It will get better. The first week i was on the zoloft, I took xanax nearly every day. This past week, I've taken it maybe twice. When I'm at my most anxious, I usually fall asleep for 2 hours, then wake up. Try to fall back asleep but can't and get more and more anxious. Or I'll fall asleep for an hour, wake up, fall asleep again. It's terrible. Luckily that hasn't been a problem lately. Take the Ativan if you have to or ask the doc for xanax while your waiting for the effexor to kick in.