Effexor side effect on cognitive ability
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| Tue, 11-23-2004 - 11:50am |
A poster on the depression support board suggested that I ask this question here, because she has seen similar complaints.
I am taking Effexor XR (225mg). I have found that I'm having a lot more trouble in school now, and in writing. One other person had mentioned similar problems. I wasn't sure if this was a side effect of the medication, a result of treatment (ie. i used to use negative thoughts to propel me through school, but now i didn't have those negative thoughts anymore) or the result of my "snap" some years ago that led to me being diagnosed with depression in the first place. Concepts that used to come easily to me, are now extremely difficult.
Has anyone experienced this problem? I'm also having problems with my creative writing, it's not nearly as good as it used to be.

Hi there and welcome! I used to take Effexor, but I can't say for sure whether or not I had any cognitive effects from it, because I was on some other heavy duty meds that I know FOR SURE had cognitive effects and definitely "dulled" me, for lack of a stronger term. I do know that depression itself can cause what your describing and I'm wondering if you are in any kind of therapy or see a regular psychiatrist for your depression?
Be very very careful if you DO come off Effexor. I had VERY bad discontinuation syndrome from it and was very very ill for five weeks. Very debilitatingly ill. You need a doctor's care and you MUST come down VERY slowly off that particular med.
I know how frustrating it is...to not be "yourself" anymore.
Hugs,
Keli
Thanks Keli.
I have been on this medication for five years, and have experienced the withdrawl effects (i feel withdrawl after just missing a day now! It's very uncomfortable). I see a psychiatrist once every 6 weeks, and a councellor once a week. I 've had depression since early highschool, but I always did well, though at times I wouldn't work hard. I just understood stuff really easily. Now though, even if I work hard, I can't UNDERSTAND. It's very frustrating. I don't really have any depressive symptoms anymore, the effexor has worked miracles there, but it may have been at a huge cost (ie. my intellectual capacity!).
Hopefully I'll get more responses, then do some research on what options I have.
Hi kat.
I have only been on effexor since May (I take 150 mg) but I have found kind of the opposite reaction. I have better concentration on Effexor, although it hasn't always controlled my depression it has worked better than Lexapro or Prozac for me. I found out why it didn't always control the depression when I was dx'd as bipolar in October. I am just starting to build up to a therapeutic level of Lamictal and find my concentration is off greatly. I would tend to contribute it to the Lamictal since I was not affected by the Effexor.
That's probably not the answer you are looking for, but it is my experience. Is your concentration always off or just sometimes?
Sarah
thanks Sarah.
It seems like always. I've started taking extra Iron pills and drinking colas (like pepsi or coke) which i accidentally found helps jog my mind up a little bit. I'm not Iron defficient, but I have read that iron helps with cognition in women.
It's not just my concentration, that has always been bad, even before. It's more my ability to pick up a new concept. Before I almost "got it" by osmosis, now on things that seem the same level of difficulty, it feels just out of my grasp.
I realize that people experience different effects on these medications, thanks for sharing what yours is. It'll help me pinpoint where the problem is.
I have never taken Effexor, but you may want to check with your pdoc or your pharmacist about the use of colas with it. I know with quite a few meds in this catagory the use of caffeine needs to be strictly limited or eliminated because of the dehydrating aspect of it. I do NOT know if this applies to Effexor, but it may be something to check into.
If you haven't already, you may want to check www.mayoclinic.com's drug section - they have a lot of information about side effects from medications and may offer you some additional insight into the concentration issue.
As for your creative writing...I know that when I became medicated I lost the ability to write as well as I use to, in fact I have pretty much given up all attempts at it even though I had a novel over 1/2 finished (rough draft) at the time. I hope you can recover that ability - I miss mine all the time :)
Good luck!
Tracey
I haven't had any experience with Effexor, but have a friend taking Lamictal that used to be an editor/copy-writer for Hallmark and can't do it anymore, because of the effect not so much on cognition, but creativity.
I know I'm way late on replying, but I thought I'd share my own experience with you. I only tried Effexor for about 5 days and had such an awful reaction to it that I will never try it again. So I never found out if it affected me in the way you're talking about. However, I took Topomax for the better part of a year and although it helped me with my moods, it made me feel stupid. Whenever I tried to increase my dose it got intolerable - I'd be sitting in a parking lot, in my car, trying to remember how to get to where I needed to go. My grades didn't drop, but I went from being an A student who could read something once and understand it, to needing to re-read...and re-read...and re-read again and again. So it's very possible that meds, especially psych meds, can interfere with your cognitive abilities.
As far as the creativity goes, I totally agree with Marci - at the times in my life when I was severely depressed, I was creative. I'd write things - poetry, stories, narratives. But when I'm not depressed, I have no desire or inspiration to do that. I also notice that I'm much more eloquent when I'm in a down mood....My use of language is better. I don't know why. I think it's because when we're depressed, we're more introspective. Being so inside your head just makes you more thoughtful and creative, I think. Like Marci said, look at all the world's best writers and artists - most of them struggled with depression. I guess it's a trade off: live a life of miserable moods and hopelessness, and be given the ability to create. I have to say, I'd rather be ok or good, and give up my creativity, than be depressed. But I'm an IT major, so I mostly need logic rather than creativity to succeed. Good choice for me. :)
So hang in there - and make sure you discuss all this with your pdoc. He or she may have better information for you.
- Jessica