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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 4:56:21
I started Effexor two and a half weeks ago. For a few days there was no effect, then I felt GREAT for a few days, but for almost a week there has been an increasing jittery anxious feeling. It feels like my skin is buzzy. Tonight after a couple of hours sleep and after a Klonopin, I'm up again, wide awake and anxious. It's daily getting harder to concentrate.
How long does it take for this side effect to go away. I don't think I can take it much longer. My pdoc wants me to try to make it till Monday in case the agitation wears off, but I don't know if I can do it. Tonight I'm getting that "I want to rip my skin off" feeling.
On the plus side, I have more energy. My migraines have stopped and my husband thinks my mood is better, although I haven't noticed except for the few days I felt better than great. He might just be noticing the increased energy. It doesn't seem to be helping much with the OCD thoughts.
Does the jitteriness and agitation wear off soon? (Sorry, I know I can do a search, and I will, but I also need a more personal answer, if that makes sense.)
Posted by Ritch on July 10, 2002, at 8:09:56
In reply to Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 4:56:21
> I started Effexor two and a half weeks ago. For a few days there was no effect, then I felt GREAT for a few days, but for almost a week there has been an increasing jittery anxious feeling. It feels like my skin is buzzy. Tonight after a couple of hours sleep and after a Klonopin, I'm up again, wide awake and anxious. It's daily getting harder to concentrate.
>
> How long does it take for this side effect to go away. I don't think I can take it much longer. My pdoc wants me to try to make it till Monday in case the agitation wears off, but I don't know if I can do it. Tonight I'm getting that "I want to rip my skin off" feeling.
>
> On the plus side, I have more energy. My migraines have stopped and my husband thinks my mood is better, although I haven't noticed except for the few days I felt better than great. He might just be noticing the increased energy. It doesn't seem to be helping much with the OCD thoughts.
>
> Does the jitteriness and agitation wear off soon? (Sorry, I know I can do a search, and I will, but I also need a more personal answer, if that makes sense.)
Dinah,I started with a tiny amount of Effexor a tad over three weeks ago. I started out with just 12.5mg for several days, then upped it to 18.75mg for several more days, and then 25mg for the last several days. Today I start taking 18.75mg first thing and then 18.75mg a few hours later (to avoid nausea-stomach upset). However, 37.5mg is the max I ever intend to take (otherwise it will make me hypomanic). I have had some agitation as well, but it *does* seem to be settling down. It could be your dosage is too high, or you ramped it up too quickly. I am super med sensitive and just do not have any choice in how I start any antidepressant-unfortunately. I am feeling a reduction in anxiety, but not until the last few days. Maybe you are just taking too much?
hope this helps some,
Mitch
Posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 8:21:01
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please? » Dinah, posted by Ritch on July 10, 2002, at 8:09:56
Thanks Ritch,
It could be. I was on 37.5 for several days with no effects at all, positive or negative, so we upped it to 75 mg. That was two weeks ago, and it just seems to be getting worse and worse. I have problems with hypomania too, especially on AD's, and given my sleep the last two nights, that might be getting to be a problem. I'll call pdoc today and either increase Klonopin for a week or two or get off the Effexor. I just can't take this.
Thanks for your take on this.
Posted by fairnymph on July 10, 2002, at 13:03:09
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 8:21:01
I disagree with the previous post that you are on too high of a dose...
You mentioned OCD thoughts, but I notice you also take klonopin and you mentioned hypomania, so I take it you suffer from both OCD and bipolar? (which is a weird combo of a disorders to be afflicted with, I must say)
If you have bipolar, I think Effexor would be a bad med for you...
I suffer from OCD and while I liked Effexor, I did not find it to be that great of a med for my OCD...helped with my depression quite a bit but did not do as much for my OCD as say, Prozac...
~fairnymph
Posted by d miller on July 10, 2002, at 19:24:19
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by fairnymph on July 10, 2002, at 13:03:09
I am very med senistive also. One thing to consider is taking the tablet instead of the capsule XR. I get more anxious with every increase so the capsules did not work for me because it was to much of a increase. The tablet I can cut to slowly increase and take 2 or even 3 times a day so you don't get a full dose at one time, might be a option. Do not be suprised is you doctor boohoo's the tablet, they really like the capsule XR because its time released. They think it has less side affects.
Yea right!!!
D. Miller
Posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 20:18:55
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by d miller on July 10, 2002, at 19:24:19
My first clearly hypomanic incident occurred on Wellbutrin and my pdoc is concerned that the Effexor might be leading me down that road. Sooo... We're going to drop the dosage back to 37.5 mg and my own plan is to drop it entirely on a slow basis.
And it felt so good for a few days before it started feeling worse and worse. I thought I had found a good med for me. :(
I'm not sure about the effectiveness for OCD, fairnymph. It took over a month for the anti-OCD effects to kick in on Luvox and then it worked very well, and I'm not going to be on Effexor that long. Unfortunately the Luvox also made me too apathetic and after four years on it I quit.
