e.r.last night..effexor?please help - Panic Disorders Message Board

worrywort · 09-18-2003, 02:01 PM

I have been taking effexor for 2 days and last night I woke up feeling sick, heart beating soooooo fast and my chest hurt and my arms felt like they were on fire! I have never felt so awful and so scared. they did a ekg and It was o.k, they gave me an ativan and told me to stop the effexor. I felt the same way when I woke up this morning....I guess it is panic but I feel like hell. please any advice.

cattys · 09-18-2003, 02:05 PM

Effexor also made my heart beat faster. It went away once it was out of my system.

Best wishes

hry33 · 09-18-2003, 02:35 PM

to worrywort,
effexor and all other antidepressants can occasionally cause bad reactions when first taken, the answer is to stop the antidepressant and take plenty of valium type meds and the antidepressant will all be out of your system soon

effexor is a SNRI and this type should probably be avoided in future

tell the doc who prescribed it what happened, as it seems many bad reactions arent reported to docs, the patient simply never returns.

slyJohn · 09-18-2003, 03:28 PM

all those antidepressant drugs make my heart race fast. that's why i dont like taking them.

09-18-2003, 04:21 PM

Effexor was a terrible drug for me. My panic has decreased tremendously over the years. I think after awhile you understand when and why they are going to happen and you can avoid some things. Also you realize that you are not going to die and don't have a fatal disease, etc. I never leave home without ativan--just having it on me is a psychological crutch. I know if something happens that it will be averted right away. I also take them only when I truly need them--so I am assured they will work. I am on zoloft now for the unholy trinity of panic, depression and anxiety and seems to have the least side effects for me. That coupled with ativan and learning a lot about mental illness has helped me tremendously. I hope you feel better!