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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by NOELLE1 on April 24, 2004, at 12:20:11
Effexor is the first medication that i have actualy continued taking for more then 6 months. I have tried Celexa which caused weight loss and sexual dysfunction. I later switched to Zoloft because Celexa no longer helped. Zoloft caused horrible headaches and vomiting. I could not handle these side effects and discontinued Zoloft and tried Effexor. Due to some negative comments from friends and family regarding anti depressents, i stopped taking all meds for a year or so. As "luck" would have it i applied for a position in health care that required a physical where the dr informed me that i needed to start taking my meds again if i wanted the position that i was vouching for. I started taking Effexor again and am currently at 225mg a day. Although i do have side effects of insomnia, sexual disfunction and headaches Effexor has helped a little. I can get out of bed (due to the insomnia) I have a little more focus on whats going on and i can handle stressful situations a little more positively. I do worry the Effexor is not helping in other areas . I still feel hopeless and entertain thoughts of ending my life.. Ive mentioned to my dr that i would like to try a higher dosage but he informed me that 225mg is the highest dosage.. I am scared because he mentioned going back to Celexa and i know that it doesnt help me.. Why go back to something that was ended because it no longer helped me.? Im afraid to try something new because i dont want to wait a month or more for a new product to either beging working or be switched to something else.. What if it doesnt work and i go back to staying in bed all day, not wanting to do anything but sleep and be alone? I dont want to feel as though theres nothing. Even on my days off i still sometimes stay in bed and do not get up until its time to take a shower for the next day of work. I dont like how everything irritates me and makes me angry and annoyed when i dont take meds. Although i still am irritable its not as bad.. I can definetly feel a difference when i have forgotton to take my meds the following day. I realize that theres more to getting better then just taking my persciption Although i have I have gone to a therapist, i felt stupid and i dont think that she helped me. It makes me hesitant to try again. So yes Effexor has helped me in some ways and im glad that i have tried it but i dont know if i should continue with it and continue feeling so/so or try something new...
Posted by Racer on April 24, 2004, at 17:42:03
In reply to EFFEXOR AND WHAT ITS DONE FOR ME, posted by NOELLE1 on April 24, 2004, at 12:20:11
First of all, 225 is not the highest dosage for Effexor, so you might want to talk to your doctor again. There are people on this board who can tell you about taking up to 450 mg of Effexor XR, although that doesn't sound like the right answer for you if the Effexor is only partially effective.
When I was on Effexor, it was partially effective for me. What did help was adding a low dose of Proxac to the Effexor. This is only what worked for me, but I took 225 mg of Effexor XR and 10 mg of Prozac, and got pretty OK results for about two years. After that, though, it stopped working for me.
Now for the less pessimistic news: it is said that an anti-depressant which stops working after a period of time will work again after a period of time off it. I don't know if that's true, but I have read that trying again might make it work again.
It sounds to me as if you might want to talk to your doctor again, because it doesn't sound as if you're communicating all that well right now. It sounds as if he's telling you his opinions as if they're facts, and not paying a lot of attention to what you have to say.
As for therapy, not all therapists are created equally. For best results -- and I do believe that therapy is good for a multitude of ills -- interview a few therapists until you find someone you're comfortable with, who can still challenge you.
Good luck.
Posted by Camille Dumont on April 24, 2004, at 20:04:12
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR AND WHAT ITS DONE FOR ME, posted by Racer on April 24, 2004, at 17:42:03
225 is the recommended theraputic dosage ... not the max.
I'm currently on 300 and I also take 20 of Celexa in addition to it.
Sometimes its just a mater of finding the right combination
Posted by Bill LL on April 26, 2004, at 9:58:18
In reply to EFFEXOR AND WHAT ITS DONE FOR ME, posted by NOELLE1 on April 24, 2004, at 12:20:11
Noelle- A lot of people take a lot more than 225 mg of Effexor. I think that you need to try a dose increase. You might also need to switch to a different doctor who knows more about these kind of drugs.
If a dose increase does not work, adding another antidepressant to Effexor often helps people.
