Posted by jll on May 19, 2006, at 8:39:19
In reply to Re: My nightmare experience with Effexor XR » Ginger, posted by Elizabeth on May 17, 2001, at 15:17:55
I have been taking 75mg of Effexor XR for just about a month now, and am finding it to be extremely helpful. I started having anxiety attacks about 5 or 6 years ago, and thought it was due to my job situation, since they started while I held that job and subsided after I left. I was given a prescription for Paxil to help ease the attacks, and it did, but after I left that job the attacks went away almost completely, so I stopped taking it. I went for almost 3 years with probably only 2 or 3 attacks, but then last September, they started coming back. They seemed to be much more severe, and lasted a lot longer. I went to my GP and told him all about this and he gave me the Effexor. I was nervous at first, and experienced some side effects (drowsieness AND insomnia, constipation, tingles in my hands, change in appetite...), but they were all pretty minor and lasted only about a week. I really cant believe how much has changed for me since I started using it. I feel so much more comfortable in all situations, I have experienced no anxiety attacks, and I just overall feel like I am in better spirits. I do have 2 concerns, however. One is anorgasmia. I am 25 years old, have been sexually active for 9 or 10 years and married for 4, and have NEVER had an orgasm. My husband feels inadequate becasue of this, and I wish he wouldnt becasue I know it is something that is wrong with me, not him. Since starting the Effexor, not only am I not having orgasms, but my sex drive itself has almost completely diminished. My other concern is that we have been seriously considering starting a family. When I mentioned to my OBGYN that I was taking Effexor, she became very concerned and suggested that I stop taking it. She suggested Prozac and some herbal remedy that I have never heard of. I mentioned this to my GP, and he suggested that we start using birth control again until he could do some research to find something safer for me to take while pregnant. Reading about the withdrawl symptoms has made me very nervous. Any advice/suggestions on these concerns? I am so glad that I stumbled across this forum while researching anorgasmia. Your input has been very enlightening...
poster:jll
thread:63139
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060515/msgs/645838.html