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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 10353 to 10377 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by Budzoid on July 11, 2009, at 20:38:19
In reply to Effexor made my hair curly, posted by Laura R on July 11, 2009, at 13:07:24
Thanks for all the posts about Effexor's effectiveness. I have held back on starting this drug until I got some feedback from current users. The way I see it, Effexor's side effects outweigh the benifits. My Doc. took me off the winning combo of Prozac & Xanax because of the addictive nature of Xanax. The only side effect I experienced from Xanax was the beginning of withdrawals if my 'script was a couple of days overdue. Otherwise, I thrived on this combo.
My Doc.'s reason for taking me off this combo. was that Xanax was easily abused. He doesn't understand that if you take more than you are supposed to (in order to get a buzz), you are cutting your own throat by using up your meds before your next re-fill and this would cause you to go through withdrawals. The fact that you will start withdrawing within 2 days of running out is more than enough to prevent over-use. Yes, Benzo withdrawal is severe, but if that is the only down-side (which is easily prevented by never running out or by slowly stepping down if you are going to stop) it has to be better than all the side effects from Effexor.
Prozac & Xanax has never caused any of the bad side effects listed in all these posts. Did I make the right decision?
Posted by 49er on July 12, 2009, at 8:04:17
In reply to Side effects too much for me, posted by Budzoid on July 11, 2009, at 20:38:19
> Thanks for all the posts about Effexor's effectiveness. I have held back on starting this drug until I got some feedback from current users. The way I see it, Effexor's side effects outweigh the benifits. My Doc. took me off the winning combo of Prozac & Xanax because of the addictive nature of Xanax. The only side effect I experienced from Xanax was the beginning of withdrawals if my 'script was a couple of days overdue. Otherwise, I thrived on this combo.
> My Doc.'s reason for taking me off this combo. was that Xanax was easily abused. He doesn't understand that if you take more than you are supposed to (in order to get a buzz), you are cutting your own throat by using up your meds before your next re-fill and this would cause you to go through withdrawals. The fact that you will start withdrawing within 2 days of running out is more than enough to prevent over-use. Yes, Benzo withdrawal is severe, but if that is the only down-side (which is easily prevented by never running out or by slowly stepping down if you are going to stop) it has to be better than all the side effects from Effexor.
> Prozac & Xanax has never caused any of the bad side effects listed in all these posts. Did I make the right decision?Only time will tell if you didn't or didn't.
Personally, I can't understand a doctor who would mess with a winning combination just because of a benzo phobia.
Don't get me wrong, I am not glamorizing benzos by any means. But any drug you taper from is most likely going to have withdrawal problems. It is isn't just limited to benzos.I am shaking my head.
49er
Posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on July 12, 2009, at 10:25:26
In reply to Side effects too much for me, posted by Budzoid on July 11, 2009, at 20:38:19
> Thanks for all the posts about Effexor's effectiveness. I have held back on starting this drug until I got some feedback from current users. The way I see it, Effexor's side effects outweigh the benifits. My Doc. took me off the winning combo of Prozac & Xanax because of the addictive nature of Xanax. The only side effect I experienced from Xanax was the beginning of withdrawals if my 'script was a couple of days overdue. Otherwise, I thrived on this combo.
> My Doc.'s reason for taking me off this combo. was that Xanax was easily abused. He doesn't understand that if you take more than you are supposed to (in order to get a buzz), you are cutting your own throat by using up your meds before your next re-fill and this would cause you to go through withdrawals. The fact that you will start withdrawing within 2 days of running out is more than enough to prevent over-use. Yes, Benzo withdrawal is severe, but if that is the only down-side (which is easily prevented by never running out or by slowly stepping down if you are going to stop) it has to be better than all the side effects from Effexor.
> Prozac & Xanax has never caused any of the bad side effects listed in all these posts. Did I make the right decision?
If Prozac + Xanax works well for you. Find a way to keep it.
