Posted by PoohBear on November 9, 2004, at 17:45:11
In reply to I need advice, please,, posted by Habitsowner on November 9, 2004, at 17:23:39
SLT:
Effexor might very well work for you. It is considered a drug of last resort for hard-to-treat cases. Have you tried any other antidepressants, like Paxil, Prozac, etc? Some of those might be a better choice, although nearly ALL have some sort of side effects and also discontinuation effects. The latter is mostly what you hear about around here.
I personally have done very well on it, though it is the only AD I have taken as an AD per se. I would suggest getting a referal to a good psychiatrist who really KNOWS psychopharmacology well.
Many here will tell you not to take it at all. I won't do that. I think you should listen to your doctor instead, but be certain that they know of the side effects.
Please be aware that like all medications, not everyone responds to Effexor the same way or has the same effects. Most of the initial side effects go away after a time. What I experienced was:
Very vivid dreams
Frequency of urination
Difficulty urinating
Dry mouth
Difficulty sleeping
Extreme tiredness during the day
Yawning all the time
Brain 'zaps'
Balance and verbal coordination problems
Inability to orgasmI'm a 47 year-old male and have been on varying doseages for over a year. We finally discovered that 150mg was perfect for me and many of the side effects stopped. The anorgasmia was helped with Wellbutrin at first, but became unnecessary. The sleep issues were tougher, but have been solved very nicely with Seroquel, 50mg every night. All other side effects went away with time.
Please be careful in realizing that the experiences posted here, including mine, relate to SPECIFIC INDIVIDUALS, and should NOT be construed as typical for the general population.
My experience with bulletin boards like this is that generally, those having PROBLEMS are the most frequent posters.
"Misery Loves Company"...
The support here is very helpful to most.
Best Wishes!
Tony
poster:PoohBear
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041108/msgs/413964.html