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Posted 3/17/2010 10:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, this is just my 3rd post, though I've had Fibro for at least 2 decades.  My pain is getting worse, and I can do less and less and lift less and less (like half a pound) without aggravating it.  Am on a few meds already, and my doc has just given me Effexor.  Has anyone tried it, and if so with what results?  Thanks for any help!

Debbie

Posted 3/17/2010 11:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Debbie,

I took effexor for many years and it is a good anti depressant. It also helps with fibromyalgia pain. I believe it is a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. I think they refer to is as an ssni. I think it could possibly help you and help any pain medications that you may be taking to work better. Let us know how it goes. For anti depressant results it takes about four to six weeks for maximum effects. I hope that it works for you.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 3/18/2010 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
I have taken Effexor XR for over 5 years.  It was the wonder drug when I first started taking it.  Over the years, I have slowly moved up the dosage chart, and find that I am now maxed out at 300 mg a day.  I can still tell that it helps, but can't help but wonder what is going to happen when I need to be able to increase my dosage.  The only downfall to it is that if you miss a dose or don't take it for a few days (because you lost your bottle....lol) it has some pretty freaky side effects.  The main one that really bothers me is the "electric shocks" that I start having.  By electric shocks, the best way I can describe them is the feeling you get when you stick your tounge to a 9 volt battery.  I get that feeling all over my body.  The one thing that my doc told me when I started taking it was that it was a great med (and it is) but that once I started taking it, to be prepared to take it forever, because it is SO hard to get back off of. I was given it for anxiety issues at the time, and discovered that it worked miracles.  It is very expensive tho, so hopefully your insurance will be able to cover it!
Posted 3/18/2010 5:18 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Debbie!

I too take Effexor and have good results. I'm very sensitive to antidepressants but living without isn't an option for me. Tried that and it wasn't pretty. Effexor is one of the few I can tolerate as even a tiny dose of some can send my head spinning. I do hope you have good success with it.

One other thing about antidepressants.... most often a specific antidepressant will be helpful for 3-5 years and then the effects are less helpful. It's at that point you should ask your doctor about switching to a different one. There are so many to choose from that by moving to a slightly different formulation will make you feel so much better. I would imagine that after a few years you might be able to go back to the original one. I'm on my 4th or 5th one over the past 10 years but some I couldn't tolerate and others I stayed on for only 2-3 years.

Hope this helps!
Chutz
Posted 3/18/2010 8:11 AM (GMT 0)

I couldn't take Effexor it didn't help me a bit.  I had to try five things before my insurance would pay for my Cymbalta which works wonders for me.

HARA

Posted 3/18/2010 12:55 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Acheybody     I take effexor and has had very good results with it.  I started about 8 months ago and it has worked for me.  Most of the time it works for me but when I get a flare up, once in a great while nothing seens to work. I think you will find a difference in the way you feel by taking it   Good luck!
Posted 3/18/2010 4:02 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks, everybody! 2nd day, no chest pains yet (knock on wood).... that's what happened to me on Tramadol, though it sure helped the pain, so that was out. Chutz, I've been on Nortriptyline for 18 years now, and my doctor wants me to stay on it for the sleep benefit. Who knows if it's really helping anymore, but I guess I'll try this new balancing act for awhile.
Debbie - Nortriptyline, Klonopin, Effexor, Darvocet
Posted 3/18/2010 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
I'm so glad that you posted this topic. I need to take Tamoxifen for another 9 months and my oncologist told me that there is a moderate to high risk that the Tamoxifen isn't working while I'm on the Cymbalta. There is no way to test so I need to get off the Cymbalta until the end of the year. After that, I'm on a different cancer medication that doesn't react with Cymbalta. Thanks to your post, I now have an alternative. Thank you so much! :-)
Posted 3/18/2010 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
Susan, I really hope you find something that works for you. Life sure heaps our plates high sometimes, doesn't it??
Posted 3/19/2010 12:09 PM (GMT 0)
I just wanted to mention that effexor is suppose to go generic in June of this year. so the price will go down unless you have to have name brand. I think that is why they switched me to pristiq, it is new.

Best wishes and I hope that the effexor works well for you as it has for many. I did get a little brain zap. I could hear my eyes move at times. Wierd.

Hugs, Karen
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