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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Roslynn on December 7, 2008, at 17:21:58
I haven't heard of many people on Pristiq...
Is the withdrawal supposed to be as horrible as
withdrawal from Effexor?How fast does it act in your system (i.e., 4 wks, 6 wks. etc)?
For those of you who take it, what have been the worse side effects for you?
Thank you,
Roslynn
Posted by Phillipa on December 8, 2008, at 0:14:58
In reply to Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it?, posted by Roslynn on December 7, 2008, at 17:21:58
Roslynn just recently there have been a few threads on it could still be high up the board. Give it a look. Love Phillipa
Posted by B2chica on December 8, 2008, at 8:41:13
In reply to Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it?, posted by Roslynn on December 7, 2008, at 17:21:58
hi Roslynn.
i'm currently on pristiq. been on it since september (i think) my minds shot these days.
i haven't had to withdrawal from it yet so i'm not sure about the SE there.the worst side effect has been the only one for me and that's some hair loss. was bad at first but not as bad now.
luckily i have/had thick hair so the loss isn't bad for me. it's like naturally thinning it so my beautician doesn't have to.the only really bad part of pristiq for me was how LONG it too for it to really work for me.
i had one great week at start up, then went back down and it was around the 6 week mark when i started really feeling some help. closer to 8 before i really stabilized.
i'm not sure about others.was on pristiq, zyprexa, adderall, xanax.
**********************************
i have been off zyprexa for about two weeks and i'm just now having my first hypomanic episode (only 2 hours sleep last night) but anxiety is high these days too. so that's contributing.
so i think it helped me to be on zyprexa along with it.Best Wishes.
Posted by Roslynn on December 8, 2008, at 17:25:41
In reply to Re: Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it? » Roslynn, posted by B2chica on December 8, 2008, at 8:41:13
Hi B2chica,
Thank you for your feedback. I already have some hair loss from other meds but like you I have thick hair.
I have heard of other folks having the first-week reaction like you did--up and then dropping down and back up.
I'm sorry about your hypermanic episode--that must have been frightening. Are you doing better?
Roslynn
> hi Roslynn.
>
> i'm currently on pristiq. been on it since september (i think) my minds shot these days.
> i haven't had to withdrawal from it yet so i'm not sure about the SE there.
>
> the worst side effect has been the only one for me and that's some hair loss. was bad at first but not as bad now.
> luckily i have/had thick hair so the loss isn't bad for me. it's like naturally thinning it so my beautician doesn't have to.
>
> the only really bad part of pristiq for me was how LONG it too for it to really work for me.
> i had one great week at start up, then went back down and it was around the 6 week mark when i started really feeling some help. closer to 8 before i really stabilized.
> i'm not sure about others.
>
> was on pristiq, zyprexa, adderall, xanax.
>
> **********************************
>
> i have been off zyprexa for about two weeks and i'm just now having my first hypomanic episode (only 2 hours sleep last night) but anxiety is high these days too. so that's contributing.
> so i think it helped me to be on zyprexa along with it.
>
> Best Wishes.
>
Posted by B2chica on December 9, 2008, at 7:59:57
In reply to Re: Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it?, posted by Roslynn on December 8, 2008, at 17:25:41
actually this type of hypomanic i'm fine...i was able to get 4 hours sleep last night, i feel really rested from that. i've been getting on the treadmill (which i desperately need) and it feels great to have the energy to do it.
i'm actually enjoying riding this one out. this is the kind of episode i've been used to before a lot of meds, its not an 'out of control' one. and it's (for once) not dysphoric, so i'm just going to enjoy it while it lasts.
thanks for asking.
b2c.
Posted by Reggie BoStar on December 29, 2008, at 2:05:52
In reply to Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it?, posted by Roslynn on December 7, 2008, at 17:21:58
Hey Roslynn,
I started Pristiq right about the time you posted your first message. The only thing I've felt so far has been an increase in depression after about the first week. I think that was primarily because my daily intake of Cymbalta was reduced by half at the same time. The theory was that reducing the Cymbalta and adding the Pristiq would do a better job than taking Cymbalta alone.
The original dose of Cymbalta was 60mg/day. Now I take 30mg Cymbalta and 50mg Pristiq. This sort of change was tried in the past with other meds whenever I complained about Cymbalta. In those cases I also noticed an increase in depression after one week of reduced Cymbalta intake and the addition of the other med.
I actually never complained directly about Cymbalta. I just told my pdoc that my depression was returning in force and I had no sex drive whatsoever - not even an interest in the opposite sex. I also take 400mg Wellbutrin and 2400mg Neurontin every day. Could they be contributing to the problem? No, everything he ever tried was just another SSRI or SNRI, so of course nothing happened. Why should it?
Now that I've found these posts, I've been seeing here (and in a few other places) that Pristiq is taking as long as 6 weeks to kick in. But is this any different than any other SSRI or SNRI? Pdocs who describe SSRIs and SNRIs are always saying vague things like "it could take up to a month or even longer for the effects to be felt." In other words, they don't know really how long it will take for a drug to kick in, assuming it does at all.
