Effexor XR side effects

[NicNak]

I have been on Effexor for quite a long time, but I have never been able to tolorate it in higher dosages.

It isn't just Effexor I had this with other medications as well.

I have been diagnosed for 14 years now and with my sensitivities to the dosages, my Psychiatrist will be gentle about medication increases and not get upset with me if I can't handle it. He also tells me to not rush the increase and to try different things out. So what I am writing is with my doctors approval.

In January he and I discussed raising the Effexor another 37.5mg dosage. I have tried twice since then.

The first time I had major headaches and upset stomach too. With the full dosage, so for the next few days I tried the 37.5mg ever other day. That didn't work either. I was like a Yo-Yo with my moods and anxiety.

So I went back to the 150mg and felt ok still. Maybe it got me over the "hump"? Maybe.

I tried again starting Friday, because for the past two weeks I have been in a deep depression. I took 187.5mg which would include the increase Friday evening. I had a horrible headache within a few hours after. I tried to sleep, but it almost felt like even the pillow hurt my head. :blush:

So Saturday night, instead of taking the entire 187.5mg dosage at once, I took the 150mg in the night and took the 37.5 dosage the next afternoon 12 hours later. I seemed to feel well on Sunday, I had some weakness and felt off balance, but I could handle that. I was just extra careful with walking and such. Sunday night after taking the evening dosage, I almost felt too good. :huh:

But now the past two days I feel like I have a full out flu. I am sleeping so much, even more than before. My stomach is so upset, I have headaches. I am not sure what is worse.

I have started to taper back down to the 150mg once again.

As crazy as it sounds, I am feeling so unwell, that I am anxious.

I am not as fustrated as I might sound in this post. I am just wondering if it is "normal" to get this sickly off such a small increase in a dosage.

It is baffling me cause I was on such higher dosages before. I use to take 225mg then tried to raise it to 300mg and had major shakes and panic attacks coming on with a seconds notice.

We decided to see what a decrease would do, as I was still not stabalized on the 225mg. When I reached 187.5mg I was almost euphoric and glazed over. Even my Psychiatrist noticed, so he suggested to try the 150mg. Which I was good on for a short time.

I recall many years ago I was on liquid Prozac because the Psychiatrist I saw then had figured I was stable "in between clinical dosages". The liquid allowed my doctors and I to tweek the dosage.

I just wish Effexor had a liquid form. With the other meds I had side effects, but nothing like this has been lately.

Does anyone else have a difficult time raising their meds? Or any experience with Effexor?

Any other comments or suggestions always welcome too.

 

[Halo]

Does anyone else have a difficult time raising their meds? Or any experience with Effexor?

Hey NN,

I too was on Effexor SR for about 3-4 years and I couldn't tolerate the higher doses either. I actually couldn't get higher than 75 mg and when I tried to go to 112.5 mg I ended up with the same symptoms as you, headache and extreme upset stomach. I tried a few more times but the same thing always happened so I stayed at 75 mg and we tried to augment it with other meds added in.

My psychiatrist and I finally decided to stop the Effexor as it wasn't working at the lower dose but couldn't increase it so I was switched to Cipralex and that was about 4 years ago. To be honest, I have been on such a cocktail of medications and am still trying to find one that will work...and so the search continues.

I am sorry that you are experiencing much of the same things as I did with Effexor. Have you tried any other medications or has your doctor talked to you about adding in another med to augment the Effexor? It worked for a while for me.

 

[Andy]

Hey:support:

I have had experience with all sorts of meds. I have been on (though am not currently on) Effexor many times. I am the opposite of you though as I need the higher doses before I feel any effects.
Effexor is a good AD if you can tolerate the side effects starting it, but it is also a very hard medication to come off of for a lot of people. Meaning the side effects coming off are twice as bad. I know a few people who have tried it including my mother and they to were all sensitive to doses and they all decided that it really wasn't the med for them. I know you were asking for any experiences but pleases don't let the above paragraph scare you off it or anything as everyone is different.

I mean all medications have the side effects you have to deal with for the first week but itf it goes on longer than that then I think you should look at whether you can handle them for a little while longer or maybe look into something else.

I do know that with me, I get side side effects but can usually handle most of them. There are two meds that gave me horrible side effects and Effexor was one of them. Just one side effect. I would get electric shock feelings in my brain if I messed my meds more than 3 days in a row, when I stopped my Effexor completely I got those shocks for over a month and a half! I always thought that was discontinuation syndrome but I am not sure if they go hand in hand. With that though-I do say it worked for me.

Now I need to do the obligatory spiel.
I am not a Dr. I am only speaking on my own personal experiences. :agree:

I hope that didn't go on to long and hopefully was a little bit of help. Or maybe it was just me babbling....lol :support:

 

[NicNak]

Hi Halo. Thank you for replying.

It is helpful to hear from someone else about side effects. I read the information about the side effects, but everyone is different and it helps to hear feedback. Thank you Halo :hug:

My Psychiatrist added at one point Wellbutrin. That combination for me was a nightmare.

I am wondering if maybe the liquid Prozac as an addition might be an idea. Ofcourse if they are compatable.

I feel fine today.

Halo, if I might ask. Did you get the extreme sleepyness? The past few days I can be sitting watching TV and have to go lay down for an hour or so.

 

[Andy]

Oh sorry-I forgot

You asked if it was normal to get so ill off such a small increase....

It is totally normal. I am on one med where the slightest increase or decrease can make me sick. It all depends on so many factors with each individual person.
:support:

 

[Halo]

Your welcome NN and I am glad that I can share my experiences with you. I too tried Effexor and Wellbutrin together and for me the Wellbutrin didn't do much for me at all...unfortunately.

As for the sleepiness, I did have it for a few days after I tried an increase in Effexor but I didn't stay on the higher dose long enough to know whether it went away.

In all honesty NN, I have tried Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Trazadone, Topamax, Lamictal, Cipralex, Risperidal and I am sure there are others that I have since forgotten.

If you can't handle the Effexor at the higher doses, I would definitely talk to your doctor about adding in something together with the Effexor...if you find the Effexor is working.

Take care

 

[NicNak]

Hey SmirkingThroughPlatitudes :support:

It was weird when I decreased the Effexor XR, cause I never had any major discontinuation symptoms, before from the 285.5 down to 150mg.

Funny how everyone reacts so much differently.

With all the other meds I had some minor side effects upon starting. Even trying to raise the Effexor XR just this extra 37.5 has been rough. Luckily I am off work. I have been unable at some points to stay awake any longer than about three hours at a time.

The nausea is quite bad as well as the sick stomach.

Hopefully it was a extra depressed streach I had the past few weeks and I am through it. I will see how I am and maybe call my Psychiatrist for a quick chat about possably trying the liquid Prozac if he can call it in.

Thanks STP for your kind words :hug:

 

[NicNak]

Thanks again Halo.

I too have been on a lot of meds. Luvox, Paxil, Prozac, Wellburtrin, Risperidal, Effexor.

I don't seem to get fustrated luckily. I know it is a process and as well we change over time, so the meds are not as compatable anymore etc.

This will get figured out too. Happy to have the feedback about the side effects.

Appreciate it Halo and STP.

 

[Halo]

Your welcome NicNak and am glad that you don't get frustrated over the need to change meds.

 

[Andy]

NO problem. It definitely can be a long process for some people. Some people get it right the first time. That would be nice.
If you remember the prozac working for you maybe it would be worth giving it another try. I hope you can get something going for you that helps. Feeling sick for to long just doesn't help matters.

Good luck to you. :support: