effexor anyone???

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-30-2003
effexor anyone???
13
Tue, 02-20-2007 - 11:14am
My dr has just put me on 37.5 mg Effexor for anxiety. I was online and read all these things about horrible weight gain. I have been on weight watchers for a few months and have lost 22 pounds. I need to lose about 45 more. I am SO scared I will gain on this drug. Does anyone have any positive experiences with this drug? I started it last night and kind of feel weird right now. But I am not as jumpy as usual. Any success stories out there about antidressants or anti axiety meds?
Thanks
Sonya

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
In reply to: saggzz
Wed, 02-21-2007 - 9:24am

My dd's doctor recomended Yoga for her to help with her anxiety. We have a dvd coming soon. I hope she'll give it a shot.

GABA, Taurine, and magnesium are supposed to be good for anxiety. My kids take magnesium and taurine which doesn't seem to be enough anxiety help for them so I'm going to try adding GABA. They need more exercise. Exercise helps me a lot with anxiety & depression, and sun shine! 5HTP is a natural pre-cursurer to seratonin. We tried it for dd but it didn't help her much and it gave her bad dreams. I've read recently it works better for OCD type anxiety along with inositol. DD doesn't really have OCD so maybe that's why it didn't help her.

Samantha

Samantha
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-22-2006
In reply to: saggzz
Thu, 02-22-2007 - 1:25pm
I took this drug for 18 months about 5 years ago, I didnt' gain weight at all. But, the side effects for me included huge, itchy welts on my stomach, I think they were hives and I had them.the.whole.18.months. Not fun. Also, going off the drug was really hard, huge anxiety attacks. It didn't seem to matter that I did it very gradually over six months, when I was finally done with it I had anxiety attacks and had to go onto Prozac, which I tolerate a lot better but it takes my sex drive away, completely. I see the value in these drugs, seriously I do. I currently have panic episodes, I haven't had an attack in months and then before that it was years. But, I feel one coming, you know? And I've decided to live it out because the side effects of the drugs are just too much for me. You may do just fine though, I sure hope you do and I completely understand you wanting to feel better. There are other good antidepressants, Effexor isn't the only one. I think people gain less weigh on Prozac. Good luck and take care.
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-22-2007
In reply to: saggzz
Thu, 02-22-2007 - 4:28pm
I took effexor a few years ago for depression but ended up getting off of it because it caused me to have some incredibly vivid (and increasingly scary) dreams. It is more of an anti-anxiety drug and I have found that Prozac works much better (but still causes the dreams if I stay on it for too long without a break). I haven't encountered any weight gain as a result of any of these drugs. My older sister takes effexor daily and has no complaints. Just relax and let the drug do it's job then make a decision as there are many other alternatives.
Good luck!

Pages