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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 93 to 117 of 10407. Go back in thread:
Posted by Cam W. on April 27, 2000, at 6:48:10
In reply to Re: Tut, Tut Dr. Bob, posted by medlib on April 27, 2000, at 4:26:04
Posted by LD on April 27, 2000, at 8:12:06
In reply to Apologies to BJ, posted by Cam W. on April 27, 2000, at 6:48:10
Cam, I read the article by putting "antidepressants" in the search box on washingtonian online and it came up. Try that and see if it works for you.
LD
Posted by Rhonda Hudson on April 27, 2000, at 12:41:36
In reply to Knowledge is Power? Re: Washingtonian 7/97, posted by Cam W. on April 26, 2000, at 23:52:33
First of all, I am so glad to know that I am not alone. I have been lowering my dosage of effexor from 225mg down to 37.5mg. I have been experiencing really bad pain in my left thigh and leg, but I had no idea that it was because of the effexor, until I read some of your letters. I also have had the funny feelings in my brain kind of like pausing, I have been crying about the slightest things. I cant believe I didnt associate all of these symptoms with effexor withdrawl. I thought I was really ill with some dreadful disease. Thanks Guys, I have hope now for a full recovery. And I will pray for everyone of you! Rhonda Hudson
Posted by Melinda on April 27, 2000, at 14:02:39
In reply to Re:I did'nt know, posted by Rhonda Hudson on April 27, 2000, at 12:41:36
I have been on a very low dose of Effexor XR (75 mg/day) since late August, 1999. For me, this drug has been a miracle, even though it seemed to take awhile to truly work (about 4 months before I truly felt my depression was controlled and my olde self was back). I didn't experience many of the side effects listed in the package insert, but I did notice that I would get extraordinarily jittery about an hour after taking my once a day pill. Luckily, that tapered off after about a month and a half. Then the crazy dreams started....dreams that were long and complicated and like really weird movies playing in my head. The weirdest part is that the dreams stay with me when I wake up and I remember them in great detail, something that NEVER used to happen to me before. I also experienced a slight amount of anorgasmia and lowered libido, but those effects also tapered off. However, I've noticed if I forget to take my pill every morning at the same time, I tend to get pretty major headaches. I thought maybe I was imagining things, but after reading all of your experiences, I realize it was indeed probably caused by the medication. All these effects are not enough to make me regret taking this pill though. I have fought my way through periods of major depression all my life, starting when I was 12. Counseling and other alternative methods were usually enough to get me out of it before, but last year, I was so low that I spent most of my time staring at the wall. I literally did not care about anything, including my health, my job, my family, or my bills, and as a result, I almost lost all of it. Thank God my doctor recognized the fact that this time I needed more than just conversations. Luckily for me, I haven't needed to go to a higher dose.
I've read a lot about the withdrawal effects of Effexor and am wondering if you have all found that withdrawal causes the same effects in people who have only taken Effexor XR. Have any of you tried getting off Effexor XR when that was the only drug you had been on? I'm curious because I would like to be off the drug by the end of this year if things keep going well.
Also, to BJ- have some faith in doctors and pharmaceutical companies. As someone who has worked in the biotech field (currently for a pharmaceutical research and development firm), I've seen the years and years of testing that drugs go through before they are even looked at by the FDA. The ones the FDA actually get to look at is only a small percentage of what's out there, and the ones they actually approve are only a percentage of those. Trust me, we're not the human guinea pigs....they already tested the drug on other human guinea pigs who volunteered. And as far as long term studies....almost no drug gets tested for years and years before being released....not even allergy, pain, or cold medications.
Posted by CKT on April 27, 2000, at 14:12:52
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
As stated, I'm a newie with Effexor XR I just started yesterday on the starter kit and i am feeling a little anxious I feel like i'm on some type of speed. Is this normal? It kind of has me worried. I have tried Zoloft and Elevil and both have made me feel "racy" My doctor put me on Effexor because i am "Depressed" i don't know why and i'm tired all the time. I can't keep my eyes open and this seems to not let me sleep eventhough i keep yawning. I guess i really don't know what to expect and i'm afraid to become a "pill-popper" can anyone help me understand better please?
Posted by Cam W. on April 27, 2000, at 17:11:15
In reply to Re: Cam- how to read the article, posted by LD on April 27, 2000, at 8:12:06
> Cam, I read the article by putting "antidepressants" in the search box on washingtonian online and it came up. Try that and see if it works for you.
