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effexor XL and sleep

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Posted 8/8/2007 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

I am currently back on effexor having tried Mirtazapine. I couldn't stand the Mirtazapine because of severe fluid retention - I looked like I was pregnant. But it was good for sleep. Now I am back on 225mg effexor and find I have to take a sleeping tablet to sleep. Will I eventually get used to the dose and start sleeping naturally again? I know effexor is hard to come off but are there any good stories out there about it working long term. I intend staying on effexor now. I am afraid of any more experiments.

Twopeople

Posted 8/8/2007 5:49 PM (GMT 0)
I used to take 150mg of Effexor, and I took it in the morning. If I took it at dinner time, I would have trouble sleeping.

Effexor worked for me 2 1/2 years from 2004 to 2007. I stopped taking it after I got colitis this year (bloody stool). It may have been unrelated to the Effexor, but I wanted to get my colitis under control through changes in diet, and taking out any variables. I didn't have any troubles stopping, but I was so sick in January/February that I wouldn't have noticed anyway.

Effexor always gave me nausea too.
Posted 8/8/2007 9:05 PM (GMT 0)
Hey twopeople, I also take Effexor except I take the XR.  I recently went up from 225 to 300 mg.  I have to take it as early in the morning as possible or else I'm not sleeping well at night either.  Of course I have a neurological disorder that causes orthostatic hypotension so I take 3 differant medications to help keep my blood pressure up.  Two of which are stimulants so I am sure this is also a big factor.

I do take something at night to help me sleep and dont worry so much about it.  If you need it you need it.  Let your effexor level out and see how it goes there after...

Posted 8/8/2007 11:18 PM (GMT 0)

HI there,

I agree with El, if you need to take something to sleep take it.  To me one of the worse things to trigger my depression and anxiety is not being able to sleep. 

Most people that take Effexor like it and feel it works well.

Take care and sleep well.

Posted 8/9/2007 9:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Twopeople

I don't have a good experience of Effexor either I am afraid. My hubbie took it for 2 years until recently when we realised it was no longer working at all for him, it is one of THE worst drugs to get off I am afraid as well. He had insomnia prior to the Effexor but in the past 6 months it has made his depression ten times worse plus he could not sleep at all and hadn't slept for more than a couple of hours each night for the past 6 months. stkitt is right that one of the worst triggers for depression for some people is not enough sleep and it really did make things terrible for him.

He tried all of the over the counter sleeping remedies and tripled the 'normal' dosage but they had no effect at all. His pdoc prescribed him 25mg Seroquel per night in the past 2 weeks which he has been taking each night and it has been an absolute godsend. He is now off the Effexor (trying another AD) and has had the best nights sleep in 6 months. I know that again Seroquel doesn't suit everyone but for now it is working for us so definately take something if you need it, just be aware that you may need to get something from your docs. Apparently the over the counter sleep remedies are very mild.
Posted 8/11/2007 2:45 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Twopeople,

I was on Effexor for just over nine years and it messed up my sleeping habits too. How long have you been on it this time? It will take a while for your body to readjust, especially at 225mg a day. I agree that it's really important that you get enough sleep every night; I used to get wicked nightmares and ended up not wanting to go to bed at all, but I found that my head started playing tricks on me when I was exhausted and I felt like I was losing control even more. I used to take a sleeping tablet most nights; it wasn't ideal but bugger it, you can't do anything when you are tired and you can't focus on getting well. Maybe you need to look at changing your activities at night time before you go to bed to give you a better chance of going to sleep; relaxing, reading.. whatever works.

You said that you are back on Effexor now. Have you been on it before? How did you go coming off it? I really don't mean to sound negative, but my experience with it was terrible. And I know that it works differently for different people and that it's a decision that only you and your doctor can make, but the withdrawal process for me was a shocker. It may be the perfect medication for your condition and I am not anti it at all, just as long as you are informed and have some idea of what to expect when the time comes to stop taking it.

I wish you all the best.
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