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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by gbtbag on June 28, 2004, at 23:59:24
i've been taking Effexor XR for more than 4 years, and recently upped to 225mg a day.
an hour after taking the very first pill in 1999, i started sweating. it has now got to the point where i find it so uncomfortable, i no longer want to take it, and, in fact, the sweating is increasing my anxiety because it is constant, 24-hours a day.
i've tried a variety of medications but only Prozac and Effexor XR worked for me, although Prozac stopped working after about 18 months and i now feel that Effexor XR is no longer helping either. Zoloft did nothing for me, I hardly slept at all while on Paxil, while the now (thankfully) discontinued Serzone turned me into a zombie.
unfortunately, i am being treated by a County Mental Health psychiatrist who could care less. i can't get her to talk to me about possible alternatives to Effexor. she says that the sweating is just a side effect of the drug and there's nothing to be done about it.
i would like to try something else because aside from these dreadful sweats, i need to take something that will actually relieve my anxiety.
if anyone has had a similar experience with Effexor XR and has switched to something more effective (and less sweat-inducing), i'd love to hear about it.
Posted by King Vultan on June 30, 2004, at 19:08:46
In reply to Effexor Sweating: Any Recommendations?, posted by gbtbag on June 28, 2004, at 23:59:24
Well, the first thing I'd like to say is that I am appalled by the attitude of your doctor. One would think that a psychiatrist might choose to be a bit concerned about a side effect that is causing a patient so much distress, but I guess that's not the case here. I don't know what your situation is, but if there is another (and hopefully better) doctor available for you to see somehow, I would try to take advantage of that opportunity.
As for an alternative...I'm finding it difficult to come up with something viable given your circumstances. I can't recommend either desipramine or Wellbutrin because both will likely increase your anxiety. Nortriptyline or perhaps even imipramine, which was the old standard before all these newfangled drugs came out, might be worth considering because they are both good on anxiety. However, both are moderately sedating, and imipramine has significant anticholinergic effects (dry mouth, constipation, urinary hesistation, etc.).
If you were able to find a higher quality doctor to work with, you might also consider an MAOI, which are extremely effective antidepressants and noted as being good on anxiety also, particularly Nardil. Of course, these have some dietary and OTC drug restrictions, plus other side effects. I take Nardil and am forced to use sleep aids with it because it gives me vicious insomnia. You might also want to consider using a sleep aid for some other med that may be effective otherwise but gives you insomnia. Likewise, you might also want to think about adding a anti-anxiety med such as Klonopin to an otherwise effective AD that lacks anti-anxiety efficacy.
It sounds like the real key might be finding a different doctor, though. If this is not possible, all I can suggest is to prepare yourself as best you can before going in there and be assertive in telling her that the sweating and other limitations of your current treatment are having a significant negative effect on your life, and that you want to go in a different direction. I do wish you the best.
Todd
This is the end of the thread.
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