Posted by Shell on October 22, 2000, at 20:46:42
I have an appointment with my doctor later this week to assess how well I am doing with Effexor XR for depression and OCD. She has said that she is open to trying different things until we find what works for me. I am hoping that perhaps some of you that have personal experience can give me some ideas of a possible next step we might take.
When I started seeing this doctor (I changed doctors due to a move), I was already taking 40 mg Prozac daily for OCD, which she agreed to continue. The Prozac seemed to work well for the OCD (and I even managed to lose 15 pounds!), but I disliked the sexual side effects. She then switched me to Luvox, 50 mg/day. The side effects were not as bad as with the Prozac (but still noticeable), but the OCD symptoms returned. I discontinued the Luvox since it didn’t help me at all. I didn't go back to Prozac because I decided I'd rather live with the OCD than the side effects (I’ve lived most of my life with OCD, maybe I am used to it).
After a year with no medication, the OCD symptoms were still there, but then I began to have other, more troubling symptoms. I returned to my doctor, who diagnosed me with depression. For me, at least, the depression has been much more difficult to live with than the OCD and just ignoring it is no longer an option.
My doctor started me on 75 mg Effexor XR once a day. After a month of this with no improvement (but no side effects either), she increased it to 150 mg once a day. This is the dose I have been taking for the last four weeks. I still have no side effects, but I have not seen any improvement in my depression symptoms; in fact, they seem to be worse. At my last visit, she told me that if this dosage of Effexor XR (150 mg) didn't work for me, she would try something else.
I am somewhat perplexed by her stance on the Effexor dosage. If I am having no side effects, why would she be reluctant to increase the dosage to see if that will make a difference? Is 150 mg really such a high dose? From what I have read on here, it does not seem so to me. If she wants me to switch to a different medication, would I be better off to go to a different SSRI (Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft) or perhaps to Serzone, Remeron or Anafranil? I had asked her about Wellbutrin because of its lack of sexual side effects and its nonsedating qualities, but she doesn't want to use that because it is not helpful for OCD. At this point, I truly don't care too much about the OCD; I just want to take care of the depression and worry about the OCD later.
I would deeply appreciate any advice you could give me. As I have gained 20 pounds in the last six months with no change in diet (gained before I started taking Effexor), live in a constant brain fog, and am always tired, I would prefer something that didn't cause weight gain or sedation (is that attainable?). I am open to about anything, switching medications, doing a medication combination, anything to feel better.
Thanks,
Shell
poster:Shell
thread:47123
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001022/msgs/47123.html