Misc Effexor

[Burnt Offerings]

Are these pills worth taking at all? I have a giant bottle of them, they were prescribed along with Xanax to help with "anxiety/panic attacks".

I know that it's an SNRI drug. I had negative experiences with an SSRI in the past (Celexa) so I'm hesitant about taking it. How prevalent are sexual side effects with SNRIs? I guess what I'm looking for mostly here is personal opinions.

 

[cannablissss]

Through personal experience, Effexor will dampen your sex life. I am not entirely sure that it lowers your sex drive, but it disables your ability to perform and lowers your level of satisfaction. Do you know about Pristiq? It's in the same class of drugs without any side effects.

I'm on Effexor currently, I take two doses, 75mg and 37.5mg because my doc is weaning me off of it, since you know, the withdrawals are horrible. It was prescribed to me along with Klonopin and Gabapentin also for anxiety and panic attacks.

You have to give it time to get it in your system before you notice any effects. I didn't take mine for the longest time, then I did for a little bit to make those around me happy, but I realized I do just fine without it. I have tried Celexa as well, Bupropion, Buspar.. out of those three, Effexor tops them. So I guess it depends, but it was kind of worth it for a little while.. nowadays I don't take it anymore because I simply feel that I don't need it.

 

[Burnt Offerings]

Yeah...for me Celexa pretty much killed my sex drive. I knew that was a common side effect of it but I didn't think I'd get it, but I did. I felt "blank" all the time (not happy, not sad) and when I looked at an attractive member of the opposite sex, absolutely nothing would happen. Even if it was a sexually provocative situation that under normal circumstances I'd be completely responsive to. I discontinued taking it after a month or so, didn't help at all.

The doctor actually gave me an option of whatever pill I wanted supposedly to accompany the Xanax, and my first choice was Wellbutrin but he said that for people with anxiety that's not a good one or something? I don't know. I've never heard of Pristiq, though

 

[Hodor]

Pristiq is just Desvenlafaxine, the active metabolite of Venlafaxine (so when you're taking Effexor you're basically making your own Pristiq in your liver)... I seriously doubt Desvenlafaxine is completely side-effect free, as the sexual side-effects in SSRIs and SNRIs are the result of the increase in serotonin levels, i.e. exactly what the drug is supposed to do. Wyeth apparently withdrew their application for an EU-wide approval for Pristiq when they realized Europe's public health insurances weren't going to shell out way more cash for something that failed to provide any extra benefit over regular old Venlafaxine.

 

[cannablissss]

http://www.livestrong.com/article/174521-a-comparison-of-effexor-pristiq/ I read more about it. Pretty interesting when you break it down to the basics.

 

[shreddedlettuce]

I felt "blank" all the time (not happy, not sad)

Effexor was the third AD prescribed to me many years ago, I remember thinking that it would be the right treatment finally.
But it wasn't, in fact the withdrawal from it was the first time I experienced "Brain Zaps".
I know it works for a few people, but your quote above is how I felt during the 10 years of doctors using "trial and error" ADs on me.

None of them were of any benefit to me with Effexor being the most difficult and unpleasant one of them all.

Finally was diagnosed with ADD and even though Methylphenidate is the only available ADD medication available in my country, I at least get a little benefit out of them and won't touch any SSRI or SNRI again.

It's subjective so just be aware of the withdrawal issues and give them a try.

Best wishes

SL

 

[enoughorangejuice?]

I've been on every antidepressant and currently on Effexor XR 75mg/day. I tend to get SSRI burnout, where an anti-d will work for a few years then poop out on me. I like low dose Effexor because it has more effect on serotonin than at higher doses, or so I've heard.

 

[Mercyme333]

I've been on so many ssri's, I can't even name them all. I'm currently on 37.5 mg of effexor. I started at 75 mg. I'm currently in the process of weaning myself off. This is the first ssnri that I've taken. I've been on it for over a year. I'm also on 5 mg diazepam(valium). Let me just say that yes effexor has helped me in regards to depression but has also made me somewhat emotionless. I can hardly feel empathy. I can't even cry. I can laugh at things which is good but I feel like a robot. As far as my sex drive goes its dull. If a sexy girl or lady walks by I notice but like I said its dull. My performance is fine but that to is dull. With all that being said, effexor is by far the worst drug to try and get off of. If you decide to start taking it just be aware that you take a risk of being on it for the rest of your life, if you can't successfully get off of it. I mean it. This drug is no joke. Just my two cents...

