Posted by Zellie on December 31, 2003, at 8:24:55
In reply to Re: Effexor XR - Some Advice Desperately Needed.HELP., posted by Gummybear on December 28, 2003, at 19:25:08
Hi, Gummybear. Cool name.
The twitches you are experiencing are likely intesified by the quick titration upwards (dosage increase) of the Effexor. My doc had one full month between the increments, so my body had time to adjust to each new dosage level. Many docs have a one-week titration of Effexor. It intensifies the side-effects that way.
I still have twitches as I am falling off to sleep, and during my sleep (I had the odd twitch before the Effexor, too...my husband has the odd twitch, too, as he is falling off to sleep, and he has never taken any meds and has no psychological issues). So, twitching per se is normal, I think. I just twitch a little more now than previously.
As for altering one's personality, I can only speak here for myself when I say that the Effexor has not altered my personality....it was the anxiety and depression, OCD and ADHD that altered my personality!! Now that I have been on Effexor since last spring, I am able to be who I really am, and NOT be edgy, irritable, annoyed, tense, worried all the time, over-controlling, etc. etc. etc. It's been wonderful for me.
I am on 150 mg Effexor XR, and 100 mg Wellbutrin. The Wellbutrin is to further target the ADHD, and to counter the sexual side-effects of the Effexor.
I still feel slight depression during PMS for a week each month, but it sure beats feeling it to the max, 365 days a year, all my life!!
I am a candidate for never coming of the meds. I had an early onset of all my disorders, for sustained periods. Should I ever have the need to switch from the Effexor, I shall heed the warnings of the postings here to go reeeeeeally slowly titrating off (several months at each decreased dosage), to minimize the side-effects.
Hope all goes well with you.
Kindest regards,
Zellie> Hey drangonfly and maxx, thanks for your input. The Effexor XR HAS actually helped me since I'm doing 10X better than I was 3 weeks ago where I couldn't get out of bed all day and was crying everyday. Now I'm not crying anymore and am starting to do day to day activities again... though I still have anxiety and attacks and then get down about them. But progress has been made and that's why I'm hopefull and sticking to them.
>
> The twitches really freak me out though... anybody else on Effexor XR experience them and did they ever go away????
>
> And what did you mean that these meds can alter a person's personality permanently???? that's sooo scary??? Has anybody noticed their personality change???? I've changed but that's a result of my sudden bout of anxiety and depression not the meds.... also, my "core" self I still believe is the same.
>
> I'm really reluctant to be taking the Seroquel (anti-phycosis med.) - the DR. told me to take 25mg at night to rid me of my constant worrying thoughts... but it makes me feel like their is a void in my head, or just emptiness and in the morning I am groggy. But I'll be stopping the Seroquel this week.....
>
> Please share any experiences you've had with Seroquel and Effexor XR side effects - like the twitching....
>
> Thanks a millionn,
> G. Bear.
poster:Zellie
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031231/msgs/295024.html