![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 631 to 655 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by Seraphim on March 26, 2001, at 10:00:30
In reply to A Very Interesting Forum................, posted by Leo on March 24, 2001, at 16:27:24
Leo,
Thank you. I agree wholeheartedly.
I am hoping I can somehow get the information you have compiled. Things just keep getting worse and the wear and tear is really starting to show. I'd like to present the information I have come across, my horrid experiences, and the material you have gathered to my doctors and also to my husband. He has only the vaguest notion of what I have been going through. The worst of all of this is having those closest to me, and my doctors (family physician and psychiatrist) pretty much dismiss the symptoms and ailments I have been presenting. My family physician kept telling me I must have some recurring, resistant flu-like virus. My psychiatrist just nods his head, takes notes and sends me on my way. I'm not a hypochondriac and never have been. I used to be the picture of health. I look at pictures from three years ago and cry for the person I have lost. I'm hoping if I can present proof of some type, it will help. Anything would be appreciated at this point. Thanks.
Posted by Pamela on March 26, 2001, at 11:54:22
In reply to Re: Effexor Free--Pamela, posted by Seraphim on March 25, 2001, at 21:20:48
> Pamela,
>
> Please tell me more, and update me on your progress. I've gone from 300mg - 150mg in two weeks. I'm having a very hard time maintaining. I too thank God I found this site. I decided to get the Effexor out of my system after a few nightmare days of unintentional withdrawal. I'm trying to work, continue to be Mom and Wife, and maintain some semblance of normalcy. I've never been so sick and tired, I am living in a constant state of discomfort, nausea and abdominal pain. I know many out there have spoken of taking other medications to help counteract the symptoms of this one, but I'm having a real hard time trying to justify putting more drugs into my system and having to think about the potential side effects and withdrawal symptoms from the new ones. It does help to hear that I'm not alone. No one else in my life understands what I'm going through, and to tell you the truth, I'd rather they not. Probably a little pride speaking there. Anyway, I would like to hear more from you. Thanks.
>
> SeraphimHi Seraphim,
Well I ended up in ER yesrerday morning again, day six. they kept me for 3 1/2 hours, ran every test in the world and then said I had an inner ear infection. YEAH RIGHT!!! Oh and the pain, headaches abdominal pain, shortness of breath is a virus.
It just happend to start the day after I stopped taking the Effexor. I haven't been sick in years. I have always been a health nut until the depression. Though it was circumstantial and did not last long, I am afraid it might come back along with the withdrawals. I hate this!
I would give anything for "doctors" to come into the new age of people knowing alot more about their bodies than in the old days. Let go of their God complex and listen to the patient.
I left the ER telling the doctor that I am absolutely convinced it is the Effexor. I then said what if I still have these symptoms in a week, He said you won't, it will all be out of your body by then. Boy would I love to believe that, so I will for now. Positive thinking !
I will keep you posted and plese don't hesitate to e-mail me if you need to talk. PGTOOSWEET@aol.com
God Bless, I'll keep you in my prayers.
Pamela
Posted by McGuyver on March 26, 2001, at 11:54:40
In reply to effexor side effects/withdrawl, posted by kckboxgrl on March 25, 2001, at 23:15:03
Ignore all the horrible stories and make up your own mind. I wish you luck. Check out some of these posts but as I said, take it with a grain of salt. I wrote one about the side effects I first had, and the use of caffine a while ago. P/L check it out, it could be your use of it. Yes, I did have side effects, not as bad as it seems. Again, I wish you luck. And to whomsever else, (Blazer, Noddie, etc..), how do we start a new post for people like us?
McGuyver
> Hi everyone! Just starting effexor xr, 37.5 mg. Up to 75 next week. I've read some really horrible things about side effects and withdrawl, has anyone had positive results? Also, since starting the effexor, i've had a headache (of migraine proportions) every morning--does anyone know if this is a side effect?
> Thanks for any help!
> Lisa
Posted by Leo on March 26, 2001, at 12:02:46
In reply to Re: A Very Interesting Forum................ » Leo, posted by Seraphim on March 26, 2001, at 10:00:30
I will post all that I have compiled up to this point when I get a chance. I think we will all find it very interesting as well as enlightening.
Be reassured that you are not going crazy. Try not to deal with the past. Going back only keeps you from going forward. Assess where you are now and focus on getting better. Eat right and start getting some exercise. Excercising is going to be the tough part. I printed out quite a few of the posts, as they related to me, and let those around me that didn't understand why I was "acting" the way I was, read them. It helped them to understand what I was experincing. In the meantime, drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. This will help you to void the drug from your body. When the withdrawal becomes incapacitating, lay down if you can. This is the hard part, but laying as still as you can helps to lesson the effects of the withdrawal. You will get through this. Not overnight, but it will subside. I am now eight weeks away from this horrific drug and its effects. I am still dealing with the fatigue issue. Moderate to severe. My thinking is extremely clear and my mental state is beyond fantastic. None of the depression or anxiety that I was experincing while on the drug now exists. I had an incident yesterday where I experinced what I would classify as a severe "flashback" of the withdrawal symptoms. I called my doctor, who is a good friend of mine. I described what was going on and he had me meet him at the hospital. I asked him why and he said that it sounded like I was having a stroke only without the numbness. I had to have my daughter do the driving because I couldn't. (She was lovin life, she just got here license)When we got there, I was examined and he immediately sent me up for a CT. I hate CT's.
