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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 robz on April 1, 2004, at 11:11:49
I have been on EffexorXR for about 3 months now. Things have been going great. The only side effects are sleepiness and inorgasm. Has anyone heard of Ginko. I heard that may hep with the sexual side effects. Has anyone also had the sleepiness???
Posted by pretty_paints on April 1, 2004, at 15:32:54
In reply to EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by robz on April 1, 2004, at 11:11:49
Hey
Sorry, I dont really have an answer to your question, but I just wondered, since you're on Efexor, could you tell me a bit about what its like? Were you on anything before? How does it compare to others?
I was on Prozac, but now been on Efexor 75mg for 7 days. Am worried as I dont feel any different. I know most ADs take at least 2 weeks for any effect at all (as was the case for prozac) but Iv read posts where people claim that after like, 2 days they had "never felt better!!". Now Im really worrying that these drugs arnt gonna work for me and that Im destined to end up in hospital! eek. Also though, how do the drugs actually make you feel? I have mild OCD as well as depression and prozac really stopped my head obsessing. is that the same with efexor? and do these effects come immediately, or do u have to wait a while for the racing-thoughts to stop?
Hmm, maybe Im just stressing.
Anyway any advice AT ALL would be really helpful, and Id be superduper grateful! thanks!!
kate
Posted by greywolf on April 1, 2004, at 16:58:17
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by pretty_paints on April 1, 2004, at 15:32:54
I have recently stopped taking Effexor XR for precisely the reasons you describe. I was literally falling asleep in the middle of the day.
I am now trying Wellbutrin again, and neither of those side effects are a problem. Insomnia certainly is, but since I've always been a night owl anyway it hasn't been that much of a burden.
Posted by zefdie on April 1, 2004, at 17:29:06
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by greywolf on April 1, 2004, at 16:58:17
I've read that ginkgo can retard the effectiveness of Effexor. Many people supplement with Wellbutrin for sexual side effects. Some people also see a cessation if inoragsmia after taking Effexor for a while.
I'm incredibly sleepy all the time since starting Effexor two weeks ago. I'm hoping it will pass, but if it doesn't I'm going to talk to my doctor about stimulants.
Posted by robz on April 2, 2004, at 7:54:12
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by pretty_paints on April 1, 2004, at 15:32:54
Hey Kate.... I know exactly what you mean about the racing thoughts. I had that for a while. I still get it sometimes after a night of drinking. So I try to stay away from the booz. Well this whole anti depressant thing is all new to me and I know its different for everyone. I was on Zoloft for about a week before I was put on EffexorXR. The zoloft sucked and it wasn't workling. After about 4 weeks of being on effexor I started noticing a difference. I was also on 75 MG's but I was still having anxiety and depression. So now I take 3 37.5 MG pills a day. That's 112.5 MG's. I think that stuff has worked great, except for a little sleepiness and a little bit of sexual side effects.
Are u on EffexorXR or Effexor????
Posted by robz on April 2, 2004, at 7:57:45
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by zefdie on April 1, 2004, at 17:29:06
Where did you hear that Ginko retards the effectiveness of Effexor? DO mean that it makes it not work as well?
Posted by robz on April 2, 2004, at 8:11:12
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by pretty_paints on April 1, 2004, at 15:32:54
Kate...I also forgot to tell you that my dreams are very weid sometimes and they are also very real. Its kind of exciting sometimes though, I think. So that is another side effect of this drug, but dont let that scare you. Also let this drug take time, I thought the racing thoughts would never go away and the drug wasn't working. If you still have the thoughts after 4 to 5 weeks maybe try upping the dose a little and see how that goes.
Robyn
Posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 13:04:13
In reply to EffexorXR and sexual side effects, posted by robz on April 1, 2004, at 11:11:49
> I have been on EffexorXR for about 3 months now. Things have been going great. The only side effects are sleepiness and inorgasm. Has anyone heard of Ginko. I heard that may hep with the sexual side effects. Has anyone also had the sleepiness???
>
>I take Remeron with Effexor. Remeron is extremely sedating, but it did solve the daytime sleepy feelings I had, it also fixed my anorgasmia & nausea. Effexor seems like an effective AD & Remeron seems to cover it's side effects nicely. I understand why it is a popular combo.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by pretty_paints on April 2, 2004, at 17:15:42
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects » robz, posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 13:04:13
hey rob
Im on Efexor XR. Yeh I guess its just a waiting game isnt it! I get the weird dreams too yeh. I got them on prozac too (and erm, probably even before). I wake up and sluuunk my way down to breakfast (well when I actually get up) feeling absolutely exhausted, like Im Indiana Jones or some inspector detective in some huge movie! I often think that if I could can my dreams, Id make some good pennies for myself! And yeh, they are SO REAL arnt they! And people just ask about them and chuckle, like "ooh", when Iv just had a night dealing with, you know, a close friend shooting himself, nearly falling off a cliff, getting frozen with panic at the top of a tower, running away from a mad man in a lorry...eeek! In fact, I feel like having a good rest as soon as I wake up! lol
But they tend (touch wood) not to be nightmares so much as just generally exhaustive dreams. And sometimes they're even good! Which makes up for the groggy ones :)
And another thing, when I read about the sexual side-effects of prozac, I just kinda thought (for some reason) that Id be fiiine. And for me, it didnt jump out at me. It was so gradual, until suddenly it was like "um hellooooo, what the hell is going ON...or rather NOT going on?!!". I didnt think not being able to have an orgasm any more wouldnt be that big a deal. I kept thinking that in comparrison to "overall happiness" it wouldnt be a huge problem.
