Posted by jodigirl on March 5, 2005, at 12:05:44
In reply to Re: Effexor XL » broken, posted by WellaGirl on March 5, 2005, at 0:40:19
> I stated on effexorxl at the 35 mg dose for 1 week then went up to the 75mg for a week. My doctor wanted me to come back at the 2 weeks mark to tell her how I was feeling. Well,I am a naturally a high strung person and after 3 years of one tragic thing after another I just thought I was sick. I was always in the gym, ate pretty good and have always been health and happy. When I had a hard time getting to the gym and felt irritable, lack of drive and short tempered my doctor ran every test, thyroid, hormone (to make sure I wasn't going into early menopause), blood sugar, you name it and they tested for it. After a week all tests came back great, but some how I felt sad because I wanted to know what was wrong so I could fix it.
>
> I was shocked when she said the test I took said I was depressed, I hadn't had time to be depressed and thought depressed meant in bed all the time. I have everything I have ever wanted a great husband, great parents, great career, financially secure, thin in shape, and I was the one people wanted to be like so how could I be depressed?
>
> So anyway, after the two weeks I felt kind of like a zombie-not as sad, but not really happy, almost numb. I went back into the Dr. and she said I should try Wellbutrin XL, but she did not want me to stop the effexor cold turkey so I took 1-150mg wellbutrin with 1 effexor 35mg for 1 week and for the first time I felt great, my sex drive was back (my husband liked that part ha ha), I was in the gym two times a day, my drive was back and I thought wow! I forgot what it was like to feel good. But then when it was time for me to be on only wellbutrin 150mg for 1 week I felt more anxious, aggressive, short tempered. She said to go 1 more week on just the wellbutrin and see how I felt because she want to make sure I wasn't having a withdrawal from the effexor. She said they can bump up the wellbutrin to 300mg which is the standard but I am afraid I would become a raving lunatic. There has been no change in the way I feel just taking the 150 mg of wellbutrin. My doctor said that it is perfectly normal to be on wellbutrin xl and effexor xl at the same time but I do not see anything about mixing these two drugs on any websites. All I know is I felt great, lost 2 pounds (I only weigh 107 lbs. so I don't want to loss weight) I am not as hungry, and I seem so much calmer.
>
> Sorry this is so long but I wanted to see if anyone else has gone through something like this. I am only 4 weeks into this and I am supposed to tell her on Tuesday if I want to add the effexor back in with the wellbutrin, and I feel I do. Are there any thoughts or advice?
> Thank for reading this
> WellaGirl
Wella Girl - I just want to let you know that the meds *alone* are not gonna bring you completely back to yourself. (And that it is completely normal to be on a "cocktail" of meds.) I was where you are and that there was a lot of trial and error before a correct combination of meds was found to get the correct mix for me that brought me to remission. But girlie -- it was worth the ride. Statistics will tell you that people with depression give up and walk away because they are tired of the "trial and error" of meds. PLEASE do not give up, WellaGirl. Hang in there. For me and those who succeed at this and enjoy a life of remission from depression, it was a complete "team effort" with the patient, psychiatrist and a therapist. Notice I put the patient (you) FIRST!! PLEASE do not expect a quick miracle with a pill. The pharma companies are a God send for those of us who struggle. But believe it or not they did not do their drug trials on "Wella Girl"!! (LOL) I suggest you keep notes of side effects and how you feel every day. Be communicative with your docs. Remember you are a part of the "team" to make yourself better. Please do not feel like a white lab rat right now. (I know the temptation is there.) Effexor XR is *the* drug that helped me. It was amazing. (And I did not have the horrible withdrawal side effects) I suffer from "treatment resistant unipolar major depression" and it worked for about 5 years when combined with topamax. Hang in there sweetie. Stay tough. Stay active in your own recovery and remember that things *will* get better. Please be kind and gentle and patient with yourself. ;-)BTW, I posted yesterday about a new med I was supposed to try - cymbalta (because effexor xr stopped working after 5 years (that is typical for some people). I was starting to feel a little depressed when coming off effexor xr. I started the new med and I feel better already. I guess my body likes the feeling of not being depressed and strives in that direction now. Hang in there girl!
poster:jodigirl
thread:429398
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050304/msgs/466955.html