To make a long story short.....there was no evidence that I had had a stroke. While at the hospital, I was still experienced extreme dizziness, light headedness and slurred speech. Nobody at the hospital could give me a medical answer as to why this was occuring. The "falshback" lasted for about 7 hours and then subsided. Today, I feel like I have the flu. Especially the aching muscles. Otherwise, I feel fine.Hang in there. You'll get through this. Start working on a plan to rehab your physical body. That will make a difference. It will help improve your state of mind. Be aware of what's going on through the withdrawal process so you can identify the longterm effects that seem to be rearing their ugly heads with a large number of ex-effexor users.
Posted by goofy on March 26, 2001, at 13:15:19
In reply to Re: beginning to wean hopefully losing weight, posted by vanroni on March 26, 2001, at 7:06:27
> > > The way I was able to do it was as follows: I was on 75.mg for 1 yr. when I decided to quit because of the side effects. I went to 37.5 for 10 days. 18.75 for 5 days, 9.375 for 5 days. 4.68 for 5 days, then i went off the drug. It has been 12 days and I feel great. I opened the capsules and divided the contents as previously suggested by some of these posts. I want to thank you all because IAM NOW EFFEXOR FREE and I did not have to go to another drug to help withdrawl from this horrible drug.
> > > goofy
> >
> > >goofy
> > i'm glad to hear how it worked for you- very encouraging.... i've been on 37.5xr for 5 days now & feel soo good.... a few side effects the first couple of days but not too bad... i'm going to try to 18.75 as you had done today & see what happens... i just want it out of me!
> V-
V
Iam glad you are doing well. I also had a few side effects for a couple of days after I decreased my dose. Thankfully they were tolerable. I still feel a little fuzzy and have not lost any of the weight but hopefully this will change. It amazes me how a drug that seemed to work fine in the begining could all of a sudden have all of these wiered side effects. I am glad the effexor is working fine for other people on this site but iam glad to be off with the side effects of just feeling a little fuzzy and fat.goofy
Posted by kckboxgrl on March 26, 2001, at 15:31:34
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
McGuyver,
Thanks for you message, I appreciate not being deluged in positive or negative information. Although I respect everyone's opinions, I know I need to figure out how it will work for me, specifically, and I suppose with that comes the responsibility of dealing with both the wanted and possible unwanted effects. The headaches are gone now, but I was exhausted today. I'm still not sure if it's b/c i took it in the am or b/c my sleep has been disturbed for a few days since starting the effexor. I plan to stick with it at least a few months, at which time we'll see if the negatives outweigh the positives. I'll keep you posted.
Thanks again!
-Lisa
Posted by vanroni on March 26, 2001, at 17:02:39
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by kckboxgrl on March 26, 2001, at 15:31:34
Lisa,
the best thing to do is stick it out.... i didn't have any negative effects until about 1 month ago -- after being on the med for 8 mons....
it was great for me until then... i don't know if the effects are from the med or it's just time for me to "go it alone"... anyway, definately hang in there & read the posts w/ an open mind....
V-
Posted by Marlane on March 26, 2001, at 21:53:21
In reply to Re: Real or Mindset McGuyver, posted by blazer on March 23, 2001, at 8:08:20
> > As we wrote in other post's... read them. Try some MDMA, that will really get the seritonine going... In my opinion, anybody can go to any doctor, and be "diagnosed" with almost any illness. I know for a fact I'm depressed, but the crap is working for me. Check the other posts, every-one is different. Anyone with intellegence, other than spelling, can pretty musch research and fake anything. My one guy that helped me years ago get off illegal drugs, faked appendicitus, to get morphie. It worked, but after the doctor knew. He's got his organ in a jar as the last reminderr. Point being, anyone can fake it. My sisters father/sister in law, whom ar pharmisists, one with PHd, both say nothing but positives of the drug. That's cause it works for a LOT of people. Sorry, I wasn't going to write again. Good-Bye all, and I do wish you luck.
> >
> >
> >
> > > You know, I had a wonderful post but wasn't registered and apparently lost it in that process. I am very upset by that because it was good and took a very long time for all the process. Suffice it to say that I have many side effects of this EffexorXR, and it has only been the last 2 days that I have figured out those side effects are from this drug! It is not a mindset. I thought there were other reasons, but the skin rash finally made me look for other answers. I am a mess because of this drug, I am weaning myself off of it! I don't deny that it got me out of my deep depression last Dec., but I had to raise the dose to 300mg.to have it work. Now the myoclonus, weight gain,sleep disturbances, joint and muscle pain, including TOS,plus more have been answered for me, for many here have had these and more problems. I will use other means for serotonin support, I know of a couple things that will work. Write me if you wish!
>
> What other alternatives do you have in mind once you get off this??> >I have no idea what MDMA is. Would somebody please tell me??? Also, regarding alternatives to these man made chemicals, there are natural alternatives that are better than some. I happen to know that because I am with a company that manufactures standardized herbals and nutritionals. The particular one I am thinking about is to stop food cravings by satisfying the brain with neuronutrients to support proper brain chemistry. The scientist who developed this calls it the "reward cascade". It is patented, and it works to help a person not crave carbohydrates or food in general. I don't know if it would work to help me get off of the effexor, or if I can take it in place of eff. I need to contact the biochemist at the company to see if this is something I can do first. I hope to be able to and will let you know if it would be a viable alternative.
