Effexor xr symptoms and conditions

i have had depression almost my hole life but when i took biaxin my depression went away.
i do get side effects like a bad taste on my tongue, dreams,the runs
but i would gladly live with these side effects if my depression was gone.
i have been taking effexor xr generic brand as well as biaxin but i feel great.

I've had my Mirena in for a year now, and slowly over the past 6 months or so I've developed the same symptoms as everyone else on this site, except that my hair hasn't started falling out yet. My strings vanished last week which is why I started researching to see if it could "fall inside" me, since I'm positive it hasn't fallen out. Now that I see the list of symptoms, I'm ***SO*** grateful to all of you for sharing your stories, like everyone else I just thought I was slowly going crazy and turning into a whiny, hypochondriac b**ch! My husband is so relieved as well, to think that he might possibly get his wife back some day.

So the question I have is: how long does it take for all this craziness to end and for your body to get back to normal after you have it removed?

I expect I'll probably have to have surgery because it'd likely floating around in my uterus (or worse, but hopefully not) -- I have quite a bit of discomfort when I bend over or pick up my kids so I'm pretty sure it's still in there somewhere! My appointment is tomorrow, so I'm confident it'll get taken care of pretty quickly. And I'm thrilled to know that it will be out of me soon and I can start getting my hormones back in balance. But I'd love it if some of you can share your stories about recovery, just so I'll know what to expect.

Thanks, and good luck to all of us!

I felt it was extremely important that I make a post regarding my experience with Mirena so that it might help other women in a similar situation. I had Mirena inserted for the first time in the spring of 2007. The first few months I had some pretty intense periods, but this declined and then my periods disappeared completely. I was so happy with the Mirena, couldn't say enough good things about it, and was shocked by the numerous posts by women reporting nightmarish side effects. I had the Mirena removed just under two years later because my husband and I decided to try to get pregnant. That route didn't work for us so I had the Mirena replaced in the beginning of July 2009. The MOST IMPORTANT part of this post is that I had numerous nightmarish side effects the second time around with Mirena even though I had no adverse side effects the first time. I had morning sickness like symptoms complete with vomiting during my periods, migraines, hair loss, and severe mood swings - to the point of being suicidal or homicidal at times. I had to stop listening to the radio while driving for fear that a love song might come on and I might start to cry so hard that I wouldn't be able to see the road. I started to obsess about killing myself - triggered by the littlest of things or nothing at all. It took me what seemed like forever to make the connection to the Mirena - especially since I had no adverse reactions the first time. I called my doctor to make an appointment to have it removed only to be told it would be weeks before I could get in. I called my local urgent care who told me they couldn't help me - no one there could remove it for me. I was so desperate once I realized that the Mirena was the only aspect of my life that had changed during the time I decided I wanted to set fire to myself that I wanted it out immediately. I researched self-removal online and was substantially reassured by the results of that research that it was possible so I decided to remove it myself. I pulled gently, slowly and it came out without incident. I had no spotting afterward and only minor cramping. I woke up the morning after already feeling more optimistic. A string of things went wrong that morning and I never once thought of hanging myself from the attic rafters. There was a gigantic and immediate improvement. That was two days ago. I am still having horrible migraines and my breasts are still extremely sore, but I have not had a single suicidal impulse since. I even think my sex drive, which had disappeared completely is starting to return. Last weekend I told my husband that I wanted a divorce and needed to move out of the house immediately. This weekend we are going out on a date and I can't stop trying to cuddle with him:) I'm almost certain that making the decision to remove the Mirena saved my marriage and quite likely, my life. Bottom line, EVERY woman will react differently to Mirena and EVIDENTLY each time you have Mirena placed the side effects can vary - greatly. I hope this helps someone.

I am so happy to have found that many others are experiencing the same things...I have gone CRAZY!!!! I almost started anti-depressants and was scheduled to see a psychiatrist next week because I have totally changed emotionally and sexually. I had a great sex drive and was always happy go lucky....after some thought I starting researching this Mirena...and I think this may be the root of my unhappiness. Plus all these other side effects!....

