Effexor XR

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
Effexor XR
10
Sun, 11-28-2004 - 2:00pm

HI all, as you may have read in my previous post that I started to take Effexor XR last monday.I am a bit confussed because I was debating between prozac and willbutrin and Effexor XR. I decided I wanted one that would act sooner rather then later so my doc gave me Effexor XR. Now I have read and seen here that the max efectivness of this drug can take up to 6-8 weeks, that is longer then I have heard with prozac. Also I have read that Effexor is fast and only takes 1-2 weeks to reach the max effective level? What is right and why would my doc give me thsi if it takes so long when I asked for one that didn't?1 I'm confussed and a bit mad!

Jen

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-01-2004
In reply to: jenrvt79
Sun, 11-28-2004 - 4:02pm

Jen: do you want the good news or the bad news?

The bad news: Docs don't know what meds will work for each persons depression. It is a lock and key type of thing. If you have a seratonin problem, prozac will work...right lock (depression) right key (an SSRI like prozac). But if your depression is not one that an SSRI type of med will work, you can try them all. All excellent meds, and none, will work.

I am a treatment resistant depression person. I have tried every, every type of med. 9 in all, and none really did me any good. I still hold out hope that there may be one out there. But I am not holding my breath. lol

The good news: It is accurate that Effexor usually works pretty quickly if it is the right med. So try and have patience either way. Hard as it may be, this may be the key to helping you.

Good luck. Keep us posted to your progress.

Sending hugs and good thoughts your way.
Take care,
Lisa-)
Co-CL Depression Support

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
In reply to: jenrvt79
Sun, 11-28-2004 - 8:23pm

Lisa,
thanks for the info! I think it has helped, but we will see, hopfully it's not a mind thing. I'll keep you posted!

Thanks,
Jen

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-29-2004
In reply to: jenrvt79
Mon, 11-29-2004 - 1:39am
Dear Jen,
I have been taking Effexor XR for @6 months now and it has had very good results. This is my 4th antidepressant, starting with Paxil which I gained weight on, Zoloft, Welbutrin, and then Effexor. With the others I had a tendency to have highs and lows, to the extreme. With the effexor my moods seemed to stay pretty mellow and my ability to handle things improved by 100%. I did find myself to have sexual side effects, not being able to climax, which i was then given Welbutrin again to take at a different time. I have never taken prozac, but have found effexor to work well for me, I hope it helps you too.
Avatar for jukie33
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: jenrvt79
Mon, 11-29-2004 - 10:56am

Hi Jen,


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-12-2010
In reply to: jenrvt79
Mon, 11-29-2004 - 2:58pm
Thanks to all you who are on Effexor that replyed to me. It's always nice to hear how it helped other people! I am a bit concerned with the sexual side effects, but we will see what time brings I guess. i thought Effexor was one of the ones that wasn't suposed to affect climax, etc as much. Is that correct or is that only wellbutrin? I told by bf about this concern and he said that my wellbeing is more important then our sex life. That made me feel good, finally a guy who care more about me then sex!!! :)
I saw my therapist for the first time today and she brought to light some of my ishues that really make sense to me know, maybe I knew all along and didn't want to deal with it. Who knows! I'll keep you posted!
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2004
In reply to: jenrvt79
Tue, 11-30-2004 - 10:35pm

I definitely believe in the lock and key theory. It can feel discouraging finding the "right" med, but please hang in there and know that it can work.

Talk therapy is terrific. Studies show that, combined with med therapy for those who need it, it enhances the effectiveness of med treatments. So it is excellent that you are combining the two.

I have atypical, treatment resistant depression and an MAOI (Parnate) has worked miracles for me. I have hypothyroidism as well, so taking a synthroid and being assertive about my doctors monitoring my T-3 and T-4 levels has also been very important.

Hang in! (p.s. I didn't have the sexual side effects on Effexor and it did help me for awhile. So, the side effects are different for different people. Stay positive.)

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-20-2003
In reply to: jenrvt79
Wed, 12-01-2004 - 1:30pm

Hi Jen,

I have been taking Effexor for about 7 months now. It seemed to work pretty fast for me and was prescribed to treat my depression, as well as Generalized Anxiety Disorder (since it targets two brain chemicals instead of just one). At first I wondered if suddenly feeling better was all in my mind, but in all reality, if I felt better and was dealing with life better, I didn't really care if it was all in my mind or the meds working. I am also able to deal with stressors so much better. I don't flip out (the anxiety help) as easily as I used to, nor to the extreme that I used to. And where I used to find myself in tears (the depression) several times a week, I think I've only cried once in the last 6 months.

Regarding the sexual side effects, that is something I read when I researched this med (even though my dr. prescribed it to me, and I trust my dr., I still came home and spent about three hours reading up via the internet on what it is, what it does, and the side effects). Fortunately I haven't experienced that side effect. Its different for every person, of course, but as jmchicago said in not so many words, keep up the hope. And even if you do experience that side effect, at least you have a wonderful and caring boyfriend who is placing your wellbeing first. You should feel good regarding what he said to you. It shows how important you are to him.

I hope the effexor works for you as well as it has worked for me.
Brightest Blessings,
Annika

Brightest Blessings, Annika


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-24-2003
In reply to: jenrvt79
Wed, 12-01-2004 - 2:33pm
I, too, did not have any success with ANY of the SSRI's. Finally, my doctor put me on one of the old class of antidepressants, a tricyclic, I think (sorry I forget the name). That was the first one that worked. And there is a blood test you can do to see if the level is right instead of trying to just gauge how you feel. I also kind of liked Wellbutrin because it lifted my energy instead of sapped it like the SSRIs did.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2004
In reply to: jenrvt79
Thu, 12-02-2004 - 1:01am

Some of the older drugs, tricyclics (like Elavil) and MAOI's (like Parnate), can be really terrific! Newer is better for some people, older is better for others.

Keep trying to see which one works the best for you.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-24-2003
In reply to: jenrvt79
Thu, 12-02-2004 - 10:08am
thanks for the advice. :)