Their herbal blend for depression has a proprietary set of ingredients, it isn't just St. John's Wort. I do know that it helps my son who is 22 and has Down Syndrome. We tried him on Zoloft and inside of 2 weeks he was grinding his teeth!! I researched and found that to be a side effect, and we tried it for the 1 month only, slowly weaning him off. I am so glad that I didn't continue him on any other ssri's. He surely doesn't need to end up like his mother at this point! Hurting all the time and no motivation whatsoever...
Did you see that Serafem is really Prozac re-named?? Now they want women w/PMS to take Prozac!! I guess their patent ran out, and they are remarketing this drug in another vein to gain another umpteen-million more users. And Time magazine is doing a HUGE right-up on Paxil. I started w/that and dr. switched me to effexor cuz she thought I would lose weight on it. I gained steadily, and have never weighed this much in my life! I hate drug companies! All they seem to care about is the almighty dollar!
Posted by Canuck on March 27, 2001, at 0:55:08
In reply to Effexor and pregnancy, posted by ChristinaG on October 23, 2000, at 16:10:39
Just a quick note to say that I have had great results with Effexor XR. I did have a few side effects in the first three days. I had nausea for the first few hours after taking the drug. I also had a hard time sleeping for the first few nights, but I was having a hard time sleeping before the med anyway. And then there was the constant yawning that I could not control. (That could be guite comical depending on where I was.) But I am happy to say that all of that has ended now and I am feeling great. I am feeling more and more like my old self every day. I don't pretend to think that this drug will have the same effect on everyone, but it has done wonders for me. I do wonder, however; if the reason that there are far more unhappy people than happy ones posting on this web sight is because the happy ones aren't looking for a forum to sing Effexor XR's praises. If you are taking the medication and are having good results, why would you bother looking for a sight on the internet? I only found this sight purely by chance one night when I first started taking the med. Let me say, had I read many of the postings before I started taking the drug, I would not have taken it. This would have done me a great disservice. I have always just checked in on this sight and read the postings, but today I feel compelled to share my "good" Effexor XR story. Thank you for your time.
Canuck
Posted by pat123 on March 27, 2001, at 1:16:04
In reply to Another satisfied customer!, posted by Canuck on March 27, 2001, at 0:55:08
I don't pretend to think that this drug will have the same effect on everyone, but it has done wonders for me. I do wonder, however; if the reason that there are far more unhappy people than happy ones posting on this web sight is because the happy ones aren't looking for a forum to sing Effexor XR's praises. If you are taking the medication and are having good results, why would you bother looking for a sight on the internet? I only found this sight purely by chance one night when I first started taking the med. Let me say, had I read many of the postings before I started taking the drug, I would not have taken it. This would have done me a great disservice.
James here....
Points well taken; we need to be reminded of this often. This board in no way represents a true sample of people and how they do on meds. I do well on meds and have for 2 decades. It did take a while to find the right ones, though.
James
Posted by annj on March 27, 2001, at 1:50:27
In reply to Re: Another satisfied customer!, posted by pat123 on March 27, 2001, at 1:16:04
I know that some people have to be on the drugs to be ok. I think drugs including effexor are a miracle for some people. I also know that many people, when or if they get off the drugs have terrible physical withdrawls which is what upsets me. We received no warning of what we would go through trying to get off these drugs. And worse yet, many of our doctors don't believe us, when we tell them what is going on. I am not totally anti. I think drugs can be helpful in controlling mood. But some of them are terrible to get off of.
> I don't pretend to think that this drug will have the same effect on everyone, but it has done wonders for me. I do wonder, however; if the reason that there are far more unhappy people than happy ones posting on this web sight is because the happy ones aren't looking for a forum to sing Effexor XR's praises. If you are taking the medication and are having good results, why would you bother looking for a sight on the internet? I only found this sight purely by chance one night when I first started taking the med. Let me say, had I read many of the postings before I started taking the drug, I would not have taken it. This would have done me a great disservice.
>
> James here....
>
> Points well taken; we need to be reminded of this often. This board in no way represents a true sample of people and how they do on meds. I do well on meds and have for 2 decades. It did take a while to find the right ones, though.
>
> James
Posted by McGuyver on March 27, 2001, at 9:16:32
In reply to Re: Real or Mindset McGuyver to blazer, posted by Marlane on March 26, 2001, at 21:53:21
You hate drug companies huh? Funny. FYI MDMA=Extacy, the street, club/Rave drug you might have been hearing about.
> > > As we wrote in other post's... read them. Try some MDMA, that will really get the seritonine going... In my opinion, anybody can go to any doctor, and be "diagnosed" with almost any illness. I know for a fact I'm depressed, but the crap is working for me. Check the other posts, every-one is different. Anyone with intellegence, other than spelling, can pretty musch research and fake anything. My one guy that helped me years ago get off illegal drugs, faked appendicitus, to get morphie. It worked, but after the doctor knew. He's got his organ in a jar as the last reminderr. Point being, anyone can fake it. My sisters father/sister in law, whom ar pharmisists, one with PHd, both say nothing but positives of the drug. That's cause it works for a LOT of people. Sorry, I wasn't going to write again. Good-Bye all, and I do wish you luck.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > You know, I had a wonderful post but wasn't registered and apparently lost it in that process. I am very upset by that because it was good and took a very long time for all the process. Suffice it to say that I have many side effects of this EffexorXR, and it has only been the last 2 days that I have figured out those side effects are from this drug! It is not a mindset. I thought there were other reasons, but the skin rash finally made me look for other answers. I am a mess because of this drug, I am weaning myself off of it! I don't deny that it got me out of my deep depression last Dec., but I had to raise the dose to 300mg.to have it work. Now the myoclonus, weight gain,sleep disturbances, joint and muscle pain, including TOS,plus more have been answered for me, for many here have had these and more problems. I will use other means for serotonin support, I know of a couple things that will work. Write me if you wish!
