Posted by Kreedi on June 16, 2005, at 11:43:39
I'd posted a few times in March -- my depression resurfaced all of a sudden, after being in remission for more than two-and-a-half years, despite my taking venlafaxine. My dose for nearly that whole time was 112.5 mg. (It was 150 for a couple of months initially.)
Well, after two pretty rough months, and a dose increase from 112.5 to 150 to 187.5 (what I'm currently taking), the Black Cloud of depression has gone. I felt a little better -- dysthymic I guess -- after a week on 187.5, and then felt fine one fine day.
Side effect problems initially: a little extra tiredness, continuing insomnia (take Ambien and/or Xanax occasionally for that), a day or two of higher blood pressure. Surprisingly, no real worsening of sexual dysfunction (delayed orgasm).
BUT: the annoying thing is that I'm having a really difficult time gaining weight. With the renewed confidence, ambition, and motivation of the last 2 or 3 years, I'd managed to go from about 117 pounds to 132 lbs (I'm 5'8", 32-year-old male). Still skinny, but not terribly so. This time round, my weight dropped again to about 115 lbs, and I'm finding it really really hard to get beyond about 123 lbs! I'm pretty sure it's dose-related. I'm working out at the gym just as hard and sensibly, eating right, consuming protein shakes -- but the sticking point seems to have arrived 10 lbs earlier. Obviously, being so skinny does damage my self-esteem somewhat. On the other hand, I obviously don't want the depression to return. Damnations.
I'll be speaking to my p-doc soon. One option is reducing the dose to 150 (just as earlier I had reduced from 150 to 112.5 for maintenance). He had resisted my suggestion that we augment with Buspar, saying that a dose increase should be tried first.
One complicating factor is that I'm shifting countries and starting a new grad program in a couple of months. Exhausting intercontinental travel, new city, new course... I'm hugely looking forward to it, but I suppose there's potential for stress involved in the upcoming change. Then again, possibly there'll be no stress at all.
I've been rambling. I guess I'd just appreciate feedback from people who've experienced weight loss on Effexor, or who were thin to begin with when they started the drug, and what their coping strategies were/are.
Thanks,
Kreedi
poster:Kreedi
thread:513713
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050611/msgs/513713.html