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Effexor & My side effects


19 years ago 0 31 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Please keep working with your doctor until you can find the right medication or combination of them. at one time i took effexor and i found it to be of great help to me, but i was also on a different med as well. i have been on many different meds and combinations until we hit upon the right ones. occasionally when i go back my dosage might have to be tweaked. please keep trying- you are so worth it. Karen
19 years ago 0 7 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hello Aztec, I was put onto effexor in February of this year. My understanding was that it would take 4 to 6 weeks to take affect. I didn't have any noticable side effects that you describe. However, by the time the drug was suppose to be in full effect, I was more depressed than ever. (And believe that is saying something.) Every moment of every day was a struggle. I couldn't come up with any good reason not to jump in front of moving vehicle of some sort. Although things are still pretty bad for me, I have a moment or two (not many) when death is not preferable. I am trying to change that, but it certainly is slow going. The pundits suggested another medication lexapro, but I won't go on it. Every anti-depressant I've been has been a bust. I think I'm just beyond any help!
19 years ago 0 149 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Aztec; I had all the same symptoms you describe plus all the other ones mentioned by others and more. I did not realize it was the Effexor XR until I came to live in another country and switched to chinese medicine. All the screaming nightmares and other side effects stopped; and the only side effect remaining was the renal problems, constant urinary tract infections and water retention, which became worse with chinese treatments too; so I eventually stopped them also. Later on I had to go back on some other normally prescribed medicines because of the depression and anxiety becoming unbearable again. So - what can we do....I wish there were better treatments. These are what push people into alternative medicines. Some of them are helpful; and some are not. I think it is a stab in the dark even for the doctors so we just keep plugging along ...don't know what the best answers are. I do know that I found something to take rather than abusing over the counter drugs and alcohol. I think those side effects would be more harmful than the drugs we are usually prescribed, however, it's hard to really say in the long run. Until our generation is dead and gone, and they find out what they had done wrong with what we have now...
19 years ago 0 3 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
By the way this descussion is mainlly to explain peoples side effects and expand patients herizons about the medication effexor. So if you have any side effects please feel free to post. We all love to know what we may or may not be looking foward too! :p
19 years ago 0 3 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Now I have been on it for another month and have less side effects. The question you are asking about taking more then the recommended dose is do-able. But you need to talk to you physician about it. Be sure to let you know every little detail even down to the nitty gritty stuff you really would rather not talk about. But over time I am noticing that all the severitys are fading. So I am looking foward to seeing them go. As like you I am taking the 75mg and two 37.5mg in a day. Now I found interesting things to help cope with making the med work more effiecantlly. What I do is drink a redbull or two over the course of the day and it effects the metabolism to process the effexor more effiecantlly, now I am no ginue pig by no means. But I use to drink them on occasions to get a bust of energy. But be warned when you first start to take effexor and drink redbulls it may or may not increase side effects. Mine was tingling of my extremitys. Which in hand just made me giggle alot. Becuase it felt good. But that side effect has long since been gone. Now I do not endorse the claims, I am not a doctor or have a medical licence of any kind. These have all been just my experiances. So other people it may very. In my case it didn't hurt to try. But be wary of what you drink and take with this med.
19 years ago 0 44 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I've been using Effexor for some time and have not had any noticeable side effects (although I wish it would decrease my appetite as it has yours, Atzec) I have had some pretty interesting dreams however and have never thought about their possible connection to this drug until I read your comments. Thanks for the insight. Good health to you all!
19 years ago 0 3 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I am also on Efexor and I can't say that I have had any noticalbe side effects. At the beginning I did have a lot of anxiety but I was also taking Ativan and my doctor said that this drug can actually worsen anxiety so she also gave me saquel(or how ever you say it). And my anxiety has gotten a bit better. My biggest problem right now is that I think I need a higher dose because I still am quite depressed (even with therapy) If you are on Efexor what is the doses that seem to be more common? Right now I take 75mgs and 37.5mgs. in the morning. Also, I wanted to mention that I too was having vivid dreams and my doctor said to take the meds in the morning instead of before bed like I was doing. This has helped.
19 years ago 0 32 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi Aztec I've been using Efexor for about two and a half years now, and initially I had the same side effects. The worst was the memory loss. When I asked my doctor about the nightmares, he said that that is a good sign that the dreams are coming back more intensely because it shows a sign of the depression lifting. I believe everything he says so I am happy with that. He also put me on Seroquel about 6 months ago, and this has helped the dreams and sleeping better. Maybe ask yours about it.
19 years ago 0 3 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
I have been taking effexor for about a month and half now. I have experiance a veriety of the side effects. I am finding that is not umcommon for people to have weight fluxs during the course of this medication. I myself experiance the spectrum of lost apitite. So I have lost about nine pounds since starting the med. The other side effect is I have not really slept in about three weeks. When I do sleep I have intense nightmeres and wake up nearlly jumping out of my bed. So I conituelly read and absorb as much knowledge as possilbe. Little odd have yet to hear about anyone else using this side for some positive factor. But interesting to say none to least. Other side effects have include, tingling of extremitys, small sexual side effects, moderate to severe insomnia, and mild anxiety attacks. Good luck to new people taking the drug, just information about my side effects and how I have turned some to my adavantage.

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