> >
> > What other alternatives do you have in mind once you get off this??
>
> > >I have no idea what MDMA is. Would somebody please tell me??? Also, regarding alternatives to these man made chemicals, there are natural alternatives that are better than some. I happen to know that because I am with a company that manufactures standardized herbals and nutritionals. The particular one I am thinking about is to stop food cravings by satisfying the brain with neuronutrients to support proper brain chemistry. The scientist who developed this calls it the "reward cascade". It is patented, and it works to help a person not crave carbohydrates or food in general. I don't know if it would work to help me get off of the effexor, or if I can take it in place of eff. I need to contact the biochemist at the company to see if this is something I can do first. I hope to be able to and will let you know if it would be a viable alternative.
> Their herbal blend for depression has a proprietary set of ingredients, it isn't just St. John's Wort. I do know that it helps my son who is 22 and has Down Syndrome. We tried him on Zoloft and inside of 2 weeks he was grinding his teeth!! I researched and found that to be a side effect, and we tried it for the 1 month only, slowly weaning him off. I am so glad that I didn't continue him on any other ssri's. He surely doesn't need to end up like his mother at this point! Hurting all the time and no motivation whatsoever...
> Did you see that Serafem is really Prozac re-named?? Now they want women w/PMS to take Prozac!! I guess their patent ran out, and they are remarketing this drug in another vein to gain another umpteen-million more users. And Time magazine is doing a HUGE right-up on Paxil. I started w/that and dr. switched me to effexor cuz she thought I would lose weight on it. I gained steadily, and have never weighed this much in my life! I hate drug companies! All they seem to care about is the almighty dollar!
Posted by Pamela on March 27, 2001, at 9:29:43
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by kckboxgrl on March 26, 2001, at 15:31:34
> McGuyver,
> Thanks for you message, I appreciate not being deluged in positive or negative information. Although I respect everyone's opinions, I know I need to figure out how it will work for me, specifically, and I suppose with that comes the responsibility of dealing with both the wanted and possible unwanted effects. The headaches are gone now, but I was exhausted today. I'm still not sure if it's b/c i took it in the am or b/c my sleep has been disturbed for a few days since starting the effexor. I plan to stick with it at least a few months, at which time we'll see if the negatives outweigh the positives. I'll keep you posted.
> Thanks again!
> -LisaLisa,
I know you don;t want a borage of negatives. Plese just be careful, alot of people focus on the side effects while "ON" FXR. I was one who had "great" results, while ON Effexor, but the "WITHDRAWAL" is the kicker. I would have "never" taken this drug had I know the withdrawal was this horrible. ER twice so far in 7 days and no I am not a hypochondriac, this is more real than I wished it were.
I am scared. I cry everyday.
Information is our greatest asset in life if we use it to protect ourselves.
Prayers are with you,
Pamela
Posted by Pamela on March 27, 2001, at 9:37:15
In reply to Re: Real or Mindset McGuyver to blazer, posted by Marlane on March 26, 2001, at 21:53:21
> > > As we wrote in other post's... read them. Try some MDMA, that will really get the seritonine going... In my opinion, anybody can go to any doctor, and be "diagnosed" with almost any illness. I know for a fact I'm depressed, but the crap is working for me. Check the other posts, every-one is different. Anyone with intellegence, other than spelling, can pretty musch research and fake anything. My one guy that helped me years ago get off illegal drugs, faked appendicitus, to get morphie. It worked, but after the doctor knew. He's got his organ in a jar as the last reminderr. Point being, anyone can fake it. My sisters father/sister in law, whom ar pharmisists, one with PHd, both say nothing but positives of the drug. That's cause it works for a LOT of people. Sorry, I wasn't going to write again. Good-Bye all, and I do wish you luck.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > > You know, I had a wonderful post but wasn't registered and apparently lost it in that process. I am very upset by that because it was good and took a very long time for all the process. Suffice it to say that I have many side effects of this EffexorXR, and it has only been the last 2 days that I have figured out those side effects are from this drug! It is not a mindset. I thought there were other reasons, but the skin rash finally made me look for other answers. I am a mess because of this drug, I am weaning myself off of it! I don't deny that it got me out of my deep depression last Dec., but I had to raise the dose to 300mg.to have it work. Now the myoclonus, weight gain,sleep disturbances, joint and muscle pain, including TOS,plus more have been answered for me, for many here have had these and more problems. I will use other means for serotonin support, I know of a couple things that will work. Write me if you wish!
> >
> > What other alternatives do you have in mind once you get off this??
>
> > >I have no idea what MDMA is. Would somebody please tell me??? Also, regarding alternatives to these man made chemicals, there are natural alternatives that are better than some. I happen to know that because I am with a company that manufactures standardized herbals and nutritionals. The particular one I am thinking about is to stop food cravings by satisfying the brain with neuronutrients to support proper brain chemistry. The scientist who developed this calls it the "reward cascade". It is patented, and it works to help a person not crave carbohydrates or food in general. I don't know if it would work to help me get off of the effexor, or if I can take it in place of eff. I need to contact the biochemist at the company to see if this is something I can do first. I hope to be able to and will let you know if it would be a viable alternative.
