Effexor

[JessieKat]

I've just started on 75mg of effexor since friday. I'm a bit all over the place, feel a bit like im on drugs, tense jaw, muscles, v anxious. I keep flipping from thinking I def feel a bit better, to oh god I hate this....

I know this is the settling in period, but how long does it take to adjust? Is it worth it? Not sleeping great either. Any help appreciated.

[Shattered04]

I started on Citalopram 20mg (similar to 75mg of Effexor) for a few months before swapping to Effexor.

I had all you describe with the Citalopram, the worst part was the first few days. It gradually improved every day - there was no sudden wake up and I felt fine, so it felt like it wasn't improving but then if I compared my jaw clenching to how it had been several days earlier, I realised it was much better. Honestly though, the jaw clenching - UGH. And the inability to keep still, either that, or staring into space (and drooling..!) I made the mistake of taking my first pill at work and it's a wonder I'm still employed!

Things were a lot better a week in, and by two weeks it was a lot steadier. With the Cit on 20mg/day I actually started splitting the tablets into half and taking one in the morning and one in the evening so there wasn't so much of a "high", before bringing the morning one later and later until I was just taking one 20mg in the evening. By about the three week point I barely noticed a "high" any more.

When I swapped to the Venlafaxine (the side effects were too big a problem on the Citalopram) I'd gone down to 10mg of Citalopram so I did a straight swap. I only felt a bit weird for a few days versus a few weeks, presumably because of the Citalopram in my system.

I've been on 75mg (2 x 37.5 instant release) for nearly a month now and for the last two weeks I've not noticed when I've taken a new pill. I notice if I don't take one on time as I start to get a headache and more anxious, but if I take them on time it's fine.

Are you on the instant release or the extended release as that can make a difference? I believe the extended release has a more gentle "curve" as it's more of a constant rate so you would get used to it quicker rather than the more spiky profile of the immediate release.

I slept crap to begin with too on the Effexor. Had bad restless leg syndrome too. If you're only taking one a day, take it in the morning if sleep becomes too much of an issue, but I found it settled down after a couple of weeks and aside from the odd bout of restless leg, I'm sleeping fine now. Just with far more lucid dreams and a lot more nightmares unfortunately, but this is apparently quite normal. And night sweats.

I am not sure if I'm on a high enough dose as I still feel quite anxious, but it has definitely improved my mood in general. I am a lot more patient especially with the children which is wonderful for all of us. In that sense it is definitely worth it, but it hasn't fixed everything, not by a long shot yet.

[DaviesMum]

Abandon all hope, all ye who entering Effexor's gaping maw. I've been on it for 19 years - I'm chemically and physiologically dependent on it. Try to titrate a dose is like a kick in the cunt.

Suicidality will become your constant companion. It is sheer hell because I've been told I can be put into a drug-induced coma to wean me off, aye right!

[Bloopbleep]

I took it successfully for a few years. It was the only antidepressant to work for me out of loads that I tried. The jaw clenching never really went away on it but within a week of stopping it was gone. Same with indigestion. I didn’t get many other side effects. First week I sweated. A lot. Then it was normal. I didn’t have much of an appetite but that was a bonus to me as other meds had made me fat. I had zero withdrawal problems. Cut down to half for four weeks then stopped. No zaps, nothing. I haven’t had to rake antidepressants in over ten years since I stopped, so it clearly had some effect... but that’s just my story.

[lazydog]

I was on it for a couple of years - 150mg controlled release most of that time, but with a 6 month stretch when I was on 225mg/day. I took it first thing in the morning.

Side effects were absolutely zero for me once I passed the first 2 weeks of starting it. I don't know if it caused sleep disturbance to begin with as I was already dealing with that as a major symptom of the depression, and once the ADs kicked in, my sleep improved. I found it worked really well for me and it was possibly quite literally a life saver.

Oh, and I almost forgot but for the whole time I was on it my blood pressure was raised. Not dangerously high, and it wasn't constantly climbing - it just settled at a higher steady state than was normal for me. Maybe worth keeping an eye on if yours isn't ideal/low beforehand? It went back to normal very quickly after stopping taking the Effexor.

