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Is any one taking Venlafaxine (Effexor)

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Posted 10/25/2008 4:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I am taking 20mg of Citalopram and 45mg of Mirtazipine for GAD and depression but they dont seem to be helping me much. My Doctor is considering changing me to Venlafaxine (Effexor) in the next couple off weeks and was wondering what peoples views on this medication are?
Posted 10/25/2008 5:06 PM (GMT 0)

Unhappy,

Hey there, if you type in Effexor into the Search Site at the top of the forum you will pull up a lot of posts on Effexor.

Effexor is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs).

Effexor is used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from the medication. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Take this medication with a full glass of water. Effexor should be taken with food.

Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Effexor

Side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

drowsiness, dizziness, nervousness, or anxiety;

dry mouth, increased sweating;

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation;

decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm;

headache, blurred vision; tremor or chills; or changes in appetite or weight.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

Hope this helps you.

Kitt

Posted 10/25/2008 8:46 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Unhappy,

I take effexor. I take 375mg each day. It is the highest dose that you can take. I have been taking it for years. Not sure how many. I know that it is over ten.

It works well for me. My psychiatrist said that I will have to take it for the rest of my life.

The only problem that I have ever had was when I tried to go off of it one time. I was feeling good and thought that I didn't need it. Man was I wrong. But the withdrawal symptoms are tough to deal with. So it is always recommended to go off of it very slowly. Though some people have switched from effexor to wellbutrin with little difficulty.

I hope that effexor works well for you. One more thing about it, you will notice fairly soon if you are feeling better, though it takes four to six weeks for the full effect. But it is one of the few medications that works fast.

Best wishes,

Hugs, Karen
Posted 10/26/2008 8:43 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen

Thanks for your reply. I had heard that effexor has very bad withdrawal symptoms which is why i am a bit worried about taking it, It's good to know that it works for you. I will need to go and see my doctor as i feel the meds i am on at the moment are not helping. Does any one know if you get bad withdrawal symptoms from Citalopram or Mirtazipine?
Posted 10/26/2008 11:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Unhappy,

I looked up the two medications that you are taking, celexa and remeron. Neither sound like they would have bad withdraw symptoms. Especially if you are going to take the effexor in their place. The transition should be fairly easy. I took remeron and it made me so sleepy that I had to stop. I have never taken celexa, but I have heard that it could be similar to effexor, though I could be wrong. Either way I wish you the best with the transition. I would try the effexor and if it doesnt' work out, the doctor can help you wean off slowly. That is the key to getting through the withdrawal symptoms. Go really slow.

Have a great day

Hugs, Karen
Posted 10/26/2008 11:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen

Thanks for your quick response. The information you gave will be useful, I do find that remeron does make me sleepy but i still dont seem to get a good nights sleep which is very frustrating.

Thanks

Ben
Posted 10/26/2008 12:13 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ben,

Venlafaxine is (in my opinion) a decent drug. I know plenty of people who have had good results from it. RE: Withdrawl/Side Effects... its difficult to say what will happen because different people react in different ways to different meds. Some people may have really bad withdrawl from Citalopram where you might not even notice the withdrawl.

Darren
Posted 10/26/2008 4:52 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Darren

Thanks for your reply the info im getting seems to be quite positive for effects of Venlafaxine. I have to go back to doctors next week to discuss changing my medication last time i went he wanted me to move up from 30mg of Mirtazipine to 45mg to see if that would make a difference but its not helped im still not sleeping and my mood is not good and i also have high levels of anxiety. He sees Venlafaxine as a last resort medication due to the withdrawl when stopping and he also says its an expensive medication to produce.

Thanks again

Ben : sad
Posted 10/27/2008 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
When I got back on antidepressants earlier this year, my internist suggested effexor as an option.  Her patients seem to have good results on it.  It's worth a try, is what I say.

For me, I won't take effexor again.  I gained 40 lbs on it, in a few months, when I took it at age 15.  Which left me with stretch marks everywhere.  My doctor was puzzled when I told her this, because she said she doesn't often hear reports of weight gain on that drug.  A friend of mine gained 60 lbs on it, so what I think is that some drugs cause weight gain for some people and not for others.  And you will know pretty quickly if it is or not.

The other reason I won't take it again is that I had terrible withdrawal coming off of it.  But then again, I just had terrible withdrawal coming off zoloft.  So I think it all depends on the person.  I think it's worth a try.  You can always switch to something else if it doesn't work.

Posted 10/28/2008 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
It's up to you if you take a certain drug. I had a terrible time with Effexor, but that's just me. I wasn't on it for long and now I am on Celexa. It is much easier on my system, but my depression is still here.

Good luck!

Keep in touch!

