Effexor XR??

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Effexor XR??
10
Wed, 07-14-2004 - 9:53am
Hey everyone, hope you're all having a great wednesday! My GP just put me on Effexor XR for depression and anxiety. I was wondering if anyone else is taking this or has taken it and if it worked or had any weird side effects. I was on Paxil last year, but quit taking it after about a month b/c it made me sleepy and made me clench my jaw all of the time. I am noticing the jaw clenching already with this, but hopefully it won't be as bad as with the paxil. Thanks! Samantha
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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Wed, 07-14-2004 - 10:23am

I've been on Effexor XR for a year and a half.

    CL for The

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-23-2004
Wed, 07-14-2004 - 11:34am
I've taken Effexor XR for two and a half years now, and it is the one drug that has consistantly worked for me. Usually I become completely tolerant of a drug within two to four months, so this is a small miracle. Of course, I've gone through at least ten other drugs in the same time period, looking for something that will work with the Effexor to completely eradicate my depression, at least temporarily. But I have treatment-resistant depression, so that's why. I've had no side effects from Effexor and I think it's a great drug.

Hope that helps

Elise
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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-03-2004
Wed, 07-14-2004 - 2:43pm
I was on Paxil first which helped me for a while. Then when that seemed to stop working I was switched to Effexor XR. It has been a great help. I was on just effexor for several years before it seemed like I just felt flat, wasnt really feeling or enjoying anything but wasnt feeling good either. I'm now on a combo of Effexor and Welbuterin. Believe it or not I almost have a sex drive now, too bad I have no one to share it with. lol

I know for me, if I forget to take my meds or take them more than say 6 hours late; I feel a bit dizzy or woozie and a little nauseous (sp?) But that seems to go away with in a few hours.

Like someone else said, you need to give the drug a chance before you decide whether its going to be the right one for you. Keep communicating with your doc especially if you dont feel better in several weeks.

Good luck

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-15-2004
Thu, 07-15-2004 - 9:36pm
Hi,

I have been on Effexor for 2 years and it has helped me. At first I started off with Paxil and like most people it stopped working for me. I am also on Welbutrin with it. the great thing about it is that I am Pregnant and have been taking it all through my pregnancy. the Doctor said that it is safe but I just can't breast feed. I also gained alot of weight from being on the meds. On the down side don't ever just stop taking the meds. There was a time that I had problems with my insurance and couldn't afford the refills and went days without it. I was manic. I slept and cried the whole time. I felt as if I wanted to die. My husband called the doctor and she had to give me samples.

She said do not stop taking this unless I say so. When you come down off the Effexor it is horrible. I walked around feeling drunk. Since I am pregnant I take my meds 1x every other day, but I feel that I am going to have to do it every day. Pregnancy makes depression worse. I hope that this has helped you and if you need any more info feel free to contact me.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2004
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 6:15pm
I am very interested in what you are saying. I am also on Effexor XR and 12 weeks pregnant. I am very worried about what the drug will do to the baby, but I have to be on it to keep me sane. I have read that it can give the baby problems in the 3rd tri......Any thoughts? I go to the OB/GYN wed and am scared of what they will say.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 08-07-2004 - 9:14pm
Hmm, funny that you mention the jaw clenching...I didn't have any of that on Effexor XR (just sleepiness, which was a side effect of all antidepressants for me). But recently I raised my dose of Prozac from 10 to 20 mg (and my doctor wants me to raise the dose of another antidepressant, too), and I've been noticing something like that...

Basically, several times each hour probably, I clench my jaw involuntarily and actually bite down on part of my tongue. My tongue now has deep, red teeth marks, which are making eating and even talking painful. I never connected the two (the jaw clenching and the change in dose) until you mentioned that...is this kind of what you experienced on Paxil? (That's the next med my doctor wants to try...argh!).

I had never heard of this as a side effect of antidepressants...is this jaw clenching pretty common as a side effect? Now I'm wondering if this is something to talk to my doctor about...I don't want her to think that I'm not giving the meds a fair try to work, though. I do also grind my teeth at night, but this jaw clenching during the day is new to me.

Thanks, and I hope you don't have this side effect on Effexor XR...it's no fun!

Rose

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2004
Mon, 08-09-2004 - 11:34am

My jaw clenching has gone away. The only reason I connected the two is that I have a friend who has been on almost every anti-depressant and she mentioned it. It's the reason I went off of Paxil, it was REALLY bad when I was on that!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2003
Wed, 08-11-2004 - 1:16pm
I found when Effexor stops working for me that I have horrible side effects trying to go off it. Dizziness, nausea, horrible vision problems. Even just missing one dose and those side effects would appear. I have chosen not to go back on Effexor because of this. And these are common side effects, they've just recently changed the literature that accompanies Effexor because people have such severe reactions to missing doses and trying to stop taking it. Good luck.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-20-2004
Thu, 08-12-2004 - 4:22pm
I was on Effexor XR and NEVER AGAIN!!!!! It helped me a LOT, but when I got pregnant the doctor felt more comfortable with me not being on ANY med while pregnant... and the withdrawal side effects were HORRIBLE. I'd rather be depressed than go through that again. I was sick all the time, I had these brain freeze things that REALLY screwed me up, vision problems... it lasted a LONG time, too. I did some research and found the side effects I had from withdrawal were VERY common and there seemed to be outrage from people who were not told. I am currently in one of the most severe depressions I've ever had, and am going to talk to my doc about switching from the Paxil I currently take to something else, but there's no way I would ever go on effexor again. Like I said, it helped me out to feel better, but it wasn't worth the side effects of coming off it.

Good luck,

Amy

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-13-2004
Fri, 08-13-2004 - 11:28pm
First congradulations on your pregancy. I have been on effexor for almost 6 years. For most of that time I can say it has done what it was suppose to do. But in the last few months, I feel it has let me down. My doctor now has up me to 375 mg of it daily which is way above the aloted amount. I feel that my bedy has grown resist to this medication. It seems that all my doctor knows how to do is increase the same old thing and not let me try any thing better. thanks for letting me vent. Congradulations again.

marlla22