Posted by zip _code on July 12, 2009, at 20:09:31
In reply to Re: Side effects too much for me, posted by Alexanderfromdenmark on July 12, 2009, at 10:25:26
I did really well on effexor xr for 4-5 years. The only time I had side effects was when I missed a dose or two in a row. I would then have dizziness and anger issues. I have recently had to switch to Savella. The withdrawl was killer. My brain felt like it was loose in my head. I was dizzy, sick at my stomach, and very angry. I had to look at the ground while I was walking or driving or the world would spin. I highly recommend Effexor xr. That is if you plan to take it forever. If you want something for short term, I don't. It is to hard to get off of. The only way I got clear of it was alot of prayer. I have been off for three weeks now. I've read on the internet some people have to go to the extent of counting the tiny pills inside the capsule and reduce it by one everyday. It wasn't that bad for me, but I can see where it could have been. If I didn't have people praying for me I would have never made it. I still have anger issues but the other problems have subsided.
Posted by Budzoid on July 13, 2009, at 19:21:26
In reply to Re: Side effects too much for me, posted by zip _code on July 12, 2009, at 20:09:31
> I did really well on effexor xr for 4-5 years. The only time I had side effects was when I missed a dose or two in a row. I would then have dizziness and anger issues. I have recently had to switch to Savella. The withdrawl was killer. My brain felt like it was loose in my head. I was dizzy, sick at my stomach, and very angry. I had to look at the ground while I was walking or driving or the world would spin. I highly recommend Effexor xr. That is if you plan to take it forever. If you want something for short term, I don't. It is to hard to get off of. The only way I got clear of it was alot of prayer. I have been off for three weeks now. I've read on the internet some people have to go to the extent of counting the tiny pills inside the capsule and reduce it by one everyday. It wasn't that bad for me, but I can see where it could have been. If I didn't have people praying for me I would have never made it. I still have anger issues but the other problems have subsided.
Right! I have enough problems in my life without adding more. I get my fair share of side effects from all the opiates I'm on for chronic pain. When I see my Doc. next week I will DEMAND that he put me back on the Prozac & Xanax and stop using me as a "drug testing guinea-pig". If he doesn't, then he is no longer part of the solution; he is now part of the problem and I will exercise my right as the CEO of my body and health and FIRE HIS *SS.
Posted by Budzoid on September 28, 2009, at 19:57:12
In reply to Re: Side effects too much for me » Budzoid, posted by 49er on July 12, 2009, at 8:04:17
> > Thanks for all the posts about Effexor's effectiveness. I have held back on starting this drug until I got some feedback from current users. The way I see it, Effexor's side effects outweigh the benifits. My Doc. took me off the winning combo of Prozac & Xanax because of the addictive nature of Xanax. The only side effect I experienced from Xanax was the beginning of withdrawals if my 'script was a couple of days overdue. Otherwise, I thrived on this combo.
> > My Doc.'s reason for taking me off this combo. was that Xanax was easily abused. He doesn't understand that if you take more than you are supposed to (in order to get a buzz), you are cutting your own throat by using up your meds before your next re-fill and this would cause you to go through withdrawals. The fact that you will start withdrawing within 2 days of running out is more than enough to prevent over-use. Yes, Benzo withdrawal is severe, but if that is the only down-side (which is easily prevented by never running out or by slowly stepping down if you are going to stop) it has to be better than all the side effects from Effexor.
> > Prozac & Xanax has never caused any of the bad side effects listed in all these posts. Did I make the right decision?
>
> Only time will tell if you didn't or didn't.
>
> Personally, I can't understand a doctor who would mess with a winning combination just because of a benzo phobia.
> Don't get me wrong, I am not glamorizing benzos by any means. But any drug you taper from is most likely going to have withdrawal problems. It is isn't just limited to benzos.
>
> I am shaking my head.
>
> 49er
>
After a year of continued major depression, I have an update. It's a shame that I had to experience a horrific trauma in order to get the help I needed.Let me explain:
A week ago my wife and I were in bed watching a movie late on a Friday night. I heard a strange noise from the front of my house and before I could get to the end of the bed, 3 armed men had entered my bedroom pointing guns at us demanding money. One of them began beating and pistol-whipping me while the other two rummaged through our stuff. I managed to get between him and my wife so I was beaten severely about the head and arms. They took $400.00 and a couple of cheap gold chains. Luckily no bones were broken, but I look like the elephant man.This all took less than 2 minutes. They were pros.