>
> LDThanks LD. The article was from the December,1997 issue of the Washingtonian. It was not as scathing as I thought it would be, but it did not approach the subject of antidepressants from a scientific point of view. The author was writing for the masses. A few statements that he made did stretch reality a little.
Thomas Moore (the author) states that antidepressants "routinely fail to produce clinical benefit in clinical testing". All antidepressants that have been released have worked significantly better than placebos or they would not have been released.
Moore also commented on a large placebo effect. True, some studies do have large placeo effects, but there are many explanations for these, especially when dealing with the selected group used for clinical testing. The placebo effect rate that Moore quotes (2 out of 3) is false. I have only seen one incredibly high placebo response rate of 54%. Most run in the 20% to 30% range, which I agree is high.
Moore also implies that withdrawl effects mean that antidepressants are habit forming. There is absolutely no correlation between these two concepts.
Moore uses Serzone to show that antidepressants do not work much better than placebos. He picks the worst of the clinical studies on the drug to make his point. He only talks about clinical studies of 6 weeks. We all know that it can take more than 6 weeks to fully resolve depressive symptoms in most people. Therefore, at 6 weeks, it will look like the antidepressant is working no better than placebo. Also, Serzone does not work for most people, only in a select group. He should have shown evidence for 6 month trials of any antidepressant and all would have worked significantly better than placebo.
Moore also compares clinical trial drop out rates of antidepressants with drop out rates of anticholesterol drugs. This is like comparing apples and oranges. He could have compared ADs to some heart meds and the drop out rates for the heart meds would have been much higher than the drop out rates for the ADs.
Moore also says that Ritalin and Xanax work just as well as the antidepressants for depression. True, but the side effects, addiction potential and toxicity of these drugs would not make them first line agents in depression. Xanax does bind to the GABA-A receptor, thought to have antidepressant activity.
Moore advances the stigma of ECT by falsely claiming that ECT causes "long lasting harm to the brain". This is wrong. ECT is extremely safe. ECT is the antidepressant treatment of choice in pregnant women and for people over 75 years.
Moore also shows suicide stats with ADs versus placebos. One reason that the suicide rates for people taking antidepressants is that the AD is starting to resolve the depression. A depressed person with suicidal ideation is able to act upon this ideation when the depression starts to resolve.
My take on the article.
Again, I am sorry to BJ for my sarcastic post of yesterday. I hope you can forgive me. Sincerely - Cam W.
Posted by Rhonda on April 28, 2000, at 7:17:12
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by Noa on April 22, 2000, at 13:20:30
> I think when a Dr. prescribes Effexor, while explaining the side effects, they should also tell you about the withdrawal symptoms that might occur. For me it was very frustrating having all these things happening to my body and me not knowing what was going on. My symptoms were: sinus like problems, I was using Afrin constantly. I had weird feelings in my head, which I called brain pauses. But the worst was the sharp shooting pains in my thighs and legs, it was awful when I walked, but I began to have the pain while sitting also. My Dr. started me off with 225mg of effexor, but for the past month she has been reducing it slowly. I feel she should have warned me about the withdrawal symptoms. If anyone is experiencing the same or simular symptoms, I'd like to hear about it. Also maybe reading what happened to me, will help someone else and they wont be as frightened as I was. Not knowing is the worst part of it all.
Posted by Carlene on April 28, 2000, at 12:10:23
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
> Hi there,
>
> Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
>
> Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> to have a lot of success...
>
> please share your thoughts on this.Hi,
I've been on Effexor for a few monthes and it's working for
me. I still feel I'm too stressed, but nowhere
near how I felt without it. No side effects.
Posted by maggie on April 29, 2000, at 1:20:48
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by Rhonda on April 28, 2000, at 7:17:12
>Hi Ronda
I won't write my posting again, but scan back through this list and you will find similar problems with most people. I don't believe the doctors really know or pay attention to some of these side effects and withdrawal symptoms. There is lots to learn on this message board. I have enjoyed it a lot. Thanks everyone.
Posted by STEVE on April 29, 2000, at 16:17:18
In reply to Re: I'm a newie to Effexor XR, posted by Jennifer on April 27, 2000, at 16:10:10
> First of all, you are only a pill popper if you are recklessly "popping" drugs. I do not consider anyone, who for health reasons needs a certain drug, a pill popper. Second, the racy feeling you described along side not being able to sleep is very common. The Effexor is a Seratonin and Norepinepherine reuptake inhibitor. In lay terms, it prevents the absorption of those two neurotransmitters. This is good for those that are depressed because clinical depression can stem from hyperabsorption of seratonin into the central nervous system. The Norepinepherine is a stimulant for many things in the body. You might experience muscle twitches and definitely yawning. Almost like you are taking an allergy medication. I felt that the side effects from Effexor were too much for me, but you may feel different. There is really no way to tell if a drug will work for you or not unless you try it first. If you find that the side effects are telling you something, such as STOP TAKING ME, then call your doctor. But, if you can live through them for a while, then keep trying. You will find here that everyone has different stories to tell about Effexor. But, your body may react completely different. Just listen to your brain and your body and you will be fine.
