![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Katia on October 23, 2002, at 1:26:50
I've been on Effexor for just over a month now. My doc took me off 30mg of Celexa straight cold turkey on that to 150 mg of Effexor per day (is this a too quick of switch?) and now has just upped it to 300mg per day. Throughout the month I have slowly been getting more and more constipated, now completely so at 300mg. Has anyone ever experienced this and does it go away when the body adjusts?? Has anyone had to go off Effexor due to this unhealthy side effect? I've already tried eating lots of fiber, prunes, etc. and even drink herbal teas (psyillum husk and "Smooth Move" tea). Finally gave myself an enema - yes I cleaned myself out, but it was very painful and unpleasant and can't see having to do this as a replacement for a healthy bowel movement the entire time (a year plus) I'll have to be on this med. I don't have a good psychiatrist, not even a consisent one as I go to a non-profit clinic (California) to get samples and I'm always seeing someone new. How do people afford this??? It's really frustrating as this has been my first time (the Celexa - which didn't work) on medication for depression even though I've suffered from it all my life.
Any advice or sharing of experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Katia
Posted by Phil on October 23, 2002, at 7:08:41
In reply to Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????, posted by Katia on October 23, 2002, at 1:26:50
Ahh, constipation. I couldn't take Effexor but was on Amitriptyline and it's very constipating.
If the other things you've tried don't work, get some Senokot or a store brand of Senokot since it has gotten so expensive. It will work.
I took it for years, stopped the offending drug, quit Senokot and had no long term or short term problems.
I still use it pretty often. Nothing much worse than being constipated.Phil
Posted by Katia on October 23, 2002, at 14:16:11
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????, posted by Phil on October 23, 2002, at 7:08:41
Thanks Phil for the advice. This "Smooth Move" tea that I've been drinking contains Senna. I wonder if the Senokot is simliar? The past two days I've reduced my level to 225mg without approval of my Dr., simply because of what I stated before. Two Dr.s have left the clinic in less than two months and I keep getting thrown around. I actually don't have a dr. at present. So I've had a bowel movement!!! I think it may have been from the Senna - smooth move tea and the psyllium husk powder and ALL the fiber containing foods I've been eating. Maybe with all this and at 225mg, the constipation will be manageble and 225mg will be a good level for my depression.
Do you know if there are therapeutic levels? Maybe 225mg is really no more effective than the 150mg? We'll see if I fall soon.
Thanks for your comments and any further ones you may have.
Katia> Ahh, constipation. I couldn't take Effexor but was on Amitriptyline and it's very constipating.
> If the other things you've tried don't work, get some Senokot or a store brand of Senokot since it has gotten so expensive. It will work.
> I took it for years, stopped the offending drug, quit Senokot and had no long term or short term problems.
> I still use it pretty often. Nothing much worse than being constipated.
>
> Phil
Posted by LynnPerley on October 23, 2002, at 21:33:41
In reply to Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????, posted by Katia on October 23, 2002, at 1:26:50
Jumping right on to 300 mg seems a bit extreme, but perhaps you were very depressed. My doc (a general practice guy) said 150 mg is the usual therapeutic dose, he does up to 225 mg, and psychiatrists will dose 300 mg and above. The consitpation hit occasionally as I moved up the dosage chain, but I'm taking 225mg right now and it hits once or twice a week, just hard movements. Senna is in Senekot. You may find generic Senekot cheaper than the tea, or you may not. I get by on an occasional Citrucel and a very high fiber diet - but I don't miss a day. I may have 6 or 7 difficult small ones a day, but at least I have them. Good luck - is the med helping you feel better?
