Posted by leckroj on January 5, 2001, at 12:22:31
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by leckroj on January 4, 2001, at 12:43:29
Thanks to those of you who responded to my concerns. I'll try to respond to some of yours, too, w/ personal experience. The restless legs, or "myoclonus," isn't a sudden, big spasm that occurs when I'm drifting off to sleep. In fact, as I get sleepier and sleepier, I relax more. I'm prone to legs and fingers moving, teeth rubbing (gnashing?) throughout the day. But, as I lie down--or even just sit down--the legs tend to "want to" move. It's bad enough that I can't sit still for the cat to sit on my lap for very long.
Re: acne: it sounds as tho' those of you who experience it have it around the scalp, too. BC pills may help this--or they may make it worse. This isn't an option for me; I'm already on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Re: antidepressent withdrawal, and a little about sex drive. A few years ago I discontinued my AD on my own--too fast, I think--and, man oh man! was my sex drive increased!! My husband loved it--until I relapsed into my depression...Now, on Effexor XR, if I forget to take my nightly dose (300 mg), I thrash around in bed--in my sleep, and moan and shout, and dream vivid dreams. I have read that one of the side-effects of Effexor--and some other of the SSRIs--is decreased sex interest. And, based on my previous experience, I agree.
Re: sleepiness or increased wakefulness on SSRIs, in general--different for different people--some of the difference is, I'm sure, in the vehicle used for the particular AD. So, Paxil (e.g.) should be taken in the morning (I've read), and Effexor should be taken in the evening--and not too early, if you have activities in the evening (sayeth I, from personal experience, again.)
Re: weight gain: yeah, possibly, but we eat for so many different reasons, depression, comfort, love of taste, fear of feeling hunger pangs...
Re: addiction: I don't think the SSRIs are addictive in the same way alcohol, morphine, and illegal drugs are. But the mechanism of their action involves brain receptors, which are changed by drug administration, and it can be hard to get off them, especially if the issues that led to the depression are unresolved. I figure I'll be on them the rest of my life. Darn!
Thanks again, All. See you on the e-net. Jan
poster:leckroj
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001231/msgs/50973.html