I HAVE BEEN ON IT FOR A WEEK AND VERY LITTLE SIDE EFFECTS HATED PAXIL BUT I WAS DRINKING ON IT BUT I COULD NOT CUM ON PAXIL SO FAR NOT A PROBLEM ON EFFEXOR XR MY SEX DRIVE HASNT SUFFERED EITHER MY DESIRE TO DRINK ISNT THEIR EITHER LIKE THEY SAY WORKS DIFFERENT FOR EVERYONE
Posted by John on April 29, 2000, at 20:57:09
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by maggie on April 29, 2000, at 1:20:48
I really appreciate this message board, and want to add my experience to the mix.
A few weeks ago I went to my doctor because I had a persistent tic in my eyelid that wouldn't go away. Through testing he ruled out any obvious physical problem, and concluded--no doubt correctly--that I had persistent anxiety and mild depression. He put me on effexor.
From the first dose (37.5 mg) I began having tremendous side effects, which included weakness and sleepiness, stiff and uncoordinated motor skills, muscle twitches, and a maddening inability to sleep due to "jerks" everytime I managed to drift off (which wasn't very often). The weakness and stiff movement passed in a couple days, but the twitches and jerks remained. At first it didn't dawn on me that I might be having side effects of the effexor, since the literature I was given mentioned only things like nausea and insomnia. I thought my symptoms were due to anxiety. But after searching the web I finally realized it was effexor, and I decided to get o
Posted by Flip on May 3, 2000, at 18:49:17
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by maggie on April 29, 2000, at 1:20:48
Hi, just found this BBS as I browsed for info on Effexor XR. I've been on Paxil 20mg/d for two months. Alcohol abuse led to a breakdown during Easter (now 10 days sober), and subsequent sobriety led me to my first real indication of what Paxil was doing to me: making me worse.
My GP diagnosed me with depression... the deeper i went on Paxil, the more i was convinced i suffer from bipolar disorder. TOday, he finally listened to me, and prescribed XR. I have yet to take any. It should be quite a ride toward the lighter side, i hope.
Great discussion here... I'll be back to read more and share if necessary.
Flip
Posted by Marge on May 4, 2000, at 12:19:36
In reply to Re: Effexor XR vs. Paxil and weight gain , posted by Juli on April 26, 2000, at 18:20:04
I am thrilled to see the posts regarding weight gain. I have gained almost 40lbs over the past 1 1/2 years that I've been taking Effexor. I had no idea why I was gaining and have become more depressed by the weight gain than I was initially. I changed doctors recently and was told it could cause weight gain. My question now, has anyone ever gone just COLD TURKEY? How long did it last and was it unbearable?
> >I am on 75 mg. Effexor XR a day. I have gained
> 20 lbs. I exercise like a demon and nothing comes
> off. I hate it. Can't wear any of my clothes,
> but I refuse to go out and buy more. Help. I'm
> thinking seriously about going on St. John's Wort.
> Anyone ever do this? Everything I read says they
> don't know how to dose this kind of switch. Any info
> would be greatly helpful.
>
>
>
>
>
> Just got sample of Effexor XR. I've been on Paxil 20mg. for 1 yr. I feel great and my panic attacks are gone. BUT --- I keep gaining weight. I told my dr. to give me something else. Did anyone gain weight on this stuff? Does anyone use this for panic attacks. My dr. told me I could go right from Paxil to Effexor XR, stopping one and starting the other with no withdrawl symptoms. ANyone try it. Thanks for any input.
> > >
Posted by seve on May 4, 2000, at 13:15:38
In reply to Re: effexor et. al., posted by MIke on May 3, 2000, at 20:10:14
> > Hi my name is Mike, been on effexor for over a year, 150mg. problem is my insurance does not cover, and in Canada stuff is
> 175.00 per month (can't afford) i take it for severe panic attacks, i wonder
> if anyone has idea's about similiar medication i might talk
> with my doc about. Tried prozac, paxil etc. did not work well.