Posted by Beta on April 27, 2004, at 7:07:56
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR AND WHAT ITS DONE FOR ME, posted by Bill LL on April 26, 2004, at 9:58:18
I also saw my doc yesterday, and suggested she up my dosage of Effexor XR because, although I have been feeling better, the anxiety is still unbearable at times. I am currently on 150mg. of Effexor. Instead, she requested I add 0.5mg. of Risperidone before bedtime.
Last night I took my first dose of Risperidone, and shortly thereafter, felt terribly sick, and vomited violently 3 times. I will try to take it again tonite, as prescribed, but if I have the same results, I am definately not taking anymore.
Does anyone have any experience combining Effexor and Risperidone?
Thanks for your help.
Posted by Bill LL on April 27, 2004, at 10:02:47
In reply to Re: EFFEXOR AND WHAT ITS DONE FOR ME, posted by Beta on April 27, 2004, at 7:07:56
I did a quick search for side effects for Risperidone; "Common side effects include insomnia (about 8% of patients), weight gain, agitation, anxiety and headache."
If it keeps making you feel sick, tell your doctor. I wonder why she would prescribe a drug that has anxiety as a side effect when anxiety is you main problem. She must have something else in mind.
> I also saw my doc yesterday, and suggested she up my dosage of Effexor XR because, although I have been feeling better, the anxiety is still unbearable at times. I am currently on 150mg. of Effexor. Instead, she requested I add 0.5mg. of Risperidone before bedtime.
>
> Last night I took my first dose of Risperidone, and shortly thereafter, felt terribly sick, and vomited violently 3 times. I will try to take it again tonite, as prescribed, but if I have the same results, I am definately not taking anymore.
>
> Does anyone have any experience combining Effexor and Risperidone?
>
> Thanks for your help.
>
Posted by bobbiedobbs on May 3, 2004, at 14:46:04
In reply to EFFEXOR AND WHAT ITS DONE FOR ME, posted by NOELLE1 on April 24, 2004, at 12:20:11
Effexor users/former users:
Did effexor make you tired and/or impair cognitive functioning? (difficulty remembering the right word, space-out, exhaustion, etc.)
Phil> Effexor is the first medication that i have actualy continued taking for more then 6 months. I have tried Celexa which caused weight loss and sexual dysfunction. I later switched to Zoloft because Celexa no longer helped. Zoloft caused horrible headaches and vomiting. I could not handle these side effects and discontinued Zoloft and tried Effexor. Due to some negative comments from friends and family regarding anti depressents, i stopped taking all meds for a year or so. As "luck" would have it i applied for a position in health care that required a physical where the dr informed me that i needed to start taking my meds again if i wanted the position that i was vouching for. I started taking Effexor again and am currently at 225mg a day. Although i do have side effects of insomnia, sexual disfunction and headaches Effexor has helped a little. I can get out of bed (due to the insomnia) I have a little more focus on whats going on and i can handle stressful situations a little more positively. I do worry the Effexor is not helping in other areas . I still feel hopeless and entertain thoughts of ending my life.. Ive mentioned to my dr that i would like to try a higher dosage but he informed me that 225mg is the highest dosage.. I am scared because he mentioned going back to Celexa and i know that it doesnt help me.. Why go back to something that was ended because it no longer helped me.? Im afraid to try something new because i dont want to wait a month or more for a new product to either beging working or be switched to something else.. What if it doesnt work and i go back to staying in bed all day, not wanting to do anything but sleep and be alone? I dont want to feel as though theres nothing. Even on my days off i still sometimes stay in bed and do not get up until its time to take a shower for the next day of work. I dont like how everything irritates me and makes me angry and annoyed when i dont take meds. Although i still am irritable its not as bad.. I can definetly feel a difference when i have forgotton to take my meds the following day. I realize that theres more to getting better then just taking my persciption Although i have I have gone to a therapist, i felt stupid and i dont think that she helped me. It makes me hesitant to try again. So yes Effexor has helped me in some ways and im glad that i have tried it but i dont know if i should continue with it and continue feeling so/so or try something new...
This is the end of the thread.
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