Posted by Katia on October 24, 2002, at 1:50:48
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » Katia, posted by LynnPerley on October 23, 2002, at 21:33:41
Hi,
Thanks so much for your advice. When you say "it" hits once or twice a week. Do you mean constipation? And when you say "just hard movements", what does that mean? And is it all the time? Hard movements meaning small and difficult/pushing/lots of effort for small results movements? Is that what happens to you on a daily basis? I'm so used to two times a day - a healthy solid movement twice, that this is not good. The digestive system is the most detoxing system in the body. If it shuts down all sorts of problems arise (including depression!).I was severely depressed. The medication seems to be working now that I upped it. My life situations have exasperbated the depression and can actually CAUSE depression in themselves - (In Feb., I moved to Scotland to be with boyfriend, got severlly depressed, fought like crazy with him for four months because neither of us KNEW it was depression, got pregnant, he sent me home with a one way ticket [I am a psych grad student, he is a project manager for pharm company - we are not young and uneducated]I was alone, homeless, staying with a friend, faced an abortion alone due to his freak out withdrawal, emotionally immature being in the world. Was FLAT OUT in COMPLETE devasation on top of a pre-existing depression on top of a life time of dysthymia, on top of an abortion being faced AFTER he said he wanted to marry me and have kids whenever I wanted, he turned his back to me. I have been battling this depression, facing an abortion, the aftermath, finding a home, finding a job, and starting back at grad school all in the past six months. he was the one I thought I would marry. My heart has broken, I've lost another child, I lost my home, my job, my good friend and I've suddenly addressed my depression of 22 yrs. SOOOOO I'm not quite sure if it's working or not because of all the life circumstances. I do feel better. I sleep ten hours a night, when I was previously an insomniac. But I also get very tired easily (as in depression) and can handle only minimal social interactions. I don't have a "proper" psychiatrist, so I'm a bit frustrated as I'm finally making an effort to face and heal this depression in me.
So that's my story! Thanks for your input or further input Lynn.
Katia> Jumping right on to 300 mg seems a bit extreme, but perhaps you were very depressed. My doc (a general practice guy) said 150 mg is the usual therapeutic dose, he does up to 225 mg, and psychiatrists will dose 300 mg and above. The consitpation hit occasionally as I moved up the dosage chain, but I'm taking 225mg right now and it hits once or twice a week, just hard movements. Senna is in Senekot. You may find generic Senekot cheaper than the tea, or you may not. I get by on an occasional Citrucel and a very high fiber diet - but I don't miss a day. I may have 6 or 7 difficult small ones a day, but at least I have them. Good luck - is the med helping you feel better?
Posted by LynnPerley on October 24, 2002, at 21:27:56
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????Lynn, posted by Katia on October 24, 2002, at 1:50:48
I meant several small movements, hard to get out, a day. It hits me a couple of times a week. Any abrupt change of diet seems to make it worse (i.e., every time I have to take a business trip).
I would stick with the med if it is helping, and try some other non senna bulk forming meds - but I understand the senna is not harmful if used as needed? I just avoid that stuff unless I'm miserable (or unless I just gave birth and can't handle the straining)!
Posted by Gracie2 on October 25, 2002, at 18:53:15
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????Lynn » Katia, posted by LynnPerley on October 24, 2002, at 21:27:56
In the morning, eat a couple of those Metamucil cookies with your coffee or juice. They actually taste okay and they'll clean you out.
-Gracie
Posted by ST on October 27, 2002, at 22:34:23
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????Phil, posted by Katia on October 23, 2002, at 14:16:11
Oh...Effexor. I was on it for four months. I switched from Celexa to Effexor, as well. I was constipated the whole time. The only things that seemed to work were Cascara Sagrada (an herb supplement you can get at a natural foods store) and a psyllium husk blend capsule called "Super Colon Cleanse". This can be found at Whole Foods and a chain of stores called Trader Joe's - don't know if there is one near you. But even still, I rarely went to the bathroom! Exercise helped to move things around....But, by far the best way to cleanse your colon is with a Dr. Shultz (or Shulze)product called Intestinal Formula #1 (capsules), and Intestinal Formula #2 (a powder you mix and drink). I did a detox/colon cleanse twice on it and.....well, it was amazing what it did. It seems hard to order, though (maybe they want you to get a "prescription" of sorts from an natural doctor), and I keep finding different spellings of his name.