They saw all the stuff in my house (computers, stereos, tv's) so I knew they would be back for the rest.
I spent the next week afraid to go to sleep and sat up every night with my gun next to me just waiting. When I did slip into sleep, I woke up from a nightmare and panic attacks. I was exhausted!
I found a house outside of the city to move to, but I was soo tired I had no energy. My wife is disabled so It was all up to me to get us out.
When I went to my Primary Doc to have the metal staples removed, I went and talked to a new mental health Doc. for help.
He put me back on Prozac and Klonipin to help me sleep. Things are slowly getting better. At least I can sleep a few hours again.
It's a SHAME I had to go through this just to get back on some sort of Benzo.
The world is full of evil people. Never let your guard down!
Posted by Phillipa on September 28, 2009, at 21:16:24
In reply to Update, posted by Budzoid on September 28, 2009, at 19:57:12
That's horrible. I'm just glad you're now safe and got the meds yes a sorry state of affairs. Phillipa
Posted by Jeroen on September 29, 2009, at 2:07:04
In reply to Re: Update » Budzoid, posted by Phillipa on September 28, 2009, at 21:16:24
that's terrible man, good thing you survived
lot of things are evil these days :( i know
Posted by Budzoid on September 30, 2009, at 21:01:25
In reply to Re: Update » Budzoid, posted by Phillipa on September 28, 2009, at 21:16:24
> That's horrible. I'm just glad you're now safe and got the meds yes a sorry state of affairs. Phillipa
Thank you for your concern.I do appreciate it!
Posted by Budzoid on September 30, 2009, at 21:03:32
In reply to To Budzoid, posted by Jeroen on September 29, 2009, at 2:07:04
> that's terrible man, good thing you survived
> lot of things are evil these days :( i knowThank you for your concern. Time heals all wounds (with a little help from my meds).
Posted by Blossom on June 20, 2010, at 21:24:47
Hi Babblers,
I was wondering if anyone is taking the 37.5 mg dose of Effexor. I am a pretty small woman and I tend to be very sensitive to medication, so, based on previous experience with Effexor, my pdoc has decided to keep me at 37.5 mg for the foreseeable future. I've only been on for a little over a week, so I'm still going through the start-up phase with all of the negative side effects, but I was wondering if anyone here has had a positive mood effect with this dose.
Thanks,
Blossom
Posted by DocRon on June 23, 2010, at 13:49:34
In reply to is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Blossom on June 20, 2010, at 21:24:47
I'm a pretty tiny guy, and 37.5 has most assuredly worked for me in the past. In general, for me, Effexor works pretty well. I'm currently not taking it, as I find that Cymbalta mixed with Deplin works even better, but I think you should see results with that dose.
Good luck!
DocRon
Posted by CaffeinePoet on June 23, 2010, at 19:59:55
In reply to is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Blossom on June 20, 2010, at 21:24:47
I took 50mg of the non-XR version for many years. It worked well for me.
Some people are slow metabolizers or very sensitive to meds and don't need large doses.
Posted by CaffeinePoet on June 25, 2010, at 9:10:23
In reply to Re: BAM/familial hemiplegic migraine » bookgurl99, posted by mercedes on July 16, 2003, at 3:16:19
Hey Mercedes,
This is me, many years later! Are you still around?
Effexor prevented migraines effectively for me until November 2009, when I got off of it due to negative side effects (poor short-term memory, fatigue).
March 2010, 8 years to when I first noticed dizziness and confusion, I started having dizziness, then blurred vision daily. MRI and CT have shown nothing, all testing has been normal. Migraine has been concluded.
Looks like I'm going back on Effexor.
Posted by CaffeinePoet on June 25, 2010, at 10:04:24
In reply to is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Blossom on June 20, 2010, at 21:24:47
how is the dose working for you?