Like Bloopbleep, I had no withdrawal problems at all, but I did wean off incredibly slowly, over ~6 months. I did it by reducing the dose a little bit and then staying on that lower dose for at least a month before dropping a little bit further. Must have reduced dose at least 4 times before I stopped entirely. It was probably overkill, but I'd heard that it was a particularly difficult AD to stop.

[Shattered04]

I have to say it's a relief to hear from people who didn't have any problems coming off it! I normally only hear stories similar to DaviesMum - that sounds absolutely horrendous.

Slight thread hijack, but for those who have increased their dose - have the nightmares/vivid dreams got worse or receded a bit?

[JessieKat]

Thanks for all the replies. I'm on ita week today & tbh feel like stopping it right now. My energy & mood is so low & I still have that drugged spaced out feeling although the anxiety has stopped somewhat.

I was on it around 10 years ago & remember I saw a registrar who stopped it overnight no weaning off & had brain zaps for a good 6 months afterwards, basically she didn't know what she was doing & I was just following what she said. Ive been on & off most anti ds alot of my life & am bk at desperation point again so just following what they say, because nothing I try has worked. I'm very tired of being like this. Glad to hear the positive stories of those it has worked for. Hopefully I can ride out the adjustment period & get some kind of energy / mood lift which I desperately need. I also have pmdd, and have just started my period which throws me too, so I couldn't reliably say what is what right now.

[Hoppinggreen]

I used to work for a Pharma company dealing with antidepressants and it was known in the industry as “side Effexor “
On the plus side it’s not one of the harder ones to stop ( under medical supervision)

[Aquarius26]

Hi, op sorry for jumping on your thread, but I too have just started Effexor on Monday altho smaller dose then yours at 37.5mg, Iv been in severe depression since November, I was on mirtazapine but was no longer working altho it still worked to help me sleep, last week I had to taper my mirtazapine from 45mg to 30mg that was fine, then on Monday started the Effexor and tapered the mirtz down to 15mg, and on Monday I’m meant to up the Effexor to 75mg and stop the mirtazapine. I feel absolutely terrible the last 2 days, I’m not sleeping, my brain feels wide awake with racing thoughts but I’m physically exhausted and can not function at all, I have just sat on the sofa all day sometimes move to wander aimlessly room to room. I feel shakey inside and my appetite has been completely surpressed I’m having to force food down me very slowly and it’s utterly horrible I really hope this subsides as I’m already skin and bone I can’t afford to lose any weight! I have also had the clench jaw, and suffering episodes of excessive yawning followed by jaw tremors which started within an hour of taking the first dose on Monday, my anxiety levels are through the roof and I don’t normally really suffer with anxiety very much. I hope these side effects get better as the days go on and not worse

[JessieKat]

Hi Aquarius, sorry to hear u are in the same boat too... just riding out these awful symptoms. Im hungry but there's nothing I want &-am not enjoying food. I've zero motivation & getting anything simple done is ridiculously hard. When I took the first dose it hit me within an hr too & anxiety was off the charts &-couldn't sit still, I was so bad was afraid to leave the house to collect my dd from school, but pulled it together. Then I was so restless I got loads of cleaning done & was feeling that was a good sign but thats not happening any more, just feel a drugged depressed zombie. Feck sake! Hang on in there darling, your doing the best u can, hope the symptoms lessen soon for you. Your prob having double symptoms weaning down too so be gentle with yourself. x

[Aquarius26]

Hi Jessie, thanks for your kind words.
How are you feeling today?
I managed to get some sleep last night, I downloaded sleepwell app on my iPhone in desperation hoping something would help relax my mind in able to fall off to sleep, i actually did fall off to sleep before it had even finished and didn’t wake until 4 am, whether it was the app that actually worked or just sheer exhaustion from the previous few nights I have no idea but at least I got some sleep either way.
Today I still feel very shakey, still having hot and cold sweats too. But keep reminding myself that with time it should hopefully get better.
Hope your symptoms lessen for you too, because it’s bloody awful isn’t it.