I see a nataurapath and an acupuncturist/herbalist and they have always recommended this product. But it is very heavy duty.
I'll let you know - if you're interested - in where to purchase it. I'm interested in doing another cleanse.....
Good luck!
Sarah
Posted by Katia on October 28, 2002, at 4:09:30
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????, posted by ST on October 27, 2002, at 22:34:23
HI Sarah,
Thanks for your info. I am in California, so YES! I know Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Why were you on Eff. only for four months? What sort of depression do you have? What dose were you at? What are you on now? I'm in the process of finding a good, reliable, consistent pDr. Where do you live? How old are you?
HOpe to hear from you again. And ask me anything you want.
Thanks.
Katia.
> Oh...Effexor. I was on it for four months. I switched from Celexa to Effexor, as well. I was constipated the whole time. The only things that seemed to work were Cascara Sagrada (an herb supplement you can get at a natural foods store) and a psyllium husk blend capsule called "Super Colon Cleanse". This can be found at Whole Foods and a chain of stores called Trader Joe's - don't know if there is one near you. But even still, I rarely went to the bathroom! Exercise helped to move things around....
>
> But, by far the best way to cleanse your colon is with a Dr. Shultz (or Shulze)product called Intestinal Formula #1 (capsules), and Intestinal Formula #2 (a powder you mix and drink). I did a detox/colon cleanse twice on it and.....well, it was amazing what it did. It seems hard to order, though (maybe they want you to get a "prescription" of sorts from an natural doctor), and I keep finding different spellings of his name.
>
> I see a nataurapath and an acupuncturist/herbalist and they have always recommended this product. But it is very heavy duty.
>
> I'll let you know - if you're interested - in where to purchase it. I'm interested in doing another cleanse.....
>
> Good luck!
>
> Sarah
Posted by Katia on October 28, 2002, at 4:13:14
In reply to Advice on that, posted by Gracie2 on October 25, 2002, at 18:53:15
Thanks Gracie,
What dose are you at? I'll try the cookies.
Katia.
> In the morning, eat a couple of those Metamucil cookies with your coffee or juice. They actually taste okay and they'll clean you out.
> -Gracie
Posted by ST on October 28, 2002, at 18:31:33
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » ST, posted by Katia on October 28, 2002, at 4:09:30
Hi Katia,
I'm a Bi-polar 2 with mostly depressive episodes. I'm on a mood stabilizer, Depakote as well as Wellbutrin. But a few years ago, one of my doctors suggested also adding an SSRI (at the time, Serzone) and I felt a great relief from this combo. After about 2 years or so, I felt the Serzone was pooping out, so I switched to Celexa for about a year. Well, I finally went off of Celexa because I gained over thirty pounds in three months! (I've now lost 25!) So I started Effexor and went throught the whole dizzy, flu-like symtom thing while my body got used to it. Each time I upped the dose, it made me feel very wierd and sick. I eventually - I think - got up to a fairly high dose...like 275 or 300?? I think....However I noticed my sex drive shriveled, it really did nothing for my depression and if I skipped a dose or didn't take it at exactly the same time every day, those flu symptoms came on. I did so much reading on the internet about how it made people feel sick. I finally decided to just go off it - with my doc's encouragement - since it really wasn't makig a difference. I was so, so, so, so very sick for three months while I weaned myself off it. I'm sure you've heard the horror stories on this board. (And my story is in the archives-from last April or so, I think)But to make it brief, I couln't drop my mgs too much at a time or I'd be incapacitated by flu-like symptoms. It got to the point that when I was down to taking 10 or 12 mgs a day, I had to chip off pieces of the tablet or count out spreckles form the inside of the SR capsule. In the final weeks, if I didn't take the 3 or 4 or 5 mgs a day, I'd get sick! I went on these crying jags for really no reason and was moody...I finally got down to what seemed to be about 2 mgs a day and then took a 3-day weekend to get off it completely. I missed a lot of work and felt like crap for a long time and finally was off it by last May. But Effexor works wonders for many people, so give it a shot. But...if you ever need to get off it, GO SLOWLY. My pdoc was so surprised that the lack of Effexor coursing through my body made me so sick. These doctors really don't realize how these meds affect us!
