Posted by Eric on March 15, 2001, at 13:07:41
In reply to Effexor xr causing panic attacks, posted by AnneL on March 14, 2001, at 23:16:02
> My primary care doctor prescribed Effexor XR 37.5 mg to start with for one week then to increase if tolerated to 75 mg for a situational depression. I did inform him that I had tried all of the SSRI's about 2 years ago with the same result - night panic attacks starting after 2 or 3 days resulting in discontinuing the meds. Sure enough it's happened again with the Effexor. By the second night I had a panic attack that was pretty well controlled by Xanax, but by the third night I was pretty much unnerved by the whole situation that I discontinued the med. It was very disapointing because it was so well-tolerated during the day. My doctor wants me to try Remeron next. Should I completely abandon the Effexor idea and try Remeron? Or can this particular side effect be managed?
If you stay on the Effexor or SSRIs for several weeks, there is a good chance those panic attacks will dissipate and give way to an antidepressant effect. I think you may be confusing straight forward panic attacks(which are not usually caused by drugs) with SSRI and Effexor "activation" which oftentimes includes feeling extreme anxiety and nervousness, which includes "feeling weird." This SSRI/Effexor activation lasts a couple weeks in the beginning with some people, then as the body adjusts to the med it goes away, giving way to an antidepressant effect which usually actually fights the anxiety and panic attacks you complain of.Giving an SSRI or Effexor only a few days or even a week does not give it a chance. I would be willing to bet that you are simply panicking at the extreme activation feelings these meds often cause when you first start them. It would be easy to confuse "panic attacks" with the SSRI/Effexor activation...this is very common and a big reason why many quit their antidepressant in the first two weeks...they get scared from the early stage activation.
Eric
poster:Eric
thread:56547
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010310/msgs/56586.html