Posted by Minnie-Haha on March 17, 2005, at 12:31:27
In reply to Effexor XR + Suggestions! Done With Depakote!!!!!, posted by TommyIsland on March 17, 2005, at 7:34:13
> Does anybody have any good suggestions for me? I was taking Effexor 150MG daily and also (2) 500MG Depakote pills once a day for about 5 years and had moderate success. The combo was the only thing that seemed to make me be able to live at least some quality of a life. In the last year or two the combo has pooped out and I'm so done with Depakote that I got off of it in September of 2004 and continued to take the Effexor 150MG. Reasons for stopping the Depakote included thinning hair / hair loss and also a 15 pound weight gain. Since I stopped taking the Depakote the weight gain miraculously dropped off without even changing my eating habits. Also my hair began to get thicker once again and filled in much better. My question for everybody is if they have found a successful combo that works well for depression...
I got Depakote for the same reasons as yours (except I had gained 30 pounds! also started having menstrual problems) I have had good success with Trileptal as my mood stabilizer (I have mild BP2 and mild OCD). I am on Cymbalta now, though had to lower my dose from 60mg to 40mg because my blood pressure was a little too high, which is too bad 'cause it was working great on my anxiety, depression, and chronic neck/back pain at the higher dose. It's still effective at the lower dose, just not AS effective. And, FWIW, I am one of the people who is experiencing weight gain on Cymbalta (reports seem mixed): about 8 pounds in 3 months, despite working out regularly. The thing is, my appetite is up. Hope that doesn't continue!
Good luck finding a combo that works for you.
poster:Minnie-Haha
thread:471965
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050317/msgs/472044.html