Experience with Effexor? Side-effects??

Hi all:

I am considering trying Effexor over the next few weeks. My husband and I are hoping to get pregnant this summer and I discussed with my maternal/fetal specialist the possibility of trying effexor to see if it would make a big difference in my pain (with the hope of me weaning down on some of my methadone and morphine). I have an SCS but am going to have to turn it off for the 1st and 2nd trimester so I am looking for other options. He said if the effexor does not make a big difference in the pain..then he would suggest me simply sticking with the methadone rather than taking both.

Sooo...just wondering, for those of you who take effexor: does it help you significantly?

Also, what types of side-effects have you experienced?

Thanks!
Danimal

Danimal,

I have been on Effexor 75 mg for several years and recently upped it to 150 mg. My primary doc said that this me helps with depression AND pain. He tried to describe it: something about seretonan reuptake inhibitors.....I glazed over. Apparently it is unique in this regard. It has helped enormously with depression associated with CP but I really don't know how much pain relief I can attribute to this med alone since I am taking other meds for pain. I have had no side effects from this med. The increase to 150 mg. was for better mood control not necessarily better pain control but that may be a benefit. Hope this helps.

Modelmaker

Hi guys (or rather guy and gal!):

Thanks for your input. My pain doc uses either effexor or cymbalta. We put the question to my maternal/fetal specialist and he chose effexor of the two..I'm not sure why but he seemed more comfortable with that one. I wouldn't be taking it for depression...just the pain. The more and more I think and read about it, the less I feel like trying it. I'm so sick of trying different meds and dealing with side effects and I've read over and over again that people have a really difficult time weaning off of effexor...not something I'm keen on. My "baby doctor" said that if taking the effexor could help me to come down from 90 mgs of methadone a day to, say, 30 mgs...then it would be worth it...otherwise it wouldn't. I have a hard time believing that it would have that much of an effect. Not trying to be negative...just realistic. The whole idea of it is making me cranky and anxious...so maybe that is indicator enough that it isn't for me....

Modelmaker,
It's not technically my field; I'm not an M.D. or a pharmacist but as a therapist have worked with many people on these meds. But my main experience comes from my personal use of them. My cousin is also a pharmacist so I ask her a lot of questions!

I think last year I tried the cymbalta and I had no side effects except one: it affected my seizure threshold (I also have a seizure disorder), and that was a serious enough side effect for me to have to d/c it. But it was the only medication that helped me start to feel my feet as normal. I wish so much I could go back on it (I had to take 60 mg to get the relief with foot neurpathy). Effexor is the next most similar one, and so we tried that to see if it would help with my growing depression as well as some of the nerve pain. It helped with the depression, and i really haven't had any significant side effects at all from it, but it didn't help the symptoms in my feet in any noticeable way, so I'm still on the neurontin. Also take percocet. The SNRI class of meds can help pain - and this is exactly how pain and depression are related because of the neurotransmitters involved in both pain and depression - more than the SSRI's., although they do fine with depression.

What I don't know is the difference in how effexor as compared with cymbalta affects pregnancy and possible nursing. Effexor is older and there may be more data on it, and maybe that's why Danimal's doctor is more comfortable. Danimal best suggestion I would have is to go directly to the side for cymbalta and to effexor. Google them and go directly to the manufacturer's website. That long handout we get with our meds will be posted in even more detail, and there is usually a section relating directly to pregnancy. See what each says.

Modelmaker cymbalta was designed to address more of the neurotransmitters that deal with pain and depression, so I'd suggest discussing that with your doctor if you have any neuropathic like symptoms. But for the deep sciatic pain, the percocet is really what help me.

Hope this helps a bit.

PaLady

Pete,
It's always worth talking with your doctor. What I do know is that psychiatrists are the M.D.'s with the best knowledge of anti-depressants, even though they are often prescribed by PCP's, and pm docs and many others. In most cases, that's not a problem when it's a pretty simple depression. But most of our cases are complicated, so have a consult with a psychiatrist may be worth it. It doesn't mean you're crazy, but they know the best about what meds you can change abruptly, and what need to be titrated down first before another can be added. Plus most of us have a complex mix of medical problems. So if your doc is telling you that you can't start another anti-depressant without stopping the effexor, I'd ask just to consult an experienced psychiatrist. They may have one at the university where you got your surgery; one that works with pain patients but is a psychiatrist would be ideal. It is worth asking.

PaLady