Effexor Online
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Q: I take effexor and am sick of paying so much for it without insurance. Are any outlets online ligit?
Looking for a way to save money and stay on a medicine that has been good for me but that I cant really afford to stay on otherwise. Thanks
A: You can easily check your minimal health care rates in internet, for example here – healthquotes.awardspace.info
Q: What’s the difference between Zoloft and Effexor?
i was on zoloft a few years ago and didnt like it. now my dr has me on effexor. i looked thru the literature and online, and chemically, im not really sure what the diffrence is.
A: Zoloft and Effexor are NOT the same. Here is the scoop:
Effexor is an SNRI (Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor). It works on TWO brain neurotransmitters (serotonin and norepinephrine). At lower doses (37.5mg-75mg) it works ONLY on serotonin. Only at higher doses (150mg-300mg) does its “dual mechanism” effect occur. Effexor has a relatively short half-life, meaning that it needs to be taken with greater frequency to keep a plateau amount of medication in one’s body. That is why the drug company created Effexor XR (extended-release formula). Effexor can lower the seizure threshold in people who have a history of seizures, but more frequently can cause complications in people who have hypertension (high blood pressure). Effexor is one NASTY medication to quit cold turkey – although it is not dangerous, it is highly uncomfortable. It’s one of the worst for abrupt discontinuation, Paxil being notoriously the worst.
Zoloft is an SSRI (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor). It works on ONE brain neurotransmitter (serotonin) at all dosage forms (25mg-200mg). It is taken only once a day (normally in the morning) and does not have an extended release formula. The generic is cheap. It has few side effects and people with multiple medical problems can take it. It should not be stopped abruptly; although stopping it abruptly is not dangerous, it is fairly uncomfortable – resulting in numerous physiological and psychological symptoms. For people with high levels of anxiety, the higher doses of Effexor can do more harm than good, as the inhibition of norepinephrine reuptake is thought to play a role in anxiety.
Hope that helps.
Q: Has anyone been on effexor (venlafaxine) and seen the online petition (12800 signatures) to get it off the?
market?
Don’t let your doctor prescribe you this drug – it is horrendous trying to withdraw from it.
A: I have been on it for 3 years, currently 150mg daily. At one time I was on 250mg daily which was far too much. I stopped taking my tablets before and suffered from major mood swings, anger, irrational and uncharacteristic behaviour. I would love to come off venlafaxine but it is a slow and careful process. The other side of the equation is that it does work as an anti depressant, it is just finding the correct dosage for yourself. Wish you well.
Q: How does effexor xr affect male fertility?
I have been taking 187.5mg of effexor for about three years now. My wife and I are trying to conceive but are not having any luck. I did some research online and found that antidepressants have a negative effect on sperm. Does anyone have any knowledge they could share with me? Were you or anyone you know successful in making a baby when the male was taking effexor?
A: I have been on effexor xr about the same length of time you have been. I changed from paxol, which caused me to gain weight and reduced my libido to just about zero. I read about all the side-effects of effexor and found no mention of it affecting your sperm volume. Not planning to have children so I can’t help you there.
Q: Can I take an over the counter cold medication w/ Effexor?
I am sneezing like crazy & have a runny nose this morning. I feel like I’m coming down with a cold, & didn’t know if there was any side effects of taking OTC meds w/ Effexor. I don’t have my papers anymore that came with the prescription, & my pharmacy isn’t open on Saturdays. I’ve already looked online, but didn’t understand if I could or couldn’t. Can anyone help me??
A: I take Effexor too. OTC cold and sinus products are fine but if you would feel better asking a pharmacist, you should be able to call any pharmacy and ask the pharmacist. Generally pharmacists are very helpful. They want people to take medications properly whether they are customers or not.
Q: Can Effexor effect your menstral cycle?
I started taking Effexor 5 months ago 75mg per day. I and weening myself off of them slowly and an now taking them one day and skipping two. I am a month late for my period and I am always like clockwork. I have had unprotected sex with my husband and i am not on BC. I am exhausted all of the time. I have read online that Effexor can give a false negative on the pregnancy test. I have taken several and they all say negative. I have gone to my doctor and he says its either the Effexor has messed up my cycle or i am pregnant and the medication is giving me negative results. i am currently waiting on my blood work to find out for sure. Is there anyone out there that has had something similar?
