meds not working well any more

[sadielynn1]

I am taking 300 mg of Effexor  XR day and have been for about 4 years. My problem is after a period of time I seem to build up a tolerance for the medication. This is now happening with the Effexor XR. Has anyone had any luck combining this med with other ones to help me with the depression with is quickly worsening again. My psych. is also trying to work out something but it is getting to the point where I am just ready to quit trying because nothing seems to be helping. Any suggestions?

[sadielynn1]

what the phsyciatrists have diagnosed me with is clinical depression, possibly bipolar, PTSS, generalized anxiety. and I am not sure what else I was told. I want to thank everyone for thier suggestions here. I will definitly make a list of the ones mentioned and talk to my  Dr on my appt. in 3 weeks.  Thank you all fr your input I realy appreciate the help.

[therese83]

A low dose of Zyprexa helped me while on Effexor.  I took 5 mg.  But 2.5 mg might do it.

Now I know everyone says do not take an anti psychotic unless you really have to, but I am just answering your question about what has worked for me.  Especially if waking in the night is an issue Zyprexa will help.

[LeftCoastChick]

Yup there are studies out now that are proving that the ssri/snri meds can't be used long term like MS's or maoi's. So these meds aren't the wonder drugs they were touted to be. I think the those drugs are great for situational depression, like a family death, losing a job, traumatic events which have triggered depression, but long term treatement as a stand alone drug, I dare say they don't. I've been on Luvox, Zoloft, Welbutrin, Effexor, Celexa, Cipralex and Cymbalta. 8 Drugs in 14 yrs, wow.

It's important you see a pdoc to augment you're on, it's a bit trickier with a SNRI like Effexor then SSRI's like Zoloft, there are some contridctions between the two classes of drugs. Hensley is on a good combination, a mood stabilizer, which works in a different way then a AD like Effexor, but the result is the same, and studies show that it can be used long term. I'm on Lamctil as well and haven't felt better!  

Different types of depression need diff. drugs, if you are on life long type of depression or Bipolar related, check out a different class of meds may be in your best interest.

[Hensley258]

Oh yea. I'm reading a book of my own experience in your post.

Yes, after a long period of time antidepressants, Even Effexor XR can lose it's theraputic effectiveness. No question about that fact.

I got about 3 damn good years from Effexor XR at 300Mgs a day at which point it started to lose it's effectivness and I again started to spiral back into relaps. My P-doc then Augmentd it with 450Mgs a day of Eskalith which gave me another 18 months from this combo, until I again built up tolerance and just had to taper off and get on another antidepressant.

This was rough for me because as you know tapering off Effexor is a serious pain in the ***.

I must say that my Psychiatrist was very aware of this, and had me taper off the Effexor very slow and then started me on a Tri-cyclic called Nortriptilyne. (Nortrip is also an SNRI like Effexor XR, but it works in a much different way) different enough that my body had no tolerance build up to it's therapiutic effect.

I must say that the Nortriptilyne worked very well for about two years at 75Mgs day.

Of coruse that too eventually failed and I then was started on a Pristiq and Lamictal Combination. It's thus far doing the trick. Im a realist and understand that in perhaps a few years this combo too will lose it's theraputic effect. Then I guess it's MAOI time for me.

Sheesh! I really hate to do the MAOI thing, but if it comes down to it we must do what is nessasary I guess.

BTW..... If any doctor ever tells you that you that no one can build up a tolerance to SSRI or SNRI medications the he or she is either a liar or simply completly ignorant.

I am living proof that tolorance to antidepressants can happen to some people. It may take a long time to happen, but in some cases it is a very real fact.

That's the real facts and I'm sorry if my relpy is direct and honest, but in some cases like ours it is a fact and I don't believe in sugar coating things.

I could be a puss and offer you hugs and affermation, but I prefer to give you facts and ways to beat the tolerance issue. Not all people that take Psycotropic mendications have this "tolerance build up," but many of us do and I happen to be one of them.

Just trying to be honest with you.

Regads.

[LeftCoastChick]

What is your diagnosis. Certain disorders don't do as well on these drugs alone. Mood stabilizerrs work much much longer, SSRIs/SNRI's tend to poop out with some. You might has some luck adding Lithium to the mix, even temporarily. It's a very long standing mood stabilizer which works very rapidly. Maybe bring that up.