~Tired all the time
~ Depression
~ Hungry all the time
~ leg cramps
~ hair loss
~ oily skin and bad breakouts
~ No period ..ever
~ Mood swings (huge...yelling fits at my husband and the kids)
~ light stomach & back cramps for weeks at a time

Best of Luck to all of you~I am getting this thing taken out ASAP!

I am 22 years old and I have never had any children. I do not understand what made the doctor think that this horrible device would fit in my uterus. When I had the Simply Mirena inserted in March 2008, I almost passed out, (since he inserted it wrong once, he had to pull it out right after and do it again). I think of myself as a pretty strong person, but I literally cried out, and I almost fainted while paying my co-pay at the receptionist's desk. My husband had to come pick me up from the doctor's office because I couldn't even walk to my car, but I wish that was the worst of it.

Within one month, I started feeling VERY depressed so my doctor put me on Effexor XR (which started a whole bunch of other problems), but now that I have been off of the Efffexor for a while and I am noticing problems that I had been blaming on the Effexor.

Here are some of my symptoms...

- Weight Gain
- Feeling tired, weak, and depressed.
(To the point that I will sleep for 18 hours if givin the opportunity.)
- Chronicly Dry skin
- Constipation and Diarrhea
(I haven't had a normal BM since I had it inserted.)
- Memory problems
- Cannot concentrate
- ABSOLUTELY NO SEX DRIVE!
(And when I do have it, It hurts for days afterwards.)
- Lower back pain
- Stabbing pains in the uterus
- No menstrual cycle
(I would spot for the first few months, but now it is completely gone.)
- Massive mood swings
- Nausea

Well of course my doctor thought for sure that this was my thyroid, so (without medical insurance), I went and got all my blood work done thinking that I would finally have an answer to my health issues... NOPE!
I received the results today and found out that my thyroid was perfectly fine, no anemia, good blood counts... Nothing.
Now not to say that I am not happy that my thyroid is okay, but I just wanted an explanation for all of this. SO my doctor sends me to see my NEW Ob-Gyn, to have this "Thing" aka Simply Mirena, taken out of my body. After reading all of the problems that the other women have been having, I am CERTAIN that this is the cause of all of these problems.

I would like to thank all of you for opening my eyes to something that was so obvious. I have an appointment to have mine removed next Friday (I'm not as brave as some of you ladies to take it out myself). I will keep you all posted on my progress.

So I've been reading all of your posts here and finally decided to share my experience. When I got the mirena put in about 7 weeks after my son was born back in the beginning of September the procedure went easy. It just felt like a little cramp then it was over. Before it was inserted tho, they gave me 2 Advil. The Dr. also had me quickly read the pamphlet about the mirena. All that I read sounded like it would be all good so I said ok to having it inserted. After the insertion I went home about an hour or 2 later I started cramping and bleeding. I figured it was ok until it only got worse. I cramped really bad like I was in labor again for about a week. I wanted to call, but stubborn me wanted to stick it out. Well after that calmed down a bit I had irregular bleeding for months after that. Each time I bled or had my period it hurt really bad. Each period also lasted for 10 days about. I finally made an appt. with my regular Dr. and she just gave me Tylenol 3's. This was at about the 6 month mark of having it in. Also by then I started suffering severe anxiety and depression. I had terrible mood swings and crying spells. Well about a month after that I went back because I needed something for all that stuff and the pain had gotten worse. My whole body hurt. So she gave me percocets, valium and effexor xr 150 mgs. I also noticed when they took my vitals this time and the last my temp was 99.4 and my blood pressure was in the 130's one time and the 140's another time. My pulse was also 111 once and 118 another time. Well about two weeks after that second appt. I developed a urinary infection and after I went in for the 3rd time and my urine was tested it came back severe infection. My vitals were 99.6 and 156 for pressure and 109 for pulse. Mind you each time my vitals were never mentioned or even a concern to the docs. Just I noticed it seemed. Well after I took the 10 day antibiotics the urinary pain went away but not my fever and I had really bad body aches. I went back to the Dr. and was given vicodin and was ordered blood tests. My vitals were all high again. I did the blood tests, made an appt. for 2 weeks later to get results and went home and suffered still. When I went back for my results the only finding was my B12 level was low. I wasn't told how low or what to do. So I got all my meds refilled and went home. I went and bought B12 vit.s. I decided to look up B12 online. Then I made an appt. to go back and get more details of it. She told me the level was 168 and she decided to get me a shot that lasts for a month and refilled my vicodin. A week later I felt a little better, but still had symptoms going on. That's when I thought about the mirena being the problem and stumbled on this site and other sites about mirena neg. side affects. I have severe acne, a low grade fever for 4 months, high pulse rate, high blood pressure, mood swings, depression, anxiety, bloating that looks like I'm pregnant and have been asked 3 times when is my baby due. I am 5ft 3in and weigh 129 so I am not fat all over just my stomach is so bloated and fat that it makes me look pregnant. I bleed for 10 days, I have NO libido, I feel strange sensations in my stomach like a baby moving, but I am not pregnant, Iove had nausea, loss of appetite, yet I can,t lose any weight, I am tired a lot, body aces, joint pain, nerve pain, tension in my neck and shoulders, headaches and low B12 levels which don't normally happen to anyone until they are over 50. Well 2 days ago after reading on this, I decided I have had it and couldn't take it anymore and took the damn thing out myself. It didn't hurt at all, in fact I couldn't even feel it coming out. It came out so easy. I don't recommend anyone doing this themselves, I am simply telling my story. I started what seems to be a period this morning. It's very normal so far. I plan on going to my new Dr. I'm getting soon and getting a check up and a pap since I'm due for one. I feel pretty good so far. No problems and I'm relieved that piece of plastic is out of me and look forward to getting my life back. Good luck to all of you!!

