**Cricketvk** - how's it going?

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Registered: 03-15-2006
**Cricketvk** - how's it going?
4
Tue, 04-04-2006 - 9:16am

Valerie,

I just wondered how things were going for you since we both started on the Effexor at the same time...did you experience another "transition period" when you increased your dosage? Has the Xanax been helping at all during the rough spots? Hope all is well :)

~Meghan

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Registered: 03-11-2004
Wed, 04-12-2006 - 8:02pm
bump

 

 


 



Avatar for cricketvk
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Registered: 03-28-2003
Thu, 04-13-2006 - 3:51pm

I am ok - I've had a really rough day - so this will be short and I'll try and come back to write more when my brain is in a better place.

Only thing I really had to transition to was the tired phase again. but it's gone.. still having night sweats and nighmares... I'm hoping they will get better.

I'll try and be in chat tonight after my son's baseball game.

Thanks for asking - i promise more attention later. :)

Valerie

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Registered: 03-28-2003
Mon, 04-17-2006 - 11:25pm

Sorry it has taken me forever to get back to you Meghan... - I am loving the way Effexor is helping my anxiety. I have noticed that I have more patience with my kids and my husband. I also notice that I can focus better on work since the obcessive thinking isn't in overdrive so much. Other than some weird dreams and night sweats and being tired alot - I haven't had any issues with it. I am thankful for that since I went through trying several meds that I had lots of trouble with a few years ago. The Xanax is also definetly helping me take the edge off - especially when I've had a rough day/// I find it funny - but I have to take it to go to my son's baseball games - i get so nervous for him and excited.. makes me a wreck.. I kind of giggle on the inside thinking that i'm silly and if anyone else knew I had to take medication to come to the ball field they would think I was strange. Oh well... my friends that I work with that know I am taking the medication get a kick out of hearing me say - "Blue Pill" if I start to get edgy or something stressful happens.. lol sometimes it gives me a good enough laugh that I don't take the xanax.. Meghan - are you taking xanax or anything??? sorry I can't remember - my memory isn't always that great. :)

Thanks for thinking of me - sorry it took me so long - i've had a rough few days.. it would take too much emotional energy to go through it..

Valerie

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Registered: 03-15-2006
Tue, 04-18-2006 - 12:30am

Hey Valerie,

Glad to hear things are going well for you. Since my doc upped my Effexor to 150mg two weeks ago I've noticed a really big difference. Like you, my obsessive thinking is down and my concentration has improved. I went through the side effects all over again with the increase, but none were as bad as gthe first time except the tiredness. That seems to be getting better in the second week though. The only weird thing I have going on is that my pulse seems to randomly increase during the middle of the day. Nothing alarming, just up to 100 or in the 90's. Then, like magic, it goes back down to the 80's in a few hours. I don't have any anxiety associated with it but I'm going to mention it to the doc when I see him next Friday.

I do have some Xanax to take - about 10 of the 0.5mg - if I need it. But, I know that's all I'm going to get so I've managed successfully to not need it since my increase in meds. The military docs are VERY controlled in how they dispense that kind of med, no more than 10 pills at a time. I decided that if I could I wanted to see how the Effexor was helping my anxiety and body stress levels without the Xanax. I've come really close to taking it a few times but have been able to avoid it thus far. I will say that it was a lifesafer for me in the beginning when the anxiety and panic were sky high and the Effexor hadn't kicked in yet.

I have been having some trouble staying asleep. I do relaxation and have a good bedtime routine and have no trouble falling asleep, and I can usually go back to sleep when I wake, but I still haven't slept more than 4 hours straight since I started the med. I'm going to mention that to the doc as well.

Well that's my update...glad to hear you're doing well!

~Meghan