Monday, October 12, 2009

Effexor XR?

I was diagnosed yesterday with Severe Depression, I suppose something I finally had to come to terms with. I've struggled on and off the last few years with it, but 2 nights ago I finally snapped and almost ended up in the Hospitol because of it. With that said my doctor put me on Effexor XR, I'm curious to know if anyone is or has taken this..possible side effects.or possible results from being on this medication?
Answer:
Hi!! As a psych nurse, who who has been treated for depression for 4 years and takes Effexor, I am glad to help. Effexor is as you know an anti depressant, and it treats depression by making more of the "feel good" hormone norepinephrine available to the brain.. It is also used to treat generalized anxiety disorder which some people have with depression. It is a relatively safe drug, and many women use it as it does not cause weight gain as do some of the other antidepressants. People with kidney problems need to talk with their doctor before taking this medication. Side effects can include headache, nausea, diarrhea, weight loss, sleepiness, sweating, rash, blurred vision, dizziness and sometimes insommnia. I fyou are prone to high bloos preesure, make sure you get it checked every month as Effexor can cause you to develop hi blood pressure. However, this seems to be only a problem in higher doages. Dosages can range from 75mg in two or three divided doages all the way to 375mg per day. Effexor can cause stomach upset, so take with food and water. I mistakenly drank a beer when taking this medicine, and it knocked me on my butt..worse hangover I ever had. So you might not want to take this and drink at the same time. If you have taken this medicine for a while, and want to quit taking it for some reason, dont go off of it cold turkey, but let you doctor help you get off of it. Sometimes rapid withdrawl of the medication can casue some pretty unpleasant mood changes and has caused some people to become suicidal. Do not take Effexor if you are breast feeding as it can be can be transferred to your milk and thus to the baby. Also if you plan to become pregnat, check with you doctor as Effexor has bben know to casue miscarriage. The XR, or Extended Release for of Effexor is nice as it relaeases medicatiion into your body for 12 hours, so you dont have to take it as often. If you forget a dose of your medication or dont remember when you took it, wait 12 hours or whenever you next dose is, then take you medication. Dont double up on it. Hope this has helped. Best wishes!
I lost my appetite on effexor xr and had some difficulty sleeping. A anti-depressant should be given about 6 to 8 weeks to see how you adjust to it so make sure to give the med time.
my mom was on effexor xr and it did her alot of good. when the doc took her off of it, she had some bad side effects, so the doctor weaned her off of it more slowly than normal. it took about 6 months, but she is fine now.
I have been on Effexor XR for five years, and it has helped me a lot. This doesn't mean it's for everyone - if you find that it doesn't improve your mood, don't give up on antidepressants all together. I tried two different antidepressants before finding the one that worked for me. As for side effects, I gained weight while on this medicine, but that may be a coincidence. However, if I forget to take it once or twice, I will become sad very easily, so I always need to be very careful to take my pills when I travel. In terms of risks from being on Effexor XR, this is from the official website:
EFFEXOR XR can make some conditions worse. Tell your doctor about all your medical problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have or had any of the following: * Suicidal thoughts
* High blood pressure. EFFEXOR XR can increase your blood pressure
* Heart disease. EFFEXOR XR can increase your heart rate (pulse)
* Liver or kidney problems. Your dose of EFFEXOR XR may need to be different
* Symptoms of mania or hypomania, such as persistently elevated or irritable mood, a decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, hyperactivity, and rapid, excessive speech
* Glaucoma. EFFEXOR XR may increase your eye pressure. You may need more frequent eye exams to detect an increase in eye pressure
* Seizures
* Thyroid problems Possible side effects, also from the official site:
EFFEXOR XR may cause side effects in some people. In clinical studies, some people had to stop taking EFFEXOR XR because of side effects.In clinical studies, the most common side effects included: * Nausea
* Dizziness
* Sleepiness
* Abnormal ejaculation
* Sweating
* Dry mouth
* Gas
* Abnormal vision
* Nervousness
* Insomnia
* Loss of appetite
* Constipation
* Confusion/agitation
* Tremor
* Yawning
* Palpitation Tell your doctor right away if you have: * Increases in heart rate * Extreme confusion or seizures, which may indicate very low levels of sodium in the blood * Abnormal bleeding or bruising * Sudden, unexpected eye pain, eye redness, or changes in vision, which may indicate increased eye pressure * Symptoms of mania or hypomania, such as persistently elevated or irritable mood, a decreased need for sleep, racing thoughts, hyperactivity, and rapid, excessive speech EFFEXOR XR may cause an increase in your cholesterol. Your doctor may want to do blood tests to check your serum cholesterol periodically. Good luck with your depression.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

 
vc .net