> Their herbal blend for depression has a proprietary set of ingredients, it isn't just St. John's Wort. I do know that it helps my son who is 22 and has Down Syndrome. We tried him on Zoloft and inside of 2 weeks he was grinding his teeth!! I researched and found that to be a side effect, and we tried it for the 1 month only, slowly weaning him off. I am so glad that I didn't continue him on any other ssri's. He surely doesn't need to end up like his mother at this point! Hurting all the time and no motivation whatsoever...
> Did you see that Serafem is really Prozac re-named?? Now they want women w/PMS to take Prozac!! I guess their patent ran out, and they are remarketing this drug in another vein to gain another umpteen-million more users. And Time magazine is doing a HUGE right-up on Paxil. I started w/that and dr. switched me to effexor cuz she thought I would lose weight on it. I gained steadily, and have never weighed this much in my life! I hate drug companies! All they seem to care about is the almighty dollar!Marlane,
Haleluiah, sister. Let us know what you find on the natural side, I am currently in touch with some people in Germany, to see what their take is on it, since they care about their population, not just the almighty BUCK!
I went 5 days with no Effexor after weaning for 2 months, 2 ER visits in tht time, but I was too bad and now I went back on about 7 mg. That is how potent this drug is.
Posted by Pamela on March 27, 2001, at 9:50:12
In reply to Another satisfied customer!, posted by Canuck on March 27, 2001, at 0:55:08
>
>
> Just a quick note to say that I have had great results with Effexor XR. I did have a few side effects in the first three days. I had nausea for the first few hours after taking the drug. I also had a hard time sleeping for the first few nights, but I was having a hard time sleeping before the med anyway. And then there was the constant yawning that I could not control. (That could be guite comical depending on where I was.) But I am happy to say that all of that has ended now and I am feeling great. I am feeling more and more like my old self every day. I don't pretend to think that this drug will have the same effect on everyone, but it has done wonders for me. I do wonder, however; if the reason that there are far more unhappy people than happy ones posting on this web sight is because the happy ones aren't looking for a forum to sing Effexor XR's praises. If you are taking the medication and are having good results, why would you bother looking for a sight on the internet? I only found this sight purely by chance one night when I first started taking the med. Let me say, had I read many of the postings before I started taking the drug, I would not have taken it. This would have done me a great disservice. I have always just checked in on this sight and read the postings, but today I feel compelled to share my "good" Effexor XR story. Thank you for your time.
>
> CanuckCanuck,
Once again, you are talking about FXR while you are "on" it, please don't be fooled it is the scariest thing I have experienced "GOING OFF" it. I loved it while on it, it did wonders for me. Information is good and you are right about this site with no one reporting good stuff. I would love to read just "ONE" positive about the withdrawals's.... JUST ONE! It might give me hope, but in the meantime, keep reading so you become aware. Our society likes the quick fix (as did I) so we tend to hide our head in the sand if it does the job, quickly. My life will never be the same (knowledge and appreciation for my previous good health)) as for my health, I pray everyday for a full recovery from this drug. I have other detailed info if yo haven't already read. Please don't dismiss what you read, these are real people, with real suffering going on. This site helped me tremedouly knowing that I wasn't the only one and wasn't going crazy.
God Bless and I will pray for your success,
Pamela
Posted by DavidHIFI on March 27, 2001, at 10:12:06
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Cindy W on January 11, 2000, at 9:14:46
I've just started Effexor XR, and would like to share some preliminary thoughts with the group. Before starting the drug, I read all the postings going back to around 10/99 along with visiting other sites that basically related manufacturer information. Upon reflection, I decided that a forum such as this might tend to have a focus on problems related to this drug. I believe this is the case since reading the posts allows the real pain many of the posters are going through to show rather clearly as noted by the 'drug cocktails' many have had to get on to find some relief. My heart goes out to you all. My situation is, thankfully, not so dire. I have reached the point in my life (I'm just about 48) where I have decided to try and do something about the dark cloud that seems to have been hovering up over my shoulder, just out of sight, my whole life. What made up my mind was the realization that my wife should not have to feel unloved because of my lack of libido, that I was ready to let go of the low level anxiety that had been a constant companion, and that perhaps it was possible for me to enjoy 'better living through (brain) chemistry'. Actually that last glib comment belies a serious issue that I had to get through before asking my doctor for help. That is, the classic struggle against the feeling that resorting to psychotropic drugs admits some sort of personal weakness. Reading about the mechanism of operation (SSRI, etc.)really helped me come to the realization that all the stuff I went over with my shrink over many years of therapy (the childhood stuff, etc.) only goes so far to explain my condition. That just maybe, there is a physical problem that one of these drugs could relieve. So I discussed it with my doctor and he felt that, especially with the libido issues,Effexor XR would be the way to go. He gave me the starter kit, a week at 37.5 than on to 75. I've just now finished the first week and have decided to stay at 37.5 for now. I did have some of the commonly reported side effects, mostly dry mouth and more frequent urination. There was also some sleep disturbance mostly related to getting up to urinate a couple of times in the night. Interestingly, I'm also feeling a bit scared; some throat tightness and mild nerviousness. I think some, if not all, of this is possibly related to the important change in my life that going on this drug represents. I'm taking strength from earlier postings related to the time this drug needs to really do its' job; at this point I'm really encouraged by some things I've started noticing such as a big, positive change in my sexual feelings (my wife is pleased too!), and an awaking feeling of 'can do it-ness' as opposed to 'why bother-ness'. It's been only a week, but I went to my doctor today and changed the full perscription to 37.5 to see if this stuff can work at such a relatively low level. Hey, I'll take the placebo effect if that is what's going on; but time will tell.One final thought: Timothy Leary once said about another drug (LSD) that the 'set' and 'setting' were important. What I mean is that for me, how this drug works will be a quite personal experience. While a huge sample of users might yield hard data as to effects, they all should probably be placed in groups since generalizations might be IMO, wrong. Some might experience renewed (or awakened) sexuality others, loss of same. Some, lasting relief of depression (or lifting of a light funk), others plateau-ing and a revisit to 'the dark abyss'. I hope I, and all of you, can be in the former group. Peace.