I'm 15 years old and i've been taking prednisone for a few months, and from what i've read i'm on a really high dose. i was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and another autoimmune disorder concerning my muscles at the same time. my doctor told me prednisone was my only choice; it was either that or i would lose the ability to walk. he told me there'd be side effects, but i had no idea it'd turn out like this or i would have fought harder for another course of action. i started out on 30mg twice a day, and since then was weaned down to 20mg twice a day and now i'm down to 30mg once a day. i've been looking up a bunch of information trying to figure out if there's a way to lessen the side effects or any hope at all that they will get better. apparently there isn't much. after reading a bunch of these stories i gotta say i'm not feeling great about this. i totally understand everything everyone is going through. i'm sure you can imagine what it's like being smack in the middle of high school with a huge puffy face, acne so bad on my face, chest, back, neck, and shoulders that wearing a bra could put me in tears, and mood swings so bad i've lost friends over it. everyone knows how brutal high school can be, where appearance and attitude are everything. and i try to tell my doctor about it and he literally looks at me like i'm a whiny teenager and says "you're just going to have to deal with it." and people like my mom and my closest friends don't get it either. nobody understands how beyond frustrating it is. i'll get into the worst moods and not have a reason for it, but i'll stay angry for hours or burst into tears over someone looking at me the wrong way. it'll get to the point where i have to isolate myself from other people because the abrubt mood changes get so bad. as bad as i hate to admit it, the pain from the arthritis is gone now and supposedly my muscles are doing better too. developing arthritis caused me to have to quit cheerleading, something i've loved doing for 6 years, because the pain got to the point where i couldn't get my arms above my head or bend my knees. however, i'd almost rather deal with the horrible joint pain than deal with the side effects of prednisone. if your doctor gives you and alternative method, take it. i've always been confident in the way i look and really outgoing and happy and now i sometimes catch myself thinking about suicide. that's shocking to me because i've got so much going for me, but this medicine makes me miserable. and when i complain about it, anyone i'm talking to just looks at me like i'm being a cry baby. my mom does too, she'll say things like "you just have to do this. i know it's not what you want but to be honest i'm sick of hearing you bitch about it."
i feel a little better knowing other people feel the same way - like nobody gets whats going on with them. the prednisone does give me days of really great euphoria and days when i feel like i could run a marathon, but waking up in the morning to the acne and huge face puts me to tears every day. i have to pee all the time, usually getting up at 2 or 3 am. i don't sleep well anymore and i do sweat all the time. which also sucks being a teenage girl. i'm always hungry, and when i eat i never feel full so i don't know when to stop. my neck and face have put on so much weight that when people see me in the halls or out and about they ask me what happened. mind you these are people i don't talk to, just ones i know from classes or whatever. and it's pretty bad when teenage boys i've never really talked to ask what happened to your face. kind of a blow to the ego, or whatever is left of it at this point.
i'd like to know if, as my dosage gets lowered, the side effects will diminish and when i'm off the prednisone completely if they will disappear altogether. any help there?
or if there is any way to help the acne or puffy face

