Posted by medlib on March 26, 2001, at 14:37:25
In reply to Increasing Effexor - A beginner's Question, posted by AnneL on March 20, 2001, at 22:36:31
Anne--
Welcome to Babble! I've taken Effexor XR for about 16 months (12 months at 375mg/day); the initial side effects (nausea, dizziness with movement) returned with each dosage increase and lasted from 2-3 days to 2 weeks (at the highest level). Since I knew what to expect and that it was temporary, the ramping-up process quickly became just a recurring annoyance, more than offset by the clinical improvement. E. has made a very big difference to me and I would not consider stopping it; but, be aware that it is a very powerful, broad-spectrum drug from which many people have difficulty withdrawing. The insomnia it causes does NOT subside; I must take Ambien (a hypnotic/sleeping pill) nightly. At each dosage level, allow at least 2 weeks after initial side effects subside to evaluate (with your pdoc) whether clinical symptom improvement is adequate.
Many people here have found keeping a daily meds diary invaluable; I use an abbreviated chart kept near my meds. Mine has just 3 columns plus the date--mood level (numerical, 1-10); activity level (same schema); and side effects/symptoms. (I note med changes in red.) Of course, this procedure is best suited to those of us who have had *big* problems for a *lonnng* time. Hopefully, yours will prove milder and/or shorter-lived.
St. James, a knowledgeable, long-time Babbler, has put together info on Effexor from Babble archives and other sources; if you're interested, click on "Psychobabble Tips" in the text near the top of this page.
This drug prompts many people to express very strongly-worded opinions (some with more "heat" than "light"). Since you are new here, please note our board motto: YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary). In the world of psych meds, individual differences in reponse are the *rule*, not the exception.
One other "note" in this long-winded "word-of-welcome": many Babble participants have treatment-resistant, atypical depression, although a wide range of other psych problems are presented here. We are in NO way a representative sample for drug-response-profiling purposes. Most of us do not find adequate symptom-remission from a single med; I'd guess that the average psych "cocktail" contains 3 meds, chosen by laborious trial-and-error to fit that individual, and requiring semi-regular adjustment/change. The ideas, info, and support found here help us through that interminable ordeal.
Well wishes---medlib
> I've been on Effexor 37.5 mg for one week now and have gotten over the "wierd feelings" associated with getting used to this med. I still get some anxiety from time-to-time, but am able to ride it out. Klonopin 0.5 mg. at night makes for a very anxiety-free, pleasant sleep. Can I expect all my various side effects to double when I double my dose to 75 mg?Will my insomnia lessen over time? Thanks, AnneL
poster:medlib
thread:57031
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010319/msgs/57596.html