 

[closeau]

Holy crap, evil drug for me. I was put on that shit last year and i had all kinds of problems. I dont remember dosage or specific problems except i was very suicidal. I think all meds like this kill sex drive. So do opiates and im on both so.....ya know. Im on Latuda and Lithium now and they work great. I was always scared of lithium cause all the stories but taken as prescribed its a wonder drug. I take a very high dose of Latuda and even that doesnt help fully. My Dr said Latuda and Lithium are like peanut butter and jelly. I never feel great but im balanced and finally have a good med lineup. Also on kolonopin and hydroxizine. But on Effexor all i did was lay there and cry and fantasize suicide. Just me though

 

[Mercyme333]

Need words of Wisdom!!!

Closeau thanks for your reply. I'm really glad you are on meds that you like and are happy. Wish all the best for you.

One question? Does anyone know when its safe to take 5-HTP(50 mg) and L-Tyrosine(500 mg)???
Its been 29 hrs since I had my 18.75 mg dose of Venlafaxine.

I've been taking 1280 mg's Omega-3, 170 mg's Magnesium citrate, 400 iu of vitamin E, 1000 iu of vitamin D3, 1000 mg's vitamin C, and 5 mg's Melatonin for 14 days.
And I'm starting to get the brain zaps!!! Side Note: I have a fast metabolism.

Would really like to stop taking the above said dosage of Venlafaxine, since I have all the above supplements in my arsenal that I bought to get off this poison.
Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for reading and have a blessed day.

 

[Mercyme333]

Well after 53 hrs of no Venlafaxine(18.75 mg), the brain zaps started to become untolerable, spreading further from my head. So I just took a dose. This is so fucked up. I swear it's got to be someone's sick joke on humanity.

Plan B: Continue on the 18.75 mg dose and wean down slower, much slower.

Still taking the supplements mentioned in my earlier post.

Signing off...

 

[andyturbo]

Well after 53 hrs of no Venlafaxine(18.75 mg), the brain zaps started to become untolerable, spreading further from my head. So I just took a dose. This is so fucked up. I swear it's got to be someone's sick joke on humanity.

Plan B: Continue on the 18.75 mg dose and wean down slower, much slower.

Still taking the supplements mentioned in my earlier post.

Signing off...

You can do it man. I tend to disagree with most (personal opinion) ive also tried every SSRI under the sun and 150mg Effexor daily has changed my life.

Im also on 10-15mg diazepam and 4mg clonazepam daily. Also a meth user. I understand the grain zaps my god. Twice this year i have gone away and forgetting my meds so went from 150mg Effex, 15mgdiaz,4mgclonaz tp cold turkey for 3 nights (4 days).. happend twice i was stupid.. one of them included the above but with a meth comedown. The zaps felt like i was being tazerd inside my brain and that mixed with major benzo withdraw .. it was living hell.

Im 27 and RE sex drive= mines improved dramatically!!! I never suffered premature ejaculation but 20 minutes was probably the longest i could go without condom and if i was reallly horny maybe 10 ... first thing i noticed after a week of Effexor 75mg/d was ( i had no problem geting it up) usually with my girlfriend if shes been teasing me kinky ill be rock hard before she even touches it.. but now its a slower process which i and her prefer. She said she like feeling it "grow" in her hands or..we'll leave that to imagination. But to get to the point withing a minute i can be as normal rock hard but go last forever.. She always cums first now its like i have control of when i want to.. its not that i cant but no matter how good it feels i can hold off untill she does so we can climax together. I see its had a different effect on most others.
Good luck geting off it man

 

[Mercyme333]

Thanks andyturbo. After about 30 minutes of ingestion of 18.75 mg(Venlafaxine), brain zaps are gone. Thank God!!! I'm disappointed that I am chained to this drug, but at the same time I still have hope that somewhere down the road I'll be able to get off Venlafaxine.

