276 | From NC | Registered: Oct 2000
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
My daughter used Effexor for a while. But, after a year it started to lose it's effectiveness. She switched to Cymbalta, and that's been good.
Currently, she is in the process of transferring to Welbutrin. She is on Rifampin, and Cymbalta is also a liver risk medication.
But, so far, so good. She also takes Seroquel at night.
I'm telling ya, this bacteria gets in the brain and really does a head trip. But, if you need something to keep from losing hope, it's worth trying.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
I took Effexor for a while at the suggestion of a neurologist, who swore it would take all my pain away (this was pre-diagnosis). It didn't do much for the pain at all, though I didn't have any problems or side effects while taking it -- I was taking 225 mgs.
My LLMD suggested switching to Cymbalta, as she has had better success with it -- I switched, and do think the Cymbalta helps with pain somewhat. I'm on a much lower dose of the Cymbalta, too, than I was with the Effexor.
I know a lot of folks have a terrible time with getting off these drugs -- I've never had a problem with that, myself. Paxil was a lifesaver for me when I was having terrible anxiety and depression many years ago -- I can't speak to the Effexor or Cymbalta personally regarding those symptoms, as I wasn't having them when I started taking them. Like any psychotropic medication, these drugs affect different people very differently -- what works for one person may be a disaster for the next....
-------------------- "Looks like freedom but it feels like death.. It's something in between, I guess"
Leonard Cohen, from the song "Closing Time" Posts: 822 | From California | Registered: Jan 2006
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
Effexor was a disaster for me! At the time I didn't have another dx, and the psychiatrist I was seeing wouldn't let me switch to something else, even told me there wasn't anything I hadn't already tried (there was!).
When my anxiety became worse on it he told me that was impossible because Effexor is used to treat anxiety. Instead, he just rx'd another med for anxiety, which he prescribed at double the maximum dosage.
I later researched it and increased anxiety is a possible side effect. Then when I switched shrinks and tried to come off it the first time I had a terrible time. I had to go back up and then go off it again later and much more slowly.
I have a good friend who has used it with no problems, but for me it was a very unpleasant experience.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
I think Effexor is one of the most evil and vile medications out there, although I know it works for some people. My experiences:
My husband, who I believe has neuro lyme, was on Effexor and it was fine until he tried to stop. Then we went through a period of a few months where he had not one but three complete psychotic breaks, two where the police had to become involved. One where he disappeared on me and woke up in a stairwell then enxt morning. It was HELL.
it was the scariest time of our lives, and it was only years later when I got dxd with Lyme that I was finally able to put together that it was effexor withdrawal + lyme that caused this.
The second experience involved a friend of mine trying to get off of it. I nearly had to take her to the emergency room, it was that bad. I finally had to end up trying to feed her teaspoons full of water with effexor in them to get her to stop throwing up and screaming in pain.
Third is my own experience. I went on Cymbalta, which is in the same family as Effexor, without realizing it was similar to effexor. it was not doing much for me so I went off it and experienced a month of almost the worst physical hell I've ever been through. Shaking, chills, crawling skin, etc.
I know that not everyone expereinces this. But having these 3 expereinces, I could not run far away enough from Effexor. I would rather chew my own toes off than take it.
Alison
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The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. --- Edward R. Murrow Posts: 923 | From California | Registered: Aug 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
I know people have been helped by Effexor. I tried it for pain relief, but it caused motor tics. They got bad enough after 2 weeks on Effexor, that I spent the 2 weeks weaning off Effexor.
I do get motor tics with Lyme, but never had it before Effexor. I wonder if I would have ever had them had I never taken Effexor.
Alison - did you, your husband and friend stop Effexor cold turkey, or did you wean off of it? I know it can have withdrawl, which was why I was told not to stop it all at once.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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kelmo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8797
posted
NEVER just STOP an anti-depressant. You must wean off slowly. Even if you are transitioning to a new medication, you need to take them in tandem and increase one while decreasing the other. It's a ballet.
Posts: 2903 | From AZ | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
My friend stopped cold turkey, hence the horrible withdrawal, but my husband weaned himself off for weeks and still had these terrible side effects.
A.
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The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. --- Edward R. Murrow Posts: 923 | From California | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Regardless of what the psychiatrist says -- you do have a choice in what dose you take.