> would appreciate some insight. Otherwise effexor
> is a great medication, just to darn expensive
iam on 75 milgrams of effexor monday i go to 150 it is helping me no panic attacks depresson is gone paxil didnt work for me got real depressed and drank like a fish
Posted by Amy on May 4, 2000, at 19:52:15
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by Rhonda on April 28, 2000, at 7:17:12
My experience with Effexor has not been pleasant. My gynecologist referred me to a psychiatrist after his “drug du jour" regimen for my menopause symptoms didn’t help my depression. I first saw the shrink in January and he immediately put me on Effexor, 37.5 for one week and then 75 mg. after that. I was on 75 mg. for one and a half months and got no relief from my depression. He gradually increased the dose to 300 mg., but I couldn’t handle the sleepiness side effects. (I wanted to sleep for 10 – 12 hours per day.) Even at the higher doses, my depression was not helped at all. I decided I wanted to go off of it. I was on 150 mg. for three weeks, 75 mg. for 5 days and 37.5 mg. for 7 days. I had my last dose on Monday, May 1. And by Tuesday afternoon I felt dizzy. (See Maggie’s posting of April 13, regarding missed doses. This describes my experience perfectly.) The dizziness has remained which led me to this web site today. Is there any way to get off this drug with out taking more of it? I can’t handle too much more of these symptoms.
Posted by Kimberly on May 6, 2000, at 10:20:14
In reply to Re: Effexor XR vs. Paxil and weight gain , posted by Marge on May 4, 2000, at 12:19:36
I too gained some weight on effexor and also had ALOT of side effects trying to go off of it too quickly. A very interesting thing that I just discovered in talking with my psychiatrist yesterday. Apparently the reason I have had so much trouble with several meds (all SSRIs, effexor, wellbutrin) is that they target not only serotonin, neurepenephrine (sp?), but also dopamine. Apparently my body is hypersensitive to dopamine, so these meds will rev me up very much, cause insomnia, constant hungry (almost hypoglycemic feelings), and weight gain. The same effects tend to occur in me with too much caffeine, decongestant, or stimulant diet pills. this is a huge breakthrough for me in that it will be a big help in picking future meds. now i am on serzone and will be starting buspar in 4-5 days along with it. neither of them touches dopamine so i have good feelings about them. i simply wanted to pass this on because i feel it is a huge piece of information that may help those of you having trouble on certain medicines (again ALL SSRIs (zoloft,paxil,prozac,celexa), effexor, and wellbutrin. feel free to email me to discuss ([email protected]). Kimberly
> I am thrilled to see the posts regarding weight gain. I have gained almost 40lbs over the past 1 1/2 years that I've been taking Effexor. I had no idea why I was gaining and have become more depressed by the weight gain than I was initially. I changed doctors recently and was told it could cause weight gain. My question now, has anyone ever gone just COLD TURKEY? How long did it last and was it unbearable?
>
>
> > >I am on 75 mg. Effexor XR a day. I have gained
> > 20 lbs. I exercise like a demon and nothing comes
> > off. I hate it. Can't wear any of my clothes,
> > but I refuse to go out and buy more. Help. I'm
> > thinking seriously about going on St. John's Wort.
> > Anyone ever do this? Everything I read says they
> > don't know how to dose this kind of switch. Any info
> > would be greatly helpful.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Just got sample of Effexor XR. I've been on Paxil 20mg. for 1 yr. I feel great and my panic attacks are gone. BUT --- I keep gaining weight. I told my dr. to give me something else. Did anyone gain weight on this stuff? Does anyone use this for panic attacks. My dr. told me I could go right from Paxil to Effexor XR, stopping one and starting the other with no withdrawl symptoms. ANyone try it. Thanks for any input.
> > > >
Posted by Theresa Pye on May 7, 2000, at 7:38:21
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
IMHO, Effexor/Effexor XR should be pulled from the market. I took it for three years.
Hi there,
>
> Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
>
> Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> to have a lot of success...
>
> please share your thoughts on this.
Posted by Noa on May 7, 2000, at 12:11:34
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Theresa Pye on May 7, 2000, at 7:38:21
I am sorry you had a bad experience with effexor, but if it were pulled from the market, a lot of people who are helped by it or might be helped by it in the future will be deprived of something that could help them to have a livable quality of life.
Posted by Cindy W on May 7, 2000, at 20:18:55
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Noa on May 7, 2000, at 12:11:34
> I am sorry you had a bad experience with effexor, but if it were pulled from the market, a lot of people who are helped by it or might be helped by it in the future will be deprived of something that could help them to have a livable quality of life.
Noa, I agree completely (as one of those who have been helped by Effexor-XR)!
