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Does anyone take Effexor? (Read 5133 times)
PamH
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Does anyone take Effexor?
04/08/12 at 11:00:22
 
Is anyone on this formum on Effexor.  I am on a very low dose but feel it needs to be raised.  Does any one know of any reason why I shouldn't take effexor, speak now or forever hold your peace...hahaha  no really if there is some reason I shouldn't take this let me know. I used to take it before I became ill.  It is a bear to stop taking but it did help when I was on it.  I couldn't tollerate Wellbutrn.  I also took that fine before I was ill.  
OK just throwing that out there.
Thanks, Pam
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larken
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #1 - 04/10/12 at 09:17:06
 
I had a terrible terrible terrible experience with Effexor.  Please do some more research on the possible withdrawal effects of this drug before increasing your dose.  You may be more sensitive now.  

I wish someone (my doctor, first and foremost!) had warned me.  For months I had "brain zaps" that felt like someone was shocking my brain, severe mood swings, could not concentrate, could not work, screamed at people for no reason (the only time in my life that I have had to take medical leave).  Trust me, this is a complete 180 from my normal, relatively mellow personality!!  

As a result, I swore off of drugs for 3 years after this and kept away from doctors (this was during the time that my mast cell disorder was misdiagnosed, so I was generally getting the run-around by uninformed ones anyway).  

Effexor has been banned in Europe because of the high numbers of people who have experienced serious side effects on it and are then unable to come off of it for months due to bad withdrawal symptoms.  This is true even when they taper gradually, like I did.  I'm not sure, but I think there may have also been class action suits against the manufacturer.

I am especially sensitive to meds and we are all unique, but so many people have had negative experiences that it might be better to try something else first.  
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PamH
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #2 - 04/10/12 at 14:45:56
 
Larken,
Thanks for the heads up.  I will definately look into this more. I have been on antidepressants for about 16 years, but suddenly unable to take the ones that I have been on for so long.  Prozac and wellbutrin.  I was on effexor for awhile and know exactly what you mean by the shocks I had that electrical experience throughout my body.  One week I stopped taking it accidently (got it mixed up with prilosec) and was very sick, like I was a coming off some horrible street drug.  Vomiting, nausia etc.  I only went back on it cause it does seem to help and I really, really needed the help.
Do you know of any other antidepressant that others here can tolerate?  I will keep looking into it.
Thanks again,
Pam
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larken
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #3 - 04/12/12 at 08:57:20
 
Hi Pam,
I can't recommend other antidepressants because I was scared to take one regularly after the Effexor.  I had also tried Welbutrin before the Effexor and had to take Prozac temporarily afterwards to get through the withdrawal symptoms.    

I hope you find another one that works well for you soon.  Perhaps Effexor is it, but your experience last time is worrying. It's pretty miserable, no?!  

My doctor had increased my dose gradually because I was not getting any benefit at lower doses.  I think that made my withdrawal even worse when I realized that I was just not going to see a benefit.  But, it sounds like you are feeling some benefit and that is important.    

I wonder what alternatives other forum members would recommend.  

What I eventually found most effective in lifting my mood was giving up several food triggers.  After avoiding doctors for some time I consulted with a naturopath and he recommended giving up gluten to start.  I did  (after initial resistance and skepticism!) and found that it really helped.  I then gradually became very attuned to my reactions to various foods and cut out other things.  This was the first step on the journey that eventually led me to the diagnosis, confirmed by one of the mast cell specialists, of MCAS.  

The worst for me food-wise were/are gluten, dairy, coffee/caffeine, and chocolate.  Exercise that is too intense, too quickly will also trigger moodiness and anxiety attacks (and anaphylaxis on a couple of occasions).  

Again, I wish you the best in finding something else that works for you.

