Effexor XR

<font color="purple">Started my Effexor this morning.... I had the choice to either taking my last Remeron last night and adding the Effexor today or skipping the Remeron last night and starting Effexor this morning.

Well I opted to miss my last Remeron dose and last night was feeling all right but this morning when I woke up I felt like *****. Dizziness, sick, upset stomache, stoned feeling.. just crappy.

But I took my Effexor this morning, feeling ok right now... starting to get a bit of an upset stomache, but I don't know if it's from the Remeron withdrawal or side effects, or maybe both.

If these are side effects then they aren't bad.... it's only been about 2 hours since I took the Effexor...don't know how long it takes, I know it's a extended release/slow release whatever it's called...I'm on a very small dose right now, not even at the theraputic dose.. on 37.5mg. </font>

<font color="green">Not doing good after all. Got alot of hot flashes tonight.. nausea, upset stomache, getting up to fast sucks.. just kinda like I did on friday night with the whole withdrawal bit. So is it withdrawal from the Remeron, or side effects from the Effexor or both, i'm sure they all feel the same...

Feel crappy.. </font>

Both, I'd bet.

The good news about the hot flashes, nausea, and other weirdness that can hit you when you first start Effexor is that it goes away! I had horrible hot flashes and night sweats on it for the first week or so -- enough that I almost thought i was hitting menopause early! It didn't last long, though, just a week or so of adjustment.

Good luck to you. Effexor can be a very good medication, and I hope it treats you well.

<font color="red">I am just tired of feeling so sick. I've been living off of soda crackers and gingerale because I can barely eat.

I've been feeling like this for awhile now after dropping down to 30mg of my Remeron and it only lasted 4 days and felt great.

Then when I dropped down to 15mg it sucks, especially friday night, after my migraine went away the withdrawals hit me like a ton of bricks.

Still feeling like that.

I called my psychiarist because feeling this way I don't know if i'd be able to make the appt friday morning. I got out of bed at 10 and it was a real struggle. First thing I grabbed was my crackers and gingerale. My poor teeth... been drinking so much ginerale...

I just want to feel better... so sick of being sick... </font>

Hang in there, you know it is only temporary, heck pretend it's morning sickness and you are going to birth a healthier you. Don't worry eat and drink whatever feels right. Do not get dehydrated. Have you tried warm or hot water with a little ground ginger sprinkled in? Hang in there. I will be thinking of you.

<font color="purple">It's been really bad lately been feeling like crap since Friday night. Now it's thursday...almost a week of this it sucks...

I didn't sleep at all last night, it probably didn't help that I was in bed from 8pm- roughly 9:30am... mind you I wasn't actually sleeping then, just laying down.. had another headache, and barely been able to eat. All I ate last night/day was some crackers and a bit of pasta... barely drinking either and I know i'm dehydrated...

Cancelled my appt for tomorrow, but today i'm feeling a bit better but don't think i'll be able to drag myself out of the house by 8 tomorrow... Oi.

Also got a call back for an interview and the timing can't be worst. I might just call after they close and just say that i've been sick for the past 3 days, bed ridden, and that I thank them for contacting me regarding and interview, but I don't think I can make it...

Something like that so I don't burn that bridge... </font>

Thought I was feeling better and I'm not.
Thought finally I didn't wake up with nausea, to the point of almost throwing up.
For once I didn't wake up with a headache or upset stomache.

But now I still feel like [censored], I wasn't feeling 100%... but now I feel worse then earlier today.
I've been crying, I've been wanting my BF. I've been stressed.

Aparently my psychiatrist said she's surprised I'm having such a hard time with withdrawals from the Remeron.. because usually when people are coming off of it they don't have this hard of a time.
She doesn't think it's side effects from the Effexor yet.

ARGH I hate this [censored] feeling.. sick of it all.

I have learned never to take ANY pills without food and liquid at the same time. Makes all the difference.

Also, I've found some lovely antiacids that taste delicious, with no aluminum in them. They're mixed berry flavors. If I'm taking a med that's new to me, or pills that are known to cause side-effects, I will take one of these antiacids with it. Really helps!

Every antidepressant I ever took had side-effects, from nausea to nightmares. They all went away in a couple of weeks. Exceptions would be the meds I just can't tolerate at all. And I figure that out after taking only one or two pills.

I hope Effexor works for you. A word of caution. It turned me into a zombie that could have killed without the least remorse. Others tell me, however, that it helps them. For some of us, these drugs are very dangerous. For others, they are miracles that permit comfortable functioning in the 3D world.

I guess we can't speed up the month or so it takes to find out if a particular antidepressant really helps us. I've been through that so many, many, many times. In the end it was worth it, though, when I finally found the right one for me. Then there's working your way up the milligrams until you find one that's strong enough to work indefinitely.

In the meantime, I will be thinking of you and hoping you find a nice little antiacid you really like.

Adieu

I always took my meds with food, except for Remeron didn't need too.

I've only been on Effexor XR for 3 days, and don't feel anything from it.

What I'm still dealing with however is the withdrawls from the Remeron, the symptoms are a bit less but I still don't feel great.

Thanks Adieu

I've been on a few medications myself first was Zoloft for 8 yrs, then Celexa for 6 weeks ( was terrible ), Remeron that I'm currently withdrawing from a bit still. (not badly like the last 2 nights, off and on) I was on that for 8 months, now Effexor is day 3.

I heard mixed stuff about how Effexor works for different people. I am taking it mainly for my GAD, and I do have right now mild depression which is odd cause my SAD just kinda stopped... and my depression that is usually in moderate to severe is mild... Can't figure it out.

