Posted by Cindy W on July 8, 2000, at 11:41:37
In reply to I am scared of this medicine, HELP ME!, posted by ToddfromPhoenix on July 8, 2000, at 0:06:12
> I have never posted to any bulletin board, but I really feel alone on this one. I took Prozac 40mg for nearly 8 years for depression. About six months ago, I decided that it was time to try and "be normal" and stop taking the medicine. These past six months have been awful and I have been very depressed.
>
> I finally took my wife's advice and went to a Psychiatrist to get re-evaluated. He said that Effexor was "the answer" and dropped a sample box into my lap. I have been taking it for about 3 weeks and am up to 150mg a day. So far I can say it has made an improvement, but I can't say it is the answer for what is going on with me right now.
>
> My concern is that I stumbled onto this sight and it seems like a bunch of people have had a bad time with this medicine, both taking it and getting off of it. I have always struggled with psych meds because I feel I lose some of my control of how I truly feel about things being masked in the medicine's "cloak of apathy" so to speak. I am worried that I might be taking this stuff for life and that just isn't how I would like to see myself forever.
>
> I am also finding a rather embarrassing side effect. It seems my libido has taken a vacation and doesn't know when it is coming back. Also, the literature talks about "abnormal ejaculation". My experience is it's very hard to have an orgasm with this medicine. Has anyone else experienced this? I am serious about this and it is starting to become problematic.
>
>
Todd, I take Effexor-XR 375 mg/day, and have found it mildly interferes with libido. It interferes less for me compared with Prozac, Luvox, and Zoloft; Serzone didn't interfere at all. Talk to your pdoc about your concerns; possibly you will "habituate" to the Effexor and not have the sexual side effect, or you might add Wellbutrin or one of the many things people have posted which can help. Or, you may need to change meds. Check out the article on medications for adults at www.ocfoundation.org by Michael Jenike, M.D.; he has a great discussion of how to deal with sexual side effects. Best wishes to you!
poster:Cindy W
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000708/msgs/39797.html