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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by felicity77 on August 23, 2005, at 22:26:02
Has anyone experienced very vivid dreams on effexor? I find I wake up from intense dreams 4 or 5 times per night, and in the AM feel very unrested. It is quite disconcerting. Ive been on it 3 weeks. I also take Lithium, but that has never cause me sleep issues. Just curious...I need my sleep! Thanks in advance.
Posted by Franz on August 24, 2005, at 4:36:09
In reply to effexor and nightmares, posted by felicity77 on August 23, 2005, at 22:26:02
> Has anyone experienced very vivid dreams on effexor? I find I wake up from intense dreams 4 or 5 times per night, and in the AM feel very unrested. It is quite disconcerting. Ive been on it 3 weeks. I also take Lithium, but that has never cause me sleep issues. Just curious...I need my sleep! Thanks in advance.
Yes felicity, I get vivid dreams ,mostly dab ones with most drugs that acto on serotonin including melatonin (if the dose ig high in this last case). I donīt wake up like in a nightmare.
Sorry I do not know what to say. Maybe Effexor XR is better?
Posted by felicity77 on August 24, 2005, at 8:54:39
In reply to Re: effexor and nightmares ŧ felicity77, posted by Franz on August 24, 2005, at 4:36:09
> > Has anyone experienced very vivid dreams on effexor? I find I wake up from intense dreams 4 or 5 times per night, and in the AM feel very unrested. It is quite disconcerting. Ive been on it 3 weeks. I also take Lithium, but that has never cause me sleep issues. Just curious...I need my sleep! Thanks in advance.
>
> Yes felicity, I get vivid dreams ,mostly dab ones with most drugs that acto on serotonin including melatonin (if the dose ig high in this last case). I donīt wake up like in a nightmare.
> Sorry I do not know what to say. Maybe Effexor XR is better?
>
> HEY THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY. ACTUALLY IT IS EFFEXOR XR. IT STINKS. I AM GETTING ANXIOUS ABOUT NOT GETTING SLEEP NOW AND FRUSTRATED, WHICH KEEPS ME AWAKE EVEN LONGER!!!! I AM IN MY LAST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL AND TRYING TO GET MY MEDICATIONS RIGHT BEFORE RESIDENCY BEGINS. THEN I WILL WORK 80 HOURS A WEEK AND BE ON CALL EVERY FOURTH NIGHT. HENCE TAKING SOMETHING LIKE AMBIEN IS NOT REALLY GOING TO BE AN OPTION SINCE I WILL NOT GET 8 HOURS TO LIE DOWN VERY OFTEN!!! I WAS SO FRUSTRATED LAST NIGHT I WAS SLAMMING MY PILLOW WITH MY FISTS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO RESPOND. IT IS NICE TO KNOW SOMEONE CARES. REGARDS, FELICITY
>
Posted by Franz on August 24, 2005, at 17:21:53
In reply to Re: effexor and nightmares ŧ Franz, posted by felicity77 on August 24, 2005, at 8:54:39
> > > Has anyone experienced very vivid dreams on effexor? I find I wake up from intense dreams 4 or 5 times per night, and in the AM feel very unrested. It is quite disconcerting. Ive been on it 3 weeks. I also take Lithium, but that has never cause me sleep issues. Just curious...I need my sleep! Thanks in advance.
> >
> > Yes felicity, I get vivid dreams ,mostly dab ones with most drugs that acto on serotonin including melatonin (if the dose ig high in this last case). I donīt wake up like in a nightmare.
> > Sorry I do not know what to say. Maybe Effexor XR is better?
> >
> > HEY THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY. ACTUALLY IT IS EFFEXOR XR. IT STINKS. I AM GETTING ANXIOUS ABOUT NOT GETTING SLEEP NOW AND FRUSTRATED, WHICH KEEPS ME AWAKE EVEN LONGER!!!! I AM IN MY LAST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL AND TRYING TO GET MY MEDICATIONS RIGHT BEFORE RESIDENCY BEGINS. THEN I WILL WORK 80 HOURS A WEEK AND BE ON CALL EVERY FOURTH NIGHT. HENCE TAKING SOMETHING LIKE AMBIEN IS NOT REALLY GOING TO BE AN OPTION SINCE I WILL NOT GET 8 HOURS TO LIE DOWN VERY OFTEN!!! I WAS SO FRUSTRATED LAST NIGHT I WAS SLAMMING MY PILLOW WITH MY FISTS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO RESPOND. IT IS NICE TO KNOW SOMEONE CARES. REGARDS, FELICITY
> >
>
Of course people cares here. Please donīt use all caps.Maybe the dose is too high and you are getting too much noradrenaline effect?. Could you combine with a benzo for some days?.
You should ask your doctor.
Posted by felicity77 on August 24, 2005, at 18:27:32
In reply to Re: effexor and nightmares ŧ felicity77, posted by Franz on August 24, 2005, at 17:21:53
> > > > Has anyone experienced very vivid dreams on effexor? I find I wake up from intense dreams 4 or 5 times per night, and in the AM feel very unrested. It is quite disconcerting. Ive been on it 3 weeks. I also take Lithium, but that has never cause me sleep issues. Just curious...I need my sleep! Thanks in advance.