Note that this post may show up in a couple of places. It is my first to this site and I am a bit confused as to how to get it into the proper spot.
Posted by Robin on March 27, 2001, at 10:14:00
In reply to Re: effexor xr and side effects, posted by Ann on April 23, 2000, at 12:20:02
Thanks Marlene. I was wondering about Sarafem. When I went to see a doctor for the first time about my depression, it was right after I had seen a commercial advertising Sarafem. I was convinced that that was what I needed, but he put me on Effexor. It's good to know now that Sarafem is just Prozac with a different name. Thanks again.
Robin
Posted by stjames on March 27, 2001, at 12:03:18
In reply to Re: Another satisfied customer!, posted by Pamela on March 27, 2001, at 9:50:12
Posted by kid47 on March 27, 2001, at 12:05:46
In reply to Re: Another satisfied customer!, posted by Pamela on March 27, 2001, at 9:50:12
> >
> >
> > Just a quick note to say that I have had great results with Effexor XR. I did have a few side effects in the first three days. I had nausea for the first few hours after taking the drug. I also had a hard time sleeping for the first few nights, but I was having a hard time sleeping before the med anyway. And then there was the constant yawning that I could not control. (That could be guite comical depending on where I was.) But I am happy to say that all of that has ended now and I am feeling great. I am feeling more and more like my old self every day. I don't pretend to think that this drug will have the same effect on everyone, but it has done wonders for me. I do wonder, however; if the reason that there are far more unhappy people than happy ones posting on this web sight is because the happy ones aren't looking for a forum to sing Effexor XR's praises. If you are taking the medication and are having good results, why would you bother looking for a sight on the internet? I only found this sight purely by chance one night when I first started taking the med. Let me say, had I read many of the postings before I started taking the drug, I would not have taken it. This would have done me a great disservice. I have always just checked in on this sight and read the postings, but today I feel compelled to share my "good" Effexor XR story. Thank you for your time.
> >
> > Canuck
>
> Canuck,
> Once again, you are talking about FXR while you are "on" it, please don't be fooled it is the scariest thing I have experienced "GOING OFF" it. I loved it while on it, it did wonders for me. Information is good and you are right about this site with no one reporting good stuff. I would love to read just "ONE" positive about the withdrawals's.... JUST ONE! It might give me hope, but in the meantime, keep reading so you become aware. Our society likes the quick fix (as did I) so we tend to hide our head in the sand if it does the job, quickly. My life will never be the same (knowledge and appreciation for my previous good health)) as for my health, I pray everyday for a full recovery from this drug. I have other detailed info if yo haven't already read. Please don't dismiss what you read, these are real people, with real suffering going on. This site helped me tremedouly knowing that I wasn't the only one and wasn't going crazy.
> God Bless and I will pray for your success,
> PamelaHi Pamela. I am truly sorry for the very rough time you have had w/your FXR withdrawal. I was not going to respond to anymore of these posts as it seemed to be upsetting to you & some others. I do know how painfull, emotionally & physically mental illness can be & causing additional aggrevation is certainly not my intent.
At 46 yrs old I too was unable to get out of bed, go to work or care for my family. My condition was not a reaction to any drug but from a lifetime of untreated mental ilness. After a stay in a mental hospital. I was stabilized enough to be allowed to go home (plus the insurance ran out) Like many of us, I tried what seemed like every conceivable drug available to treat my Bipolar disorder. At a time when I was busy planning how to make my death look like an accident so my family could collect my life insurance, FXR was added to my drug cocktail. Within two weeks time my life turned around. I am not particularly religous but this was truly a miracle. So for me FXR was a life saver.
Like a person with cancer, aids,or heart disease, there are some of us with mental illness that are in a life or death struggle. When we make a decision to try a medication it may be out of desparation- a last ditch effort. Sometimes in those situations we need support of our decision & not negative histrionics based on anecdotal evidence. I know your intentions are to warn others of the terrible experience you have had with FXR. But when posting to especially this type of format we might be disuading a person from trying something that could very well save there life. Unfortunately people who have good luck with a drug don't post as often as those who have problems(IMO) There has also been good info posted her to minimize the withdrawal fxs.
And there are some posts in the archives of folks who have gotten off of FXR with little or no problem. I personally know of people who have gotten of this drug with no problem also. So not everyone has had the bad experience you have had.I think there is common ground here. I believe we all feel that the maker of FXR is well aware of the potential for withdrawl problems with this drug & there should be a major campaign to educate docs & consumers. I think I read where this is already taking place.
I am not posting this to put anyone down. This is only the 4th time I've ever posted & I've been "lurking" here over 2 years. As an FXR user I know how these alarmist type post make me feel. I deal with severe anxiety & some of the sensationlism surrounding this topic effects me to the point where I may stop reading these posts. I think you can be honest & accurate about a situation & still present a balanced view. I would like to see "hard" data as far as the toal # of FXR rx's written etc. At this point there is very little scientific study about these withdrawals that I have seen. Pamela, don't get me wrong. I believe you are having a terrible time & it is because of withdrawal from FXR. It would be interesting to see some studies on this. Leo mentioned he was an investigative reporter. Maybe he could look into it? Sorry about the lenght of this.
