Anti-Depressants for Hot Flashes -Effexor or Paxil-Anyone try?

I take Effexor/Venlafaxine and find it very effective in reducing hot flashes. I certainly notice a difference if I miss a dose. It reduces my flashes from 20+ to about 2 per day.

Hi all, I took Effexor for hot flashes and it helped, especially for the dreaded night sweats. I came off of it about 6 mos later (I can't remember why, but something about the SEs) and that part was MISERABLE, with brain zaps and flu like symptoms. Hot flashes resumed and then subsided a few months later. I've been at least 8 months with no hot flashes an no meds. I hope the same for you!

I took Effexor years ago for depression and had horrible side effects from it (unable to climax, night sweats, brain zaps, constant nausea/hunger - which caused me to gain weight, irritibility, insomnia, dizziness and seeing things out of the corner of my eyes). I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, in case they react as badly as I did.

There are some other ways of dealing with hot flashes. Exercising daily and giving up meat and dairy have been really helpful for me.

I took Celexa 20 mg.daily (Citalopram generic) for depression and anxiety for 2+ years after my BC DX, anti-depressants do help with hot flashes, & cold flashes I get palpitations when I get hot flashes and the Celexa helps regulate that. The first year I also took Ambien to help me sleep, I had 2 surgeries --hysterectomy and lumpectomy just less than 2 mos apart so I was really scared and it's keeping me awake at night.Before I started Celexa, My gyno prescribed Effexor 75mg. right after my surgery (hysterectomy) but I can't tolerate them, 'got dizzy and sick to my stomach, so I didn't take them anymore, Gyno said I could cut them in half, but I was too scared to do it. I thought I will be fine without anything to help with hot flashes, nope, everytime I go to radiation I freaked-out and I got so anxious, so I went to my Primary care dr. and she prescribed the Celexa, It made a huge difference.

Paxil like Celexa/Citalopram are SSRI's so it will help with your hot flashes. You can always stop them like I did when you start feeling better. I never have any problem problem when I stopped taking them either, I just went cold turkey, same with Ambien, luckily I didn't get any withdrawal symptoms. If you google Ambien (generic is Zolpidem) it is prescribed to women who are going through menopause. In my case I stopped taking the Ambien first, I still sleep good because I was still on Celexa at that time. then a couple of months later I stopped them because I feel like it's contributing to my weight gain.Regular excercise also helps with sleep and hot flashes, nowadays this is what I do to help with mine, yes, it does get better after a while, so for now go ahead and take the Paxil, remember it is only temporary anyway. Goodluck!