How many of you think i am pregnant? with my first one i just knew because my body felt different but with these meds its hard to tell if its the medication putting me off or a possible pregnancy
A: It sounds very likely that you are pregnant.
Q: So, once and for all does Effexor XR cause weight gain?
I have found varying opinions when searching online. I gained a ton of weight years ago on Zyprexa, which was not the right medication for me, anyway…But I just want a straight answer about Effexor and whether there is a good proportion of people gaining weight on it. Please only answer if you’re informed (i.e. you have been on it, you’re a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, etc.)
Thanks.
Like I said, I want honest answers from people who know. I appreciate the suggestions about where to find information but I have been there, done that.
Please, only informed answers from personal experience or experiences with patients, etc.
A: Almost all the anti-depressant medications, Effexor included, have a side effect of weight gain. The weight gain is not as severe as Zyprexa. The weight gain is typically less than 10 lbs.
Q: Effexor being used to help with an eating disorder?
I just started taking Effexor last night to help with depression and anxiety and feeling of guilt, etc….caused by, related to and made worse because of Bulemia. I have just begun getting help for my eating disorder, though I know i have years of recovery ahead of me. I read the petition online over Effexors devastating side affects, and am now totally freaked out. One of the main things mentioned was massive weight gain. Of course this scares me so badly, I know if I gaina single pound, I will go back to what I know, and the reason for my hell in the first place. I just want to know if anyone else out there has been prescribed Effexor b/c of an eating disorder, and how you experience was, good or awful. I just started taking it last night, and I am taking the extended release, so i am starting on 37.5 and working my way up. If anyone can give me any advice or ANYTHING, please, please do! Thank you
A: Oh dear…you see, I was trying to remember the name of this med last night. I just took a couple of the pills for fun b/c they made me really nervous and I didn’t want to eat.
In the long run, it could cause the opposite effect of making you eat, yes. In my personal opinion, it isn’t the best med for eating problems b/c of the weight gain potential.
My doc suggested Cymbalta. Have you asked ur doc abt that one? I would say Topamax b/c it is meant to stop people from bingeing, but that one made me stop wanting to eat, period, which messed me up more in a way.
I would say maybe you should talk to him about Cymbalta instead, and if you end up taking the one you’re taking anyway, just know that not everybody gets those side effects. If you do, then you can always wean off of it as soon as you notice the weight gain and you will lose it back.
But the important thing is to take something to break you of the habit of doing what you’re doing. The rest you can deal with later. More than likely, you won’t care if you gain a little bit of weight b/c the drug will make you not care (I had this experience w/Prozac. It was kinda cool b/c I would like eat lunch with people and stuff…such normal things that seem amazingly difficult now).
Hang in there…you are doing the right thing by getting help! I wish I had your strength.
Q: Effexor XL – has anyone got off this drug without withdrawal?
ive been taking 75mg of Effexor for over 5 years now. i want to come off them as i feel ready – have discussed with doc etc – but just wondered if anyone had got off this drug without the awful withdrawal i keep reading about online…any suggestions?
A: I was on Effexor XL 150 mgs for about 7 or 8 months…and I hate to say it, but the withdrawal was horrendous. The zappy brain things, and the nausea and dizziness were the worst. Plan to get LOTS of sleep. Ginger root supplements help with the nausea. It takes a couple weeks to go through, but there are degrees…you won’t feel as bad on Friday as you did on Monday. You will also go through some emotional issues, crying very easily…anxiety and anger. Know that these do go away and its not something to consider staying on Effexor for! I hated Effexor so much and won’t ever go through that again! Good Luck!
Q: How long does it take to get over 75 mg of Effexor XR withdrawal symptoms?
Please answer if you were on a low dose for a short period of time and stopped suddenly. I need to know how long it took for the withdrawal symptoms to go away.
I was taking a low dose of Effexor XR for about 8 weeks and stopped cold turkey. It was not helping my anxiety and I was having hallucinations. I would see insects (esp. spiders) crawling on the floor or walls.
I don’t want to hear about tapering off slowly. It’s too late for that. I haven’t had a pill in 7 days. I told the doctor that I stopped and I’m having “brain zaps” and they think it’s not related to Effexor. I told them that I researched my symptom online and that was the name given to the feeling that started 2 days after I quit the med. The doctor told me to stay off the internet for the rest of the weekend. Anyway, along with the zaps, I sweat a lot and I feel like I’m floating and sometimes I have a muffled boom on the right side of my head. So far, I haven’t felt sick to my stomach.