Please post as to how you are feeling. Hope things are improving. Take care.
Posted by Michele on March 27, 2001, at 13:20:29
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Hi everybody,
I am trying to make a desion. I have been on effexor xr for 3 weeks. 37.5,75,150. I have not felt any POSITIVE from this yet.... but many side effects that are scaring the *#*# out of me. Is it possible to tell if a drug is going to work for you in this amount of time? I've never taken an AD before... and I think if I want to stop them, now is the time, before I'm on it too long? I'm pulling hair out of my head trying to decide what to do. I can stop now, with hopefully minimal effects... or hang on and see what happens? If it's not the drug for me, I'd rather stop now and get it over with, since I'm out of work for 2 weeks. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm sooo tired of these side effects.. they are messin' with my mind!!!! Thanx guys....... Michele
Posted by stjames on March 27, 2001, at 15:56:30
In reply to Can't decide. PLEASE help!, posted by Michele on March 27, 2001, at 13:20:29
> Hi everybody,
> I am trying to make a desion. I have been on effexor xr for 3 weeks.james here....
AD's don't start working for 4-6 weeks so you still have some time to go to see if Effexor is for you. Hang in there !
James
Posted by Sher on March 27, 2001, at 17:09:19
In reply to Can't decide. PLEASE help!, posted by Michele on March 27, 2001, at 13:20:29
I started taking Effexor last week. The plan was to increase my dose like you did, (37.5mg,75mg, 150mg) But when I took the first dose of 75mg on Saturday I experienced terrifying side effects as well. In short, I thought we were having a major earthquake and ended up sitting on a kitchen chair hanging on for dear life in a drugged out state.
Perhaps you should cut back down to 37.5. This is the first time I have ever taken AD as well, and I have not felt so good in years. (So much that I get choked up about it and want to kiss my doctor.)
Hang in there, maybe its not the right drug for you, but I sincerely believe that it is worth working on.... Sher> Hi everybody,
> I am trying to make a desion. I have been on effexor xr for 3 weeks. 37.5,75,150. I have not felt any POSITIVE from this yet.... but many side effects that are scaring the *#*# out of me. Is it possible to tell if a drug is going to work for you in this amount of time? I've never taken an AD before... and I think if I want to stop them, now is the time, before I'm on it too long? I'm pulling hair out of my head trying to decide what to do. I can stop now, with hopefully minimal effects... or hang on and see what happens? If it's not the drug for me, I'd rather stop now and get it over with, since I'm out of work for 2 weeks. Any advice would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm sooo tired of these side effects.. they are messin' with my mind!!!! Thanx guys....... Michele
Posted by cjf on March 27, 2001, at 17:53:40
In reply to A Very Interesting Forum................, posted by Leo on March 24, 2001, at 16:27:24
>I for one am very glad this site exists. As I was going through withdrawal and not knowing it, I was very scared. After finding this site, it explained what was happening to me. One thing I want to mention is this. Wyeth-Ayerst is using each and every one of us for their research. I spent over an hour trying to get through to someone other than a customer service rep with Wyeth-Ayerst. Finally after mentioning the next phone call would be to my attorney did I get results. First was a phone call from the President of the company's secretary. Next was a person who asked my doctor to call them so they could "help me" (The help was to go back on Effexor). The final call was from a doctor that was the head of the neuro-science division. After answering many of his questions about my symptoms and the problems I was having with Effexor did I realize that I was just another number in they research. The doctor agreed. He said there was very little research done about the withdrawal from Effexor. When I asked what would happen if a person was allergic to this drug and having a SEVERE reaction, he said the patient would have to decide which to go through...the withdrawal symptoms or the allergic reaction. What a choice! I understand there is a law firm in Philadelphia handling the class action suit against Wyeth-Ayerst. I have looked in the Baltimore & DC areas for another law firm also filing a class action suit with no luck. So, if anyone out there can put me in touch, please do!!! It is not for the money, but the principle. I will not stand for being used as a guinea pig without my knowledge. We as the American public daily put our lives in the hands of doctors and pharmacuetical companies without giving it a second thought. Why? because they know more than we do. They are suppose to be taking care of us and guess what? They are...for their benefit! While going through withdrawal I was involved in a 3 car accident(my fault) because I was having a "brain freeze". I am an accountant and this is the worst time for my career to be having memory and health problems. I could be sued for injury in the car accidents...I could lose my job because I can't function. And why, because a doctor who didn't have time (her words) to tell me about the withdrawal effects and a pharmacuetical company who didn't do their research before their drug was released to the general public. Am I angry??? YES!!! They have messed with my life and nobody is going to do that. My life is the only thing I have total control over and by losing that control to a prescription drug and its manufacturer is not an option. At some point these large corporations must be called on the carpet. To go to an extreme, why is this any different that the "experiments" performed on the jews during Holocaust? Come on people stand together, take charge of your life and don't let strangers use you. Any help in locating the law firm would be appreciated. Please email me the information. Thanks,
>cjf
> Well………………..this certainly has been a very interesting forum over the last 72 hours. I hope that of us who have been fortunate enough to overcome our depression haven’t relapsed and that those of you that are still struggling with the disease haven’t sunken deeper into the abyss while reading these posts.
