Effexor XR - Hate it after only 2 weeks!

[soosmoo]

I started on Effexor 2 weeks ago, 1 week on 37.5 mgs and the next week on 75 mgs daily. I was on prozac for years which I only changed because I started to get anxiety attacks, however, I can live with the anxiety rather than continue on Effexor!  I'm hating it, I feel really really down on it (more depressed than I have been in years!), apathetic, tired, very irritable with a very low patience tolerance, I'm waking up in the middle of the night nauseous and then can't get back to sleep...it also doesn't seem to be relieving the anxiety at all!  It just doesn't seem worth it, especially as it seems very difficult to withdraw from!

As I've only been on this med for 2 weeks, do I still need to wean myself of this or can I just stop taking it and go back to my doc?

Thanks

[remar]

I'm glad to hear your going back to your Dr. I'm sure there's something that will help you. Please keep us up to date on how your doing. Take care. Remar

[soosmoo]

Thanks All

After the night I had last night I am def stopping it, it's not worth the benefit it might give! Back into the doc tomorrow so and start again.....

[LeftCoastChick]

I had to get off Effexor, within 2 weeks I was getting blinding migraines and anxious. Cymbalta threw me into hypomanic state within 2 weeks of being on that drug. I have to second what Hensley posted, there are a ton of other drugs that can assist. I was on Zoloft I'm guessing for about 3 yrs, was a good drug.

When you go into your pdoc, what I do suggest if you've had meds long term, write all of them down. If you've been on many, 3 or more, it can indicate another diagnosis, and they can get you on the right drugs.

I'm in a totally different class of meds now, and doing well. I get moderate depression in short spurts a couple of times a week, rather then continual depression. Do some research, the more you know, the better equipped you are when you seen your pdoc.
Luckily you've only been on the drug 2 weeks, I would suggest getting off it. You may still have some withdrawal symptoms, but better now then later. Do you have anything for the anxiety like ativan? That may help whilst slowly getting off the drug. Much luck to you.

[Hensley258]

Could be that your depression stems more from Serotonin depletion rather than Norephinepherine depletion, hence why your having a bad reaction to the SNRI Effexor.

Ask your doctor if you can back down to 37.5Mgs and then slow taper off from there.

You can add an SSRI anytime safely. You could try Zoloft (sertraline) which is an SSRI, but unlike Prozac is not as "energizing" which will help with the anxiety.

Given that you have only been taking Effexor for 2 weeks the withdrawl should be minimal

[remar]

I would ask your Dr. Maybe going back down to 37.5 for a week or so. You may not need to taper at all since you've been on it for a very short time. This med was horrible for me too and was extremely hard to get off of. I was on it for years though. If Prozac worked for you can you ask your Dr. to put you back on it and ad an antianxiety med with it? Just a thought. I hope you feel better. Take care. Remar