So I went without any kind of SSRI this whole summer and was moody and depressed and anxious and tense...I realized how much that SSRI added to the Wellbutrin and Depakote helped. So I'm back on Serzone (about 6 weeks now) and my anxiety has decreased, but not my lethargy and depression.
I'm in LA...where are you? I'm 34...
Talk to you soon!!
Sarah>>HI Sarah,
Thanks for your info. I am in California, so YES! I know Whole Foods and Trader Joes. Why were you on Eff. only for four months? What sort of depression do you have? What dose were you at? What are you on now? I'm in the process of finding a good, reliable, consistent pDr. Where do you live? How old are you?
HOpe to hear from you again. And ask me anything you want.
Thanks.
Katia.
Posted by Katia on October 29, 2002, at 0:24:34
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????, posted by ST on October 28, 2002, at 18:31:33
Hi Sarah,
Thanks for your long e-mail. I am just outside of SF. I'm 32 (just). In fact on my 32nd b-day I was sitting inside a psychiatrict clinic waiting for my first ever dose of ADs! I was on Celexa for only about 8-9 weeks. it started Ok, but then it pooped out and I had confusion and insomnia from it. i then went on Effexor XR. I have been through so much personal loss and tradegy and changes in the past nine months that it is really hard to tell what is the depression and are the ADs working? or is it life circumstances? So, I DO feel better, but I think I'm suffering from some of the side effects, like lethargy, sleeping many hours, dizziness, some flu-like sypmtoms, EXTREME CONSTIPATION, some spaciness and confusion sometimes. and fatigue. A lot of symptoms of depression in fact...This fatigue and lethargy I have also had most of my life from the depression. I've suffered from Dysthymia since I was ten/eleven and I've cycled through at least 3-4 major depressions all of which went undiagnosed until I finally figured it out and sought help myself. So, it seems like a LONG battle to find the right combo of drugs. And I'm being tossed around at a current non-profit psych. clinic. I'm on my third PDr. in just over three months! They keep leaving for no stated reason. But at least I'm not still rolling around on the floor sobbing for hours on end. I'm actually functioning. I work nights, so it's easy to sleep in so late. If I had to get up early, I wouldn't be keeping up.
Keep writing if you feel like it.
Thanks.
Katia
> Hi Katia,
> I'm a Bi-polar 2 with mostly depressive episodes. I'm on a mood stabilizer, Depakote as well as Wellbutrin. But a few years ago, one of my doctors suggested also adding an SSRI (at the time, Serzone) and I felt a great relief from this combo. After about 2 years or so, I felt the Serzone was pooping out, so I switched to Celexa for about a year. Well, I finally went off of Celexa because I gained over thirty pounds in three months! (I've now lost 25!) So I started Effexor and went throught the whole dizzy, flu-like symtom thing while my body got used to it. Each time I upped the dose, it made me feel very wierd and sick. I eventually - I think - got up to a fairly high dose...like 275 or 300?? I think....However I noticed my sex drive shriveled, it really did nothing for my depression and if I skipped a dose or didn't take it at exactly the same time every day, those flu symptoms came on. I did so much reading on the internet about how it made people feel sick. I finally decided to just go off it - with my doc's encouragement - since it really wasn't makig a difference. I was so, so, so, so very sick for three months while I weaned myself off it. I'm sure you've heard the horror stories on this board. (And my story is in the archives-from last April or so, I think)But to make it brief, I couln't drop my mgs too much at a time or I'd be incapacitated by flu-like symptoms. It got to the point that when I was down to taking 10 or 12 mgs a day, I had to chip off pieces of the tablet or count out spreckles form the inside of the SR capsule. In the final weeks, if I didn't take the 3 or 4 or 5 mgs a day, I'd get sick! I went on these crying jags for really no reason and was moody...I finally got down to what seemed to be about 2 mgs a day and then took a 3-day weekend to get off it completely. I missed a lot of work and felt like crap for a long time and finally was off it by last May. But Effexor works wonders for many people, so give it a shot. But...if you ever need to get off it, GO SLOWLY. My pdoc was so surprised that the lack of Effexor coursing through my body made me so sick. These doctors really don't realize how these meds affect us!
