Posted by Pamela Lynn on June 9, 2003, at 13:00:56
In reply to Re: Can EFFEXOR XR be making my benzo. not work?? » Pamela Lynn, posted by Janelle on June 7, 2003, at 17:49:45
> Hi!
>
> I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV(!) - joke, hah-hah! However, I can tell you, and it's based on many (too many) months on Effexor XR along with a benzo (and a few other meds), that it IS possible that the EffexorXR could be making your benzo "not work" -- because Effexor XR happens to be a particularly *strong* SRI and also SRI's are known to induce hypomanic type behavior - I'm NOT saying this is happening to you (although it has happened to me on THREE different SSRI's with Effexor and Celexa being the worst for it).
>
> It's possible that in your case, even 37.5 mg (which is not even the so-called minimal therapeutic dose - that would be 75 mg/day) COULD be interfering with the ability of the Ativan and/or Xanax to work on the anxiety/panic attacks.
>
> I think it is very wise that you call your pdoc on Monday to discuss it with him or her; s/he is supposed to be the expert and should know the answer!
>
> Good luck 2 U and if you don't mind, please post what your pdoc tells you about this. I'm very interested, as I'm sure others here are!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Janelle, firstly thank you for your response...Very kind of you to post!
Secondly, ya know....i've been on Effexor XR before, it actually "saved my life" years ago. However, at that time I had not yet suffered my first panic/anxiety attack yet (ohhhh and aren't those lovely???!!) This time (and the 37.5 dosage for me was for only the first week and then I was to up it to the 75 mg dosage starting on week 2.....same as I did the first go around with the Effexor XR years ago, and then I went up to even higher levels, but I won't ramble on about that :) ).
This time, at the notification of the death of my Father 2 months ago I started to sink back into depression again. I didn't want to start another AD...(I have been on soooo many since I was an adolescent.) I started off on Prozac for another trial and it was not working well. That is why my shrink (I say 'shrink' in a loving way btw.) ANYHOW....my shrink called me a few ago and I she believes that "right now" my panic/anxiety attacks take the front seat to the depression and that the Effexor XR can be stimulating me too much right now (those were her layman terms). I'm going to continue on the Ativan right now and try the Effexor XR once we get these attacks under control....She believes that my attacks are peaking right now and that they will "settle down", then I can try the E. again. She said that the E., in some people, can even bring on the panic/anxiety attacks, even though it is 'supposed' to help with anxiety. All of this 'should' work itself out after a few weeks on the E. but I just can't go through those 3 weeks right now, I just can't do it.
Again, thank you and the other poster for taking the time to respond. Your kindness is wonderful.
P.L.
poster:Pamela Lynn
thread:232234
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030609/msgs/232632.html