A: The brain zaps are a standard withdrawal symptom – as you know. And 2 days after the dose cut would be a perfect tie-in with Effexor…. half life 5 hrs, typical onset of withdrawal Day 1-2 (ref Glenmullen).
You’ve only been on for 8 weeks, but that’s more than enough time to become dependent – as you have found out.
As a general rule (very general), the shorter time you’ve been on them, the greater the likelihood that an individual can get off more swiftly… but it doesn’t always hold true, there are those who have been debilitated by withdrawal after only a very short time on-drug (e.g. one I’ve read of was after a 10day exposure to a serotonergic antidepressant).
So your withdrawal reaction could be anything from mild – severe, there appears to be no way at present of telling in advance. However your situation is that of a severe adverse reaction too… so there is also tha fallout from that – sometimes it can take quite a while for the body to get back to an even keel after an experience of this nature.
Withdrawal checklist below; plus link to some helpful tips for surviving an adverse reaction in the months following stoppage of the drug… wish I’d had these tips a few years back, since it echoes many of the conclusions my stumbling trial-and-error gropings arrived at.
Q: Effexor and D-Amphetamine…?
OK, so I stumbled upon something that seems to be working for me. 300mg of Effexor and 10 to 20mg of D-Amphetamine…
Dose anyone know if this mix is dangerous? I can not find anything about this kind of mix online…
I don’t want to get a lecture from anyone about how I should not take meds without the docs permission… I already know that… But i did find something that works… i just need to know if there is any problem with this mix…
A: I am on 225 mg of Effexor and allowed to take up to 5 mg of Valium 3 times daily. I don’t know about D-Amphetamine, but if you are worried it might not be safe, I would recommend trying to get on a low dosage of Valium instead.
Q: Effexor-xr side effects and taking during pregnancy?
I have just started (like 2days ago) taking Effexor-xr 37.5mg once a day & I have noticed strange side effects. Feeling my pulse all over my body, skin feeling crawly, strange dreams, headaches, fogginess, unable to sleep, tingling in my hands & tiredness
I want to be fixing my anxiety problem, but I can’t function in everyday life feeling the way I do.
I understand my body has to get used to me taking the pills, but I would love to hear from anyone else who has or is taking Effexor-xr & if you had any side effects & did they go away after a short period of time?
Also my husband & I would like to start trying for a family in the next month; my doctor assured me that Effexor-xr was the “safest” (if there can be one) of the anti-depressants. But looking online, I’ve found mixed comments & views. I want to do right for me, but I’m more concerned about the effects it will have on a baby. I’d love to hear from other people who have taken Effexor-xr through conception & birth.
A: I currently take 300 mg of Effexor-XR daily. I started taking the medication 10 months ago. Per my doctor’s instructions, I started on the lowest dose and doubled every week until I reached 300 mg. Like you, I had some odd side effects when I first started. They went away as the dosage increased and by my first follow up with the doctor, the side effects were gone. Unlike some other people I have encountered online, I have not gained weight or experienced any other side effects on my full dose. It completely helps my generalized anxiety, irritability, and minor depression.
This being said, I agree with some of the other people who answered your questions by telling you to get off this medicine now! I use mail order to fill my prescription and one time it was late. I ran out and was forced to stop taking it for a week. It was one of the worst weeks of my life. I was extremely irritable. People at work constantly asked if I was doing okay because I did not seem like myself. After a couple of days, I could not sleep and when I did drift off had incredibly vivid nightmares. I experienced hot flashes and chills. I cried at the slightest upset – and by cried I mean sobbed uncontrollably for a long time. I do not know if I will ever be able to get off this medicine. I feel completely trapped.
Unlike your doctor, my doctor (and three others that I have personally contacted) said that I should not take this medicine while trying to get pregnant, while pregnant, or while breastfeeding. They all agreed that the drug itself will pass to the baby and that the effects would not be positive. I am shocked and saddened that your doctor felt this was “the safest” of the anti-depressants. From my experience and discussions with doctors and friends, this is more like one of the worst anti-depressants for pregnancy. The doctors also all agreed that the withdrawal symptoms so common with this medicine would likely effect the baby after being born and separated from my bloodstream and likely between feedings if the medicine was passing through the breast milk (which none of them could tell me would happen or not with any certainly). They also agreed that withdrawal for a baby could be even worse than what happened to me, which as I said above was pretty horrible. I cannot even imagine putting a baby through that.