> So I went without any kind of SSRI this whole summer and was moody and depressed and anxious and tense...I realized how much that SSRI added to the Wellbutrin and Depakote helped. So I'm back on Serzone (about 6 weeks now) and my anxiety has decreased, but not my lethargy and depression.
> I'm in LA...where are you? I'm 34...
> Talk to you soon!!
> Sarah
Posted by ST on October 29, 2002, at 3:13:30
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » ST, posted by Katia on October 29, 2002, at 0:24:34
Hi Katia,
Outside SF, huh? I'm from the Gilroy/San Jose area and then lived and went to school in SF for awhile before moving to LA. I love it and miss it up there! Since I know the area, what city do you live in?I'm sorry you're having a hard time finding a good pdoc. So am I. I go to a hospital which has a sliding scale outpatient program, but you only get the doc for one year and then they move on. It's good treatment, though, if only for a year at a time with one pdoc... There have got to be some good clinics...what about UC Berkely - sometimes at a university they have excellent treatment on a sliding scale.
It's odd you're still lethargic on the Effexor XR. It should be quite an energizing AD. How much are you taking right now?
I'm sure with what you've been through - you say a lot has happened - you're suffering from situational depression as well as chemical. But the ADs should help to bring you back to a level place.
What do you do that has you working nights? I often work nights as well, and then I stay up way too late when I get home. This causes me to sleep late and it just compounds the depressed state, I think.
Well, take care. If you don't start feeling markedly better in a few weeks, maybe you're pdoc should up your dose or put you on something else...?
Take Care,
Sarah
> Hi Sarah,
> Thanks for your long e-mail. I am just outside of SF. I'm 32 (just). In fact on my 32nd b-day I was sitting inside a psychiatrict clinic waiting for my first ever dose of ADs! I was on Celexa for only about 8-9 weeks. it started Ok, but then it pooped out and I had confusion and insomnia from it. i then went on Effexor XR. I have been through so much personal loss and tradegy and changes in the past nine months that it is really hard to tell what is the depression and are the ADs working? or is it life circumstances? So, I DO feel better, but I think I'm suffering from some of the side effects, like lethargy, sleeping many hours, dizziness, some flu-like sypmtoms, EXTREME CONSTIPATION, some spaciness and confusion sometimes. and fatigue. A lot of symptoms of depression in fact...This fatigue and lethargy I have also had most of my life from the depression. I've suffered from Dysthymia since I was ten/eleven and I've cycled through at least 3-4 major depressions all of which went undiagnosed until I finally figured it out and sought help myself. So, it seems like a LONG battle to find the right combo of drugs. And I'm being tossed around at a current non-profit psych. clinic. I'm on my third PDr. in just over three months! They keep leaving for no stated reason. But at least I'm not still rolling around on the floor sobbing for hours on end. I'm actually functioning. I work nights, so it's easy to sleep in so late. If I had to get up early, I wouldn't be keeping up.
> Keep writing if you feel like it.
> Thanks.
