Posted by JohnL on September 30, 2000, at 5:39:37
In reply to Energy Miracle??? What time of day to take it??, posted by lst on September 29, 2000, at 9:44:44
> I am 40 years old with 2 babies under 3 years of age. My doc put me on Effexor XR because I needed energy. I haven't seen anyone print anything about a boost of energy from it, mostly just that its like a sedative. He started me at 37.5 mg 1st week. Only been on it 2 days now. When should I take it, day or night? Does anyone feel like its helped them "do more"? I need energy to keep up with 2 babies. Doc thought maybe feeling better mentally would do the trick including the boost of energy he said this would give me. Some of these messages sound like its sedating. Please someone answer me before I keep taking it and get adverse reactions.
1st,
I wonder if your doctor has reason to believe that you are suffering from depression, but didn't tell it to you that way.Could Effexor help with energy? Yeah, it could. Could it instead be sedating? Yeah, it could. The problem is that each person will respond differently, depending on their own unique chemistry, genes, and circumstances. There is no way to tell without a personal trial.
If a doctor were to prescribe any antidepressant for purposes of energy, I would think there are better choices than Effexor. Off the top of my head, Wellbutrin or Desipramine or Prozac would have been more appropriate for an 'activating' effect. Of course though, with any psychiatric medication, you could experience undesired side effects or actually feel worse. But that's true with Effexor as well. Effexor isn't generally known to be an activating antidepressant. Prozac, Desipramine, and Wellbutrin are. And if you end up not liking it, it is one of the hardest to get off of. I don't blame you for being inquisitive. I would be too.
In your shoes I would have to make a decision of what to do. One route would be to follow the doctor's advice and give the Effexor a 4 week trial. You'll know by then. Another route would be to get on the phone and ask him why he chose this particular medication and not one of the others I mentioned. I would also want to know "why antidepressants?" I mean, if you aren't clinically depressed, an antidepressant is going to do nothing except give you side effects. They only work when there is a chemical imbalance to be fixed. A normal nondepressed person who takes an antidepressant will not feel better or get high. They will just get side effects.
Ritalin or Adderal would be the best most logical meds for energy. But many docs have hesitation in prescribing stimulants. I don't know why. They fail to realize stimulants can be legitimate medications when used to target specific symptoms and when controlled to avoid addiction. What's really weird is that while a doctor may hesitate or refuse to prescribe you a stimulant, they will turn right around and give them to millions of children in a blink of an eye, no prob! We have too many children OVERprescribed on stimulants, and too many adults UNDERprescribed on stimulants. Go figure.
Anyway, always keep in mind...YOU are the paying customer. If you have questions or doubts, pick up that phone and get your doctor on the other end.
Johnps...the time of day you take your medication will depend on how it makes you feel. If you feel slowed or sedated, take it at dinner time or in the evening. If it is activating, take it in the morning. If it feels neutral, flip a coin. There are no rules. We have to find what works best for us personally.
ps...there are other options to consider. You could try a month on a good strong dose of Ginseng (get the kind with 3 or 4 different Ginsengs in it, not just 1) and Gingko Biloba. These are activating herbs with many healthy benefits. A small dose of St Johnswort in the background could help too...maybe 300mg or 600mg a day (Kira or Movana brands). If you could avoid medication with the use of these inexpensive herbals, you would be far happier. I would be tempted to try these first, and then revert to medication if herbals weren't strong enough.
...you seem new to the whole medication arena. A wonderful medication for energy is Adrafinil. But it's not available in the USA. And your doctor will not know about it or support it. It is a prescription medication in many other countries, used for treating depression, increasing energy, increasing mental function. It's mild with minimal or no side effects. It has not been through the FDA process, so isn't available in USA. But it's a good medication. Since this is all fairly new to you, I wouldn't normally suggest it, but you could order some Adrafinil. It is legal to order up to a 90 day supply. Takes about a week or two for delivery. In my own personal experience with it, it is far more effective and far more acceptable than anything your doctor will be able to supply. Just another option to keep in your back pocket in case you ever want it.
...for now, I personally would go the herbal route first. If that was disappointing, then I would make a decision on whether to order Adrafinil or accept whatever my doctor supplies. Knowing what I know now, Adrafinil is better. But in any case, I would be asking my doctor a bunch of questions...like, why antidepressants, why Effexor, why not the others, why not stimulants? Unless you are markedly depressed, I don't like the Effexor route.
poster:JohnL
thread:45460
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000926/msgs/45514.html