Posted by pellmell on August 15, 2001, at 11:26:11
In reply to Re: we're not scaremongering » pellmell, posted by DP on August 14, 2001, at 21:01:11
DP,
Nah, your questions aren't too personal. This is a pretty open place. Besides, if you were to find a "pellmell" in a phonebook somewhere, I wouldn't be the person you'd find at the other end of the line. :)
Anyway, on to your questions. First, yes, I have gained a small amount of weight (about five pounds) since I've been taking Effexor, but I'm not sure there's a causal link there. I eat compuslively when I'm anxious, and Effexor has calmed my anxiety. I used to eat to try to calm my irrational worries. I rarely do that now.
Second, yes, Effexor does mess with my sex life a bit (and yes, I do have a girlfriend. Mmmmm... anyway). It was really bad at first; in fact, the first time I tried Effexor I quit after two weeks because I thought it had killed my libido. Looking back, I think it was just that I was feeling shy in a new relationship. Effexor has since *increased* my libido, and let me enjoy sex (and everything else!) with my girlfriend more fully. Except. Except that my erections became a bit rubbery and (this part isn't exactly bad) it takes me longer to get to orgasm. In the last week, though, my potency has returned. My body, after about two months, is adjusting to the drug. I'd say I'm at 85%.
The other side effects I'm still experiencing are slightly blurred vision (means I just have to actually wear my glasses for a change), dry mouth, and some involuntary jaw clenching. All of these are minor, and so worth the relief I'm feeling from chronic depression and anxeity. I feel more balanced than I felt on anything else I've taken, save maybe Zoloft+Lithium (which I quit because it made me something close to impotent). Besides Zoloft I've been on Serzone, Prozac, Remeron, and Wellbutrin. SRIs are the only antidepressants that seem to bring me relief, but Prozac made me feel...strange...as well; perhaps it pushed me to hypomania. Anyway.
As for when you should take your pill, try it in the morning first. If you find it makes you feel a bit weak and drowsy during the day, start taking it at night. It made me drowsy at first. After a few weeks, though, it started interrupting my sleep, so I switched back to swallowing it with breakfast. Now I find it gives me a subtle energy boost during the day.
So...I've got to skeddaddle now.
Hope I've helped!-pm
poster:pellmell
thread:75087
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75137.html