Effexor and sleeping

Dar1

I started on Effexor 2 1/2 weeks ago. The dr. mentioned one of the side effects as sleep disturbances, and maybe I'm suggestable, but sure enough... it feels like I'm wound up tight and that I'm sort of half asleep all night. I've been taking an Ativan, and that does the trick, but I worry about getting addicted to it and it no longer working. Any one else have trouble sleeping on Effexor? Did it get better? What did you do? Thanks.

tornadogirl

Yes. I learned to take the drug in the morning first thing. Also I cut the pills in half so I was on a very low dose. 12.5 MG.

They still affect me sometimes at night but not very often now. I still usually need something to help me sleep however.

AnneW

I had insomnia with Effexor. Pharmaceuticals helped. Now I'm on Zoloft, and I still don't sleep well. Could be a menopause thing. I figure I'll be on Ambien till the day I die!! Fortunately, I have an understanding doctor!

Anne

juanita63

Doc is understanding about the ambien, but not the insurance co. Have a new doc in town now that I see in August so I'll see what he can do for me.

NoH8

Any med that effects serotonin levels has a possibility of insomnia. I've been on ssris since their inception and take deseryl (the generic is trazadone)-- which is an atypical antidepressant that's used off label for insomnia. It's great because I don't wake up groggy, yet sleep through the night and fall asleep easily. I went to a sleep clinic back in the early 90s and was dx with 2 different sleep disorders, REM disturbance and restless leg.

AmyCinny

What you're describing sounds a lot like what I experienced. I was sleeping in the sense that I was NOT awake. However, I never achieved a true, deep, restful sleep plus I had extremely active, hideous dreams and at least once a month woke up because of nightmares. I had these problems the entire time I was on Effexor - 2 years. Taking Ambien made no difference except that it kept me unconscious, but I still did not get true sleep. The lack of quality sleep severely eroded my quality of life and caused numerous additional issues. However, from what I know, my Effexor experience was unusual.
Good luck.

saluki

Amy--I knew the word Effexor would perk up your ears.

I had to get off of it because it may be the culprit in my continually escalating liver enzymes (At least I hope it is the culprit---The other possibility I'm in denial about).
Mind you it has been elevating my blood pressure all along.

I did not have the Ungodly time that you did discontinuing it--I think I credit that to the Sam-e I started at the same time, although my docs just think I'm one of those people who can stop anything easily.

Anyway what I wanted to say is that in discontinuing Effexor
XR and I was on 225 mg---I've gotten a new lease on life.
Those drenching sweats are gone and they were coming every 25 minutes.
I have gained an easy 5 hrs a day when I am not next to comatose and I sleep a good sleep.

I think these medications have to be periodically re-evaluated for our individual needs.---Not once you are on; you stay on into perpetuity.

I hope you are doing well Amy.--Its nice to see an old face.

Susie

dakota123

my doc put me on a low dose of effexor to help with my hot flashes (I had a hysterectomy in Nov- age 38). It didn't seem to help so I just quit (I didn't know you weren't supposed to do that). Anyway I still don't sleep very well and I am learning to just tough out the hot flashes. I see the doc again next week so I'll see what suggestions he has.

NoH8

Quote:

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I think these medications have to be periodically re-evaluated for our individual needs.---Not once you are on; you stay on into perpetuity.

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That's an important point to make. It's not uncommon for antidepressant meds to need to be tweaked-- even if they aren't being used for depression. Effexor under 150 mgs effects serotonin and over 150 mgs also works on norepinephrine so it all depends on what the brain needs to function the way it's supposed to-- and that can change. I'm not exactly sure how effexor works for hot flashes, but often times medications are used off label at subclinical or regular doses for other purposes.