Effexor?

[silentcharon]

I was wondering if anyone has tried Effexor. My doctor wants to put me on Effexor, and I said I would try it out. I went and got the prescription filled out, but I'm having doubts. I figured I would do some research first before I started, maybe it'll make me feel better.

 

What scares me the most is the discontinuation syndrome (google it!), people say that you get 'brain shivers'. I've had problems with dizziness and vertigo from my MS, so I don't wish to experience this kind of thing if it isn't necessary. My doctor said I *might* experience a mild headache for the first few days, and if I go off Effexor, I might experience worse symptoms for a while. It's a risk that I want to weigh before I take that first pill. Has anyone had negative experiences on Effexor? If it has helped, how has it helped?

 

I would appreciate any feedback, because this is scaring the crap out of me.

 

Thanks!

[Curmudgeon]

I think a lot of it has to do with why he or she has put you on Effexor. My wife is on it and it works extremely well with no side-effects. She came off it for awhile when they switched meds but went back on because she tolerates it best. Coming off wasn't a struggle for her either. She's on it because she's bipolar type 2.

[silentcharon]

Yes, my doctor said that because of my ms, Effexor seems to be the best option to try out as it has little side effects other than headaches, etc. My ms really does wreak havoc on my emotional wellbeing as it is a neurological disease, and I am being put on Effexor to counter this. While I know my case is probably unique, I wanted to know how it fared with the general population, so I would know what to expect.

 

How long has your wife been on Effexor for?

[noxnoctisangela]

It has work for me so far with no side effects...i got put on it for postpartum depression but cept for a few nights i feel really sad, i now feel pretty good lately...instead of being sad all the time.

[Curmudgeon]

She's been on Effexor for the better part of six years since I tentatively diagnosed her as bipolar and we had it confirmed. Turns out she'd been bipolar since age 14 so she went 40 years undiagnosed and untreated. It took four years of marriage for me to put all the signs together.

[KittenMoon]

SC-

I'm on Effexor now. I switched from Celexa and you might remember I got quite emotional for a couple of weeks, but other than that, I've felt 99% the same as on the Celexa. I don't feel any better yet, but I still haven't been taking it quite long enough to see results.

 

I too was taken aback by the online comments about Effexor, but for me at least, it seems to be ok.

 

The only negative I've had is that it doen't seem to control my anxiety quite as well as the Celexa.

[oppath]

Just as you can't fully trust drug companies endorsements, you cannot trust the online criticism of certain SSRI's. Almost all the negative testimonials are from people who did not take their medication more than a week or two, and those who quit cold turkey: both are horrible options. Often, it is best to take another, short acting medication for anxiety while beginning an SSRI. This will give you time to bridge the gap.

 

I am on zoloft. MY general practitioner at my university, who basically specializes in students with depression/anxiety, wanted to put me on effexor too, but I was moving so she opted not to start me on something new because I wouldn't be able to go in for follow up visits. I intend, on Monday when my benefits start for my new job, to go on effexor. All I read about it is positive. It is a mood stabilizer primarily, which is what I need for my symptoms.

[silentcharon]

SC-

I'm on Effexor now. I switched from Celexa and you might remember I got quite emotional for a couple of weeks, but other than that, I've felt 99% the same as on the Celexa. I don't feel any better yet, but I still haven't been taking it quite long enough to see results.

 

I too was taken aback by the online comments about Effexor, but for me at least, it seems to be ok.

 

The only negative I've had is that it doen't seem to control my anxiety quite as well as the Celexa.

 

Hmm. Well, I suppose I really don't have anything to lose, so I'll give it a shot. I don't really have any anxiety issues, I have issues with being so upset all the time, I'm often very irritable. I read about the 'brain shivers' people get when they go off on Effexor, and it is frightening, because my dizziness spells can get quite bad at times hope it works for you !!

[silentcharon]

Just as you can't fully trust drug companies endorsements, you cannot trust the online criticism of certain SSRI's. Almost all the negative testimonials are from people who did not take their medication more than a week or two, and those who quit cold turkey: both are horrible options. Often, it is best to take another, short acting medication for anxiety while beginning an SSRI. This will give you time to bridge the gap.

 

I am on zoloft. MY general practitioner at my university, who basically specializes in students with depression/anxiety, wanted to put me on effexor too, but I was moving so she opted not to start me on something new because I wouldn't be able to go in for follow up visits. I intend, on Monday when my benefits start for my new job, to go on effexor. All I read about it is positive. It is a mood stabilizer primarily, which is what I need for my symptoms.

 

Yes, my doctor warned me NOT to run out of the pills, to come in for my check up before I do. I've heard that people go bat**** insane if they miss a dose, it worries me because I don't want to get screwed up from it. Like I said, I don't have issues with anxiety, so my doctor didn't think I would need to take another medication for anxiety while I started Effexor. I was just nervous about the drug. Thanks!

[Curmudgeon]

If it's any help, my wife has missed a dose now and again and it didn't have an appreciable effect on her. She simply made up for it when she or I noticed she'd forgotten -- no "brain shivers" or other adverse reactions.

[silentcharon]

Ah, thanks Curm.

 

I just took it yesterday and I feel kind of weird today. Kinda woozy but not. I just feel drugged up today

[alphamale]

She's been on Effexor for the better part of six years since I tentatively diagnosed her as bipolar and we had it confirmed.

And the Effexor doesn't push her into psychotic mania or hypo mania?

[Curmudgeon]

And the Effexor doesn't push her into psychotic mania or hypo mania?

 

She's bipolar type 2 and has never been psychotic. She also takes Wellbutrin as a mood enhancer and Lisinopril as a mood stabilizer.

 

Such is the "cocktail" needed for bipolar disorder.

 

Other than somewhat of a compulsion to spend, the hypo-manic stages are usually merely a mood elevation and actually rather pleasant or at least easy to deal with. If she became hyPER-manic like bipolar 1s, that would be another story.

[silentcharon]

She's bipolar type 2 and has never been psychotic. She also takes Wellbutrin as a mood enhancer and Lisinopril as a mood stabilizer.

 

Such is the "cocktail" needed for bipolar disorder.

 

Other than somewhat of a compulsion to spend, the hypo-manic stages are usually merely a mood elevation and actually rather pleasant or at least easy to deal with. If she became hyPER-manic like bipolar 1s, that would be another story.

 

Huh. Wellbutrin as a mood enhancer and Lisinopril as a mood stablizer? Doesn't that counteract each other?

[Curmudgeon]

Not at all. they act on different brain chemicals. There are three that can be out of whack with bipolar disorder -- seratonin, dopamine and norepinephrin. They bring pleasure, a sense of well-being, enjoyment and reinforcement. The different meds react with different brain chemicals.

 

This is why multiple bipolar meds are commonly referred to as a "cocktail."

 

Here's another one for you. Often an anti-seizure medication is prescribed off-label as a mood stabilizer. The only problem with those and some of the other meds (not the three I mentioned) is that they very often result in a pronounced weight gain. That's one reason my wife's meds were switched about a month or so ago and she's lost 12 pounds. That goes a long way toward helping with the coping.