If Pristiq is an SNRI like Cymbalta and Effexor, why should it act any differently? I asked my pdoc and therapist about this and they said the goal was to reduce the side effects. What about the fact that the intended effects either don't have any staying power or don't work at all? What good is only reducing side effects if nothing is done about the lack of intended effects?
Pristiq is just another retread of an old idea that hasn't worked out. I see my pdoc on the 16th of this month for a "followup", which will actually be a request to try something new for a change - not ECT, not SSRIs, not SNRIs, none of which worked.
Something NEW !!! START OVER !!!
Posted by JH on December 30, 2008, at 8:36:28
In reply to Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it?, posted by Roslynn on December 7, 2008, at 17:21:58
> I haven't heard of many people on Pristiq...
>
> Is the withdrawal supposed to be as horrible as
> withdrawal from Effexor?
>
> How fast does it act in your system (i.e., 4 wks, 6 wks. etc)?
>
> For those of you who take it, what have been the worse side effects for you?
>
> Thank you,
> RoslynnRoslynn,
I started Pristiq in August. It took almost 8 weeks before I felt better. But now I've gone to an extreme. I instantly get extremely angry/irritated and then shortly there after fall into a never ending crying episode. Yesterday, the pdoc had me take alprazolam and clonazapam (Klonopin) to get me through the day but it gets pretty scary. I was on Effexor 300mg for years with various other drugs added to the mix. Right now it is Pristiq 100mg and clonazapam. It doesn't seem to be the best combination for me.
Has anyone else experienced these extremes in your emotions that trigger instantly while on Pristiq?
Posted by JH on January 1, 2009, at 8:58:43
In reply to Re: Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it? » Roslynn, posted by JH on December 30, 2008, at 8:36:28
I started Pristiq in August. It took almost 8 weeks before I felt better. But now I've gone to an extreme. I instantly get extremely angry/irritated and then shortly there after fall into a never ending crying episode. Has anyone else experienced these extremes in your emotions that trigger instantly while on Pristiq?
Posted by Tomatheus on January 2, 2009, at 1:38:26
In reply to Pristiq, I really need some advice!, posted by JH on January 1, 2009, at 8:58:43
JH,
I've never taken Pristiq, but I did take Cymbalta (another SNRI) almost two years ago. I didn't experience the crying spells, but I did feel both more irritable and more depressed on the medication. I stopped taking it after 3-4 days.
Tomatheus
> I started Pristiq in August. It took almost 8 weeks before I felt better. But now I've gone to an extreme. I instantly get extremely angry/irritated and then shortly there after fall into a never ending crying episode. Has anyone else experienced these extremes in your emotions that trigger instantly while on Pristiq?
Posted by JH on January 2, 2009, at 22:58:37
In reply to Re: Pristiq, I really need some advice! » JH, posted by Tomatheus on January 2, 2009, at 1:38:26
Thank you.
Posted by Vincent_QC on January 3, 2009, at 6:49:39
In reply to Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it?, posted by Roslynn on December 7, 2008, at 17:21:58
> I haven't heard of many people on Pristiq...
>
> Is the withdrawal supposed to be as horrible as
> withdrawal from Effexor?
>
> How fast does it act in your system (i.e., 4 wks, 6 wks. etc)?
>
> For those of you who take it, what have been the worse side effects for you?
>
> Thank you,
> RoslynnPristiq is not an active metabolite from Effexor (venlafaxine)??? Pristiq (desvenlafaxine)is the new AD drug of choice for the compagny Wyeth Pharmaceuticals Inc. to do some money...since the Effexor is out of patent, they wanted to do some money, so they remove some inactive metabolite in the Effexor and they do a reformulation and call it Pristiq...That a very popular strategy marketing since a couple of years from the pharmaceuticals industry. And who pay for this? The patients of course...
I'm not against the Pristiq, I never try it, since I live in the Canada, and here, we only get the Cymbalta earlier in 2008...Health Canada is really slow on the approvoal of new AD drugs...
I assume some people will answer more fast and more weel to Pristiq and others will not see any improve at all over the Effexor drug and worse side-effects.
The pharmaceuticals compagny always speak about the fact they want to make newer AD drug with very low profile side-effects and claim that the only one reason they re-work on old AD and make them more "powerfull"...but I don't believe it make the "newer" drug more good or more safe at all...
You remember Celexa (citalopram ? made by the compagny Forest Laboratories, Inc.??? They do the same used the same marketing trick with Lexapro (Cipralex)...does it make it a better drug ? Who know...since all the studies show the same rate of success...but the need of only a smaller dose of Lexapro to work, in comparaison with Citalopram.
So like I write before, we all are differents and we all react differtly to a specific drug. I will not be the one to jump in the boat this time...I do it for Celexa and Lexapro, I see no difference at all, in fact I was feeling worse on Lexapro(escitalopram), the newer drug, than on Celexa (citalopram), the old out of patent drug.