Yah I totally understand the ejaculation problem. Over 10 yrs ago I started Paxil to last longer in bed.(I can only last like 10 seconds.) I wish I never would have done that. Ever since then it's been one ssri after another. Like an endless cycle. Even when I was on 75 mg's of Venlafaxine I could only last a few seconds to 20 seconds. So yah it sucks. The only time I was able to last long was when I was smoking cannibis a long time ago and drinking. Some of the best sex was while on cannibis. I quit drinking almost 3 yrs ago due to my 3rd dwi. Havn't smoked cannibis in about 5 yrs.(kept getting wierded out on it). From the 3rd dwi, I'm on felony state probation. Havn't been able to drive for a couple of yrs.(which I think is what is causing most of my depression). I'm almost 35 yrs old living at home with my mom. My mom and step-dad just got divorced not to long ago.(he's getting remarried on the 18th). I don't have a relationship with my paternal father other than talking to him on the phone a couple times a year. I haven't had a girlfriend in over 2 years. The last girl I was with for over 10 yrs. Never got married due to her being 20 yrs older than me.(plus she had pill addiction problems and alot of baggage)(we all do thou to some extent). Getting the 3rd dwi really fucked my life up. I'm now a felon. How fucked up is that. But in a way I'm glad it happened because I was out of control. I believe all things in life happen for a reason. Sometimes reasons we don't understand but that are for our best interest in the end. Thanks for reading and have a good day.

 

[Steroids]

My cousin was on Effexor for 3 months. He said it completely killed his sex drive & it's been 2 months off of it and he still hasn't got his sex drive back.

strange drug but helps some people for sure.

 

[Moreaux]

Well after 53 hrs of no Venlafaxine(18.75 mg), the brain zaps started to become untolerable, spreading further from my head. So I just took a dose. This is so fucked up. I swear it's got to be someone's sick joke on humanity.

Plan B: Continue on the 18.75 mg dose and wean down slower, much slower.

Still taking the supplements mentioned in my earlier post.

Signing off...

I did a really slow taper myself and it wasn't too bad. If your really going through hell start back up around your last dose and then taper slower. I had very few brain zaps with the slow taper, as opposed to when I cold turkeyed a high dose of Zoloft and thought I was going to die.

 

[Moreaux]

Are these pills worth taking at all? I have a giant bottle of them, they were prescribed along with Xanax to help with "anxiety/panic attacks".

I know that it's an SNRI drug. I had negative experiences with an SSRI in the past (Celexa) so I'm hesitant about taking it. How prevalent are sexual side effects with SNRIs? I guess what I'm looking for mostly here is personal opinions.

I took Effexor for about a year after getting off of Xanax. It did help with the anxiety, but I felt and it completely killed my libido. I found that it became ineffective much quicker than SSRIs, but worked much better then an SSRI when it was working.

 

[Mercyme333]

Thanks x benzo girl, that's exactly what I plan to do. Yesterday and today I'm back on 18.75 mg's. No brain zaps. Going to be on this dose for a lot longer this time. Thanks for your reply.

 

[armoredslug]

I've been taking 150 mg of Effexor ER for about a year after I had to stop taking mirtazapine and my once frenzied and delicious sex drive is completely dead. They put me on 150 mg. Of Wellbutrin to try and mitigate this side effect (not entirely sure why this is supposed to work, something regarding serotonin levels), but thus far I'm still struggling. Even when I do masturbate, I have to fight the pill to come. It's awful! However, in terms of its efficacy as an AD, it really works for me. I think I'm prone to sexual dysfunction. I would like to transition to something that doesn't kill my libido but I'm terrified of the brain zaps!

 

[R4FKEN]

Hi,

I'm on 2x150 mg Efexor-Exel for about 6 years now, and I am glad I am. My severe OCD is gone, but so is my sex drive, not to mention serotonergic drugs have ZERO effect on me. But I consider it a life saver.
It has happened before that I forget to take my meds when i'm going on a trip for work, so I know what effects skipping a day of Efexor has. Trust me, one day without is severe, the second day is hell. I barely got home that time.
Same story when i forget to bring my Seroquel, near-insanity within 2 days, but that's for another post.