> > >
> > > Yes felicity, I get vivid dreams ,mostly dab ones with most drugs that acto on serotonin including melatonin (if the dose ig high in this last case). I donīt wake up like in a nightmare.
> > > Sorry I do not know what to say. Maybe Effexor XR is better?
> > >
> > > HEY THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY. ACTUALLY IT IS EFFEXOR XR. IT STINKS. I AM GETTING ANXIOUS ABOUT NOT GETTING SLEEP NOW AND FRUSTRATED, WHICH KEEPS ME AWAKE EVEN LONGER!!!! I AM IN MY LAST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL AND TRYING TO GET MY MEDICATIONS RIGHT BEFORE RESIDENCY BEGINS. THEN I WILL WORK 80 HOURS A WEEK AND BE ON CALL EVERY FOURTH NIGHT. HENCE TAKING SOMETHING LIKE AMBIEN IS NOT REALLY GOING TO BE AN OPTION SINCE I WILL NOT GET 8 HOURS TO LIE DOWN VERY OFTEN!!! I WAS SO FRUSTRATED LAST NIGHT I WAS SLAMMING MY PILLOW WITH MY FISTS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO RESPOND. IT IS NICE TO KNOW SOMEONE CARES. REGARDS, FELICITY
> > >
> >
>
>
> Of course people cares here. Please donīt use all caps.
>
> Maybe the dose is too high and you are getting too much noradrenaline effect?. Could you combine with a benzo for some days?.
>
> You should ask your doctor.
>
Hi, sorry about the caps. I was trying to make clear where my reply was. Still new to this posting stuff.
I only take 75 mg, which is a really low dose anyway. Maybe I will try ambien after all, or give up on effexor altogether.
thanks again,
felicity
Posted by Franz on August 24, 2005, at 19:05:26
In reply to Re: effexor and nightmares, posted by felicity77 on August 24, 2005, at 18:27:32
> > > > > Has anyone experienced very vivid dreams on effexor? I find I wake up from intense dreams 4 or 5 times per night, and in the AM feel very unrested. It is quite disconcerting. Ive been on it 3 weeks. I also take Lithium, but that has never cause me sleep issues. Just curious...I need my sleep! Thanks in advance.
> > > >
> > > > Yes felicity, I get vivid dreams ,mostly dab ones with most drugs that acto on serotonin including melatonin (if the dose ig high in this last case). I donīt wake up like in a nightmare.
> > > > Sorry I do not know what to say. Maybe Effexor XR is better?
> > > >
> > > > HEY THANKS FOR YOUR REPLY. ACTUALLY IT IS EFFEXOR XR. IT STINKS. I AM GETTING ANXIOUS ABOUT NOT GETTING SLEEP NOW AND FRUSTRATED, WHICH KEEPS ME AWAKE EVEN LONGER!!!! I AM IN MY LAST YEAR OF MEDICAL SCHOOL AND TRYING TO GET MY MEDICATIONS RIGHT BEFORE RESIDENCY BEGINS. THEN I WILL WORK 80 HOURS A WEEK AND BE ON CALL EVERY FOURTH NIGHT. HENCE TAKING SOMETHING LIKE AMBIEN IS NOT REALLY GOING TO BE AN OPTION SINCE I WILL NOT GET 8 HOURS TO LIE DOWN VERY OFTEN!!! I WAS SO FRUSTRATED LAST NIGHT I WAS SLAMMING MY PILLOW WITH MY FISTS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU TAKING THE TIME TO RESPOND. IT IS NICE TO KNOW SOMEONE CARES. REGARDS, FELICITY
> > > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > Of course people cares here. Please donīt use all caps.
> >
> > Maybe the dose is too high and you are getting too much noradrenaline effect?. Could you combine with a benzo for some days?.
> >
> > You should ask your doctor.
> >
> Hi, sorry about the caps. I was trying to make clear where my reply was. Still new to this posting stuff.
> I only take 75 mg, which is a really low dose anyway. Maybe I will try ambien after all, or give up on effexor altogether.
> thanks again,
> felicity
>
>have you tried switching time of dose?. e.g. if you take it at nigh take it in the morning.
do not stop it without telling your doctor.
Posted by Colleen D. on August 25, 2005, at 20:29:23
In reply to Re: effexor and nightmares, posted by felicity77 on August 24, 2005, at 18:27:32
> I only take 75 mg, which is a really low dose anyway. Maybe I will try ambien after all, or give up on effexor altogether.
> thanks again,
> felicityI agree with Franz. Try taking it at another time of the day and do not stop it abruptly. When I began taking Effexor over a year ago, I too had vivid dreams and still do but they are not frightening. In fact, they are very entertaining for the most part. Anyway, I had to add a sleep aid in order to stay on Effexor which I want to do because it has changed my life in a very positive way. My doctor (GP) prescribed trazodone and then doxepin when I didn't care for the next day "hangover" effect that trazodone was giving me. Doxepin is a tricyclic anti-depressant. It's inexpensive and there's no risk of tolerance or dependence on it. 25mg works very well for me. I am taking my Effexor first thing in the morning and my doxepin about an hour before bedtime. There are several other tricyclic anti-depressants that can be used in low dosages as sleep aids...ask your doctor!
Colleen
This is the end of the thread.
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