SNRIs

Question:

Hi all, It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here, but I need to get some advice.  I’ve been on Effexor XR for over 2 years now.  The past year at 300mg/day.  While I was no longer depressed the side effects were unbearable.  Profuse perspiration, sensory hallucinations (brain shocks), constipation, loss of libido, weight gain, etc.  The worst though was the perspiration and the brain shocks.  If I went out and mowed the lawn, I’d perspire and dehydrate in about 15 min. and then the brain shocks would set in.  My Doc and I decided to try tapering off the meds.  Everything has been fine up until the last week or so.  My emotions are unpredictable, I’m weepy one moment and a bear with a sore tooth the next.  So back on the meds I go. Here’s my question.  What is Celexa (sp?) like?  I wanted to try Welbutrin (due to the dosage of Effexor I was on) but that is not his first choice, he doesn’t think it will work. TIA — Roy Owen

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Hi all, >It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here, but I need to get some >advice.  I’ve been on Effexor XR for over 2 years now.  The past year at >300mg/day.  While I was no longer depressed the side effects were >unbearable.  Profuse perspiration, sensory hallucinations (brain shocks), >constipation, loss of libido, weight gain, etc.  The worst though was the >perspiration and the brain shocks.  If I went out and mowed the lawn, I’d >perspire and dehydrate in about 15 min. and then the brain shocks would set >in.  My Doc and I decided to try tapering off the meds.  Everything has been >fine up until the last week or so.  My emotions are unpredictable, I’m weepy >one moment and a bear with a sore tooth the next.  So back on the meds I go. >Here’s my question.  What is Celexa (sp?) like?  I wanted to try Welbutrin >(due to the dosage of Effexor I was on) but that is not his first choice, he >doesn’t think it will work. >TIA

Try the least effective dose? —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi all, > It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here, but I need to get some > advice.  I’ve been on Effexor XR for over 2 years now.  The past year at > 300mg/day.  While I was no longer depressed the side effects were > unbearable.  Profuse perspiration, sensory hallucinations (brain shocks), > constipation, loss of libido, weight gain, etc.  The worst though was the > perspiration and the brain shocks.  If I went out and mowed the lawn, I’d > perspire and dehydrate in about 15 min. and then the brain shocks would set > in.  My Doc and I decided to try tapering off the meds.  Everything has been > fine up until the last week or so.  My emotions are unpredictable, I’m weepy > one moment and a bear with a sore tooth the next.  So back on the meds I go. > Here’s my question.  What is Celexa (sp?) like?  I wanted to try Welbutrin > (due to the dosage of Effexor I was on) but that is not his first choice, he > doesn’t think it will work. > TIA

On www.drugawareness.org they sell a tape and books on how to effectively and safely wean yourself off these drugs.  I withdrew from Effexor (almost) several times, but wasn’t successful until I left my drugs at home and went on vacation a thousand miles away.  I went through all the things you mentioned and more.  Unfortunately I still suffer these effects and far worse and I haven’t taken any meds in over two years.  Perhaps you should pick up the book "Prozac Backlash" by Dr. Glennmullin or "Your Drug May Be Your Problem" by Peter Breggin. Mike

Response:

>Hi all, >It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here, but I need to get some >advice.  I’ve been on Effexor XR for over 2 years now.  The past year at >300mg/day.  While I was no longer depressed the side effects were >unbearable.  Profuse perspiration, sensory hallucinations (brain shocks)

What are brain shocks? —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

I came off Effexor XR slowly;  three week phase out.  I suffered what another person called ‘brain shocks’…I understand that to mean: Feeling like a zap of electricity went thru ya head…sort of like those electric mosquito zappers ouside.  The ‘zapping’ didn’t hurt or last long, but was un-nerving.  Now on a gradual phase in of Paxil.  In between the phasing out and phasing in, I have been fortunate not to suffer any extremely dark days.

Response:

I was on Effexor for a few months, but I got off of it because of side effects, but different ones than yours.  I’m on Celexa now, 40mg/day, but I’m going to go back to 30mg/day after seeing the pdoc tomorrow.  For me, it works pretty well as a mood stabilizer, and okay as an anti-depressant.  I’m also taking 1200 Neurontin/day, which when taken spaced out through the day works great for socialization, mood, and clarity. I also tried Wellbutrin which started working well for me but I got really bad free-floating anxiety from it, so I switched to the Celexa. As with all these drugs, YMMV, especially with the side effects. Good luck! Tim

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi all, > It’s been a couple of years since I’ve been here, but I need to get some > advice.  I’ve been on Effexor XR for over 2 years now.  The past year at > 300mg/day.  While I was no longer depressed the side effects were > unbearable.  Profuse perspiration, sensory hallucinations (brain shocks), > constipation, loss of libido, weight gain, etc.  The worst though was the > perspiration and the brain shocks.  If I went out and mowed the lawn, I’d > perspire and dehydrate in about 15 min. and then the brain shocks would set > in.  My Doc and I decided to try tapering off the meds.  Everything has been > fine up until the last week or so.  My emotions are unpredictable, I’m weepy > one moment and a bear with a sore tooth the next.  So back on the meds I go. > Here’s my question.  What is Celexa (sp?) like?  I wanted to try Welbutrin > (due to the dosage of Effexor I was on) but that is not his first choice, he > doesn’t think it will work. > TIA > — > Roy Owen

Response: