Posted by saw on October 12, 2004, at 7:26:34
Hi everyone
I compiled this list to give to my pdoc prior to our appointment so that she could go through it in detail and see that a change in med would be the best way to go. I would like to receive comments from anyone experiencing any of these SE's (from previous threads, we know that there are many), and would like to hear of different SE's not mentioned on my list. I know the subject of Effexor is exhausted, but it is also an exhaustive part of our lives just to find a med that works for us.
1. Sedative effect, particularly 1 to 2 hours after waking. Becoming increasingly difficult to keep eyes open and it is affecting my work. Usually lingers until about 10h00 am but leaves me feeling tired the rest of the day. It is not so much a mental tiredness as apposed to a physical impossibility to keep my eyes open. I simply fall asleep while trying to work.
2. Short term memories issues. Very forgetful and appear to be “stupid”.
3. Yawning, frequently & deeply. This has not abated.
4. Very bad leaking eye (Right eye). (If relative).
5. Developed sores in nose on starting Efexor. They will not clear up and are painful, scabby and bleed often.
6. Loss of hair and hair has become dry and brittle.
7. Increasing lack of motivation and concentration at work. Continuous battle to apply myself. Spend a fair amount of time “just doing nothing” and am becoming alarmingly overwhelmed with backlog that I just “can’t get into”.
8. Motivation in tackling existing projects at home, keeping house tidy etc. has never returned. Still battle to “get going”.
9. Physical and mental exhaustion fairly common. Just want to lie on the couch and channel hop.
10. Extreme flatulence and disturbed stomach (no constipation though). Stomach distends uncomfortably to double its size. (Have even been asked how far along I am).
11. Severe water retention and swelling, particularly on hands and feet. This occurs throughout cycle.
12. Sharp, stabbing sensations on various parts of body which only occur for a few seconds but are very startling.
13. Hyper-vigilance has become extreme and is distressing and sometimes embarrassing for me.
14. Some sort of hyper-vigilance continues when sleeping. Amount of quality sleep I am getting is not healthy. Frequent, sometimes almost constant dreaming. Often night terrors that I am unable to wake from but that I am aware of. Sense evil. Screaming, crying or hitting out in sleep. Get frights while sleeping causing whole body jerks and pounding heart. Feel sedated and unable to wake up out of the dream even though terrified. If I do wake up, sedated feeling sends me back to sleep and the dream just takes up where it left off.
15. Anxiety relative but panic attacks appearing to be on the increase. No tolerance in crowded situations such as shopping centers, too much noise, too loud TV etc. Feel extremely anxious and panicked if it feels like my “space” is being invaded. Feel claustrophic often.
16. WEIGHT GAIN. 12 kg since starting on Efexor XR 75 mg on 5 August and 150mg a month later. The weight gain is extremely distressing for me. Though a lot of my depressive mood is under control, I cannot accept or live with the weight gain, especially since I have not changed (actually bettered) my eating habits (despite increase in appetite), and am exercising more than before. The weight gain has been extremely damaging to my self esteem and is placing strain on my freedom to be myself in my marriage. I am mortified with the way that I look and find I am spending more and more time at home hiding behind baggy clothes.
17. Basically, though Efexor has assisted with my depression and somewhat with my anxiety, I am desperately unhappy at present.
Sabrina
poster:saw
thread:402040
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041012/msgs/402040.html