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603543 tn?1255294450

what time of day do you take pristiq

Im trying to figure out the best time of day to take pristiq....when does everyone take it??? plus what dosage are you on, ive been on 50mg for almost a month and am still feeling sick and tired all the time and not any better...thanks
~Kellie
25 Responses
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Avatar universal
I take it at night, though a Dr told me the other day "that's weird most people take it in the morning" but she was a *****. Anyway I've been on it about 3 years now and my life has improved for the better. I've tried zoloft, effexor, and some others I've forgotten. This has changed my life dramatically on how I view life in a positive light.
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Avatar universal
I promise you the Wellbutrin is what is giving you the headaches! I had a constant, painful, headache the entire time on Wellbutrin. If you didn't have issues before, I'd take the Wellbutrin dosage back down!
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10441123 tn?1410151247
I read alot of the comments, but yours is the most helpful. I have only been on it for about two to three weeks and I have been monitoring it. The side effects have been gradually minimizing and almost disappearing. I  only have a slight anxiety minute about every 3 to 5 days, and sleeping is little abnormal, but I do sleep through the night, which I never did in the past. eating has been, controlled rather than saying something negative. Some have said, "You're too easy to get along with, goofy go lucky". Which is O.k. with me. I'm on 50 mg and I'm gonna wait it out. I think I just needed this forum to fill those little "lonely" minutes. I feel we all on it, need to work with the med and it will work better. Just a suggestion. Wish you all well, have a good night. The Joker
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Avatar universal
I have been on Pristiq for about 3 years now. After I got used to it I did / do really good. I too was on Effexor and now that I have been taking Pristiq for a while I like it much more.
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Avatar universal
I was told when I start taking prestiq to reduse my welbutrin to eventually get off. I was also told by a friend her doctor said take it in morning and pharmacy lable said take in morning
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Avatar universal
I took my first dose of pristig this morning, with food, as my doctor told me. Been feeling sick since I took it, thrown up 3 times. Not goin to work as im throwing up,(i work in hospitality) Wont be taking it again. Will be better when I no longer feel so very sick.
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Avatar universal
Been on Pristiq for 6 days,felt like a zombie the first 2 days but continued because I was so thankful I had lost my desire to drink alcohol and the noise in my head quieted.(now I just have a ringing sound 24hrs)As an athlete I find it depressing to have zero energy, need to nap, I also feel very anti social and want to stay in bed. I understand being manic has its down sides but its starting to feel like I would prefer manic and "self medicating " over this bla state of nothingness. My new backpacking tent is due to arrive next week and I doubt I will have the energy to lift it.Something needs to change soon, very soon.
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Avatar universal
I've been on Pristiq for 2 weeks now and am still in the stages of the WORST side effects.  They include:

-hot flashes (complete with profuse sweating.. )
-night terrors and really messed up dreams
-nausea and virtigo
-overall just feeling super tired, especially at around 5pm. I literally just want to go home and go to bed right away most days

