My doctor has put me on Effexor XR. I'm at 75mg right now. This is my first time with anti-depressants. I didn't want to go this route but I was desperate and feeling like I was sinking fast.

Wondering if anyone on this drug has trouble sleeping and feels nervous at times? Seems to have some side effects that are the symptoms I thought it was supposed to relieve.

Also only been on it a few weeks so wondering if it's not long enough to start feeling better. I have read it can take 4-6 weeks for the drugs to kick in. Is this true?

Hi Sarah...
I was on Effexor 75mg for about a year. Like you I was sinking fast and it was a last resort ( due to a whole lot of stuff coming at me at once) . I'm now off of it, but I can tell you with me that it did take awhile to kick in and for the first couple of weeks I was nausous. Did you start out at 75mg? I was started out on 37.5 and worked my way up to 75mg . As time went on the side effects for me were nightsweats ,vivid dreams and weight gain. I'm not sorry I went on it as it did give me the break I needed at the time. I hope it helps you in the long run...Kat

HI KAt,

Thanks for your response! Yes I started at 37.5 (for one week) and worked my way up to 75mg (this is my second week) and so far have had side effects that include pressure in the eyes, nervousness, sleeplessness and lack of appetite (have lost weight). I did, however, have a lack of appetite and sleeplessness before going on effexor though.
Because I've only been on effexor for under 3 weeks I was wondering if I need to stick with it to get any benefits.

Luckily I see my doctor tomorrow and will bring up all these issues with her.

It sounds like effexor did help you in the long run?

Cheers!
Sarah

Hi Sarah...
Yes it definately helped me in the long run. It certainly didn't fix my problems but i was better able to deal with them on less of an emotional level. (i.e. crying , screaming, or anxiety attacks) . My GYN put me on them when one day I was in her office and couldn't stop pacing and crying and my blood pressure was sky high. All totally not like me.,as usually I'm pretty calm and easygoing. She knew I needed some extra help to get me through.. So for me,at the time, it was a lifesaver. Now I am off of them and that is whats best for me now. I think it's a good idea to raise all your problems you're having with effexor with your Dr.. Maybe it's not the right antidepressant for you. But be aware that coming off of Effexor can be very hard even if you've only been on it a couple of weeks. It took me 4mos to wean off Effexor and the withdrawal symptoms were dizziness, fuzzyheadedness(is that a word???LOL) nausousness and brain zaps. The key is to wean very slowly. I know there are lots of different antidepressants out there and what worked for me may not work for you. Good luck Sarah ....Kat

Hi Kat,

Thanks for your input-much appreciated!

Saw my doctor yesterday and told her of the side effects- pressure in the eyes, dry mouth, loss of appetite (I've lost weight- which is actually good but now I have to watch that I don't lose too much) and sleeplessness.
The lack of sleep is a big issue so now I am on Clonazepam also- which worried me that I might be too medicated (I have never taken meds and it was a last resort).

Like you this "depression" I am currently experiencing is most unlike me- I am usually happy, passionate about things and extroverted, so it took me by surprise though I have had minor depressive episodes throughout my life (which I could pull myself out of) so even going to the doctor to ask for help was hard. I still find it surprising that I need the drugs- that it's that bad, but I need to get my emotions and the anxiety under control so I can deal with the underlying issues and find the "old Sarah" again. I kinda miss her :-)

It's good to know it helped you in the long run. It's only been 2.5 weeks so the doc said any positive benefits may not happen til 4-6 weeks. So I'll hang in til then to see if it does help.

I do worry a but about weaning off the Effexor as I have read that it's a tough drug to come off of and the withdrawal can be quite bad.

Thanks Kat!
Cheers,
Sarah

Sarah...I can totally relate to what you are saying. In the past I also have been able to handle what was thrown at me by using other methods. Deep breathing ,herbal remedies,postitve outlook etc...but came to a point where none of that was working anymore. It took me forever to seek help and i should have probably done it way before it got to the point it did. I think that now I have gotten back to the "real me". I know exactly what you mean by that. I think with time you will also. Right now you just need the break that the antidepressants will give you. It doesn't mean you will be on them the rest of your life. I think you will know when the time is right to get off of them. With me it was my inner voice that told me it was time to get back to work . Break was over and there were still lessons to be learned. But I'm okay with that because frankly I was getting tired of not feeling .I missed the highs for sure ..but I also missed the lows.But I want to say again that I don't regret getting on the antidepressants and they did help me tremendously.It was the right decision for me at the time I hope you can get regulated on the Effexor soon....take care ...Kat
p.s. my oldest daughters name is Sarah...