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Post by **Angie** on Aug 2, 2016 2:04:25 GMT
I've been taking Elavil for my depression and to help me get to sleep. I started about four years ago. I loved it and had no noticeable side effects.
Unfortunately, along with not helping me get to sleep or ward off depression anymore, it is now affecting enzyme levels in my liver.
My doc switched me to Effexor. 3.75 a day for a week, then doubled. I got the pills today, went online to see if I should take it in the morning or night, and stupidity read the list of possible side effects. Nightmares? Nightsweats?? Loss of sex drive???
I'm trying to be positive about the change, and I know I shouldn't look up stuff in the evenings, but right now? I'm freaking out, man.
Anyway, anyone else taking Effexor? Is there a better time of day to take it? I'm trying to ignore the list I read - I've been very lucky that I've only had to take two prescription medications in the last ten years and I only have side effects the night I get my Avonex shot.
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Post by marmargirl on Aug 2, 2016 2:15:20 GMT
I've been on it for a few years now and the only side-effect I have is when I forget to take one.
I take it in the morning, and if I forget to take it, I will start to get a bad headache in the afternoon.
Other than that, no issues for me.
Good luck!
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Post by scrappinmom3 on Aug 2, 2016 2:51:31 GMT
I have been on Effexor for 8 years. It has kept my anxiety and panic attacks in check. I do think that it affects my sex drive but we have been able to work through it. Good luck!
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Post by lovetodigi on Aug 2, 2016 2:59:33 GMT
I was prescribed Effexor after my son died suddenly. Shortly afterward, I started having a lot of problems with irregular heartbeat. My GP put a monitor on me and the first time I called in for them to read it that night, they immediately called my doctor. I had to be a his office and 8 the next morning and they sent me from there to the cardiologist. He ran some tests, ordered some more and discussed doing surgery. I asked him if the Effexor could be causing the irregular heartbeat and he said no. He put me on meds to help regulate it while the tests were being done. After getting home, I looked it up and found that irregular heartbeat can be an extremely rare side effect. I stopped taking the Effexor right then and within two days, my heartbeat was back to normal. That was about 10 years ago and I have not had a problem with my heart since. I would suggest that you be very careful and remain aware of any changes in you body while you are taking them.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299 
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Post by Mystie on Aug 2, 2016 2:59:48 GMT
I took it for about a year (maybe two? My memory sucks) and I did not find it helpful. No real side effects that I can recall, but no real effects, either. What I want to warn you about is when/if you decide to go off Effexor. I was headed into a serious depressive episode and my doctor switched me from Effexor to another anti-depressant. He assured me it would be okay to just switch--well, it wasn't. I'm convinced that the months-long depression I plunged into was the result of not coming off Effexor in a gradual, well-monitored fashion.
I hope you find Effexor really helpful, but if not, please be careful when coming off of it. I hope you are seeing a psychiatrist rather than a general practitioner--in my experience, you really need a pro--a GOOD pro--to prescribe and monitor anti-depressants.
Depression runs very strongly in my family, and I have a couple of family members who have taken Effexor for years with no problems. Hopefully you'll have the same experience.
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Post by malibou on Aug 2, 2016 4:25:48 GMT
I took Effexor for a year. I hated it. I felt like I had no personality at all. I spoke with my Dr. about going off of it and he said to just go ahead and stop. Within 10 hours I was a huddled mess on my bedroom floor with what I thought was flu. The sickness responded to nothing so I then looked up coming off Effexor. Turns out it's really hard for some people. It took me 6 months and I still wound up in bed for 3 days sick as a dog.
So, if it turns out to not work for you, be careful coming off it.
J
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 18, 2024 18:56:07 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 2, 2016 4:32:07 GMT
That is one my doctor had me try after losing the babies. It did not work for me, and I did experience some side effects, mostly when going off it. Unfortunately, I think trying any anti-depressant is a crap shoot when it comes to side effects and effectiveness.  I hope it will work for you  |
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Post by Delta Dawn on Aug 2, 2016 5:46:30 GMT
I took Effexor. For depression it works well. But it made me HOT. I mean freaking hot all year long. I would go outside in short sleeves in sub zero degree weather and still be hot. You, though, might not get that.
I take Pristiq now which is a first cousin of Effexor. More like a sister to it and it is the most amazing drug ever. I swear by it. Effexor is good to great. Pristiq is THE best ever!
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zella
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,884
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Post by zella on Aug 2, 2016 7:44:59 GMT
Effexor worked pretty well for me for several years before the effects wore off. When it works, it really does work. But if it doesn't work, tapering off is REALLY important; do NOT stop taking it suddenly.
I've read lots of bad things about Effexor, but I had a good couple of years thanks to that drug.
Interestingly, just like Elannah, I'm now on Pristiq.
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justbeingme
Shy Member
Posts: 25
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Post by justbeingme on Aug 2, 2016 9:10:36 GMT
Effexor helped me but stopped working for me after about a year. Other antidepressants I've been on would last for much longer than that.
My SIL has been on it and it's her miracle drug. she loves it
I will tell you this. It is HARD to come off of. I was suicidal when I was coming off and had the worst headaches. I also felt like I was being electrocuted at times. Google Effwxor and brain shivers. It was not fun. I found a blog where I gues actually counted the beads in his capsules and gradually reduced them to wean himself off. I went cold turkey and my his an stayed close by because that was not fun for me.
I'd ask your doctor if there was any other choice recommended.
Anti depressants are a neasecity for me and I hope you find one that works.
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Post by johna on Aug 2, 2016 10:12:24 GMT
no antidepressant helps me, but I was on this for a while years and years ago, like over 10 years ago. The only things I remember about it was not being able to achieve orgasm (!!!!) and that I went off of it too quickly. I have no idea what my withdrawal was like because that's just too long ago for me, but anytime I see the name effexor, I say in my head: don't go off of it too suddenly.
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pridemom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,843
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Post by pridemom on Aug 2, 2016 12:32:14 GMT
I am sure most people do fine on it. It gave DH horrible nightmares and hallucinations in the daytime immediately.
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artbabe
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,045
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Post by artbabe on Aug 2, 2016 13:15:57 GMT
I hated it. It did work but if I missed a dose within hours I would have terrible hangover-like symptoms.
Also coming off of it is terrible- I tapered off gradually and it still sucked.
I'd really try to find another drug. It worked for me but the other issues weren't worth it.
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Post by theboydbunch on Aug 2, 2016 14:37:43 GMT
I have taken Effexxor for years, many, for anxiety. I take it at night, right before I go to bed. I have never experienced any side effects from it, other than when I forget to take it. Even for one day if I forget I feel sick to my stomach. Trying to come off it is a NIGHTMARE. A few years ago we vacationed in Canada and I forgot it. I was so sick for several days and couldn't get out of bed. I finally went to a clinic there and had to get it. I think I will be on it for life, because I'm afraid to even try to go off of it. I take 150 mg. a day, but have been on it for over 10 years.
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Post by theboydbunch on Aug 2, 2016 14:39:22 GMT
I take Pristiq now which is a first cousin of Effexor. More like a sister to it and it is the most amazing drug ever. I swear by it. Effexor is good to great. Pristiq is THE best ever! I wonder if I could talk to my doctor about switching to this! |
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Post by Delta Dawn on Aug 2, 2016 14:50:45 GMT
Effexor is still effective. It also can work really well. Pristiq is just sort of amazing for me. It's not 100% as I did have another incident on it but it really is great.
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Post by hollymolly on Aug 2, 2016 14:51:18 GMT
I took it for a very short time 16 years ago and was not able to have an orgasm. I was newly married, so that was not acceptable to me.
8 years later, the only other meds that worked caused massive weight gain. Our lives were busy and we'd been married a while, so sex was less important, so I switched back. I was on it for a year when I had a major depressive episode. During that time, I missed a couple of doses and experienced the horrible side effects.
Once I was recovered, I decided to wean myself off. It took 3 months of tapering my dose to the point that I was opening the capsules and counting beads at the end. I still had side effects.
I had brain zaps, my lips and all around my mouth would get numb and tingly. I had flu like symptoms. The depression came back hard, even worse than during my depressive episode. The two weeks after my last dose I just slept all the time. And cried a lot.
One afternoon I just suddenly realized I felt normal again. I still got brain zaps for about 2 or 3 years, but not often and mostly when I was over-tired.
I will never take it again. Not ever. It is the worst thing I've ever taken and it really messed me up for a long time. My husband left me, ironically on the day I started to feel normal, because he couldn't handle how sick I was. I wish I had never taken it.
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I hope it will work for you 
