Posted by JESSsMom on December 27, 2002, at 13:29:00
In reply to Re: What drug worked best for your depression/anxiety? » JESSsMom, posted by jackt on December 27, 2002, at 7:15:28
Jack, the Effexor Xr started to work in the very first week. My biggest problem is waking up in terror in the morning, then having the panic last all freaking day long until the evening. It was totally debilitating.
I started 37.5mg/day of XR on a Monday, suffered through the nasty side effects all week, woke up IN PEACE (wow) for four straight mornings, but woke up in panic that Sat. morning.
Saw pdoc, he upped my dosage to 75mg/day, nasty side effects again, spent a straight week without panic until one day it happened again.
Pdoc explained that it has to be in your system for a while to get the full benefit and for the side effects to go away. He was right.
I've been completely anxiety free now, for the first time in YEARS for two full weeks.
My depression isn't being touched though, so I asked to have my dose upped (I read you need XR at high doses for the depression to be relieved). He put me on 112.5mg/day for a few days and then gave me the option to up it to 150mg/day when I was ready.
I couldn't stand the sweating and have gone back down to my 75mg/day dosage at this point. It's working fine for the GAD.
Biggest question of all--did it cause more anxiety at first? NO WAY. I would never have lasted a day on it if it had. My GAD was so bad at that point, didn't eat a thing for a full week after Thanksgiving. Only drank liquids to keep myself hydrated. I would never have been able to tolerate more anxiety.
Hope this info helps you.
JM
poster:JESSsMom
thread:133272
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021223/msgs/133368.html