Erm, but it is. Grr! Although interestingly, I do fancy having sex more (during depression, my interest in sex was a big fat ZERO!). It just takes a monumental (and often fruitless) effort to actually have an orgasm. Oh well. Hoping things will be better with Efexor (although I dont feel any different so far).
Um - in terms of advice, er..I dont know any special remedies! How about you buy a book of luuurve spells and see if theres one to miraculously restore one's sexual prowess! Grr. Haha.
Anyway, yeh, enough of this chat Kate. I'll keep in touch and let you know how the Efexor goes. Im praying it'll work!
Take care x
Posted by pretty_paints on April 2, 2004, at 17:17:16
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects » robz, posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 13:04:13
hey rob
Im on Efexor XR. Yeh I guess its just a waiting game isnt it! I get the weird dreams too yeh. I got them on prozac too (and erm, probably even before). I wake up and sluuunk my way down to breakfast (well when I actually get up) feeling absolutely exhausted, like Im Indiana Jones or some inspector detective in some huge movie! I often think that if I could can my dreams, Id make some good pennies for myself! And yeh, they are SO REAL arnt they! And people just ask about them and chuckle, like "ooh", when Iv just had a night dealing with, you know, a close friend shooting himself, nearly falling off a cliff, getting frozen with panic at the top of a tower, running away from a mad man in a lorry...eeek! In fact, I feel like having a good rest as soon as I wake up! lol
But they tend (touch wood) not to be nightmares so much as just generally exhaustive dreams. And sometimes they're even good! Which makes up for the groggy ones :)
And another thing, when I read about the sexual side-effects of prozac, I just kinda thought (for some reason) that Id be fiiine. And for me, it didnt jump out at me. It was so gradual, until suddenly it was like "um hellooooo, what the hell is going ON...or rather NOT going on?!!". I didnt think not being able to have an orgasm any more wouldnt be that big a deal. I kept thinking that in comparrison to "overall happiness" it wouldnt be a huge problem.
Erm, but it is. Grr! Although interestingly, I do fancy having sex more (during depression, my interest in sex was a big fat ZERO!). It just takes a monumental (and often fruitless) effort to actually have an orgasm. Oh well. Hoping things will be better with Efexor (although I dont feel any different so far).
Um - in terms of advice, er..I dont know any special remedies! How about you buy a book of luuurve spells and see if theres one to miraculously restore one's sexual prowess! Grr. Haha.
Anyway, yeh, enough of this chat Kate. I'll keep in touch and let you know how the Efexor goes. Im praying it'll work!
Take care x
Posted by shadows721 on April 3, 2004, at 18:27:48
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects » robz, posted by Sad Panda on April 2, 2004, at 13:04:13
Did the remeron cause you to gain weight? Are you just using it to counter the sexual effects from the Effexor?
Posted by Sad Panda on April 4, 2004, at 1:14:55
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects- panda, posted by shadows721 on April 3, 2004, at 18:27:48
> Did the remeron cause you to gain weight?
>No & it didn't increase my appetite either. The only side effect I get from it is some foot odema.
>Are you just using it to counter the sexual effects from the Effexor?
>Initially I took it as a sleep aid, but I noticed it fixed my nausea & anorgasmia promlems too.
Cheers,
Panda.
Posted by shadows721 on April 4, 2004, at 15:09:59
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects- panda » shadows721, posted by Sad Panda on April 4, 2004, at 1:14:55
That sounds like a good deal Panda. How much Remeron do you take?
Posted by Sad Panda on April 5, 2004, at 12:36:40
In reply to Re: EffexorXR and sexual side effects- panda, posted by shadows721 on April 4, 2004, at 15:09:59
> That sounds like a good deal Panda. How much Remeron do you take?
>
>30mg for 300mg of Effexor. I needed 15mg for 150mg. 15mg makes me sleep for 8 hours, 30mg makes me sleep for 9 hours (after I got use to taking it) It you are going to take it, I would start at 7.5mg & don't start it until you have the next day off as it can make you sleep for along time at first.
Cheers,
Panda.
This is the end of the thread.
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