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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
effexor lose dose efficiency
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
effexor lose dose efficiency
by steward, Dec 08, 2003 12:00AM
Background:
I have anxiety/depression/Social anxiety. I am taking 18 mg of Effexor (4 weeks). Tried 37.5 mg and teeth clenching, RLS were activated. For last 3 months, I have been taking 10 mg of Remeron every other day for sleep(no it doesn't sedate me).
I have practice Dr. David Burn's cognitive therapy. Been helpful, but need something to take edge of the physical symptons of anxiety and depression. I cognitively combact anxiety daily. If not I would stay home and run out of meetings.
Results:
The 18 mg of Effexor has reduced my facial blushing and social fears. But anxiety and depression are still there. Yes, I am attacking these cognitively and through my faith in Jesus Christ.
Question:
1. 18 mg of Effexor seems to be the point where teeth clenching and anxiety and nausea are not activated or are trivial. Is it possible that 18 mg of Effexor for is like 100 mg for another (I am a small person according to the body charts)? I tried full doses of paxil and zoloft last year, both flipped me out. In "Feeling Good," Burns says that one person's metabolism could be 1030x's different. If this is the case why can't I find anyone else taking low doses?
Thank you.
S.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Dec 08, 2003 12:00AM
, Dec 08, 2003 12:00AM
There are a lot of people taking smaller doses because everyone's sensitivity is different. You seem to be having a good effect already, so why don't you just continue at this dose and continue to work on your cognitive therapy, maybe schedule a few face to face therapy visits to augment and quicken that effect.
I've been through therapy, have taken practically every anti-depressant that's out there, before settling on the most effective (and most dangerous) class of them all, MAOI's.
Let me know if you've got any questions.
Take care of yourself.
I considered the MAO's, but the diet excludes: soy, tofu, fermented protein (cabage and beans and meat). All which are about of 90% of my Asian diet.
I plan on continuing with the low dose, since it has had a positive social impact, and if the increased anxiety doesn't go away I'll wean off it and stay with the Remeron or maybe Serzone (the next AD my doctor recommended).
thanks, s.