Posted by Theresa Pye on May 8, 2000, at 6:46:38
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Theresa Pye on May 7, 2000, at 7:38:21
Perhaps I should also add, that there are those including myself who feel they now have permenant problems from taking the medication. I stopped taking the medication a year ago and I am still having problems. For those who have the muscle tightness during the withdrawal, I still have mine even though it was a year ago. Certain medications may be helpful but can also be dangerous. My case in point is Rezulin and others. Of course there were people who were helped by this drug, but researchers later found that it can cause liver damage/failure, and people died from the medication. This is why it was pulled from the market.
> IMHO, Effexor/Effexor XR should be pulled from the market. I took it for three years.
>
> Hi there,
> >
> > Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> > "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> > Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
> >
> > Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> > to have a lot of success...
> >
> > please share your thoughts on this.
Posted by tina on May 8, 2000, at 8:03:14
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Theresa Pye on May 8, 2000, at 6:46:38
I'd love to know how you're fairing with the BuSpar. I've been considering it but am unsure it'll be strong enough. Input greatly appreciated, thanks--Tina
> Perhaps I should also add, that there are those including myself who feel they now have permenant problems from taking the medication. I stopped taking the medication a year ago and I am still having problems. For those who have the muscle tightness during the withdrawal, I still have mine even though it was a year ago. Certain medications may be helpful but can also be dangerous. My case in point is Rezulin and others. Of course there were people who were helped by this drug, but researchers later found that it can cause liver damage/failure, and people died from the medication. This is why it was pulled from the market.
> > IMHO, Effexor/Effexor XR should be pulled from the market. I took it for three years.
> >
> > Hi there,
> > >
> > > Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> > > "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> > > Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
> > >
> > > Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> > > to have a lot of success...
> > >
> > > please share your thoughts on this.
Posted by Carlene/Texas on May 14, 2000, at 19:34:48
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Just started 75mg twice a day. Was on the starter kit the first two weeks. Doctor thought Effexor would help with my pain from lupus and fibromylgia. Has anyone taken it for that?
Posted by Donna Odom on May 23, 2000, at 11:41:56
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by Carlene/Texas on May 14, 2000, at 19:35:15
> Just started 75mg twice a day. Was on the starter kit the first two weeks. Doctor thought Effexor would help with my pain from lupus and fibromylgia. Has anyone taken it for that?
I'm not taking it for that, but for a rough period I was going through. After being on 37.5 mg for 1 week and 75 for 5 weeks, I started experiencing severe hand shaking. Has anyone else had that problem? I'm in the process of weaning myself off now.
Posted by Donna Odom on May 23, 2000, at 12:08:42
In reply to Re: withdrawal, posted by Amy on May 4, 2000, at 19:52:15
> My experience with Effexor has not been pleasant. My gynecologist referred me to a psychiatrist after his “drug du jour" regimen for my menopause symptoms didn’t help my depression. I first saw the shrink in January and he immediately put me on Effexor, 37.5 for one week and then 75 mg. after that. I was on 75 mg. for one and a half months and got no relief from my depression. He gradually increased the dose to 300 mg., but I couldn’t handle the sleepiness side effects. (I wanted to sleep for 10 – 12 hours per day.) Even at the higher doses, my depression was not helped at all. I decided I wanted to go off of it. I was on 150 mg. for three weeks, 75 mg. for 5 days and 37.5 mg. for 7 days. I had my last dose on Monday, May 1. And by Tuesday afternoon I felt dizzy. (See Maggie’s posting of April 13, regarding missed doses. This describes my experience perfectly.) The dizziness has remained which led me to this web site today. Is there any way to get off this drug with out taking more of it? I can’t handle too much more of these symptoms.
Does anyone know how long it takes to get completely out of your system?
Posted by Star on May 23, 2000, at 18:31:45
In reply to Alternative Ways of dealing with Depression, posted by BJ on April 26, 2000, at 23:02:33
Question-- would you post the same message on a cancer, lupus, or alzheimer's message board? Depression and anxiety are BIOMEDICAL problems that leave patients at a disadvantage to varying degrees to deal with life circumstances. In most cases, medication can help. YES, patients should make well-educated, cautious choices about treatment options. Patients should also consider alternative treatments and therapies to supplement medication. But this social taboo and intolerance for antidepressants and antianxiety medications is unwarranted and counterproductive. Why should people with biologically-based medical problems deny themselves relief and recovery through medication? Why should these patients, already suffering, have to endure such intolerance for their condition or be made to feel that less effective alternatives are somehow morally superior to effective medication?
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]
Script revised: February 4, 2008
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