Larken
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PamH
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #4 - 04/12/12 at 09:49:34
 
Thanks Larken!
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iamnotalone
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #5 - 04/12/12 at 17:02:44
 
Pam; Glad I logged on tonite & saw this !!!
I had heard Effexor was supposed to help with Hot flashes, & the only person I know who was on it never said anything negative about it. I guess I will live with the hot flashes ! Sad
I was on Wellbutrin years ago, and it made me a raving witch ! Angry
(I posted a bit about this in another topic tonite) I told the dr. NO more. When life threw another curve ball my way a few years ago- I couldnt take anymore- my dr. suggested Citalopram. It helped me get through a terrible time. I wasnt on it long, & no bad side effects on it, or weaning off of it. Now, that was before my masto came out, so I cant say how/if that would affect it... Undecided
hope this helped.
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Adalinda
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #6 - 04/12/12 at 17:26:17
 
Hi Pam,

I am new to the forum, and so far only diagnosed with 'mast cell instability' here in Australia. I am currently researching stuff on this forum, ready to take to a good GP I have just found after 30 years of weird illness to get a referral for some help.

I was on effexor for 10 years before, during and after my marriage breakup. I was on a high dose for quite a while after the break up (300mg or so?), then I think 150mg for years, then about 75mg for a few more years. I stopped taking it very slowly, I did get those brain zaps, I have so many strange symptoms going on I thought I was having a stroke or something.

But I have been off it for a year or so now, and did not seem to have many other  problems, even though my allergies are much worse now. Effexor did take the edge off the stress a bit, but I have had to take so many things, most likely not even the right ones! for so long, when my life finally settled I decided to come off it.

It all depends on the individual, another drug I was on prior to the effexor sent me crazy, it was truly awful.

Hope this helps,

Donna
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larken
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #7 - 04/13/12 at 01:07:56
 
Hi Pam,

Have you seen this post by Lisa? I just came across it while reading some recent post subject lines --
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This is an excellent study by French researchers.   From their findings, it appears that masto is the cause.  The suggest the use of mastinib as a means to combat it.   Interesting.

This is a full article.   You can copy it for your doctors by going to this link.



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3198767/


Depression in Patients with Mastocytosis: Prevalence, Features and Effects of Masitinib Therapy

Daniela Silva Moura,1,2 Serge Sultan,2,3 Sophie Georgin-Lavialle,1,4 Nathalie Pillet,5 François Montestruc,5 Paul Gineste,5 Stéphane Barete,6 Gandhi Damaj,7 Alain Moussy,5,8 Olivier Lortholary,9 and Olivier Hermine1,4,5,8*


Abstract

Depression in patients with mastocytosis is often reported but its prevalence and characteristics are not precisely described. In addition, the impact of therapies targeting mast cells proliferation, differentiation and degranulation on psychic symptoms of depression have never been investigated. Our objective was to determine the prevalence and to describe features of depression in a large cohort of mastocytosis patients (n=288) and to investigate the therapeutic impact of the protein kinase inhibitor masitinib in depression symptoms. The description of depression was based on the analysis of a database with Hamilton scores using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Efficacy of masitinib therapy was evaluated using non parametric Wilcoxon test for paired data within a three months period (n=35). Our results show that patients with indolent mastocytosis present an elevated prevalence of depression (64%). Depression was moderate in 56% but severe in 8% of cases. Core symptoms (such as psychic anxiety, depressed mood, work and interests) characterized depression in mastocytosis patients. Masitinib therapy was associated with significant improvement (67% of the cases) of overall depression, with 75% of recovery cases. Global Quality of Life slightly improved after masitinib therapy and did not predicted depression improvement. In conclusion, depression is very frequent in mastocytosis patients and masitinib therapy is associated with the reduction its psychic experiences. We conclude that depression in mastocytosis may originate from processes related to mast cells activation. Masitinib could therefore be a useful treatment for mastocytosis patients with depression and anxiety symptoms.
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PamH
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Re: Does anyone take Effexor?
Reply #8 - 04/13/12 at 03:59:57
 
Thanks guys it good to get input!

Larken,
Now I am going to look into masitinib, thanks!
Pam
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