Aa
Took 1 37.5mg effexor and haven't been right since
Hi all,
I'm a 31 year old male who is very laid back and nothing usually bothers me. Never had anxiety and am not depressed. Maybe some of you could shed some light on my situation.
I will briefly explain a history of what caused me to have panic attacks every once a while. Back in October I started having stomach trouble along with breathing trouble. I have seen numerous specialists including Cardiologist (EKG, Echo and stress tests were all good), pulmonologist ( diagnosed with asthma), Allergist (+4 on dust and dust mites among some other things), ENT (Infection in nose and deviated septum) and gastroenterologist (Endoscopy scheduled for Jan). I had a stomach sonogram and upper GI and they did see reflux and a hiatus hernia. Through all of this I am currently taking Advair diskus 250/50, singulair, Nexium, Nasacort AQ and was actually told by my ENT to take nexium in the morning and Zegerid 2 hours before bed as he saw some inflammation at the beginning of my esophagus. I do believe that GERD is playing a big role in all of my symptoms but have not yet confirmed this therefore I’ve been experiencing some anxiety over all of this. Every once in a while I would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air which scared me causing panic attack like symptoms (Fast beating heart, tingling in arms and hands, tremors and chills). This was causing me to lose sleep keeping me up for a couple of hours and would also think about it happening again before going to bed every night.
Went to primary doctor’s office which I usually see a NP. She prescribed Xanax (Alprazolam) .25 mg taken twice a day as needed. I tried these and they seemed to be working with no side effects. After a week or so I would get the occasional panic attack at night but not as often as before and because I realized what it was I was able to control it within 30min to an hour and go back to sleep.
I went back to the NP and told her this thinking maybe I should take Xanax 3 times a day or maybe up the does a little but instead she gave me samples of Effexor Xr 37.5mg to try. Let me tell you i haven't been right since. I took one on 12/13 in the morning. About 4 hours later I started having these extreme cold sensations running up my hands and through my arms, My jaw muscle tightened, my chest felt like there was a 50lb weight on it and I had difficulty breathing and had tremors. I have never felt so horrible in my life. For the next few days I would still get these cold sensations and feel out of it at times like my head was in the clouds but not lightheaded. I also didn’t get much sleep for the following 3 nights. I have been taking the Xanax through all this and it has been helping a lot but not entirely. But ever since taking Effexor I seem to be more nervous and anxious than ever before and it was a tough time for me to go to work today in fear of getting this attack again. This was today 12/17 (4 days after taking my one and only Effexor Xr) and I was very nervous at work this morning (Facial tingling and trouble concentrating). I took a xanax and started to feel better until the 4-6 hours it usually wears off to where I had another bad attack similar to the original one on 12/13 minus the cold sensations. I took another Xanax and am feeling better again but wonder what happens when it wears off again.
Is it possible to experience these side effects\withdrawal symptoms after taking only one Effexor XR 37.5 MG. I can't seem to control these attacks anymore and am nervous about leaving the house. Will an increase in dose of Xanax help with the above? Keep in mind I don't want to be on anything long term and don't know why the NP prescribed the Effexor since I’m not depressed nor have had long term anxiety. I just needed something to get me through the diagnosis of the health issues above for a couple of months.
Sorry for the long post but don't know what to do at this point.
Thanks
I'm a 31 year old male who is very laid back and nothing usually bothers me. Never had anxiety and am not depressed. Maybe some of you could shed some light on my situation.
I will briefly explain a history of what caused me to have panic attacks every once a while. Back in October I started having stomach trouble along with breathing trouble. I have seen numerous specialists including Cardiologist (EKG, Echo and stress tests were all good), pulmonologist ( diagnosed with asthma), Allergist (+4 on dust and dust mites among some other things), ENT (Infection in nose and deviated septum) and gastroenterologist (Endoscopy scheduled for Jan). I had a stomach sonogram and upper GI and they did see reflux and a hiatus hernia. Through all of this I am currently taking Advair diskus 250/50, singulair, Nexium, Nasacort AQ and was actually told by my ENT to take nexium in the morning and Zegerid 2 hours before bed as he saw some inflammation at the beginning of my esophagus. I do believe that GERD is playing a big role in all of my symptoms but have not yet confirmed this therefore I’ve been experiencing some anxiety over all of this. Every once in a while I would wake up in the middle of the night gasping for air which scared me causing panic attack like symptoms (Fast beating heart, tingling in arms and hands, tremors and chills). This was causing me to lose sleep keeping me up for a couple of hours and would also think about it happening again before going to bed every night.
