EFFEXOR/ VEFAXINE?

My husband was given VENLAFAXINE for moderate depression last week. Are these two the same thing? Also, my god the side effects! This is suppose to calm down his anxiety, and panic attacks, and treat his depression- but it has increased depression, increased anxiety, increased suicidal attempts, vomiting, dizziness, "shaking in your brain"? He refuses to take it- I don't blame him. Has anyone taken this or have a better recommendation on what he should do next? He's going for his second visit Wednesday. HELP! Thank you!

[witchery]

hrms..when i take effexor i dont get depressed but i still get anxiety..maybe he should request for some valium..

[Jennifer375]

some anti-depressants flood the brain with seritonin to the point the brain cant handle it,, they work similiarly to hallucinagens in some people. (I was one of them)

If it were ME, Id get him immediatly back to this doctor, and tell the doctor his symptoms are getting worse instead of better. Please act quickly to have him re-evaluated if nessasary by a different doctor prefferably one who is an expert in these pharmacudicals.

[zazaa]

thanks! All your help is greatly appreciated!!!

[Tornadocat]

Hi, I've been on Effexor for about a year now and want to get off of it because my depression has gotten steadily better due to big changes in my life and in my thinking. It was a great drug for me at first because I was having really severe episodes of panic and hysterical crying and Zoloft, which I was on, was not enough for me. Well now I am reading more about Effexor and you can't miss the barrage of withdrawal complaints. It is SO hard to get off. The withdrawal symptoms are so cruel and sometimes last very long. If I had known all of this I would have looked into other drugs, even considering my condition at the time. It just doesn't seem worth it. Even if it helps, who wants a drug that they are unable to stop taking. If I were your husband, I would STOP taking it immediately before it is too late. Effexor is supposed to be a "last-resort" drug for people who haven't responded to anything and everything else. I hope he is able to find something mild that works. Good luck!

[zazaa]

Thanks for your info. We thought it was a "little much" but were not sure if it was exaggeration( is that spelled right? doesn't look right!) anyway, Thanks a lot for the info, esp. for the part that you mention it should be a last resort drug. That I did not know!!!

[Tenny]

I'm not a doctor, but one thing you don't want to do is tell someone to stop taking an AD without their doctors approval.  I don't know how long your husband has been taking the Effexor, or what dosage he was started on, but just stopping cold turkey can cause extra side effects that he doesn't have to go through.  I've posted before about what my doctor told me when I asked him about when I'd be able to go off Effexor for good and was cautioned about doing it without supervision.  He said to me stopping without gradually cutting back the dose will make you feel auful, "like you have the flu bug on steroids".   I'd call the doctor's office and tell them what is going on and get their advise before doing any adjusting on my own.  I've been on several of the SSRI's and even Cymbalta, which is the same class as Effexor.  Everyone is different in the way the drugs effect them, how long they will keep working, or not working from the start.  The doctor must have had a reason why he chose the Effexor as a first line AD.  There are a lot of other classes of antidepressants out there that might be a better fit for your husband.  Is he willing/able to call himself and talk with his doctor?  Don't give up with your first "bad experience" on an antidepressant medicantion.    

OK!  Enough of my opinion, good luck and let us know how things are going.