> Katia
>
>
Posted by Katia on October 29, 2002, at 15:05:47
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor????, posted by ST on October 29, 2002, at 3:13:30
Hi Sarah,
I am in Berkeley and I wait tables. I am also in grad school for (would you guess) psychology. I am currently at 225mg. My pdoc put me at 300mg and then I became completely constipated, so I myself put the dose back to 225mg as she had left the clinic and no one got back to regarding my concern. I know what you mean about sleeping late and how it compounds the depression. But I simply just cannot get up early and when I finally do wake up it takes at least 30min. to get out of bed - trying to pry myself out of the intense dream states I had been in. The lethargy is more the sleeping lots of hours/late and then not having an incredible amt. of motivation to go out and do things. I have a hard time with concetration and reading. Who knows??? it's always SOMETHING.
keep in touch.
Katia> Hi Katia,
>
> Outside SF, huh? I'm from the Gilroy/San Jose area and then lived and went to school in SF for awhile before moving to LA. I love it and miss it up there! Since I know the area, what city do you live in?I'm sorry you're having a hard time finding a good pdoc. So am I. I go to a hospital which has a sliding scale outpatient program, but you only get the doc for one year and then they move on. It's good treatment, though, if only for a year at a time with one pdoc... There have got to be some good clinics...what about UC Berkely - sometimes at a university they have excellent treatment on a sliding scale.
> It's odd you're still lethargic on the Effexor XR. It should be quite an energizing AD. How much are you taking right now?
> I'm sure with what you've been through - you say a lot has happened - you're suffering from situational depression as well as chemical. But the ADs should help to bring you back to a level place.
> What do you do that has you working nights? I often work nights as well, and then I stay up way too late when I get home. This causes me to sleep late and it just compounds the depressed state, I think.
> Well, take care. If you don't start feeling markedly better in a few weeks, maybe you're pdoc should up your dose or put you on something else...?
> Take Care,
> Sarah
Posted by leslieg on October 30, 2002, at 0:39:39
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » ST, posted by Katia on October 29, 2002, at 15:05:47
Hi! I just joined Psycho-Babble, looking for other information when I came across this thread. Boy does it sound familiar! I was on Effexor 2 years ago; my constipation was VERY bad (as in, nothing for over 2 weeks, then I went to using a suppository or enema every few days). I complained to my regular doc (who knew what medicine I was on) and ended up being subjected to many painful tests on my insides -- all to be told they had no idea why I was constipated. I, like someone else on this thread, suffered a lot of withdrawal when I weaned myself off (too fast, it turns out). Did you know that the "intense dream state" could be a side effect of the Effexor? Also, (as I found out way too late), Effexor must be taken at the same time every day, or you start to go through withdrawal. For me, this periodic semi-withdrawal really confounded and confused my symptoms so that I couldn't really tell whether I was being helped or not.
I just wanted to let you know my experiences. I think your insides need some good ammunition to fight the effexor, and if you haven't been vigilant about when you take it, start doing so and see if that helps you.
Leslie :)
> Hi Sarah,
> I am in Berkeley and I wait tables. I am also in grad school for (would you guess) psychology. I am currently at 225mg. My pdoc put me at 300mg and then I became completely constipated, so I myself put the dose back to 225mg as she had left the clinic and no one got back to regarding my concern. I know what you mean about sleeping late and how it compounds the depression. But I simply just cannot get up early and when I finally do wake up it takes at least 30min. to get out of bed - trying to pry myself out of the intense dream states I had been in. The lethargy is more the sleeping lots of hours/late and then not having an incredible amt. of motivation to go out and do things. I have a hard time with concetration and reading. Who knows??? it's always SOMETHING.
> keep in touch.
> Katia
>
> > Hi Katia,
> >
> > Outside SF, huh? I'm from the Gilroy/San Jose area and then lived and went to school in SF for awhile before moving to LA. I love it and miss it up there! Since I know the area, what city do you live in?I'm sorry you're having a hard time finding a good pdoc. So am I. I go to a hospital which has a sliding scale outpatient program, but you only get the doc for one year and then they move on. It's good treatment, though, if only for a year at a time with one pdoc... There have got to be some good clinics...what about UC Berkely - sometimes at a university they have excellent treatment on a sliding scale.