Went to primary doctor’s office which I usually see a NP. She prescribed Xanax (Alprazolam) .25 mg taken twice a day as needed. I tried these and they seemed to be working with no side effects. After a week or so I would get the occasional panic attack at night but not as often as before and because I realized what it was I was able to control it within 30min to an hour and go back to sleep.
I went back to the NP and told her this thinking maybe I should take Xanax 3 times a day or maybe up the does a little but instead she gave me samples of Effexor Xr 37.5mg to try. Let me tell you i haven't been right since. I took one on 12/13 in the morning. About 4 hours later I started having these extreme cold sensations running up my hands and through my arms, My jaw muscle tightened, my chest felt like there was a 50lb weight on it and I had difficulty breathing and had tremors. I have never felt so horrible in my life. For the next few days I would still get these cold sensations and feel out of it at times like my head was in the clouds but not lightheaded. I also didn’t get much sleep for the following 3 nights. I have been taking the Xanax through all this and it has been helping a lot but not entirely. But ever since taking Effexor I seem to be more nervous and anxious than ever before and it was a tough time for me to go to work today in fear of getting this attack again. This was today 12/17 (4 days after taking my one and only Effexor Xr) and I was very nervous at work this morning (Facial tingling and trouble concentrating). I took a xanax and started to feel better until the 4-6 hours it usually wears off to where I had another bad attack similar to the original one on 12/13 minus the cold sensations. I took another Xanax and am feeling better again but wonder what happens when it wears off again.
Is it possible to experience these side effects\withdrawal symptoms after taking only one Effexor XR 37.5 MG. I can't seem to control these attacks anymore and am nervous about leaving the house. Will an increase in dose of Xanax help with the above? Keep in mind I don't want to be on anything long term and don't know why the NP prescribed the Effexor since I’m not depressed nor have had long term anxiety. I just needed something to get me through the diagnosis of the health issues above for a couple of months.
Sorry for the long post but don't know what to do at this point.
Thanks
ive been on effexor xr for 2yrs. best think i could of done in my life. the first few weeks you will feel bad but the results are amazing its safe to say im normal again .
i use only relaxation technicks which reduce the number of attacks and they help also during an attack!i dont like pills in general and i have now on the top a fear on what will happen if i take one.of course u must know that in the begining of a breathing exercise u may feel not well at all so u have to stop and try next day again.always start with slowly and every daay u can increase!the most simple breathing technic is to breath slowly from the nose and slowly out from the mouth.when u breath u have to concetrate so the air goes to the stomach!
u could try something soft like lexotanil!aqfter about 20 min i felt fine although for few min litle worse!but may be it was not from the medicine cause i was on crisis that mom
well i think that any antidepression medicine is not a good solution for panick attacks!
actually u have to try to use breath technicks which need of course exercise but usually they help from begining.i think the bigest problem with all us is the fear when it will strike again and that we are never sure its just anxiety or something else!it helps me a lot if i walk the mom of a crisis or if i put cold water on my face!evenm a shower will help!after i put some cold water on my face i start to shake like i am freezing a litle but soon after i am much better.in the begining it can become worse but it does not last.what is sure antidepresion medicine is not good!i used just 1/6 of a pill to see the reaction and thought i would die.it was an arzapin mirtazapin which i tried on a crisis from a friend cause i could not go to doctor that mom.after i read that peels in general is not the best solution.if u take at least it has to be anti-anxiety medicine not for depression!of course after i made this experiment i was feeling very well for a week.very calm.especially the tightness in the chest was absolutely gone.such a relief!but i will never try again.thank god i have an idea and did not take the whole pill!can imagine what could happen?
actually u have to try to use breath technicks which need of course exercise but usually they help from begining.i think the bigest problem with all us is the fear when it will strike again and that we are never sure its just anxiety or something else!it helps me a lot if i walk the mom of a crisis or if i put cold water on my face!evenm a shower will help!after i put some cold water on my face i start to shake like i am freezing a litle but soon after i am much better.in the begining it can become worse but it does not last.what is sure antidepresion medicine is not good!i used just 1/6 of a pill to see the reaction and thought i would die.it was an arzapin mirtazapin which i tried on a crisis from a friend cause i could not go to doctor that mom.after i read that peels in general is not the best solution.if u take at least it has to be anti-anxiety medicine not for depression!of course after i made this experiment i was feeling very well for a week.very calm.especially the tightness in the chest was absolutely gone.such a relief!but i will never try again.thank god i have an idea and did not take the whole pill!can imagine what could happen?
I've been reading that some multivitamins and natural herbs can help with anxiety. Does anyone have any experience with this or have tried anything?
Sorry couldnt reply earlier,because i live on the other side of the world.jkraebel,I hope u feel better soon.FMXSMKR correctly stated that xanax is a horror drug(poison).I dont want to scare you ,but a friend of the family commited s......e because of it.At one stage he was up to 10mg aday!!!Very sad.His doctor kept on prescribing it and in my opinion he should have been charged with manslaughter.Valium,or as Ryan suggests,Klonopin are far better choices.As to antidepressants for anxiety,I cant seem to understand how they can be indicated.Yet all doctors seem to hand them out like lollypops!
God bless,
Dimi.
God bless,
Dimi.
Thanks for all your inoput and I will keep you posted. Even before my panic issues i've always had a problem getting a solid nights sleep so hopefully this helps.
Well congrats on finding a doctor with these preferred methods instead of writing you a script and sending you on your way.....very happy for you on that.....sounds like a good psych. And by coincidence, my brother-in-law was just diagnosed with sleep apnea and will begin to use some kind of mask hooked up to a machine.....something like that, but he did say that when he had his sleep study, they did whatever they do and he got the REM sleep he's been missing and felt better than he ever has so I hope this is the answer you're looking for.
Thanks for responding back to me, I was concerned for you.
Take care and I would love to hear how your doing after the sleep study.
Thanks for responding back to me, I was concerned for you.
Take care and I would love to hear how your doing after the sleep study.
Went to the psych and he seems pretty good. He actually prefers to use techniques(relaxation, imagery, etc..) and such as oppsed to taking meds at first. Didn't really go into much today but have another appt on thurs. He also suggested i get evaluated for sleep apnea as i did experience some of my attacks at night and in general i wake up several times during the night.
Thanks again for responding
Thanks again for responding
Hey there, I'm so glad to hear your feeling better today and have an appt with a psych, but they also like to give out SSRIs so be careful what you take, especially during this sensitive time. Yes, maybe talk to Ryan before you take anything else. Talk to him too about the Xanax, you really want to stay under 2mgs per day if you absolutely have to take it every day. Okay?
I have a good idea of what you've been through, however, my panic attacks were'nt brought on BY a med, but lack of. I quit smoking back in July for the first time and felt so much better I was forgetting to take my pain killers.....I went to the ER twice in 3 days until I finally realized I was going through withdrawals and went back on the correct daily dose.....what a nightmare so I totally feel for you.
Best of luck today and post back on how your feeling. I'll be watching for you :-)
I have a good idea of what you've been through, however, my panic attacks were'nt brought on BY a med, but lack of. I quit smoking back in July for the first time and felt so much better I was forgetting to take my pain killers.....I went to the ER twice in 3 days until I finally realized I was going through withdrawals and went back on the correct daily dose.....what a nightmare so I totally feel for you.
Best of luck today and post back on how your feeling. I'll be watching for you :-)
Thanks, i am feeling better today. I can see the xanax as being an issue however i am only taking 1 to 2 .25mg a day or when i have an attack it helps calm me down. After taking one last night around 5 after my bad attack i was able to go withouot one and feel ok through the night to this morning. I'm actually going to see a psychologist today to get the opinion of a mental health professional as opposed to the NP who gave me the effexor (still don't know how they can give a drug like this out with such ease and without much evaluation). I went back to her today and she said she could try me on something different. of course i said heck no.
I will give ryan a shout.
Thanks
I will give ryan a shout.
Thanks
Also, I noticed your taking Xanax which is for occasional use only. Don't get caught up in that trap either. Taking Xanax every day will cause tolerance quickly and rebound anxiety which is the last thing you need. Sounds like you just needed a little Valium or the like in the first place to get you through a rough period. Put Xanax in the search engine and read some horror stories. I can talk from experience as I've been taking this drug every night for years and years and now I'm hooked and can't sleep either.
Like johanni suggested, post to Ryan and ask his opinion. He's a wonderful resource on this forum.
Hope your feeling better today.
Like johanni suggested, post to Ryan and ask his opinion. He's a wonderful resource on this forum.
Hope your feeling better today.
My Thanks to both of you.
How long were you on the Effexor for? How long did it take to feel normal again?
How long were you on the Effexor for? How long did it take to feel normal again?
I have to agree with FMXSMKR.I have tried Lexapro,Celexa,and the most horrible of all effexor XR.The side effects made me worse,much worse.The only medication which does anything for me is Valium.I once tried Remeron which is not an SSRI and it was well tolerated.It helped my mood but did nothing for the anxiety.Diazepam is the only thing that takes the edge off for me.The effexor especially, made my anxiety increase 10 fold!Must say that Ryan,on this forum, is also a great source of help and information on medications.
Dimi.
Dimi.
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