Med yes or no?

[Heidiglz]

I have trouble sleeping and I have a hard job. My doc wants me to try effexor dr 37.5mg.  Thanks to my INS who don't want to pay, we are still waiting for approval. I am hearing bad things about this med and the terror when you get off.  I'm. Not really depressed and I would never kill myself, should I tell the doc, I don't want them?

[Heidiglz]

I have trouble falling asleep, I take lunesta which works. I’m told I have slight depression and slight anxiety. I hear so many bad things about this drug like people "want to kill themselves" I have never felt like that. My doc thinks if I try this med for 8 months; and my sleep pattern will work again. I heard that when you try to get off this med, the withdrawal symptoms are bad; some people need other meds to get through it. I’m not one for substation one med for another. I’m wondering if I would be better off to just stay with the lunesta and not get into more problems with   effexor?

[Hensley258]

Just think long and hard before you commit to taking an antidepressant.

Trust me I have had to take them for 17 years. I take them because I can not fuction even on a basic level without them.

IMO, if I was not suffering severe Major depressive dissorder, then NO WAY would I ever touch an antidepressant.

Having trouble sleeping is no reason to alter your brain chemistry. Not to mention that IMO Effexor would not be a good option for you simply because it can be very energizing as it is an SNRI drug. This Energizing effect serves people like me well because my depression makes me drained and exhausted and sleepy all the time. It can also help with anxiety, but in a much different way than an anti-anxiety drug does.

People that do not suffer a true major depression of the brain, do not do well on antidepressants. I'm just saying that if you don't absolutly need it then don't take it.

[teko]

Have you tried melatonin. It works and is not addictive and no side effects.Over the counter too.

[birdie0907]

"Not really depressed and I would never kill myself, should I tell the doc"

Are you saying you only have a sleeping problem, or a depression one too but not a bad one? I'm just wondering where the "kill" part came from in relation to your feeleings, or are you referring to some side effect of the drug?

[ILADVOCATE]

Effexor would not be a standard medication for sleep but is a typically used anti-depressent. If your psychiatrist diagnosed you with depression and you want to discuss options google "Depression Central" which is a good resource list. You could discuss other options with your psychiatrist. That site and some others linked up here will give you clinically accurate advice from a consumer perspective to educate yourself and bring to your psychiatrist. Lunesta and Rozerem are good options for sleep, especially Rozerem which in working like melatonin can actually adjust the sleep cycle. However, if Effexor was prescribed as an anti-depressent let that get adjusted before trying additional sleep aids as untreated depression causes insomnia.
  But regardless of what medication you choose, you are speaking about an issue with coverage appeals. That is one thing I am familiar with having helped people with it and appealed benefits coverage successfully for myself multiple times. If you want an in person consultation for information and if needed representation for benefits appeals go to to your local independent living center. There's one in every county of every state:
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/index.html

[LeftCoastChick]

If you don't feel comfortable with a drug choice, you have every right to ask for an alternative medication. Do you suffer from depression as well? Most doctors tend to avoid sleep meds, as they don't work long term, but can be effective in the short term, to get you back into a nortmal sleep pattern. There are other options out there. Do some research, and maybe find other alternatives. I'm on trazadone for sleep, it's not a narcotic, the drug was orginally marketed as a anti depressant, but is now mostly used for sleep disorders. There are also other drugs in the SSRI drug class that are, if not better for what you have mentioned. I can't give you medical advice but point out to you there are other options. Is this a family doctor, or a psychiatrist? you may want to see a pdoc, doesn't hurt to sit down and talk, and they know a lot more about the meds.
I hope this helped, drop me a line anytime,
LCC