my doctor just put me on something called methotrexate or something like that to help wean me off the prednisone, and does anyone know what those side effects will do? or if they'll affect the prednisone side effects?
i'm constantly obsessing over gaining weight and what my skin looks like and what i eat and how heavy my face feels and the occasional pressure in my eyes to the point where i just want to be put out of my misery.
and after reading other people's stories i really don't understand why this drug is still given out as freely as it is. but maybe all doctors are like mine, they just don't get it.
best of luck to anyone who's on prednisone, my heart goes out to you; i'm right there with you
sorry this became like a book it wasn't meant to be this long

I had a mirena put in 5 years ago and had some weight gain and problems with ovarian cysts. My Dr. never told me the cysts might be related. They are extremely painful when they rupture - like having appendicitis. I had that one removed and then a new one put in three weeks ago. I have never been so sick in my life. I was unable to hold down food for 12 days and unable to get out of bed for 8. After that I started having severe ovarian cysts on both ovaries with one rupturing last Friday. I now have a metallic taste in my mouth that has basically destroyed my ability to eat. My breasts are very tender and I have had faintng spells. I am not sure if they changed the medication in the last 5 years but this is ridiculous. I think I am going to have this thing taken out at the 6 week check up. I am finished with kids and it is not worth it.

The only side effects I am having, and I have only been on Effexor XR for about 2 weeks are: bad headache, anxious feeling (but getting better), and I loved my vivid dreams (good or bad) I have had all my life. For the past 2 weeks, IF I DO dream, I don't remember a thing about them. My family is probably happy about that because they get tired of hearing about my silly dreams everyday, but I enjoy retelling them since they have always been so real and deep! But now, nothing! Before Effexor XR, I was on Zoloft for 14 years! It was great, and no side effects, but all at once, after all these years, it was like it just QUIT WORKING. NOTHING. It was like the drug store had begun giving me placebos or something. I so hated to change, but had no choice. Depression, crying spells, and "going off" had come back after 14 years with a vengeance! Wish me good luck because I am going to try and tough this out and give the Effexor more time. Otherwise, doctor is going to put me back on Zoloft and just up the dosage from 1 100 mg tablet to 1 100 mg in the morning and 1/2 tablet in the afternoon. Too bad they don't just make a plain, "ole" happy pill!!!

I am on my second time around with Topiramate (generic Topamax). It has been a year, and I have no reason other than weight loss to take this drug. I also don't know if the online generic versions are really Topamax except I do experience some of the side effects I read about, the tingling arms and legs, the itching, and the foul tasting carbonated drinks. I have started at 25 mg. per day 3 days ago, and am at 250 mg today with no cut in appetite except an hour after I take the pills. Do you think they are even real?

Gee man cant believe it was last April I last posted!!
Well still on 225mg of effexor xr a day,have my ups and downs and must be 4 stone over weight!Xmas and new year not really a good time anyway but also separating from my wife.So we plod on,sex drive is naff.Hopefully next time I report back things will be better.

It worked for me but as soon as I went off of it I hit a state of complete withdraw and detoxed for 4 days and attempted to commit suicide, it was so bad I don't even remember everything that had happened...so word of advice if you decide to stop taking this get off gradually and take it very slow!

Thank you for this site...although it is too late being I already poisoned myself with my 1st dosage - I know better now to STOP TAKING THIS DRUG IMMEDIATELY.
31 y/o male - non smoker - In good overall health.