Hubby tried this for a week or two at 37.5mg I think. Anyway he started having side effects at this low dose. Psychiatrist who thought the PDR was the Bible argued that side effects would go away once he got to therapeutic dose of 150 mg. We were not willing to take that chance and got off this med as soon as possible.
While Effexor was bad, it was nothing compared to some of the other psychotropic meds.
Try Sam-e and/or get your neurotransmitters or amino acids tested. A much safer way to go. Also suggest COQ10 and Resveratral to counteract brain inflammation. And don't forget the good fats -- fish oil and flax oil which can help with both brain function and pain relief.
Hubby has neurotransmitter tests which show that his supply of serotonin was LESSENED while taking SSRI's. It increased while on 5HTP and l-theanine. If you don't replace the supply of raw ingredients the drugs will not continue working.
Due to brain inflammation, you need to take Resveratrol (Japanese knotweed source best) while on any med or supplement which works on serotonin. Otherwise you will just increase the production of quinolinic acid (a neurotoxin). Hubby has nutritional tests supporting this also.
Good luck.
Bea Seibert
P.S. We were living in Indianapolis (headquarters of Eli Lilly) when the drug Cymbalta was in clinical trials. After one of the control patients (a student with no history of depression or psychiatric problems) committed suicide there is no way I would consider taking that drug. If a normal dose of a psychotropic drug can cause a healthy person to commit suicide, then I hate to think how it could harm an unhealthy person.
If hubby ever has any more psych symptoms I think I would put him in a strait jacket in a locked room rather than go thru another psych admit. But that is just my opinion. Too often the side-effects of these meds are worse than the symptoms being treated.
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
I'm adding my two cents about effexor withdrawal. Had a friend who took it for several years and did the withdrawal as her doctor advised.
She did it over the course of months and it was still horrible for her. She was bedridden for weeks and was in touch with her doc the whole time.
She takes sam-e now and feels great. I've taken many anti-depressants over the last 15-20 years and sam-e works just fine for me but obviously lyme treatment has relieved many symptoms.
Posts: 460 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
I'd like to thank everyone for their input and suggestions.
I just look at it as a means to an end. When my digestion is better and I can absorb amino acids better, then I can ease off the medication.
In theory, if I can take it short term and get my nutrition up, then I can wean off with minimal, if any, problems.
These drugs do not necessarily make bad things happen, its just that they are introduced into a person without much research and it may not be best for said person. If a person has enough serotonin, etc. in their brain, then adding SSRI's are not good. If a person is lacking, then they are good.
If a person is lacking proper neurotransmitters, then when they try to come off of a drug, the body says "no". And with good reason. Oour body needs optimal levels for healing and they are not getting them. Mainly due to constant stress, physical or mental. Usually both.
So until I can get my "natural pharmacy" working, I will take this stuff. Then I can supplement it and when I have to come off, it should be pretty easy. Just like it was 4 years ago. Again, in theory.
seibertneurolyme, I have been tested for nutritonal elements and was lacking in glutathione. It was not a comprehensive amino acid test though.
Since I am not currentl able to get all I need nutritionally or through supplements, I will use Effexor. I will also try to get the Rx store to split those 150's into 2 x 75's. If that can be asked for ? Has anyone tried asking a pharmacy to do this ?
I do appreciate the concern, but at this point, I need "something" to get me moving more. Then I can work with other Docs to resolve these underlying issues, once and for all.
Jesus does wonders for depression and anxiety, but when their is a "constant" running in the background he either has to "heal" me or help get me to someone who can
I trust that he will, and already has.
Thanks again, to everyone.
Posts: 20 | From Ga | Registered: May 2005
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posted
"Black Box" warnings are not usually explained to patients. This is bad.
I took Effexor in 2002 before the infamous "BB" warning. Back in those days I took a medication because I needed it. I only read the drug information after I was on it a while, when the twitches started.
Sometimes it is best to not read the literature enclosed. It only makes you more prone to worry.
On the other hand, many people need to read the material because their current issues may impact the drug effects, etc.
Having a general knowledge of a class of drugs you may be taking is good, but a BB warning should not be a major deterrent if your condition needs said medication.
I do believe the FDA should make drug companies include more detailed "discontinuation" instructions.... but they haven't yet.
The main thing is that people need to be monitored when on these medications and they should watched even closer when coming off of them.
Posts: 20 | From Ga | Registered: May 2005
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