Basically, I feel like I will never be able to have children. I am currently 30 if that makes this more real for you. I am trapped on this medicine and would never consider becoming pregnant while on it.
As you are still on a low dose, I recommend calling your doctor and having a serious talk about staying on this while pregnant and about withdrawal. If your doctor is not taking your concerns seriously, please find one who will – and fast. I am only answering in this way because I wish someone had been more honest with me before I progressed to 300 mg. My mental issues were not all that bad and I really would have preferred trying several other options before this medicine had I known what I know now.
Part of me hopes someone who has been through this during conception and childbirth answers your question so that you will have more complete information. But part of me hopes that no one out there has had to deal with a baby “on” this medicine or withdrawing from it.
Feel free to contact me directly.
Q: Effexor for change of life symptoms?
My dr prescribed effexor today for hot flashes. I know it’s an anti-depressant but after researching have found it actually is also used to treat hot flashes, night sweats, etc., I can’t take hormones so my dr thought this may be a good alternative but after reading many reviews am a little concerned about starting this medication. Has anyone actually used this? Please no links or copy & paste answers…I’ve been searching online for 2 hours. I’m looking for “real-life” experience. I know that is what the reviews are too but most of those I found were dated 4 – 5 years ago.
A: haven’t used it myself but it was prescribed for my husband a few yrs ago for anxiety/depression – it gave him terrible night sweats!
I’m no doctor but pls be careful w. pharm. drugs for what is essentially a natural condition – pls look into natural remedies for this – watch your diet, try Estroven (over the counter soy/herbal preparation for meno symptoms) – do some more research into things you can try to ease your symptoms without resorting to sometimes dangerous drugs that often have a lot of bad side effects.
Q: Effexor Withdrawal Help???
I have been on Effexor 150 dosage for about 9 months or so, and have recently weened off due to many reasons -cost, i’m moving, traveling alot (which, if i miss A SINGLE dosage, i’m in hell)…etc.
I took my last 35.5 mg dosage daybefore yesterday, and been having steadily worse withdrawal symptoms.
I’ve researched it online trying to find out if all what i have is normal….nausea, brain “shocks”, vertigo feeling, as well as a LIST of other issues.
and, to my ‘relief’ (so to speak) many others have had these symptoms as well, so i’m not alone.
the question is, how long will these symptoms last? and is there anything, ANYTHING i can take or do to minimise all of the really crappy symptoms?
i feel all funny and dizzy and such just writing this email, DAMN.
my doctor said “you may feel a little flu like, but that’s it” YEA RIGHT Not even close!
Please, if anybody has had this, or currently does, I would love some suggestions!!!
Thank you soo much!!!
oh, and i found this site which scares the bloody hell outta me:
http://www.join-the-fun.com/effexor-withdrawal.html
in particular :
“
One more common effect not mentioned above is long term vision problems.
Most likely, 35 percent is an underestimate of Effexor’s withdrawal problems.
What’s not in dispute is the high number of ’serious’ side effects from withdrawal.
The FDA defines as ’serious’ any side effect that causes
# death,
# hospitalization,
# cancer,
# permanent disability, or
# birth defects.
“
WHAT THE HELL?!!! ANybody want to comment on taht?
A: they say on this sight that by june of 2008 they should have a generic. check it out! Good luck
Q: 25 mg Effexor immediate release for anxiety?
My doctor has just prescribed 25mg Effexor (not the XR) for my anxiety problem to be taken once every 24 hours. I’m reading online that due to the fast metabolization of the drug it is generally split in half and taken every 12 hours to avoid withdrawal. Is it safe for me to be taking it only every 24 hours, does anyone have experience with this (or this dosage), or should I contact my doctor before I start it? Any info/opinions are appreciated!
A: Effexor is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor, generally prescribed for depression. I don’t understand how it treats anxiety since one of it’s main side effects is anxiety. Anyway, this drug has to build up to a therapeutic level and effects can take up to four weeks to be noticeable (that’s for depression though). I hope it works for you, but if not, ask about Prozac, Zoloft, and the big guns for anxiety (PTSD) Lexapro. Busprione is one that produces a mild tranquilizing effect and might just help. Good luck. 
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