> > It's odd you're still lethargic on the Effexor XR. It should be quite an energizing AD. How much are you taking right now?
> > I'm sure with what you've been through - you say a lot has happened - you're suffering from situational depression as well as chemical. But the ADs should help to bring you back to a level place.
> > What do you do that has you working nights? I often work nights as well, and then I stay up way too late when I get home. This causes me to sleep late and it just compounds the depressed state, I think.
> > Well, take care. If you don't start feeling markedly better in a few weeks, maybe you're pdoc should up your dose or put you on something else...?
> > Take Care,
> > Sarah
>
Posted by Katia on October 30, 2002, at 14:05:15
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » Katia, posted by leslieg on October 30, 2002, at 0:39:39
Hi Leslie!
Thanks so much for your valuable input. I haven't been taking the Eff. at the same time everday. I always take it after breakfast (which sometimes is at noon) and after dinner (which sometimes is after 11pm). I work in a restaurant a few nights a week and due to the variablity of my dinner times and breakfast times (contingent on my waking time) I have been taking it at different hours. Maybe I should just take regardless if I have eaten or not?I am not a big drinker, but will have a glass of wine after work with dinner (at work). So part of me feels hesitant to take the Eff. just right after the glass of wine. Maybe I could take the meds during the day. I'll try and work it out. About the dreams - YES! it has to be a side effect. I always have dreams, but nothing like this. Sometimes I wake up screaming/yelling something. (I've just been through a horrible break-up in which I lost a baby and a boyfriend). In retropsect the boyfriend was no lose as I saw his true colors during the pregnancy - he turned his back to me after proclaiming he loved me, wanted to have kids when I wanted, and wanted to marry me. A huge nightmare for me as I"m 32 yrs. old and am ready for such a thing. But the good side is out of all this, I've finally addressed a life time long depression and realized (it is crazy not to see it when you're in it) realized that during those months leading up to the break up and pregnancy and big move to go to him in Scotland, I was in a SERIOUS clinical depression and neither of us knew it. Anyway - I won't go on anymore. Thank you so much for your advice - much appreciated!!
Katia
> Hi! I just joined Psycho-Babble, looking for other information when I came across this thread. Boy does it sound familiar! I was on Effexor 2 years ago; my constipation was VERY bad (as in, nothing for over 2 weeks, then I went to using a suppository or enema every few days). I complained to my regular doc (who knew what medicine I was on) and ended up being subjected to many painful tests on my insides -- all to be told they had no idea why I was constipated. I, like someone else on this thread, suffered a lot of withdrawal when I weaned myself off (too fast, it turns out). Did you know that the "intense dream state" could be a side effect of the Effexor? Also, (as I found out way too late), Effexor must be taken at the same time every day, or you start to go through withdrawal. For me, this periodic semi-withdrawal really confounded and confused my symptoms so that I couldn't really tell whether I was being helped or not.
>
> I just wanted to let you know my experiences. I think your insides need some good ammunition to fight the effexor, and if you haven't been vigilant about when you take it, start doing so and see if that helps you.
>
> Leslie :)
Posted by leslieg on October 30, 2002, at 17:01:44
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » leslieg, posted by Katia on October 30, 2002, at 14:05:15
I've probably given all the advice I can about Effexor -- I don't have a clue how it might be different if you take it with / without food or just after a glass of wine. I was surprised to see that you take it twice a day -- although it seems a logical way to keep higher levels of it in your system througout the day. Maybe the every-24-hours worry isn't valid on a twice a day dosing schedule. Hopefully someone else can help you out here.
Leslie
Posted by Katia on October 31, 2002, at 1:31:10
In reply to Re: Constipated - anyone else on Effexor???? » Katia, posted by leslieg on October 30, 2002, at 17:01:44
This is the end of the thread.
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