Posted by Frank Sanello on June 26, 2010, at 12:39:23
In reply to is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Blossom on June 20, 2010, at 21:24:47
> Hi Babblers,
>
> I was wondering if anyone is taking the 37.5 mg dose of Effexor. I am a pretty small woman and I tend to be very sensitive to medication, so, based on previous experience with Effexor, my pdoc has decided to keep me at 37.5 mg for the foreseeable future. I've only been on for a little over a week, so I'm still going through the start-up phase with all of the negative side effects, but I was wondering if anyone here has had a positive mood effect with this dose.
>
> Thanks,
> Blossom************************************************
**************************************************
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Dear Blossom,
To answer your above question, I did take the minimum recommended dosage of Effexor after the DEA approved the psychotropic drug. BIG MISTAKE! I didn't read the accompanying manufacturer's notes which warned that Effexor could cause "extreme lability."
An hour after taking my first dose, I became suicidal and viciously insulted my boyfriend, who never forgave me. (I'm not a pharmacist or some other kind of medical professional, so I can't advise you on the beginning dose of Effexor.)
But either your primary care physician or your pharmacist can answer your question about the correct dosage of Effexor to start out with based on your height, weight, and body frame. I wish someone had warned me about the drug's toxic side effects, and/or I had taken the time to Google Effexor's disastrous mood swings.
Before I began taking Effexor, my boyfriend and I never had a single fight because we both had codependent tendencies, but this time he refused to accept my profuse apologies.
Now I'm in recovery for two things: the abrupt breakup with the love of my life and the emotional drainage of a beautiful relationship ruined by my ignorance and laziness, which kept me from reading the microscopic literature about Effexors toxic effects.
Best of luck! And remember, if Effexor doesnt have the positive effects you seek, go back to your doctor and ask him for a useful alternative.
Frank Sanello
FSanello@aol.comIn an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile with him, I finally got around to reading the literature the manufacturer included with the prescription. One of the side effects was "extreme liability," which is just psycho-babble for Effexor's ability to turn your new medication into a rollercoaster of violent mood swings -- alternating between the depth of despair and the ecstasy any consumer of the drug experiences.
Stay away from this poison. It destroyed my relationship with the great love of my life, even though he was a primary care physician who already knew what extreme lability Effexor causes but refused to accept it as an explanation, not a justification for my rudeness I showed my lover, who ended our 20-year relationship, which had begun when I was 19.
Zoloft is the most popular anti-depressant in terms of popularity and sales. Zoloft also freed me from a 30-year OCD (obsessive-compulsive) called trichotillomania, which had forced me to pluck out my eyelashes since I was six. It also treated my Post-traumatic Stress Disorder syndrome flashbacks to painful memories of an earlier and ongoing compulsion to defoliate my eyelids. :)
Frank Sanello
email: FSanello@aol.com
Posted by Phillipa on June 26, 2010, at 19:16:04
In reply to Re: is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Frank Sanello on June 26, 2010, at 12:39:23
Are you serious? And you're saying zoloft worked for you? Do you take any meds today? Phillipa
Posted by Frank Sanello on June 28, 2010, at 13:47:06
In reply to Re: is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)? » Frank Sanello, posted by Phillipa on June 26, 2010, at 19:16:04
> Are you serious? And you're saying zoloft worked for you? Do you take any meds today? Phillipa
Yes, well-conducted surveys indicate that Zoloft is the top-selling psychotropic in this country.
I'm only taking 150 mcg of Zoloft tablets and plan to go off 2 mg of Risperdal beause they are causing painful joint swelling or stiffness.
Zoloft also works very well on OCDs like excessive hair-pulling, compulsive hand-washing. But remember: anti-depressants affect each patient in his or her own unique way. Your experience with Fluxor may be just one exmaple of a drug having a different affect on you than on me. And my nightmare "trip" on Effexor may be the reason I had such a bad reaction. There's no such thing as a bad drug. There are new psychotropics coming out monthly, it seems, and one of them will provide perfect medication for your malfunctioning brain, which is a criticism of the primitive stage of psychotropic development, not criticism of neural synapses. Further, this may provide some solace: It took 17 years before I found a drug that worked.
