Posted by corafree on June 10, 2005, at 22:09:45
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » corafree, posted by Sabino on June 10, 2005, at 20:42:31
Yep, I had to take two doses of Eff-XR a day, ... I metabolized so fast that late midday I would need another dose; I would feel the anxiety breaking through otherwise.
It was 'something to do w/ my Dad passing' that threw me into a frightening nervous breakdown earlier this year.
When in hospital, never having clear symptoms of bipolar, I revolted when they suggested mood stabilizers .. but then gave in, after they agreed w/ me and another P, to allow the long-acting benzo, Valium, instead of all the short-acting ones I had taken for so long. Needing anxiety relief was one of my main reasons for being on Effexor-XR as long as I was, and even w/ it, I still needed benzo help for anxiety.
I'm on Seroquel (two docs have said has less bad side effects than lithium or Depakote), taken only at bedtime for sleep and just 50-100 mg. I began on up to 200mg for sleep and also 25mg morn and 25mg noon. I lowered the bedtime amount. I axed the daytime doses as were too sedating. W/ the lowered amount, I'm not having a voraciously obscene appetite, bloated stomach, and am less fatigued.
And, the other one is Trileptal, 300mg morn and 300mg dinnertime. There is no sleepiness w/ it and like Neurontin, the amount of 300mg x2 a day is low.
I have been on Neurontin for back pain in the past when still on Effexor-XR, but only a maybe 200mg dose twice a day (I believe both this and Trileptal go up to like 2000mg or maybe more.) so did not notice any mood stabilization.
I think my co-pay was too high. Yes, that was the reason for the low dose and finally quitting it! Yep, I remember now, Value Options (my State plan) wouldn't put Neurontin on their formulary and I don't know if it is on the formulary now or not. I do know that Topamax is not, which is unfortunate, as I've heard good things about it!
Yep, I am hypomanic or bipolar II, if bipolar at all. The docs in the hospital had quite a time convincing me to try mood stabilizers! My dx matches borderline than bipolar. Racing thoughts was about all I could identify in the bipolar symptoms. But, in further talking w/ the docs and some other patients there, they are also treating borderline with mood stabilizers.
I tried Lamictal, when still on Effexor-XR, don't remember dosage, but I am thinking maybe it brought on headaches.
bestwishes, cf
poster:corafree
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050606/msgs/510828.html