What happened...(brief history of what got me to the point of being prescribed this horrid drug)
I caught a cold a few days after drinking quite heavily at a wedding (Aprox 1 month ago). It was severe enough for me to take a trip to this new doctor that is in my network and nearby (how I wish I could use my old family doctor that is out of network).
Symptoms then were congestion in my head and upper chest, cold sweats, runny nose. The doctor told me to take some over the counter stuff and try to fight it off w/ Mucinex, and Zyrtec - and lots of liquids. If that didn't work, he asked me to return.
It took about 5 days, and I seemed to kick the cold.
Approximately 2 weeks went by where I was feeling fine, then it seemed as if I was coming down with something again. (Last Thursday was when I started feeling ill)
I think what brought it on this time was breathing in excess dust at work opening some skids of paper in our warehouse.
Anyhow, this time around I had a pretty serious cough, felt feverish, and fatigued.
Sunday morning I woke up and took two Mucinex to break up the cough (which work great by the way)...and I hacked up something awful enough to call my doctors emergency line and have him paged. I was ready to go to the ER. It wasn't just phlegm or mucas - it was a soild mass of lord knows what containing blood. It look like an organ from a small critter.
Doctor said to keep taking the Mucinex and if I didn't feel better to come see him.
The coughing got worse on Monday, and the mucus I was spitting up wasn't pretty.
I went to see him yesterday afternoon (Tuesday) and he said its time to start you on an antibiotic and diagonsed me with an Upper Respiratory Infection.
He gave me Avelox, and Advair, and I asked for some of the good cough syrup w/ the codeine. He also sent me for a chest X-ray.
I got home around 4pm, made some food, then took some syrup and tried the advair.
I waited to take the Avelox til later on in the evening so I could set up a routine as I work nights and 9pm would be good.
I took the Avelox, around then, along with another dose of the cough syrup.
Around 1 hour later I felt extremely nauseous. I would burp, and feel almost ready to vomit...it was my body rejecting this horrible drug. The nausea came and went, came and went - then I got tired.

I laid down around 11pm and then the REAL trouble started. I must have fell asleep for about 30 mins, then woke up suddenly gasping for air...It felt like my heart was about to stop. I sat up in the bed panicked. I then got a little nervous, but calmed myself down, drank another glass of water and tried to fall back asleep. Sure enough just as I was about to drift off, the same sudden feeling of my breathing or heartbeat was interrupted and I sat up again. I had tingling in my chin area and in my arms. Walking to the bathroom I felt slightly disoriented and dizzy, and my legs and whole body felt weak. I also started getting itchy in my legs and groin area. Now I'm scared to go to sleep so I come to the computer and started researching this Avelox. It's 3:30 am now as I'm writing this. I looked at this site and http://www.fluoroquinolones.org/ before decided to post my experience.
I am still very itchy, slight nauseous, and feel disoriented. I'm scared to lay down to sleep now, but hopefully that will wear off soon - but I feel very nervous, uncontrollably. I almost want to induce vomiting to maybe get out any of the drug that is left in my stomach, but hate vomiting.
I will not take another dosage of this Avelox, no matter what this doctor tells me...and will give him a piece of my mind for prescribing this instead of something like ammoxocillin or just penicillin.

I took rispedal very small dosage 0,5mg per day, for anxiety along with Effexor XR 75mg. I took the risperdal for 2 months. I am still on Effexor. During the 2 months on Risperdal I had extreme HUGER, constant THIRST. This is a sign of blood sugar problems. I read Risperdal can lead to diabetes? I went off it, needless to say. This drug is usually prescribed for Schizophrenia in higher doses (8-16 mg per day I think). It shouldn't be taken for long periods of time for other purposes (for schiz. I am not sure).
Be careful with off-label prescriptions!

I suffered from major depression last spring. The worse in my life ever, with a lot of anxiety.
I have been on Effexor XR 75 mg for 6 months. My main problems are :
LOW SEX DRIVE 9could also be from the birth control pill), SHORT TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS (a bad one), DIZZINESS.
My doctor felt that i needed to increase to 150mg because she thought i still had problems (like lack of motivation and negative thoughts): we started by adding 37.5mg extra. By day 2 or 3 of this increase, I was waking up constantly during the night, and felt extremely agitated. Like I would crawl right out of my skin. I couldn't lie still and moved about a lot in my bed, especially my legs. By day 6 of this increase, my anxiety was SO BAD, I was back to nearly the same anxiety I had in the spring before starting treatment. BE CAREFUL about increasing your dosage. TELL SOMEONE to watch if your mood changes and to take you to the ER if necessary. thank goodness I didn't need to go.
I now take fish oil (omega 3) and within a couple months of that, I noticed that my anger/impulsive and concentration seemed better. I am also going off the birth control pill this month 9ortho tri cyclen lo). I brought it up to my GP, to a psychiatrist and to my opharmacist that I was depressed and could there be a link with the birth control pills and they all said "I don't think so."; "no", "very unlikely". Well my major depression, MAJOR MOOD FLUCTUATIONS, anxiety and ANGER control problems all started with the beginning of the birth control pill.

