I'm on Lexapro too and am about to start with a new doctor. I'd be interested in hearing what other's experiences are with Effexor so I can discuss with my doc for the same reasons you site below.

Unfortunately I've been told my several docs that I shouldn't pursue homeopathy for my particular case. I would though just because I'm sick of meds.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

i am no doctor, but maybe try no meds?

i mean think about it. a anti-depressant causing low libido and frustration. how is this helping your mental well being?

i took lexapro about 4-5 years ago. it helped "re-align" my thoughts, but honestly, once i was in control of myself and my thoughts i didn't need it anymore.

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Striving to have sex more than 66 times per year

I was on lexapro for a while (maybe 6 months), and the sex drive went down and the weight went up. they put me on effexor and it did fix those issues. After a year I quit taking any antidepressant/anti anxiety drug, though I still have a prescription for effexor. I guess just knowing i have the prescription is enough for me.

I give my dogs Rescue Remedy when they get depressed (one of them licks his legs all day) and it seems to help them. I've never tried it myself, but I know others have and say it works.

NOTE: I am not a doctor. I just have done a lot of reading on and investigating of mental health meds for personal reasons.

Effexor is known as an effective drug on some of the most serious depression...but it is ALSO known as a drug that once you get accustomed to, you CAN'T get off of. I.e. the discontinuation syndrome never really goes away. It's a BITCH to get off of, and a lot of people wish they'd never even been on it. Plus, it affects different neurotransmitters at different doseages...so you may not see a cessation of sexual side effects (which you may very well get with Effexor) until over some higher doseage. I don't know if you drink at all, but it's also VERY hard on your liver and alcohol processing. Frankly, from everything I've read and heard...Effexor seems like a last resort drug for some serious ass depression.

FWIW, I am on Lexapro and had zero sex drive and anorgasmia. My doc chose to have me try Wellbutrin XL along with it (at a low does) to try and combat some of the sexual side effects of the Lexapro, as well as some of the flat affect it gives me, and the weight gain. You may want to investigate other options before trying Effexor.

But you know, brains are funny things...everyne is different. I struggled for MONTHS on Lexapro with side effects etc...but had very few problems with Wellbutrin. You (or my brother or the guy down the street or the chick who delivers my groceries) may be totally opposite.

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mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea
http://momocharms.wordpress.com

For a lot of people, meds and therapy combine to help them do just what you said--realign their thinking and lifestyle so t hat they can go off them and then live a healthy, balanced life. But for some people, "no meds" just isn't a choice. I'd take low libido over wanting to cease existing any day.

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mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea
http://momocharms.wordpress.com

You have a chick that delivers your groceries? Lucky duck!

FYI I friend of mine is a rep for Wyeth (effexor) and told me to tell wolffpack to look into Pristiq. It's new and has a better side effect profile than Effexor. Just and FYI...


http://www.pristiq.com/...1&WT.mc_ev=click

Not anymore :-( Simon Delivers (our grocery service) just went out of business b/c of gas prices. WAHHHHHHHHHH! I absolutely LOATHE going to the store, so I'm all pizzed opff now.

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mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea
http://momocharms.wordpress.com

Wows, never thought about it, don’t do ani depressants or any kind of pills. Get the power of the mind going that should be better than any pills. Need libido, get the endorphins going that should do it and wax think dirty thoughts and you are on a roll? Good luck, I feel for you.

LOL. Why stop there? Cure world hunger and all wars too- just need a little positive thinking!

Wellbutrin is known for usually having fewer sexual side effects than the others.

Clearly you have never been diagnosed with clinical depression or any other mental illness. Being told to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" or some version of that crap doesn't help and generally prevents people from seeking treatment when they really need it.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

Sorry if I offended you, you are right in saying "pull yourself up by your bootstraps". It works for me, when I am down and feeling low that is what I do. I let my mind be strong, face problems head on. Medication can only mask the problems and make you addicted. I hope you find the right answer to your needs. Maybe just a good friend or family to talk too. It is easy for Medical practitioners to just hand out a script and send you away. Please excuse my grammar and spelling, English is not my first language

Again, clearly you've never diagnosed with a mental illness. Feeling down is not the same thing as depression. It isn't as simple as finding someone to talk to. I hope you can learn something about what real depression is so that you can hold back your judgement on whether or not medication is really necessary.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

"Take it easy" I said I was sorry, no need to be so upset, I was only trying to make you laugh.

I could not tolerate effexor xr, it gave me incredible nausea. I lost a bit of weight because of it. Lexapor was a little better, but it too made me nauseous. I was going through (still am) a horrible, messy divorce, and needed a little help getting over the hump. Libido wasn't an issue....didn't have anyone! Good luck with finding the right combination that works for you.

