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Effexor XR - antidepressant

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  • 17-04-2010 7:41pm
    #1
    daithiocondun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭


    Hi folks.

    I am a 21 yr old guy and was diagnosed with depression in October of last year. My doctor put me on 35.5mg Effexor XR (2 tabs a day) and then increased that to 75mg (2 tabs a day).

    I have been on this dosage now for about 4 months and I have been very happy and not depressed since I suppose early January.

    I am in no rush to get off them as I have no problem taking them if they keep depression at bay. However, I will probably be weaned off them in the summer (July I think). I know that all meds have to be weaned carefully, but I read on a few websites that Effexor XR is the worst and most horrible drug to come off.

    There is almost a guarantee of adverse effects when coming off them and a guarantee of the return of depressive responses for as long as 1 year after?

    Is this true, I'm very scared.

    Thanks folks.

    PS: I'm hoping that this is not deleted. I know strictly speaking it's personal medical advice, but I will also discuss this with my doctor. I'm looking for people who have taken Effexor XR and then came off it to advise me.


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    #2
    nesf
    Registered Users Posts: 27,645 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    I've come off Effexor in the past. I was on 300mg at the time. I came down in 75 mg steps and while I had some headaches, once I was off it for a few weeks all these symptoms died down.

    I'd say coming down from 75mg should pose few side effects for you beyond a headache for a week or two based on my experiences.


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    #3
    sam34
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,073 ✭✭✭sam34


    daithiocondun wrote: »
    Hi folks.

    I am a 21 yr old guy and was diagnosed with depression in October of last year. My doctor put me on 35.5mg Effexor XR (2 tabs a day) and then increased that to 75mg (2 tabs a day).

    I have been on this dosage now for about 4 months and I have been very happy and not depressed since I suppose early January.

    I am in no rush to get off them as I have no problem taking them if they keep depression at bay. However, I will probably be weaned off them in the summer (July I think). I know that all meds have to be weaned carefully, but I read on a few websites that Effexor XR is the worst and most horrible drug to come off.

    There is almost a guarantee of adverse effects when coming off them and a guarantee of the return of depressive responses for as long as 1 year after?

    Is this true, I'm very scared.

    Thanks folks.

    PS: I'm hoping that this is not deleted. I know strictly speaking it's personal medical advice, but I will also discuss this with my doctor. I'm looking for people who have taken Effexor XR and then came off it to advise me.


    hi daithi

    i'm gonna move this to LTI as its more suited there

    reading stuff on the internet is a bad idea for many reasons, and you've just found one of them

    people can claim and post anything they want

    if you go to some of those sites and input that you have a cold, you'll be given AIDS as a potential diagnosis

    so take everything you red with some scepticism


    now, if someone had a good experience of a drug, they are less likely to be bothered coming online and talking about it

    if they had a bad experience, they'll let the world know


    there are a few other threads in lti about efexor, but just bear in mind that its probably a worst case scenario

    theres no substitute for discussing it with your doctor and managing a reduction /cessation in conjunction with your doctor

    finally, there is no certainty of side-effects when reducing the dose, or of a return of symptoms, espacially not for up to a year

    whether or not your symptoms return depends on a number of things - your age, past history of depression, how long you were treated for , family history, life circumstances etc etc


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    #4
    daithiocondun
    Closed Accounts Posts: 107 ✭✭daithiocondun


    Thank u PM for not deleting this and for moving it to a better place.

    If there is anyone else out there who has been through the same please let me know.


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    #5
    fend
    Registered Users Posts: 661 ✭✭✭fend


    Just wondering if Effexor XR 75mg will have an effect on the contraceptive pill? I know some antibiotics have an effect but would Effexor be considered an antibiotic?


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    #6
    Stench Blossoms
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,390 ✭✭✭Stench Blossoms


    fend wrote: »
    Just wondering if Effexor XR 75mg will have an effect on the contraceptive pill? I know some antibiotics have an effect but would Effexor be considered an antibiotic?

    AFAIK I don't think it does. But you should ask your doctor for confirmation.


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    #7
    sam34
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,073 ✭✭✭sam34


    fend wrote: »
    Just wondering if Effexor XR 75mg will have an effect on the contraceptive pill? I know some antibiotics have an effect but would Effexor be considered an antibiotic?

    em, efexor is an anti-depressant not an antibiotic


    ask your doctor whether it interferes with the type of pill you're on


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    #8
    anotherlostie
    Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭anotherlostie


    sam34 wrote: »
    em, efexor is an anti-depressant not an antibiotic


    ask your doctor whether it interferes with the type of pill you're on

    or your pharmacist - it's generally quicker to get an answer that way.


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    #9
    lestat21
    Closed Accounts Posts: 221 ✭✭lestat21


    Hi daithi, I know this is a very old thread but I was hoping you or someone else here might have some advice for me. I'm on efexor 35.5mg and I had one drink tonight. Started feeling sick and actually got sick when I got home.

    Now I've been on efexor before and I had one very bad experience with alcohol where I almost blacked out (totally my fault.. idiot) but I was wondering has anyone had similar experiences? Am I not able to have even one drink while on this medication? I already feel bad for lying to my friends about why I cant drink... if I stop having my usual one I'll have to explain the situation before I'm ready to talk bout it...


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    #10
    Mars Bar
    Registered Users Posts: 31,828 ✭✭✭✭Mars Bar


    lestat21 wrote: »
    Hi daithi, I know this is a very old thread but I was hoping you or someone else here might have some advice for me. I'm on efexor 35.5mg and I had one drink tonight. Started feeling sick and actually got sick when I got home.

    Now I've been on efexor before and I had one very bad experience with alcohol where I almost blacked out (totally my fault.. idiot) but I was wondering has anyone had similar experiences? Am I not able to have even one drink while on this medication? I already feel bad for lying to my friends about why I cant drink... if I stop having my usual one I'll have to explain the situation before I'm ready to talk bout it...

    Well it certainly isn't recommended to drink on the medication and everybody reacts differently to the medication. I gave myself four weeks without drinking before trying one. That one felt like three or four. Slowly but surely I was able to drink three or four bottles with no effect but I always drank very slowly.


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