But at least my pdoc now agrees with me that a longer trial of Effexor at the higher dose doesn't seem like a good idea.
Thanks everyone.
Posted by Ritch on July 10, 2002, at 22:30:01
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 8:21:01
> Thanks Ritch,
>
> It could be. I was on 37.5 for several days with no effects at all, positive or negative, so we upped it to 75 mg. That was two weeks ago, and it just seems to be getting worse and worse. I have problems with hypomania too, especially on AD's, and given my sleep the last two nights, that might be getting to be a problem. I'll call pdoc today and either increase Klonopin for a week or two or get off the Effexor. I just can't take this.
>
> Thanks for your take on this.Dinah,
I have been feeling fairly calm on 25mg total per day. But yesterday and today at the higher dose of 37.5mg/day I definitely had some mild hypomania. I really don't want to boost Depakote any further to counteract that. I see my pdoc tomorrow. Effexor 75mg is a "therapeutic" dose for depression (at the botttom of the range anyhow). Sleepwise, I have noticed that my sleep is fairly abbreviated-that is I am sleeping a contiguous 5-7hrs., but no more. As long as it isn't "broken", and I don't have any raging I will stick with it (37.5mg/day) for a while.
Mitch
Posted by Ritch on July 10, 2002, at 22:33:44
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by d miller on July 10, 2002, at 19:24:19
> I am very med senistive also. One thing to consider is taking the tablet instead of the capsule XR. I get more anxious with every increase so the capsules did not work for me because it was to much of a increase. The tablet I can cut to slowly increase and take 2 or even 3 times a day so you don't get a full dose at one time, might be a option. Do not be suprised is you doctor boohoo's the tablet, they really like the capsule XR because its time released. They think it has less side affects.
>
> Yea right!!!
>
> D. Miller
Hi,I think you are onto something. I have been dividing up XR caps and taking them with applesauce, whatever, and it is easier to divide the dose during the day. My pdoc doesn't like the IR version either. But, I think I am going to ask for 37.5mg IR tabs and just chop the suckers up as I need to for now.
Mitch
Posted by Mr. Scott on July 11, 2002, at 0:11:59
In reply to Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 4:56:21
Anything over 50 mg of Effexor drives me up the wall! I play with 37.5mg capsules and the 25mg tablets as well trying to get a decent balance.
Because of this I've thought I'm bipolar...
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2002, at 9:05:52
In reply to Re: Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please? » Dinah, posted by Mr. Scott on July 11, 2002, at 0:11:59
I was intending to eliminate the Effexor entirely. However I've noticed that my migraines have entirely disappeared over the three weeks I've been on it. And I'm not jittery on 37.5 mg. Of course I don't notice any effect on mood and certainly not on obsessive thoughts at that dose. It might be worth staying on just for the migraines though.
Unfortunately, even at lower doses, it seems to lower my inhibitions about self injury. I've promised my therapist not to self injure and off ssri's I have been very careful to keep that promise. On the effexor (and on Luvox in the past) I find I self injure more, even before I made the promise. I think I read about a similar problem with ssri's in the tips section. I'll have to look it up again.
Then of course there is the sexual difficulties that I noticed immediately even at low dose Effexor.
Migraines vs. increased self injury and anorgasmia. Hmmm.
Still think I'll go off it entirely.
Posted by rin on July 12, 2002, at 11:38:23
In reply to Can't take Effexor jitteriness! Help please?, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2002, at 4:56:21
Hi there,,,I am new to this site and am trying to read as much as I can.
I read your message and just wondered what "OCD" was?
Thank you.
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2002, at 11:42:02
In reply to attn: dinah, posted by rin on July 12, 2002, at 11:38:23
My pleasure. And welcome to Babble, rin!
OCD is obsessive compulsive disorder, an anxiety disorder marked by intrusive thoughts and urges to perform certain actions to reduce anxiety.
Posted by medlib on July 12, 2002, at 13:57:20
In reply to Re: Effexor, Migraines, Self Injury, posted by Dinah on July 12, 2002, at 9:05:52
Hi Dinah--
As a fellow migraine sufferer, I thought you might be interested in a little open-label pilot study I ran across which suggests that coenzyme Q10 may be helpful in reducing the frequency of migraine attacks.
What I found interesting is that *no* side effects were reported. Coenzyme Q10 occurs naturally in the body, is not likely to interfere with other meds, and is available OTC at nutrition centers and at some pharmacies. I'm planning to try it when I have time to pick some up; I'll let you know my results if you wish.
It's good to see you back posting!---medlib
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2002, at 15:04:53
In reply to Re: Migraine prophylaxis » Dinah, posted by medlib on July 12, 2002, at 13:57:20
Thanks medlib. :)
It does sound promising. Will you let me know how it goes? Perhaps I'll give it a try as well once I'm off the Effexor entirely. I don't understand at all why the Effexor is preventing the migraines. Luvox didn't have an effect on them at all.
Dinah
This is the end of the thread.
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