Ive been on Trileptal for for 6yrs now. Im at 1200mg a day. the Drug has always made me tired I have to take it at night otherwise I fall a sleep to often during the day. have never experienced the hair loss. But have always experienced the metallic taste. Lately have also noticed that when I get angry, nervous or anxious I get this weird burnt plastic smell stuck in my nose that stays for hours. I also have had a gangland gland syst that comes and goes in my left wrist. I cant have it removed cause it disappears by the time I can see a doctor. my appetite comes and goes in cycles. Sometimes I cant put any thing down, other times I cant stop eating.I get aches in my ankle and back all the time. I should also metion that im on effexor xr 600mg.has any one else noticed the burnt plastic smell? or now how to stop it and the back aches and anke akes? I know I need to stay on it cause it truly helps me. I honestly don't think I would be alive to write on this board had it not been for effexorxr and Trileptal

I had no trouble coming of Effexor 6 years ago. No side effects, nothing. In past attempts, I'd merely suffered recurrence of depression, but this time, not even that. I was on Effexor-XR, 75mg and Wellbutrin-SR 100mg and went off both.

At the time, I was receiving neurofeedback to try and overcome ADHD (which is what the wellbutrin treated for me). It seems that this method of re-programming brain wave patterns might have reduced or eliminated any withdrawal effects from these drugs. Can't guarantee it, though, since I'm my own guinea pig here.

Just started back on after being off for 6 years. Hopefully short term. This depression is reactive due to several losses. So far the only side effects are appetite loss and vivid dreams, and I had vivid dreams in the first go around too, so I'm not too concerned. They went away in time.

I have been on anti-depressants for about 10 years now. I've tried Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Prozac, and Effexor (just to name a few). I've been on Effexor (this is my 2nd time) for about 4 years now. I finally decided to get off the effexor and I desperately want to share what's been happening ever since. I slowly weened off of it, starting at my regular 175mg a day for 2 1/2 weeks, then down to 125mg, 75mg, and then 37.5. My doctor suggested I change doses every week, however I went 2 1/2 weeks because of the AWFUL side effects.

I have had the typical head "buzzing" is what I call it and my nerves are a wreck 24/7 but the worse problem I'm having and the one I haven't seen anyone write about yet is my severe stomach problems. I have had diarrhea everyday, all day, since I went off Effexor. It's been over 2 weeks since I've taken my last pill and it's not getting any better. My dr. thinks it could be IBS or bad eating habits, but I've tried changing my diet, etc. and nothing is giving me any relief. It's come to the point where I can't tell if my nerves are what is upsetting my stomach or if my upset stomach is what is setting off my nerves. Anyone else with these issues??

And in case anyone reads this before starting Effexor, please please don't use this medication. Try any and/or all other anti-depressants before using Effexor. It may work for your depression, but the side effects highly out weigh the benefits. I'm finding that out the hard way now. I would have never taken this drug if I knew what I would be in for 4 yrs down the road. And I can't help but be upset with our healthcare system when doctor's would actually prescribe this to their patients.

One 37.5 mg Effexor XR and I thought I was a dead woman. I was BURNING HOT for 12 hours. I had a massive headache and I felt like I swallowed a brick my stomach hurt so bad. I was vomiting and trembling bad. Doc said he would consider that an allergic reaction and prescribed Celexa, which took 3 days to make me hypermania and I almost called 911 when my G.I. tract started burning. So this week he gives me Cymbalta, what is he NUTS? He let me try a small amount of xanax which doesn't give me side effects, it just releases that feeling of impending doom that I have 24/7. He says I can't have any more though, it might get me addicted. I can't imagine it being worse than what I have found online about SSRI's.