Seven days after I went on the drug, I thought to myself, "Wow! So this is how you're supposed feel!" I had never experienced that sense of comfort and confidence I had that day.
Frank Sanello
Posted by Frank Sanello on June 28, 2010, at 14:00:13
In reply to Re: is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Frank Sanello on June 26, 2010, at 12:39:23
> > Hi Babblers,
> >
> > I was wondering if anyone is taking the 37.5 mg dose of Effexor. I am a pretty small woman and I tend to be very sensitive to medication, so, based on previous experience with Effexor, my pdoc has decided to keep me at 37.5 mg for the foreseeable future. I've only been on for a little over a week, so I'm still going through the start-up phase with all of the negative side effects, but I was wondering if anyone here has had a positive mood effect with this dose.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Blossom
>
> **************************************************
>
> Saturday, June 26, 2010
>
> Dear Blossom,
>
> To answer your above question, I did take the minimum recommended dosage of Effexor after the DEA approved the psychotropic drug. BIG MISTAKE! I didn't read the accompanying manufacturer's notes which warned that Effexor could cause "extreme lability."
>
> An hour after taking my first dose, I became suicidal and viciously insulted my boyfriend, who never forgave me. (I'm not a pharmacist or some other kind of medical professional, so I can't advise you on the beginning dose of Effexor.)
>
> But either your primary care physician or your pharmacist can answer your question about the correct dosage of Effexor to start out with based on your height, weight, and body frame. I wish someone had warned me about the drug's toxic side effects, and/or I had taken the time to Google Effexor's disastrous mood swings.
>
> Before I began taking Effexor, my boyfriend and I never had a single fight because we both had codependent tendencies, but this time he refused to accept my profuse apologies.
>
> Now I'm in recovery for two things: the abrupt breakup with the love of my life and the emotional drainage of a beautiful relationship ruined by my ignorance and laziness, which kept me from reading the microscopic literature about Effexors toxic effects.
> Best of luck! And remember, if Effexor doesnt have the positive effects you seek, go back to your doctor and ask him for a useful alternative.
> MOREFrank Sanello
> FSanello@aol.com
>
> In an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile with him, I finally got around to reading the literature the manufacturer included with the prescription. One of the side effects was "extreme liability," which is just psycho-babble for Effexor's ability to turn your new medication into a rollercoaster of violent mood swings -- alternating between the depth of despair and the ecstasy any consumer of the drug experiences.
>
> Stay away from this poison. It destroyed my relationship with the great love of my life, even though he was a primary care physician who already knew what extreme lability Effexor causes but refused to accept it as an explanation, not a justification for my rudeness I showed my lover, who ended our 20-year relationship, which had begun when I was 19.
>
> Zoloft is the most popular anti-depressant in terms of popularity and sales. Zoloft also freed me from a 30-year OCD (obsessive-compulsive) called trichotillomania, which had forced me to pluck out my eyelashes since I was six. It also treated my Post-traumatic Stress Disorder syndrome flashbacks to painful memories of an earlier and ongoing compulsion to defoliate my eyelids. :)In an unsuccessful attempt to reconcile with him, I finally got around to reading the literature the manufacturer included with the prescription. One of the side effects was "extreme liability," which is just psycho-babble for Effexor's ability to turn your new medication into a rollercoaster of violent mood swings -- alternating between the depth of despair and the ecstasy any consumer of the drug experiences.
