I know it's a tough one to discontinue, but I've tried all the other ADs at this point. Effexor worked for me years ago with the onset of PTSD, so I thought i'd give it another try.

I was able to sleep 8 hours for the first time in years. I think chronic insomnia has really affected me, so that is a good thing.

I suppose it will take a few weeks to see if it helps with depression?

[kaliope]

i tried Effexor for a while but it had me yawning so much and so big that it was unsafe for me to drive!

Originally Posted by kaliope

i tried Effexor for a while but it had me yawning so much and so big that it was unsafe for me to drive!

How awful! I've never heard of such a thing.

[bookgirl14]

I started Effexor two weeks ago because I couldn't afford Pristiq anymore and so far, I feel it's working. I am less anxious and I barely notice signs of depression anymore. I was really tired when I first started but that seems to be going away.

[splitimage]

Effexor really works for me. It blasted me out of a really bad depressive episode some years ago. It never made me tired though.

splitimage

[gloamingone]

Effexor has been my friend for many years (10 or so). I can't tell that it's working anymore, but the withdrawals are so bad I'm planning on staying with it for many years more.

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[Altered Moment]

Over the years it has been the best one for me. It pooped out though. I have a high tolerance to just about all drugs. Currently on Fetzima and it has been by far the best one I have ever been on.

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[Webgoji]

It worked awesome for my depression ... but caused anorgasmia.

Please be careful if you stop taking it. You'll need to come down slowly and will probably still be sick. It has a discontinuation syndrome from hell.

[angelene]

My memory is muddled when it comes to ADs because I've been on so many, but I do recall Effexor being one that worked for many years. I guess, as zinco says, it pooped out on me. I recall warnings that stopping it would be horrific but I had no trouble. Go figure.

[vvector0000]

LA County MH has such a high volume that they discharge depressives as fast as possible.. they use 'california rocket fuel', which is effexor and remeron.. apparently it's one of the most effective combos for fast onset relief.

[Insignificant other]

I started using Effexor this summer and I find its made a big difference for me .. I'm happier and not depressed as much anymore .

[Altered Moment]

I have been on and off it a number of times and never got withdrawal. Even when switching to a different class. Not everyone gets it.

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[Lostdeepinspace]

I took effexor xd for depression.. Had to stop cause it made me suicidal....

[vvector0000]

I think it depends what type of depression is manifest.. effexor is probably one of the least desirable for agitated and psychotic depression.. I was on a massive (I think? 450mg) dose of it during a very, very bad agitated episode, it killed my ability to sleep and I ended up.. almost dead.

Not to be too alarming, though.. I then started taking it again after I was discharged post-suicide, and it was a super-effective maintenance med. The psych who was treating me just ****ed up because I didn't communicate the agitation.. probably shoulda gone with trazodone or remeron.

So it's a big 'COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR DOCTOR' on this one, in my book.

[shezbut]

Before my pDoc tried Effexor XR, I had tried countless other medicines (and dosages). I am treatment resistant for sure. However, a few weeks after being put on Effexor, I didn't feel AS depressed and miserable. And a few weeks later than that, I felt significantly better.

I am still at best, moderately depressed though. What keeps me taking this medication is remembering how low I was before I started. And, that is worth the time and dedication that I continue to spend.

[Goldcrest]

I tried Effexor at a high dose. It didn't help at all and put me into a stupor like trance. I wasted months almost comatose on that drug. However I seem to be over sensitive to most drugs. Hope it works better for you.

Withdrawal was as awful as they say.

Originally Posted by vvector0000

LA County MH has such a high volume that they discharge depressives as fast as possible.. they use 'california rocket fuel', which is effexor and remeron.. apparently it's one of the most effective combos for fast onset relief.

It sounds toxic...I would worry about brain damage!

Thanks for all the helpful feedback.

It's hard to believe that such a low dose (37.5) has a positive effect on me in such a short time, but it has helped already. It feels like a switch went on in my brain--that something that was missing is now there again. The insomnia is gone and it's helped shut out that constant, low-level whispering type anxiety that's always in the background. My mood is better too. I'm kind of concerned about doubling my dose next week per my doctor.

I stopped Effexor abruptly in the past and it was horrible. I imagined that was what it would be like to come off Heroin. But I got through it. Sometimes I think I caused myself brain damage by doing that.

I'm feeling positive about it; I normally have little faith in these drugs, so that is a good thing.

[Altered Moment]

Originally Posted by mian síoraí

Thanks for all the helpful feedback.

It's hard to believe that such a low dose (37.5) has a positive effect on me in such a short time, but it has helped already. It feels like a switch went on in my brain--that something that was missing is now there again. The insomnia is gone and it's helped shut out that constant, low-level whispering type anxiety that's always in the background. My mood is better too. I'm kind of concerned about doubling my dose next week per my doctor.

I stopped Effexor abruptly in the past and it was horrible. I imagined that was what it would be like to come off Heroin. But I got through it. Sometimes I think I caused myself brain damage by doing that.

I'm feeling positive about it; I normally have little faith in these drugs, so that is a good thing.

I don't think it causes brain damage. Your receptors have to re adapt without the med. Receptors down regulate and up regulate all the time. New ones grow old ones go away. If you get withdrawal with it you do a very slow taper so your receptors adjust without causing problems.

I am very glad it is working. Maybe you don't need to up the dose if you having the results you want.

Thanks Zinco, it helps to hear those things.

My instructions were to double the dose, so I started that yesterday. It still helps with the same things, but my mood isn't as good as with the smaller dose. Maybe it just has to level out. I will wait and see and talk to my psychiatrist about the dose.

I am not feeling hopeless anymore, so that is another great improvement. Never would have guessed.

[Altered Moment]

That's great. It takes a few weeks for a balanced level to be reached and usually side effects go away if you get them.

And brain damage means cells are killed. There is actually pretty good evidence that SSRI's and SSNRI's (Effexor is an SSNRI) cause growth of new neurons and new connections.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...is-depression/

http://www.nature.com/npp/journal/v3...npp20132a.html

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23303069

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3121947/

Chronically depressed people have been shown to have a 13% smaller hippo-campus is some studies. Neurogenisis in the hippo-campus could help with depression.