Posted by Bob on January 6, 2001, at 18:24:55
In reply to Re: Increasing Effexor XR, posted by James Donivan Justice II on January 5, 2001, at 16:03:13
> > I've been on Effexor XR at 150 mgs/day for about a year. I've had similar bad experiences when missing doses. I've also recently developed acne around my scalp - never would have thought that this could be a side effect, but it's a good place to start!
> > My question is for those who have been on effexor for a while and/or those who have been on multiple ADs over time. I really don't feel that the effexor is working very well right now and wonder if my best course of action is to increase the dose (is 150 mg a "high" dose?) or to switch to another AD. I've experienced Prozac "burnout" and similar effects with tofranil and Zoloft. Unfortunately, I seem to be better informed than my pdoc on the effects of ADs and insurance prohibits me from shopping around for a new one... so I'm coming to other well-informed consumers for advice : ) (If anyone can recommend a good doc in the Houston area, I'd appreciate it!)
>
> My advice would be to raise the dosage substantially before giving up. I have been on numerous ADs including the SSRIs and Serzone, Wellbutrin, Desyrel, Remeron, Anafranil, Sinequan, and also Effexor XR. In my case, nothing was nearly as effective as Effexor XR, but at a dose of 600mg/day. The higher the dose goes, the better effects you will have. This is because Effexor is a reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine, and mildly dopamine. At low doses of Effexor, the prominent mechanism is through serotonin reuptake. However, as the dose increases, norepinephrine reuptake gets more and more predominant, and you receive the dual-action benefits of increasing both of these neurotransmitters. Try gradually increasing the dose to a maximum of 600mg/day, the dose I am on and pretty much a ceiling of dosage.
>
> Hope This Helped.Just out of curiousity... how long were you on Effexor XR, before you ramped up to 600mg levels, and how long have you been at levels that high?
poster:Bob
thread:50940
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001231/msgs/51051.html