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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sid on April 11, 2002, at 17:08:16
(it's a song... )
Well, I did go to the doctor (withOUT a little basket in my arms, unlike the song!).Will try taking my daily 75mg of Effexor XR at night (with dinner) rather than in the morning. If that does not help me have more energy, then in about 10 days, I'll start on an additional daily 150mg of Wellbutrin SR, taking in the morning while the Effexor XR will still be taken in the evening. Well, we'll see. I decided to get a massage on Sat morning too since my back hurts these days and I'm so tired the pain seems to get worse and worse...
Summer, come to me, give me energy! I'm tired, tired tired. Happy! But soooo darn tired!
:-)
-sid
Posted by IsoM on April 11, 2002, at 20:17:57
In reply to I went to the doctor, mon ti-panier sous mon bras, posted by sid on April 11, 2002, at 17:08:16
So no stims, sid? The doctor thinks the Wellbutrin will do the trick? And if it doesn't, is he willing to give you something else then? My back hurts too from all the bending & lifting. I wish there was someone to give me a massage, but I still have Mr. Hot Water Bottle.
Move to Vancouver BC, darling, spring is here (just minus the sunshine, damn it). There's been sunny spells, of course, but I need MORE! But now I'm working outside all day as the garden centre is going full swing. Rhodos, azaleas, daffodils, tulips, crocuses, star-of-Bethlehems, grape hyacinths, real hyacinthes (heavenly scent!), forsythia, cherry blossoms, pussy willows, pansies, primroses, anemones, ad nauseum (but not for me!) are all madly blooming. The new green buds on trees are starting to open too with that soft, hazy green mist around the bare branches.
Sorry, Dr. Bob - you'll think this is a garden ad.
Posted by BlueJay Bird on April 11, 2002, at 23:04:17
In reply to I went to the doctor, mon ti-panier sous mon bras, posted by sid on April 11, 2002, at 17:08:16
Hi!
I'm just curious - if you are taking the 75mg of EffexorXR (I'm on 150mg of the stuff myself!) for ENERGY, why would you switch to taking it at night? Wouldn't it keep you up? And wouldn't taking it in the morning be more likely to give you energy for the day?
I must be missing something because I don't get why you're switching the time for when you take the EffexorXR!?!!
Posted by sid on April 12, 2002, at 11:01:22
In reply to Re: I went to the doctor, mon ti-panier sous mon bras » sid, posted by IsoM on April 11, 2002, at 20:17:57
Hi IsoM,
we'll see about stims...
First I'm switching to taking the Effexor XR at dinner time for about a week (I have a headache, probably due to the delay in taking it! - today at noon, tomorrow at dinner time). If I'm still tired and having trouble doing my day's work without energy for any exercise, then I'll add the Wellbutrin SR in the morning. If that doesn't do the trick, then we'll talk again in 3 weeks. The fact that I need to lose weight makes me want to take the Wellbutrin SR more than stims, since it's a common "side effect" to lose weight on it.
Flowers, already? Well here, the snow is melting, at least!! Quite fast too. In a week or so there shouldn't be any left. Today is sunny and yesterday was too, FINALLY! We had a 10 days of automn-like weather, which frankly was not helping me at all with my wanting to sleep all the time.
Well, I have to get ready for my last yoga class of the semester... And then work like crazy to prepare 2 math-intensive classes for next week. I'm teaching 2 grad classes this semester, one of which I'm teaching for the first time, and it's taking its toll on me. No wonder I'm tired, considering I started ADs for the first time in my life 4 months ago. Overall, I'm not unhappy with myself right now, eben though I'm going through a tough time energy-wise.
Well, lady, have fun in your garden! Smell the flowers for me!- sid
Posted by sid on April 12, 2002, at 11:07:17
In reply to Re: I went to the doctor, mon ti-panier sous mon bras » sid, posted by BlueJay Bird on April 11, 2002, at 23:04:17
Well...
I'm taking Effexor XR for dysthymia, not for energy. It's been working well for the dysthymia, but after 4 months of taking it, I feel physically exhausted. Indeed, I have NO energy during the day, and then at night, I have more energy and I have trouble getting to sleep. I'm often taking zaleplon at night to help me fall asleep (Sonata brand in the US; Starnoc brand in Canada). We're hoping that my taking the Effexor XR with dinner will help me fall asleep without the zaleplon at night and will instead give me energy later, in the morning.