I had really nasty withdrawl symptoms from Effexor even when they tapered me slowly off of it, but it only lasted for a couple of days. Just a warning if they ever take you off of it :-)

That's one thing I'm worried about, because If I reacted like this with Remeron (and not alot of people get withdrawals aparently from coming off Remeron) I'm scared about ever having to go with Effexor now that i've started it...

<font color="purple"> My doctor told me to go up to 75mg of my Effexor tonight at suppertime.

If she said if I am still not sleeping then she may perscribe something for me to take to help me sleep, but not going to do that. </font>

I was given Effexor XR from my GP about a year and a half ago now. However i didnt stay on it for long. I tend to get alot of side effects from medication and it was no different with Effexor. I felt like absolute crap when I 1st started it and after a week gave it away and chose not to take my anti depressants and only to take my anti psychotic medication. I believe i had such harsh side effects because i was started off on 150mgs. Atleast you have started on a low dose and are sticking to the medication. I have told me with the effexor that side effects normally last afew weeks into initially taking the medication then they get better so hopefully that will be the case with you. Atleast you have a doctor that is slowly increasing your dose that is always a good sign. I am trying my luck with Zoloft next week the 1st anti depressant in over a year so i will post on how that goes. But as far as the anti depressants go ive been told that they always have alot of side effects initially but they normally go away within afew weeks. I would keep letting your doctor know about the side effects and just give it afew weeks and see how it goes.

Roy.

I haven't noticed any side effects with the EffexorXR unless it's just sleep disturbance.. even though my psychiarist doesn't think that's the case.

Still not sleeping though.

I was on Zoloft for 8 yrs and it worked wonders.

What do you guys think about taking Effexor and smoking pot? My daughter does this, and I am wondering how dangerous this can be? Half the time though she doesn't take her meds, but I would think they would stay in her system quite a while!

I dont know about the interaction between pot and anti-depressants but since I started taking antipsychotics, I cant smoke pot anymore. My whole body gets messed up and I can barely talk or breathe. It feels like my brain thinks Im drowning, like those anti-drug commercials used to say ("when youre on ___, youre brain thinks its drowning" or whatever).

I would stay away from it, but if she keeps doing it, then it must be because she still gets the pleasurable effect from the pot. When I smoke now, I almost feel as tho the pot cancels out the effect of the pills. I dont have a good time. No more pot for me!

I used to smoke pot on all my other medications on.
I haven't for months though and haven't drank or smoked while on Effexor just because I just haven't wanted too.

So I don't know how someone would react on it.

I doubt i'll smoke pot again, I go through my dry stages, and now I just don't want too so likely wont.

I smoked pot with my effexor all the time. My dr and pdoc would tell me it made the effexor not work as well but i didnt have any side effects other than possibly that. I have quit since the 3rd now and dont see any real differences in my depression so in my mind it didnt matter. I still jump up and down all the time. Tho i do find myself a tad more agressive without the pot, which for me means i tend to say more ugly things to people or less considerate or something.

Actually the most worrisome thing out of the whole post is that your daughter doesn't take her meds sometimes.

Smoking pot is a personal choice, I see if does no harm as long as the person is not pregnant. Have a real problem with that, but...

Marijuana is a great relaxant. I agree sometimes it just doesn't work with the pills you are taking and since Anti-psychotics mess with your brain chemistry, the marijuana might be a bit more potent or toxic or whatever. I'm not sure on that though. I kinda liken it to the way alcohol doesn't do the same thing to me anymore now that I'm on the Xanax. It makes you more aware and so it's just not worth drinking.

I know as far as anxiety disorders go, it helps tremendously unless you get the paranoia associated with pot use, which I didn't. I know I'm rambling but wanted to weigh in.

I would suggest you use the same precautions you use with any other sedative, not operating heavy machinery. Also, be upfront if you have to go to the doc because they're going to drug test most of the time and they will find out anyway.

I hope this made some sense, this Darvocet is kicking my butt along with everything else.

Take Care and good luck!
Kimberly.

I have been on effexor XR for nearly 4 weeks. The side effects do taper off. Give it time. I'm having great results so far. Hang in there.

<font color="purple">I've notice no side effects from the Effexor. I know now that the lack of sleep wasn't the issue with side effects but just the times I was going to bed and waking up. All due to my boyfriend getting up to go to work at 5am.

I've noticed that that my Depression is creeping back in, so i'm off and on with that. It's done wonders for my GAD though.</font>

<font color="purple">My Pdoc told me to go up in my Effexor XR another 37.5mg, luckily I have some left 13 days worth.

I can't go and see her anytime soon because of ride situations which are a pain in the butt.

I also went to go see about my tingling with the neurologist this morning. She said everything looks find and didn't tell me that she wanted to do any catscans, or other tests. She said something about calcium which I found interesting. That was causing the tingling in the face.

Well I'm going up tonight on my meds.

At 100mg (I believe that's it from 75mg) would I expierence any side effects?</font>

Sundance - Quite often docs will slowly increase Effexor XR™ (venlafaxine) doses to get to an effective dose. This is to allow your body to adjust to the medication and avoid side effects. Most people take between 150 mg and 300 mg daily of effexor as an effective maintenance dose.

You really should not experience any uncomfortable side effects increasing your daily dose from 75 mg to 112.5 mg. Even if you do, the side effects should not cause any real discomfort.

Good luck - Cam

I am feeling fine tonight.
Tired, but I think that's the depression.

I haven't been doing so good lately, not sure why.
The neurologist appt went well. I don't think that I have anything to worry about.

I just need my energy back.