Effexor for Hot Flashes - Menopause Message Board

outdoorgurl · 06-20-2006, 06:31 AM

Hi! I started going through menopause at 37. Now 6 years later, I still haven't found anything that makes me feel better. Main problem is hot flashes- constant overlapping hot and cold feelings ALL DAY and night. They are debilitating.

The HRT (cream) that was prescribed to me, was horrible. Breasts swelled. Lots of muscle aches. Weight gain.

New doctor yesterday told me that the hot flashaes could bad due to anxiety. I believe that he might be right. There is an unusually high amount of stress in my life right now, and will be for the next 3 months.

So, I am scared to take this pill right next to me. I am worried about the new side effects.

I feel like such a victim. Has anybody ever felt this way? Like they lived a good life, tried to eat right, exercise..... And, now their body is revolting against them.

The doctor said - Look at the bright side. You don't have cancer. I replied - well then I would either get it out of me or die. With this, I don't know what is going to happen to me each and every day. AND, nobody sympathizes with you for hot flashes. They make you think you are a baby. LOL.

Wizard · 06-20-2006, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outdoorgurl

I feel like such a victim. Has anybody ever felt this way? Like they lived a good life, tried to eat right, exercise..... And, now their body is revolting against them.

Boy...that so describes what I feel like. I no longer trust my body and for someone as athletic as me, it's such a pain every day.

I did try effexor last fall for the anxiety. I didn't have a good reaction to it so had to go off it immediately. I don't know if it works for hot flashes since that wasn't my problem. I went on clonanzapam for the anxiety and it did help although I found it made me really tired so I had to cut down the dosage until I was off it.

Bell99 · 06-20-2006, 11:22 AM

I will be 43 tomorrow sigh

I have been in Peri since I turned 40!
As for the Hot flashes I get to where I get burning hot for like five or ten minutes and don't know if these are indeed Hot Flashes.
My periods are coming two a month lasting all of two days at best then they clear out and a week later I get brown dishcharge. Seems like it's something every day.
As for Aniexty I went on Lexapro last year and have had great success with it. I started real slow at 2.5 mil and worked up to 20 a day and feel great as far as depression/aniexty.
I too feel like my body is giving out and get so upset. In my mind I still feel 25 or 30 but then I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and ask "who is that person"?
The Lexapro has really helped me with energy. It made me tired for a while but now I feel much more motivated.
I am plauqued by facial fuzz, brown spots and my hair is a mess!!!!
I have neighbors who are going through full blown menopause they are in their early 50's and say the body goes next (not that it hasn't already), the features take on a more manly appearance LOVELY!!!!!

Alabasterlyn · 06-21-2006, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by outdoorgurl

Hi! I started going through menopause at 37. Now 6 years later, I still haven't found anything that makes me feel better. Main problem is hot flashes- constant overlapping hot and cold feelings ALL DAY and night. They are debilitating.

The HRT (cream) that was prescribed to me, was horrible. Breasts swelled. Lots of muscle aches. Weight gain.

New doctor yesterday told me that the hot flashaes could bad due to anxiety. I believe that he might be right. There is an unusually high amount of stress in my life right now, and will be for the next 3 months.

So, I am scared to take this pill right next to me. I am worried about the new side effects.

I feel like such a victim. Has anybody ever felt this way? Like they lived a good life, tried to eat right, exercise..... And, now their body is revolting against them.

The doctor said - Look at the bright side. You don't have cancer. I replied - well then I would either get it out of me or die. With this, I don't know what is going to happen to me each and every day. AND, nobody sympathizes with you for hot flashes. They make you think you are a baby. LOL.

I am sure anxiety makes the symptoms of the menopause much worse. I have often heard that people who are more relaxed don't seem to have such a hard time dealing with the menopause.

I have no personal experience of Effexor, although I do know a few people that have taken it for depression/anxiety. The one thing common thing I have heard from the people taking it is that although it worked for them, it was a very hard med to wean off.

I also always try to eat well etc., although I don't really exercise as much as I should. I would agree though that people really have no idea what we go through with mood swings and hot flashes etc. My partner laughs when I have a hot flush as he thinks it's amusing that my face suddenly goes all shiny and I get all flustered with it.

Hopefully · 06-21-2006, 09:24 AM

My sister was on Effexor for awhile and recently weaned off the medication. She took Effexor for depression/anxiety that creeped up when she became perimenopausal and she was pleased with this medication. I do know that she still experienced hot flashes while taking Effexor.

Meanwhile a friend of mine has been on Effexors for many many years and she calls it her "happy pill." She is one of those women who breezed through peri into menopause and in her own words she had a hotflash "once." Hmmm

.......I wanted to hang up the phone when she made that statement...LOL...

If you decide to try this medication I hope that you also have great results.