Some doctors like to prescribe newer drugs...they seem to push the pharmaceuticals compagnies...I remember that my old psychiatrist was involve a lot with the Forest Laboratories inc...He treated mostly his patients with Lexapro, telling ppeople it was the most wonderfull AD drug in the world, the better, the safer and the more efficient...but that's was just marketing strategy of course... Some lucky people like me find a good Doctor or psychiatrist who is not involve into pharmaceuticals compagnies profit, and who really care about their patients.
So another time, people do what they have to do. Sure, maybe one day, if I need to try the Pristiq, I will try it...Why not, that's not because they do if for a money reason that it's not good... But for now, I prefer to stay on an old drug who have make his proof over the time...
That's only my opinion...
I wish you good luck with the Pristiq and I really hope it will work on you!!! ;-)
Posted by Roslynn on January 3, 2009, at 17:40:11
In reply to Re: Scared to start Pristiq, does anyone here take it? » Roslynn, posted by Vincent_QC on January 3, 2009, at 6:49:39
After about 4 weeks on Pristiq I can barely keep my eyes open yet I'm full of anxiety!!
Posted by JH on January 18, 2009, at 10:18:05
In reply to Really tired on Pristiq!!, posted by Roslynn on January 3, 2009, at 17:40:11
I've been on Pristig for 6 months. Felt a little better after 8 weeks. But since then things have been getting worse. Doctor took me off of Pristiq this week. Now I'm trying 150mg Effexor XR and 2mg Abilify. Let's see how this goes.
Posted by Reggie BoStar on January 26, 2009, at 1:50:30
In reply to Really tired on Pristiq!!, posted by Roslynn on January 3, 2009, at 17:40:11
I've been on it 7 weeks now and am starting to experience what you're talking about. Actually I was already totally exhausted on Cymbalta, my previous AD. The anxiety is a bonus.
My pdoc started me on Pristiq while I was weaning off of Cymbalta at the same time. My last Cymbalta was on 01/14. Ever since then I've been getting more and more anxious while remaining as tired as I ever was on the Cymbalta.
Tonight (well, now it's this morning at 2:30 AM EST) I've been climbing the walls. Walking around the house a lot, then sitting for a while to rest, then jumping up again to do mindless things.
I'm really afraid. I'm always anxious to some degree. The worst of it was being controlled by 60mg/day of Buspar. But now it seems like the Buspar isn't working so great any more.
So far this has been one lousy experience. My pdoc was trying to fix the exhaustion problems I had with Cymbalta. The only thing that happened was that my anxiety started going through the roof.
I've had my suspicions about Pristiq anyway. Effexor XR made me feel lousy when I tried that a few years ago. Now Pristiq comes along, and it's described as a "Metabolite of Effexor". That's a pretty cheap way to get another patent on Effexor before it goes generic. In crude terms, which always come easy to me, Wyeth has basically taken Effexor, partially digested it until the formula was different enough for a new patent, then packaged it up.
The PR suggests that the metabolic by-products that were discarded were the ones causing all the negative side effects of Effexor. The by-products retained are supposed to be the neurotransmitter precursors that help with depression.
WRONG. They tossed the wrong ingredients. For me Pristiq is a combination sedative and stimulant, with NO anti-depressant action.
What a waste. Between stopping Cymbalta and starting Pristiq, it's been 2 months of totally demoralizing depression and physical exhaustion.
Sorry to post yet another rant on totally ineffective, in this case also harmful, AD's.
I hope you start feeling better, Roslynn. I go to my therapist this Tuesday. Looks like I'll be putting in for another change in the meds.
Here comes another 2 months of misery. Thanks a lot, Wyeth.
Reggie BoStar
Posted by Reggie BoStar on January 26, 2009, at 2:02:35
In reply to Pristiq didn't work for me, posted by JH on January 18, 2009, at 10:18:05
Hey JH,
At least you got some relief for a while. I've been in the "getting worse" stage since I started this stuff.So you're going on Effexor XR? See my response to Roslynn in this thread, should be only one or two lines away from this one.
Wyeth says Pristiq is a "metabolite" of Effexor, a sort of refined version. If that's really the case, what you'll be getting is Pristiq with all the metabolized by-products put back in.
I maintained in my other post that because of the way I've been feeling on Pristiq, Wyeth threw away the wrong ingredients when they "metabolized" Effexor. Since you're getting those ingredients back, it'll be interesting to see if you get better results.
Whatever the case, I hope you get positive results this time. I hope ANYBODY gets positive results with these meds. I could use a lot more success stories than I'm seeing.
I started fooling with the new generation of AD's when I was 44. I'm 57 now and have gotten no encouraging results. I don't have a lot of time left to keep being a field test subject for Wyeth and the other glorified pushers.
Good luck, JH.
Reggie BoStar
This is the end of the thread.
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