I am really hoping these side effects go away soon.  If they don't, I will be forced to try something else because I just can't live like this!
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Avatar universal
Memory loss. weight gain. mood swings comparable to bi polar . been on prestiq  3 years but have had the least side effects with this drug. I've been on just about everything it seems. effexor worked ok but I had tremors after the 2nd year. it seems like the longer I'm on a med the less it outlays the side effects. I sometimes think I'd be better without. I've been on antidepressants for about 8 yrs now after losing my mother to cancer
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Avatar universal
Hi, I've just had my first week of taking pristiq, my first of its type. I started off taking it in the morning and I felt a bit drowsy so took it at night from then,but I'm not sure if it was just from my usual tiredness during the day. I've greatly appreciated the appetite suppressant effect! I feel like I've lost a kg already. My weight is part of the reason I am on it. I have felt small changes in my mood also, in a good way. I find myself wanting to actually smile at things naturally and not forcefully. Taking it at night I've found that it can take me a while to fall asleep but again I'm not sure if this is just one of my usual body things of from the meds.
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Avatar universal
you are so right about the heightened effects of alcohol & hangovers.  i felt like crap the first couple of days i have taken it and not sure i want to continue.  it's supposed to help with depression and anxiety but i won't take it if it makes me feel worse!  i won't give it more than a week.  
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Avatar universal
Been on Pristiq for 3 weeks now, first anti depressant I've taken. Real bad side effects for first week including super intense night horrors, cold during the day and hot at night, afternoon spin out sessions (sort of like an "e"), cloudy head, nausea, indigestion, tired, headaches, body aches etc... To the point I almost stopped it was so unbearable! Then it all went away, now my daytime moods are better, happier, less anxious. Sex drive pretty much the same but slightly longer to orgasm. Lost my appetite during the day but will eat at night, have actually lost about a kilo! Very restless nights never getting proper sleep. Tired during the days (i take 50mg in the morning after food). Have taken to a coffee and multi vitamin or berrocca for a pick-me-up just to get me through the day otherwise I prefer sleeping 3 to 4 hours around lunch time. After that I'm fine. Friends and family have noticed an improvement, a good sign :) Still got some indigestion and headaches too but overall, feeling ok. Will stick at it to see how I go. Just remember, everyone is different, drugs will never be the same for everyone. Unfortunately it's trial and error for some. My partner went through about a dozen! Just do it with the right family support and a professionals assistance. If you are not happy with the help you are getting, go somewhere else...we did and it made a difference.
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Avatar universal
Hi there i dont koww if you are all still on but i have been on prestiq just over a year and i am on 200mg.
i have had bad side effects trying to stop the medication i was off them for 4 days first i thought that i had the flue but then my head started hurting and couldnt cope with light body was aching nasty to everyone.
i have always fely tired but am getting orse i dont feel like going out could sleep all day and no sex drive what so ever. to the point that it hurts now.
im going to my phyc today and going to ask for something more of an up druing the day as i have 3 kids and just am not coping.
is there a reason why all of you are only on 50-100 that i dont know about.
the doctors jumped my meds up real quick to 200mg.
I tried taking this med difrent times of day but still tired all the time made nno difference. ok ill keep you informed thanks
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Avatar universal
I too find my sleep very restless on Pristiq.

I have the opposite problem otherwise at the moment. It has converted the pain signak from the right entrapped inguinal nerve to pleasure, the left remains pain.  Last week the feeling of pleasure spread through the length of my penis and caused hypersensitivity there within.

This has resulted in frequent erections a few near misses and one xase where the feeling built to full orgasm causing a rather unfortunate mess. It was a good thing I was at home.

I called the company apparently I am the first to have such a problem though they said the meds could definately do that.  A nerve freezze should fix that. the sleep problem I don't know though
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Avatar universal
i have been on Pristiq for 8 months now and i also take Wellbutrin. 50mg of the Pristiq and 400mg of the Wellbutrin. Only been on the Wellbutrin for a few months. For the most part i thought i was doing alright. But now i havent gotten hardly any sleep in a week. I missed a couple doses and i wonder if this is why. I also have a constant headache. I take mine at night and then just 200mg Wellbutrin in the morning. i wonder should i try and take it at another time?  As for the sex drive...seems lately alot of it had been gone and very difficult to get to orgasm. IS this just me?
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Avatar universal
THIS IS MY 3RD DAY TAKING PRISTIQ.  I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT THE BEST TIME OF THE DAY TO TAKE IT. I TOOK ZOLOFT 200 MGS. FOR 10 YEARS AND TAKE 6 MG. XANAX A DAY FOR PANIC ATTACKS.  AFTER COMING OFF OF ZOLOFT I FEEL NAUSEATED, GET LIGHT-HEADED, AND HAVE ONLY SMOKED THREE CIGARETTES IN TWO FULL DAYS.  I HAD TO LEAVE WORK EARLY MY FIRST DAY ON PRISTIQ FROM NAUSEA AND STOMACH PAIN, 2ND DAY I TOOK PRISTIQ, I WAS EXHAUSTED AND WENT HOME RIGHT AFTER WORK AND WENT TO BED ABOUT 6 P.M  I DON'T KNOW IF THESE SYMPTOMS ARE FROM COMING OFF OF ZOLOFT OR FROM STARTING PRISTIQ.  ZOLOFT WORKED GREAT FOR ME EXCEPT NO SEX DRIVE AT ALL.  THIS IS WHY I DECIDED TO SWITCH
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Avatar universal
I found taking Pristiq with a big glass of water in the morning before eating worked the best.
Although almost 3 months in im going to the doctors to find out options of what i can change to. My biggest self esteem issue is my weight & in the 3 months ive been on Pristiq i have watched what i ate & even started working out 5-6 days a week & ive climbed another 6kgs.
I dont need it!
Otherwise Pristiq worked beautifully (as long as you dont forget to take it).
I found it heightened the effects of alcohol & hangovers drastically! I would waste a whole day feeling gross & not wanting to get out of bed.
I started on 50mg for almost 2 months & now a fortnight on 100mg.
I had the nausea/vertigo/headcahes in the first week but that was to be expected.
I was diagnosed with depression, major anxiety and suffered from panic attacks and OCD when in my depressive state.