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Sorry, I had a family member really suffer because people just kept saying to snap out of it. There is still a big sti.gma associated with mental illness and depression. Talk therapy isn't always the answer, sometimes medication is necessary

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I couldn't have gotten through it without both--I couldn't have even started therapy without the meds getting me off the floor.

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mmm-mmm-Momo Charms
Handmade beverage charms, jewelry, and miscellanea
http://momocharms.wordpress.com

One thing for sure, depression is a very sad thing to have. We all deal with it in different ways. I did have it but only because of server pain and I told myself to snap out of it for 2 year. Lucky for me surgery was the only answer. I hope your family member is much better “one thing that helped me during the pain was looking at the bright side of life". I know it may not seem that it is there, but if you look closely it will be. As Mmrocker13 said maybe both is the answer.

I took Effexor XR for about 1.5 years, it was hard to go onto, it took a good 2 weeks before I began to feel "normal" again. I felt Effexor wasn't helping and switched to Prozac, but honestly, Prozac hasn't changed me in anyway. I have decided to see a naturopathic and try the homeopathic route and ween off of my anti-depressants. Right now I don't have a positive view of anti-depressants and dont think they work very well. I struggle with depression on a daily basis, yet I have never been suicidal and I know different people react different ways to medications. I believe anti-depressants haven't helped me any bit and I have constantly struggled with learning and growing as a person by reading books, talking with friends and on occasion I go to therapy, but I haven't found a therapist who has taught me any skills, they just listen.
I want to wish you the best of luck! And, if you decide to go the natural way I recomend looking at your diet (e.g. caffeine, sugar, processed foods) and making an appointment with a naturopath or homeopath.

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Elizabeth

Well after lots of thinking and researching this topic, I've decided to s-l-o-w-l-y wean myself off of Lexapro all together and go al natural for a while to see how things go. I'm very type A and have anxiety issues but I think that through diet, exercise and support from my family and friends I'll be ok. I just want to feel 'in my own head' again and since I've been on meds I've been a bit off from my 'real' self. In any case, thank you all for your thoughts, ideas, knowledge and suggestions. I made out a little plan this morning (a weaning schedule....that sounds funny...lol) and if all goes well December 7th, 2008 will start my drug free brain.

:)
Leslie

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Life is Short...Run Long

Go girl, Power of the mind is your strength. I admire you for that.

I wanted to re-open this thread to see if anyone had any more stories about Effexor. I was prescribed a low dose of Effexor for treatment of anxiety disorder. I'm not very keen about taking this medication. My doctor told me the only side effects are headache and stomach pains...but I looked up the data sheet for the drug and found a lot more. Suicidal thoughts? Vision problems? Why would I take this drug?

does anyone have experience with Effexor? I asked him about rebounding if I stopped taking it and he assured that it wouldn't happen, but I'm pretty skeptical.

Thanks

The lower dose of a med you are on (and you say you are on a low dose of Effexor) the less likely you are to experience a rebound if you go off of it. (Also the shorter you are on a med) While some people are more prone to discontinuation symptoms than others, slowly tapering off a med under a doctor's supervision will minimize this.

In terms of the side effects - your doctor probably told you the common side effects. I wouldn't worry about the less common ones if the medication is working for you - if it is, go with it. I mean, I'm on meds that cause fatal rashes, liver failure, diabetes, permanent movement syndromes blah blah blah and more. I've lactated. Meds have side effects. Most aren't likely to happen and there's no point in worrying about something which will likely never occur. Look up the PI sheet (prescribing information) and you can see the rates at which the side effects you're concerned with actually occur.

If your anxiety disorder is causing you distress, medication is a useful tool to use. If you have minor anxiety you could try different therapies (CBT maybe) as well as it may be more responsive to treatments other than meds.

You might also find the forums at Crazy Boards helpful. There are at least 3 triathletes there, though I don't know if the dx's for the other 2 have anything to do with anxiety.

This forum will have info/threads on Effexor:
http://www.crazyboards.org/...ppy-and-you-know-it/

And this deals with anxiety specifically:
http://www.crazyboards.org/...rders-what-me-worry/

I don't know if Efexor is an SSRI, but almost if not all anxiety and antidepressant meds have suicidal thoughts as a side effect. IOW there's a SMALL chance it can make your issues worse.

I was given the same warning with Paxil and Lexapro. I only have side effects when I get hurt and can't run, which is the best drug there is...

Suicidal thoughts sometimes occur when you skip a dose (which happens accidentally for most of us at some point) or start to wean yourself off it - it's very important that you NOT stop taking it unless under a doctor's guidance.

It's usually best to take those meds in conjunction with seeing a psychiatrist or a therapist/counselor, who can monitory the meds too. My therapist is well-versed in meds.

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maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD