Thinking about switching medication

[forlife]

I have been on Effexor XR 150 mg for 6+ years, this has been a great drug for me BUT lately (past 9 months) I have noticed an increased in sweating and its only getting worse.  After doing some research I believe it is from the Effexor.  I have been looking into other drugs but can't seem to find any that don't have increased sweating as a side effect?  Any ideas?  I don't want to stop taking an antidepressant and have come to terms with the fact that I will probably take a pill for the rest of my life HOWEVER, I can not live with this sweating, it's mainly on my forehead and my hair gets totally messed up within an hour of getting ready :)I am going to my gyn. appoint next week and want to ask him to switch the meds.  Any help would be great.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

I don't have an answer for you except to try the other antidepressants to see if they do the same, or ask your doctor about changing either the dose or go off the extended.

[enaj]

Go slow. Very slow. I'm presently getting off tofranil and onto Welbutrin. I've tried getting off before but too fast, and it was nasty. Going better this time. Are you going to go on something else or stop altogether? Helpful to have access to xanax in the getting off process.

[LongBallRebel22]

My advice is to try and deal with the problem at the root, inside your head. I was on medication for about 4 years when I was younger. I stopped taking my meds without telling anyone and I have gotten a lot better by dealing with my problem at the source instead of having a dependence on pills. Another example in my life is my best friends wife was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder and/or schizophrenia, the doctors didn't know exactly. She had really bad episodes, at Thanksgiving started doing twirls in the middle of the room and was saying and doing all kinds of weird stuff. She got pregnant and stopped taking her meds, fast forward to now she is very normal and has not filpped out since. Not to say she won't have another episode it's too short to tell, but I'm just saying dealing with the problem is better than having a dependence on pills. The only person that can make your life better is you.

[forlife]

Thanks for your help.  I think I will be switching meds, I have tried to get off the pills in the past and the withdrawls were TERRIBLE.  How is Wellbutrin working for you and tell me about Xanax?  The ONLY one I have taken is the Effexor.  I looked up the side effects for Wellbutrin and it says there are some excessive sweating???/  Let me know.  Thanks again

[dandeelyon]

I take Wellbutrin and do not have any issue with sweating as long as I take my doses at least 6 hours apart.  I take one (150 mg) in the am and then another at dinner.  I can't take it too late because it keeps me up.  I really like it and had no problems with withdrawls when I've gone off in the past.  I did try Effexor.  It made me nuts and was horrible to come off even though I was only on it for a month.  Make sure to ween yourself slowly .  Xanax is a great short term drug to help with the anxiety involved with the withdrawl.  It too can be horrible to come off of so be careful if you go that route.

Remember though, everyone is different on how medications affect them.  My experience may not be yours although I will give Wellbutrin a thumbs up.  Good luck with it.

[enaj]

I'm going so slow with the withdrawal that so far it is fine. I'll see when I cut back another 25m next week! So far, the WB doesn't seem to be doing anything bad. Again, I'll see what happens in a couple of weeks when I double the dose. I''ve been cutting back for several weeks and have only had to take xanex twice, but knowing it is right there at hand is a big help. Xanex makes it pretty much impossible to have a panic attack.

[forlife]

Thanks so much for your comment.  I think I will ask the doc about it.  I am wondering if I can just start taking that instead of Effexor and take the same dosage.  So I would stop taking the 150mg of effexor and start taking 150mg of wellbutrin, have you ever heard of that?  I would be curious to know

[rosetoes]

Xanax is a benzo that will absolutely stop a panic attack, you just need to take it as needed and not daily.  It is addictive and will send your body into withdrawl hell when trying to get off of it.  Taking it now and then will be fine, it's taking it 3 times a day for 4 to 6 weeks that will cause withdrawls.  

You can stop taking them gradually if you do become addicted to them.  I did and so can you, it just takes alot of work and determination.  You talk about having a panic attack, when stopping xanax you WILL experience anxiety.  You just need to know that you will be okay and the bad feelings are your body adjusting to the end of xanax.

[enaj]

Yes, xanex is for stopping a panic attack in its tracks. Effexor and the like are long-term, take-every-day remedies for panic and anxiety. You can't take these (effexor etc) just when you feel like it.

[ABCMomof3]

Aww, I'm sorry you feel yucky lately. I took effexor xr 112 mgs a day; I never felt sweaty from it, but I felt sick from it after 18 months and I went off of it and feel 100% healty and good and alive again. I did quite well on the effexor when I first started taking it and my depression went away, but I do think that some meds are not meant to be taken for years and years when the symptoms of depression are gone; I think its a good idea to try a different medication and I hope you can find something more suitable for you.

I'm sorry I don't have any advice or good info to help with your problem, but I will be thinking of you.
xx

[GreenEggs]

I have been taking Effexor XR at 300 mg in the am and 75 mg in the pm for several years now.  My health insurance expired at the end of May so my doctor suggested I switch to Prozac which is so much cheaper to get when you have to pay for it yourself.  I took my last 300 mg dose of Effexor yesterday morning and started the Prozac at 40 mg this morning.  To be truthfully honest, i'm scared as hell since I didn't have the money to get more Effexor to taper off with.  I once tried to quit it coid turkey and HELL ensued.  My doctor gace 2 mg of Xanax four tims a day.  I'm already movin around slowly and getting dizzy and I know the wors is t ome;  An ideas that might help are appreciated.

[sunshine4]

i've been on paxil 4 months now and my dr.recently put me on paxil 20 mg.how long do you think it takes to get addficted t0o paxil?I would like to get o0ff both meds.My dr. wants to keep me on what should i do?

[drmarilyn]

Effexor Xr is also addictive, try to withdraw!

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