Hope this helps.

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Avatar universal
hey man,u just take pristiq 100mg and it will do well for u..when i started taking pristiq 50mg i experience mood swings but pristiq 100mg is doing well for me....it has least side effects....
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Avatar universal
I have been on pristiq for a month now. It's my forth anti-depressant that I try and the first one that gives me positive results.

The first two weeks it aggravated my depression symptoms... I then started taking it at night time, it got better and I started feeling better but then I switched back to taking it in the morning in hope to increase the effect during the day. so far not much success...

I think I'll go back to taking it the evening, just before bed.
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Avatar universal
I am going to be taken out of Elavil (afer 2-3 years of use) and treated with Pristiq, but I am not sure at what time  I should take it.
I am also in Zolpidem, at nightime.
Can anybody answer me, I am being reading about the drug' interaction before attemtping to take it.
thanks,
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have also been on Pristiq for quite a few months, ...at first I thought is was great.  But now, it seems like I go to work, then come home and crawl into bed!  Don't want to go out, or be sociable! No motivation what so ever!  I'm so glad to hear that I am not the only one feeling this way, I have really felt alone and isolated.  No one around me understands, and I guess I don't either!  Time to try something new I guess,...all I know is that things HAVE to change!  This is ridiculous!!!  Hope everyone on here finds something better as well!
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Avatar universal
jpy
I have been on 50mg pristiq for a couple of months now.  I switched from 200mg Zoloft.  First of all, I have gained weight, I am fatigued all the time. I sleep and after a couple of hours need another hour or so nap. I am not motivated to do anything, my body aches all over.  The one thing I love about Pristiq is no 'hot flashes' and profuse sweating, but I am beginning to wonder if the bad side effects are going to get any better.  If not I will have to switch back.
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Avatar universal
I have been taking  Pristiq for about a month and I have the same things going on as you not wanting to do nothing just find a hole and clim in ...
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Avatar universal
I take 50 mg. Pristiq in the morning, usually after I eat.  I started it about 3 months ago, and hate how my body does with it.
I was on Effexor XR (150mg) for 3 years, and did fairly well, though there was a decrease in effectiveness over the years.  Because I was developing difficulty having  orgasms, I asked my doctor about switching meds.  
Since I've been on Pristiq, I've experienced greater depression symptoms (negativity, hopelessness, loss of interest, difficulty getting moving, etc.)  Friends, family and co-workers have commented on the negative change, and said they're worried about me.  
Since I'm not exactly in the mood to have sex, I can't report on whether it has helped my orgasm difficulties!
I realize that it is a trial and error thing with meds, and I'm sure it works well for many.
And though I'm apathetic and feeling now like NOTHING will ever get better, my friends have convinced me to contact my doctor again to give a new med (even my old Effexor!) another try.
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