![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by roobie on July 7, 2004, at 5:27:22
Hi. I think this may have been addressed in a previous forum, but I couldn't readily find the posts...
I switched from Paxil to Effexor. My doc gave me a 60 day prescription to get me started which the nurse called in; 37.5 mg twice a day. The pharmacy gave me Effexor XR (capsules). I mailed the regular prescription to my RX plan and they sent me tablets which from looking on-line are the 'regular' pills.
What should or can I expect to be the difference between the two? I will call the office to see what they actually intended, but I wanted to get some input from folks who have taken both.
Thanks.
Posted by King Vultan on July 7, 2004, at 7:40:16
In reply to Effexor vs. Effexor XR, posted by roobie on July 7, 2004, at 5:27:22
The only thing I really noticed was that the drowsiness that I experienced after taking a dose (after I had been on the Effexor for a while--maybe a month or two) was lengthened with the XR version. Instead of lasting for a few hours in the morning as with the standard pill, it would stretch into the early afternoon for me with the XR.
The intended difference between the two is that you only have to take the XR once a day. With the standard version, you have to take it twice a day. Otherwise, you may suffer withdrawal symptoms before the next dose because of the standard version's rather short half life. That was indeed my experience in taking the standard version just once a day.
Todd
Posted by roobie on July 7, 2004, at 8:05:53
In reply to Re: Effexor vs. Effexor XR, posted by King Vultan on July 7, 2004, at 7:40:16
Ok, thank you. I don't know why I got the XR first from the pharmacy with the same instructions to take 2x daily; I guess something wasn't clear when it was called-in versus me mailing the prescription to the RX company. So when I finish this bottle, I'll start the regular Effexor. Yes, I do realize too, that I do feel drowsy during the day and when I nap I am OUT! BUT for the most part I am not as 'lazy' as with the Paxil.
I'll have to pay attention to see what kind of change I notice.
I appreciate your input!
Posted by roobie on July 8, 2004, at 9:58:12
In reply to Re: Effexor vs. Effexor XR, posted by King Vultan on July 7, 2004, at 7:40:16
Todd - I have another question (or 2)...
can you explain 1/2 life to me? I think it has to do with the lenght of time the meds are in your system...
Also, I now have FUNKY dreams... did you experience this?
Sharon
Posted by King Vultan on July 8, 2004, at 12:34:48
In reply to Re: Effexor vs. Effexor XR, posted by roobie on July 8, 2004, at 9:58:12
> Todd - I have another question (or 2)...
>
> can you explain 1/2 life to me? I think it has to do with the lenght of time the meds are in your system...
>
> Also, I now have FUNKY dreams... did you experience this?
>
> Sharon
The half life is a measure of how quickly the drug is metabolized and removed from your system. For instance, if a drug has a half life of five hours, that means that five hours after taking it, half of the drug will have been metabolized and removed from your system. After 10 hours, another half will have been metabolized and removed (you now only have one quarter of what you started with, as half of a half is a quarter). After 15 hours, you will only have 1/8 of what you started with, 20 hours, 1/16, and 25 hours 1/32.You can see that with a half life that is this short, after 24 hours, you have virtually none of the drug left in your blood. It has mostly all been metabolized and eliminated, which is the situation with the standard Effexor, as it has a half life in this area. This is why it has to be taken twice a day in order to keep up the level in your blood, as well as avoid withdrawal symptoms.
The XR version is designed to absorb more slowly into the blood, which in effect, creates a longer half life--perhaps double--that keeps the level in the blood from falling as quickly and avoids the withdrawal symptoms you might experience taking the standard formula once a day. As I indicated in my previous post, I found that the drowsiness I experience after taking Effexor is more drawn out in time on the XR version, which makes sense because the XR is being more slowly absorbed--and is thus in action in the blood for a longer period of time.
As for the dreams, sorry, I tend not to dream very much when on ADs, at least not that I can remember. The only exception was when I first started Wellbutrin SR and had some interesting erotic dreams. Unfortunately, these went away after a week or two.
Todd
Posted by jenn007 on July 8, 2004, at 22:14:26
In reply to Re: Effexor vs. Effexor XR » roobie, posted by King Vultan on July 8, 2004, at 12:34:48
My dreams on Effexor XR are crazy - like when I was pregnant. I am getting used to them though over time, as I am still getting used to the effexor it seems, although I have been on them for 2 months now. I decreased my dose from 75mg to 37.5mg because of the sleepiness. I feel better. Good luck!
Posted by roobie on July 9, 2004, at 7:31:45
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR, my side effects, anyone els, posted by jenn007 on July 8, 2004, at 22:14:26
HI! Yes, my dreams are soooo vivid, it seems like reality until I wake up.
As I told Todd, when the doc's office called the pharmacy, they gave me 37.5mg of the XR twice daily. But when I mailed the actual prescription to the mail-order RX, they gave me the regular Effexor, same dosage 37.5mg 2x per day.
Should be interesting to see the 'difference'.
Posted by KaraS on July 9, 2004, at 18:48:19
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR, my side effects, anyone els, posted by roobie on July 9, 2004, at 7:31:45
I wouldn't think it would be that much different since you're taking a very small dosage and you're taking them both twice a day. I've taken both forms and I didn't find much difference under those circumstances. Where I found a big difference was that I couldn't take 75 mg. at one time of the regular Effexor. It made my heart race and it felt like it was an irregular pace as well. I have taken 150 mg. of Effexor XR at one time and had no heart problems at all.
Posted by roobie on July 14, 2004, at 5:31:51
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR, my side effects, anyone els, posted by KaraS on July 9, 2004, at 18:48:19
Thanks, Kara - I kinda figured the same since the dose is small. The Paxil I was on was NOT XR and I was fine with that. Well, I have two more days of XR then I'll switch.
I suppose your experience I have learned, is the regular Effexor must be released 'at once' making your heart race, were as the XR releases slower, throughout the day. Glad it worked out for you as I see a lot of folks with adverse Effexor reactions.
Thanks for writing!
Posted by pablo1 on July 14, 2004, at 11:10:05
In reply to Re: New to Effexor XR, my side effects, anyone els, posted by roobie on July 9, 2004, at 7:31:45
Effexor completely removed dreaming from my mind.
> HI! Yes, my dreams are soooo vivid, it seems like reality until I wake up.
>
> As I told Todd, when the doc's office called the pharmacy, they gave me 37.5mg of the XR twice daily. But when I mailed the actual prescription to the mail-order RX, they gave me the regular Effexor, same dosage 37.5mg 2x per day.
>
> Should be interesting to see the 'difference'.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.