If that alone doesn't work well enough, then I'll add Wellbutrin SR in the morning and see how it goes from there.- sid
Posted by BlueJay Bird on April 13, 2002, at 1:28:53
In reply to energy and Effexor XR » BlueJay Bird, posted by sid on April 12, 2002, at 11:07:17
Hi,
Thanks for explaining that you're taking EffexorXR for dysthymia, not for energy! I'm glad to hear that it has been working well for the dysthymia, but sorry to hear that after 4 months of taking it, you feel physically exhausted. Interesting because on the one hand, EffexorXR is supposed to be one of the more *stimulating* SSRI's, but I have since learned on this very board that SSRI's can cause fatigue and lethargy! Go figure!
I have the SAME problem you do and now I'm wondering if my taking EffexorXR each morning could be the culprit - like you, I have NO energy during the day, and then at night, I have more energy and I have trouble getting to sleep. Actually, that's an understatement ... I have MAJOR insomnia. Bad.
I tried taking zaleplon at night to help me fall asleep but it didn't work. Zolpidem helped somewhat.
Please keep me updated about if your taking the Effexor XR with dinner will helps you fall asleep without the zaleplon at night and will instead give you energy later, in the morning. I sure hope this works for you.
All the best,
BlueJay Bird
Posted by sid on April 13, 2002, at 21:12:37
In reply to Sid: check out my EffexorXR situation: » sid, posted by BlueJay Bird on April 13, 2002, at 1:28:53
Well, I'm not alone!
I've been reading quite a few posts about people getting really tired on these meds...
I got a massage today, letting my massotherapist know that I was exhausted, out of energy, etc... I hope it helps, and I think it will. I also do yoga and yesterday's class was good. I had stopped doing it the previous Friday because I was soooooo exhausted after the class that it did not help me fell better at all, quite to the contrary (it was a "stimulating" session - i.e., one that people in better shape than me could enjoy). So I'm back to doing relaxing yoga. I've taken the Effexor XR with lunch both yesterday and today (I had the massage at noon and did not want to feel weird because of the delayed dose on top of the effect of the massage). Tomorrow I'll take it with dinner, and will let you know in a week or so how things are going for me.Take care... I hope we find some solution to this unpleasant side effect.
- sid
Posted by sid on April 14, 2002, at 20:48:55
In reply to Sid: check out my EffexorXR situation: » sid, posted by BlueJay Bird on April 13, 2002, at 1:28:53
Hi BlueJay Bird,
well, I'm on my 3rd day of playing around with the time I take my Effexor XR capsule, and I find myself having more energy during the day. We'll see if it lasts, but this weekend was much better than the last 2, where I could barely do laundry for the life of me.I took the med at lunchtime on Friday and yesterday as well, then today I took it at 6PM with dinner. Now it's close to 10PM and I'm starting to feel sleepy, which is normal! Usually at this time, I start having energy and could start my day. And I did a lot today before I took the Effexor XR - shopping, cooking, laundry, worked outside a bit (taking winter protection off trees), went for a walk, worked in my books preparing a class. And unlike the past few weeks, I did not have to coaxe myself into doing these things for 3 hours before doing finally getting off the couch. So... so far so good. I must say, the weather has been beautiful, after a few weeks of automn-like days, it does make me want to go outside and move around. I must say it probably affected me positively too.
I must say, it makes me think that perhaps I'd be fine without the Effexor XR. I was tempted to skip it altogether today and see how it's going... but I know better, and also, I'm teaching tomorrow... can't risk it. And I know it would not be wise to stop so soon after I started feeling not-dysthymic.
Anyhow, I'll continue the evening Effexor XR experience and let you know in a week or so how it's going. If it continues like today, I won't need the Wellbutrin SR anytime soon.
- sid
Posted by BlueJay Bird on April 15, 2002, at 2:18:46
In reply to Effexor XR and energy » BlueJay Bird, posted by sid on April 14, 2002, at 20:48:55
This is the end of the thread.
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