Stay away from this poison. It destroyed my relationship with the great love of my life, even though he was a primary care physician who already knew what extreme lability Effexor causes but refused to accept it as an explanation, not a justification for my rudeness I showed my lover, who ended our 20-year relationship, which had begun when I was 19.Zoloft is the most popular anti-depressant in terms of popularity and sales. Zoloft also freed me from a 30-year OCD (obsessive-compulsive) called trichotillomania, which had forced me to pluck out my eyelashes since I was six. It also treated my Post-traumatic Stress Disorder syndrome flashbacks to painful memories of an earlier and ongoing compulsion to defoliate my eyelids. :)
Frank Sanello
email: FSanello@aol.com
>
> Frank Sanello
> email: FSanello@aol.com
>
>
Posted by Dr. Bob on June 29, 2010, at 17:41:07
In reply to Re: is anyone taking a low dose of Effexor (37.5mg)?, posted by Frank Sanello on June 26, 2010, at 12:39:23
> this poison.
Please don't exaggerate.
But please don't take this personally, either, this doesn't mean I don't like you or think you're a bad person, and I'm sorry if this hurts you.
More information about posting policies and tips on alternative ways to express oneself, including a link to a nice post by Dinah on I-statements, are in the FAQ:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#civil
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/faq.html#enforceFollow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration. They, as well as replies to the above post, should of course themselves be civil.
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by Dr. Bob on July 1, 2010, at 15:39:12
In reply to Re: please be civil » Frank Sanello, posted by Dr. Bob on June 29, 2010, at 17:41:07
> Follow-ups regarding these issues should be redirected to Psycho-Babble Administration.
Here's a link:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20100321/msgs/952852.html
Thanks,
Bob
Posted by orbital on October 16, 2010, at 0:06:40
I'm considering asking my doc for the dreaded Effexor. My depression has gotten so completely out of hand, I simply cannot function anymore. Right now I can barely get out of bed, never mind show up for work.
So I've searched for info on Effexor here at Babble, and keep pulling horror stories.
Is this med effective or, at the very least, even worth considering? Or should I give it a miss?
Any advice appreciated, thanks in advance :)
Posted by Phillipa on October 16, 2010, at 0:38:45
In reply to Effexor: is it worth it?, posted by orbital on October 16, 2010, at 0:06:40
Personally when it came out four days was all I could handle. My neighbor about a year ago was on it for a while and had horrible withdrawal coming off it she is never taking an ad again. She just takes xanax. She's a teacher and very high functioning. You might babblemail dancingstar as she will answer. Just talked with her Phillipa
Posted by floatingbridge on October 16, 2010, at 2:05:13
In reply to Re: Effexor: is it worth it? » orbital, posted by Phillipa on October 16, 2010, at 0:38:45
Orbital, I don't know for you.
When I was younger, I had a good run with it. Withdrawal is noted to be horrible, and mine was, however, some people do not withdraw properly. They cold turkey it or their doctor doesn't believe how hard it can be, though I think they are generally now more savvy due to a trickle down effect of information.
Why do you think effexor might work for you?
Posted by bleauberry on October 16, 2010, at 5:28:22
In reply to Effexor: is it worth it?, posted by orbital on October 16, 2010, at 0:06:40
I think a good approach would be to closely inspect what meds and combos you have done thus far, and then make choices that are not close repeats of those. For example, someone who has tried several SSRIs, but none of them in combination with Nortriptyline, Desipramine, or Ritalin, I think would have much better potential by doing that instead of taking on an SNRI like Effexor. Which with very little effect on NE really is a stretch to call it a SNRI anyway.
That said, Effexor does once in a while prove to be a magical drug for some people. Even the lowest dose of 37.5mg has worked great for some.Statistically speaking, effexor has no more of a chance of getting you well than anything else. You could pretty much flip a coin blindly. Some studies show it about the same as other meds, with some studies showing it a few percentage points better....either way, in the same ballpark as all the others. It's a risk/benefit choice.
If you have not had experience with the plants of the world, I would try Rhodiola Rosea, St Johns Wort, or SAMe (all three separately) before venturing deeper into the treacherous psychiatric world. Rhodiola or SAMe work especially fast, which is something you need. So you don't need to devote as much time to trials as you do on pharmaceuticals. All three of them have a multitude of other biological benefits to them, making them healthy depression choices.
If you want an SNRI (assuming you do since you are considering effexor), then instead do Zoloft+Nortriptyline.
The plants first.
Effexor last.
IMO.
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