Tell me about your experience with Effexor!

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  • lisa137
    lisa137 Member Posts: 569
    edited May 2014

    I'm doing radiation now; will be halfway done on Wednesday. I think those blues actually hit me right after my last chemo. I went from "mostly okay" to pretty much a basket case almost overnight, and couldn't explain it.  I have a tendency towards anxiety to begin with, but I'd never really had a problem with *depression* until then, but I truly fell apart, just out of nowhere: it seemed like I had two modes: Crying or sleeping, and that's about all I could do. That's why I started on the Effexor... much MUCH better now.  I'm hoping it doesn't hit me again after radiation -- I'm aware that it *might*, but I'm really hoping that "end of chemo" was the trigger for me.

    Now that I am better, my husband told me on Friday that during those few weeks when I was really falling apart that he hated even leaving me to go to work every day because he was so worried and upset about my mental state--hated to think of me just sitting home crying all day. I know that HE is glad I decided to try the Effexor, even though I *really* resisted going on antidepressants at first, so I'm glad for his sake, as well as my own. As great as he's been at taking care of me through this entire ordeal he really deserves a wife who doesn't bust out crying every time he walks in the room. lol.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited May 2014

    That sound exactly like me. I've always had mood swings, but this hit me like a ton of brick. I was despondent. None of my docs recognized it or warned me about it. My brother who is a gynonc recognized the sypmtoms and that is when I went to my PCP.  I so understand about crying or sleeping. Sleeping was the only safe place for me. My tumor was found after the fact on a preventive mx, so there we no nodes taken. I had to wait three weeks to do the SNB. I figured I might as well assume the worst case so my hopes didn't get dashed again. Um yeah - not a wise idea on my part. My husband was afraid to leave me too. He'd send my college age daughter over if he was going to be gone for a long time. I was just clearing off my desk tonight and I ran across a wonderful little book I read during my journey, it is called "Good Grief". It does come from a Christian perspective, but people of all faiths and backgrounds would benefit from it. It was originally published in 1962. It is by Granger E. Westberg. It is a quick and easy read - only 61 pages. 

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  • lisa137
    lisa137 Member Posts: 569
    edited May 2014

    My doctors didn't have a chance to recognize it because I was, and am, pretty good at putting on my "happy face" when I go out, but when I explained to my onc what I was going through he didn't hesitate to put me on an antidepressant. I really can't believe how much better I feel.

    I will look for that book; thanks. :)

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  • SophiaMarie
    SophiaMarie Member Posts: 352
    edited May 2014

    just curious what does you're at for depression - I just had mine doubled but it's still just at 70mg.  Kinda waiting to feel it a bit more.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited May 2014

    I'm weaning down from 75 to 37.5 I felt like I needed the extra boost initially, but the farther away I get from dx the better I feel, so I think for me the 37.5 will be just fine. 

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  • lisa137
    lisa137 Member Posts: 569
    edited June 2014

    I ramped up to 150mg pretty quickly--over the course of four weeks-- for depression. My depression actually did start to get better during the 2nd week, but from what I understand that is not really typical. Usually takes longer.

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  • KarenZ0305
    KarenZ0305 Member Posts: 487
    edited June 2014

    I've decided to stop the meds with ok from my MO. I'll let you know how the weaning goes. Shouldn't be too terrible since I do such a low dose. 

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited June 2014

    I stopped without weaning with no effects but I was only on 37.5mg for 18 days. The pharmacist told me I would have no problems and I didn't.  I felt so much better being off them. We never know what our system will accept or reject.

    I hope your weaning goes smoothly. 

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  • gemini4
    gemini4 Member Posts: 532
    edited June 2014

    wrenn, did you have a tough time on the effexor?  I lasted just one day -- bad headache that reminded me how I felt (which was badly) when I briefly took Zoloft some years ago.  

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  • wrenn
    wrenn Member Posts: 2,707
    edited June 2014

    The first few days I had nausea and dizziness but then it went away. The rest of the time I had extreme sleepiness even after many hours of sleep. I tolerated that hoping it would go away too but finally what made me give up was a buzzing sound in my head and vivid (wide awake) dreamlike visions. It was strange so I decided to wean.  The day after my last dose I felt fine and kept feeling better. There were no side effects but I called the pharmacy to see if I might get side effects and they said not likely with a small dose for only 18 days.

    It is good to have the sleepiness gone. good luck

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  • arby
    arby Member Posts: 126
    edited June 2014

    Just a warning: I fell asleep at the wheel on effexor...thankfully my husband realized what was happening as the car was edging to cross the center line and he grabbed the wheel and corrected it.  My reaction was so weird as he spoke firmly to me.  I was lackadaisical, not alarmed, or even jolted.  SO NOT ME!    I pulled over and we traded places.  When I got home I weaned myself off the medication.  Never again will I take an anti anxiety pill like it.  I had been on it for 2 months and it had made me so laid back, totally cured my horrendous hot flashes in just 3 or 4 days. GONE....but it would have gotten me killed had my husband not been with me on a 2 hr drive to visit my aunt.

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  • SophiaMarie
    SophiaMarie Member Posts: 352
    edited June 2014

    Arby's, that was so scary!  Glad your dh was able to catch it.  We're you on a high dose?  I can tell I'm more mellow ( helped with irritability and wanting to kill someone ;) but I haven't gotten sleepy on it.  But I'm only now at 70mg.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited June 2014


    took it for months years ago, piled the weight on me so I switched off it.

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  • Obxflygirl1
    Obxflygirl1 Member Posts: 377
    edited June 2014

    just came off of it after 6 weeks.  It did help the HF tremendously but I couldn't stand the constant high bloated stomach and I gained 6 pounds.  I've never had too much of a stomach and I walk and run 40 minutes a day.  But my stomach was so bloated, I looked like I was Pregnant.  Off of it 3 days and already 2 pounds down.  Whew!

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  • lihuejan
    lihuejan Member Posts: 14
    edited July 2014

    I started on effexor 75mg 7 years ago to stop menopuse hot flashes.  Hot Flashes came back after starting on arimidex. We increased the dose to 150mg. Which seems to do the trick for me.

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