>
> I have spent the last twenty years as a freelance investigative research professional. I have researched and prepared documents on an enormous variety of subject matter, under contractual agreements, for various agency’s, organizations, corporations and privately funded “think tanks” from around the world. These assignments have lasted anywhere from 6 hours to 6 years, depending on the subject matter. I have undertaken, on my own, and because of my personal experience as it is related to effexor, some investigative research on the drug. Now, when one investigates a subject, it is broken down into two categories: objective and subjective. The objective category deals strictly with the facts that surround the subject matter. The subjective category deals solely with the emotions and opinions that surround the subject matter. 99.9% of any subject is shrouded in emotion and opinion. Focusing emotions and opinions along with personal attacks on a subject, without a doubt, obscure the facts and are extremely counter-productive. However, no matter how one goes about debating the subject or issue at hand, you CAN NEVER DISPUTE THE FACTS.
>
> I’m sure that Dr. Bob established this website to for people to read shared experiences. This is an excellent therapy practice. Mainly because of the support that it offers all of us in one form or another. People come to this website seeking answers, support and help, not to be attacked. They are coming to this website and the others out there because they, like I was, are FRIGHTENED by what they are experiencing. These people, like I was, are suffering from physical and emotional withdrawal so intense, that they are wondering if they are going to make it through the day without some catastrophic event occurring that is going to harm them. No one, including his or her doctor, has an answer. The med supplements that are supplied with the medication DO NOT address the withdrawal associated with effexor, do not warn if its dependency and vaguely address its side effects. Hence, an extremely FRIGHTENING experience for those, like me, who have never been there before. During the initial shock of withdrawal from this drug and well after its being discontinued, there are hundreds of people that are continuing to report experiences with one or more of the side effects from this drug. Why is it that Wyeth-Ayerst has yet to come forward with ALL the facts associated with this drug? Trust me when I tell you that they are well aware of what we know. There are FACTS in experience. No matter how mild or extreme. Those of us that have gotten off this drug and have related our experiences are Wyeth-Ayersts “post trial” studies. When you eliminate the emotions and opinions in these and the hundreds of other sites on the internet dedicated solely to this drug, you find a huge thread of commonalties that allows one to deal solely with facts. Failure of the developer and manufacturer of this drug to FULLY disclose ALL the facts about effexor only forces them to dig a deeper, darker hole for themselves. One that they may very well end up being buried in. This lack of disclosure is my primary concern. All the facts need to be disclosed to a potential user of the drug so they are not broad-sided by its effects. This so they can make an educated decision before they going forward with using the drug. If they know what to expect, then the fear will be lessoned.
>
>
> Finally, I think all of us will agree that this is an excellent site that offers information and support. Personal attacks on each other are extremely counter-productive and have no positive outcome. I will continue to post my “post” effexor experiences. I feel that this is important and I think that all of us should. We should all be respectful and civil towards the personal experiences related here and try to stay as objective as we can. We all share commonalities in these experiences. We should be helping and supporting each other through our experiences, good or bad, not attacking. I am here to offer whatever help I can, especially with those of you how are going through the withdrawal from the drug. This site helped me survive an extremely frightening and unexpected experience. Now, go do something that will make you laugh!!! It's good medicine. Thank you Dr. Bob.
>
> Regards,
> Leo
Posted by Amy Blue on March 27, 2001, at 19:22:04
In reply to Can't decide. PLEASE help!, posted by Michele on March 27, 2001, at 13:20:29
Michele - First let me say that everyone is different and different meds affect everyone differently. This is just my experience, I'm not trying to scare you or tell you what to do.
I was put on Effexor XR. Took 75 mgs for 2 weeks, then my pdoc upped me to 150. Within a couple days I had a racing pulse, muscle spasms, LITERALLY unable to sleep or eat. Spasms got to the point where I couldn't drive, work, write, type, andything. I lost 12 pounds in a week. I had no idea it was from Effexor and kept taking it. My symptoms got worse and worse until I finally called my doctor. I ended up taking a 1-month leave of absence from work to taper down and recover.
Effexor scared the sh#t out of me. If you are having severe side effects I would call your doc and begin tapering off. Just my opinion. Good luck to you - Blue.
Posted by Michele on March 27, 2001, at 19:53:33
In reply to Re: Can't decide. PLEASE help! Michele, posted by Amy Blue on March 27, 2001, at 19:22:04
Thanks to you guys who responded to me. Differing opinions, as I figured I'd get, reading the old posts. My biggest problem.. is my pdoc is out of town till next friday. So I can't taper off in the meantime, I would just have to stop...Blue,... how did you feel after? Withdrawal wise and what not? Are you on anything now? James.... thanks, like I said, I'm new to this AD process, and didn't know how long it takes. Sher.... the 37.5 is working for you? Anyway, my options right now are to stop... and avoid getting more into my system... or wait a week and a half. I feel so pathetic having been obsessing over this for days.. and feel like I have to decide by 8.. my next dose. My side effects.. brain tingling, headaches, some nausea, but the biggest most annoying one is that my hands shake sooooo bad. I mean, to the point where I bring a glass up to drink water and miss my mouth. I work as a cocktail waitress... in Las Vegas... and the hand shaking thing won't work well. Anyway, I'm rambling... I dont personally know anybody with experience on these things.. don't mean to be a bother. Thanks again for responding... and if there's anything else you can tell me tonight.. I'd love to hear from ya. Thanks.... Michele
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