Effexor XR has been a life-saver for me! I have been taking 150mg per day for about 8 yrs. Recently, 75mg was added to my daily dose because of a temporary new stress or on my plate - divorce. With the increased dose came constant sweating and unbearable dry mouth. I dropped back to the 150mg dose and the sweating is back to being manageable and the dry mouth is much less. I can't imagine living without Effexor XR - this anti-depressant has literally saved my life -- I know now that life doesn't to be so horrifically painful as was the norm for me prior to taking Effexor XR. I have no other side effects - I have gained some weight but only over the past two years and that possibly can be attributed to my age (50) and the stress of a bad marriage. The half life of Effexor is short and I do sometimes get the electrical shock feeling in my head -- that usually a red flag that I missed a dose. To be on the safe side I keep a dose in my purse as a back-up. All-in-all, it feels great to be 'normal', even if it means using Effexor XR - I hope it never goes off the market. Way-back-when, I initially started out w/ Paxil (helped, but I felt just below the surface of reality and had horrid withdrawals) - then tried Wellbutrin and after a day was so terribly spaced out that I could only minimally function and couldn't even leave the house - got off of that stuff immediately! Effexor just lets me function and feel feelings at a normal volume. Thank you Lord!!

I started taking 300 mg wellbutrin sr while weaning off of effexor xr (another nightmare) about three months ago. The past few weeks I have been extremely agitated with everyone in my life. I have also had the worst migraine of my life that will not go away. I'm not sure if this is a side effect of the welbutrin, or just more painful effexor withdrawal? My husband swears that my anger has made me a different person. I hate the way I feel, but don't know if the Wellbutrin is making it better or worse. Anyone have any input?

This medication was a life-saver for me when I first started taking it 7 years ago. Unfortunately, every so often it would stop being effective. My Dr. would up the dosage until I was on the highest and could go no future. So I set out to titrate off, which I did very slowly, but it was hell. The worst was when I was finally done. I felt like a junkie. I was shaking, having crazy brain zaps that made me feel like I was being shocked every time I'd close my eyes. I was sweating like a pig. My sleep was was filled with terrifying nightmares that left me screaming out in my sleep. I am 5 weeks off and still experiencing nightmares, and a few mind-zap things-but nothing like they were when I first started to come off. Yoga and meditation seemed to be the only things that helped. Each day I wanted to take it again just to feel normal. No one can believe that a common SSRI can have such horrible withdrawal effects, so I am on a quest to educated everyone I know.

I have been on seroquel since july 2006.I take 200 to sleep at night, although in times of stress I add 25mgs pills as needed, and I also take effexor xr 37.5 and 75.First, the good effects- the combo got rid of the crazy highs and deep dark despairs of the lows.It got rid of the compulsions,the anxiety, social phobias lessened,unbidden harming thoughts, and the ocd rituals, and delusions...So it has been a real lifesaver for me.Now, on to the side effects.
I have gone from size 12 to size 16. thats a lot! I know its the seroquel, cause and effect. I got a foot infection from trying on shoes at the outlet mall-(never again) although I have never ever had one before, and i am 55.Guess what- I am still getting flareups of infection 2 1/2 years later! And isnt that a diabetes sign? The rest of the side effects are somewhat helped by drinking water. The side pains,occasional digestive issues, dry mouth, snoring, nonexistant sex life, confusion, memory issues,and the need to consume, and consume, food, are all there.Ive been existing on samples of these meds, but samples are no longer available, and the cheapest price for my meds as above is just over $800 per month.I cant possibly pay for thisI would be happy to take something else that didnt have side effects, and cost less, but what?

hated it. It was prescribed for insomnia and anxiety. Worked at first for the insomnia at 25 mg, then had to go up to 50 mg and barely worked then. My anxiety was worse, woke up with panic attacks. Vivid horrid nightmares. Spiraled into a severe, deep suicidal depression on it. Had hand tremors and restless legs. Currently weaning off. Never again!

I have been taking this drug 75mg everyday for 6 months. at first I was feeling so much better. This past winter I have been sick constantly. I almost never get sick and I have had every virus that has went around. now I am feeling so weird sleep disturbances weird dreams, not being able to sleep but being exhausted.. I have gained weight and want to eat all the time. I am going to the doctor in a few days and will be asking to be weaned off this drug.