Linda
Posted 10/28/2008 1:16 PM (GMT 0)

Hi guys

Thanks for your posts they have been very helpful.  I think i have decided that i want to give Venlafixine a go and have an appointment on Thursday with my doctor to discuss this so hopfully he will agree this is a good option for me.  I would much rather be taking just the one medication than taking two different medications like i am at the moment, hopefully i wont get two bad withdrawl from this medications when or if i change to Effexor.

Thanks to you all

Ben

Posted 10/30/2008 8:51 AM (GMT 0)
yes, i know about venlafaxine. The mean maximum daily dose of venlafaxine ER was 221.5 mg/day. venlafaxine ER was effective and well tolerated in short-term and continuation treatment of patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. Major depressive disorder is the most common major mental illness, afflicting almost one in five individuals.
--------------------------------------------
jillcatrina

Advisor
Posted 10/30/2008 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
I was on Effexor for 5 days and it made me 1000000 times worse, that's me it had me thinking terrible thoughts and I cried in the middle of dinner in front of my kids for noooo reason. I immediately got off of it. I am now on Fluxotine sp? (prozac) for 2 days and so far so good just 10 ml for now. I also got Brain Zaps on Effexor. I was diagnosed with MDD. Hope this helps.
Posted 10/30/2008 4:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi there Jillcatrina and ONelove,

I just wanted to welcome the both of you to the depression forum. If you would like to, there is an introduction thread that you can post on. It is totally up to you. I hope that you both have a wonderful day.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 10/30/2008 8:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Guys

Thanks for your replies. An update from me, i was at the doctors today and we agreed to give Venlafaxine(Effexor) a go at 75mg to begin with. I am to stop taking the Citalopram straight away which i was surprised about as i thought you were supposed to come of it slowly. He said that i was to carry on taking the Mirtazipine(remeron) at 45mg for the moment and i am to go back in 3 weeks to see how im getting on.

Is any one else taking Venlafaxine with Mirtazipine? I hope i dont get two many withdrawl symptoms from the citalopram as i have been on this med for a long time.

Thanks again

Ben
Posted 10/30/2008 9:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ben,

Maybe since you are going on the effexor, you wont have any withdrawal symptoms from th citalopram. I hope all goes well with your web switch.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 11/1/2008 4:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen

started on the effexor today feel a bit light headed but thats about it at the moment. I would like to hear from any one who has taken effexor with mirtazipine?

Thanks
Posted 11/2/2008 12:17 AM (GMT 0)
I was on Effexor and because I am so drug-sensitive, it was an awful experience. Each person is different. I take Celexa now and Remeron was just added. I am finally sleeping. So, the first hurdle seems to have been successful. Now, I have to work on this blasted depression. It has crippled my life and just a few short months ago, I was quite lively!

Keep posting and let us know how you are doing!

Linda
Posted 11/2/2008 12:28 AM (GMT 0)

Hi Ben,  I have been on mirtazapine for at least 6 years.  I tried so many other a/d meds and this is the one that worked for me.  My dr. started me at 15 mg, then 30 then up to 45 mg a day taken at nightime as it makes you sleepy.  I have had no other side effects from this med.  I have been tapered down from 45 to 30 mg now and when I made the change which was immediate, I honestly could not tell the difference.  Oh yes, one big difference - my appetite decreased and I lost 40 lbs.  So here is one person who has had very good success with mirtazapine.  Just wanted to let you know my story.

Aurora

Posted 11/2/2008 12:12 PM (GMT 0)
Hi guys

Thanks for your posts. I found that the Mirtazipine worked at first but then seemed to stop working for me and i found that citalopram did not help me but your right every one is different. Aurora i am glad you have had a success with mirtazipine and hope you continue to i do find mirtazipine affects my appetite and my weight seems to go up and down quite quickly. Linda sounds like you have hit the right combo of meds for you and im glad your sleeping it can be very frustrating when you cant sleep and im sure a lot of the HW members can relate to that. I had some CAT therapy and found that this did help my depression maybe something you could think about.

This is my second day on the Venlaxifine & Mirtazipine combo and i am feeling a bit sick today hopefully this will pass over the next few days when i adjust to the new medication. Dont think i have had any withdrawel affects from the citalopram.

Thanks to you both, take care

Ben
Posted 11/2/2008 12:42 PM (GMT 0)
Ben,

I keep forgetting that the mirtazipine is remeron, I don't know if I mentioned that I took that with eht effeoxor and it made me sleepy. But they didn't tell me to take it at night like they should of and I dont' think I gave it time for the side effects to pass.

Just thought I would mention that. If I didn't already LOL...

Have a great day,
hugs, Karen
Posted 11/2/2008 1:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Karen

Thanks for post. I am taking the Venlafaxine in the morning and taking the Mirtazipine(Remeron) at night time. I really hope this combo works and its hard to say at the moment as this has only been the second day.

Thanks, Karen

Ben
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