Question:

Your ankles swell(edema) because the Prednisolone is causing damage to your body. Not knowing anything about Predn…, I suggest you try to do without this particular drug and its body damaging(side effects). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have been on salbutamol, atrovent, serevent and flixotide inhalers as well as theophylline tablets for a long time, without any side effects, but as soon as I have to take prednisolone my ankles swell significantly.  Each time I take a course of steroids it seems worse and takes longer to resolve after I stop them,eg still getting swollen ankles 2 months later.  I also have a lot of unexplained bruising on my lower legs – anybody else get this?

Response:

Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit.

I had something like that happen some years ago…I never got a definitive diagnosis, but they tentatively suggested a sarcoid infection…but it went before the hospital finished the vast array of tests — eric "live fast, die only if strictly necessary"

Response:

What are the other symptoms that you had?  I have had this pain in my lowere back on both sides right where my kidneys are–it hurts to clear my throat, sneeze, cough and is tender when I walk.  Is any of this familiar? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit. I had something like that happen some years ago…I never got a definitive diagnosis, but they tentatively suggested a sarcoid infection…but it went before the hospital finished the vast array of tests — eric "live fast, die only if strictly necessary"

Response:

For what it is worth, I swell when going through attacks.  I haven’t decided if it is the asthma or the albuterol inhaler and nebs, but I do swell, especially in the face.  Good Luck, Lisa Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit.

– Lisa M. DeSavage Hinsbar Laboratories, Inc. www.hinsbarlabs.com

Response:

What are the other symptoms that you had?  I have had this pain in my lowere back on both sides right where my kidneys are–it hurts to clear my throat, sneeze, cough and is tender when I walk.  Is any of this familiar?

the back isn’t…at least not from then…I had what I thought was a cold too…but it may have been exactly that and totally unrelated the one thing they were sure of was that the infection was in my lungs…which surprised me because I’d gone to the doctor to get the swollen legs sorted out — eric "the alternative to seeing things in black and white is to see them in full colour"

Response:

I don’t have any idea what you  have but with the pain in the back and the swelling, I have this bad feeling that there are some really icky things that this <could be and that you should immediately haste to the doctor and find out what is going on.  Best of luck. Linda – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit.

Response:

I have been on salbutamol, atrovent, serevent and flixotide inhalers as well as theophylline tablets for a long time, without any side effects, but as soon as I have to take prednisolone my ankles swell significantly.  Each time I take a course of steroids it seems worse and takes longer to resolve after I stop them,eg still getting swollen ankles 2 months later.  I also have a lot of unexplained bruising on my lower legs – anybody else get this?

Response:

Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit.

Response:

writes: Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit.

Which medications? At what dosages? Over what period of time? Be specific. Sheldon On a recent Night Court rerun, Judge Harry Stone had a wonderful line: "I try to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brains fall out."

Response:

Just accolate 2 times a  day. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – writes: Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit. Which medications? At what dosages? Over what period of time? Be specific. Sheldon On a recent Night Court rerun, Judge Harry Stone had a wonderful line: "I try to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brains fall out."

Response:

Yes, I use Accolate, Flovent and Serevent and I have noticed a great deal of fluid retention.  I can’t wear my rings any more and my lower legs swell, as well.  Although I hate to take yet another medicine, I think I would benefit from a fluid pill. Patrice – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit.

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – writes: Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit. Which medications? At what dosages? Over what period of time? Be specific. Sheldon Just accolate 2 times a  day.

Weird… you said "I haven’t changed any of my medications". Sheldon On a recent Night Court rerun, Judge Harry Stone had a wonderful line: "I try to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brains fall out."

Response:

These symptoms are not caused by asthma [except 'cardiac asthma' which is actually a heart condition, not true asthma.] This could be a rare side effect of Accolate, as edema and angioedema are mentioned in the Prescribing Info: http://www.accolateinfo.com/index.htm   [click on 'full prescribing information']. You could test for this by going off the Accolate and onto your steroid inhaler [Pulmicort, Flovent] for a few weeks; of course under the direction of your doctor. If this test shows Accolate is the problem, you could then try substituting Singulair, which is actually a better drug in most cases–take once/day, stomach doesn’t have to be empty. Ellis – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just accolate 2 times a  day. writes: Is there any correlation between asthma and the retaining of fluid (like a circulation thing?) I’m asking b/c my lower legs, feet, and calves have been swollen for about 2 days and I have no idea why.  Could it be the heat?  The humidity?  I haven’t changed any of my medications, but my asthma has flared up a bit. Which medications? At what dosages? Over what period of time? Be specific. Sheldon

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Question:

I quit all daiary products may 1 1997 and my asthma is almost gone. What does anybody know anything aabout dairy foods and asthma? Harlan Lee

If your asthma stays in remission, it would indicate that you were/are allergic to milk.  I don’t know of any other connection that milk could have with asthma other than allergic reaction. Yana

Response:

<<I quit all daiary products may 1 1997 and my asthma is almost gone. What does anybody know anything aabout dairy foods and asthma? Harlan Lee

i went to an accupuncturist/holistic medicine specialist for my allergies and asthma. he strongly believes that the high amount of antibiotics given to cows is a bad thing for our immune system and suggested i stop dairy. i have done this, but also stayed on serevent and flovent. connection? don’t know. i do note that the one or two times i strayed and recently had dairy, that i felt some tightness. good health to all…

Response:

I quit all daiary products may 1 1997 and my asthma is almost gone. What does anybody know anything aabout dairy foods and asthma? Harlan Lee

Response:

I quit all daiary products may 1 1997 and my asthma is almost gone. What does anybody know anything aabout dairy foods and asthma? Harlan Lee

This could be a coincidence; I’m not aware of a relationship between asthma and dairy products. Also a 4-month remission is not proof that your asthma is cured. A 12-month remission would be more convincing. There is an article indicating some outgrow their asthma. See http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/library/scan/outgrow.htm American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine          Vol. 155, pp. 1267-1272, Apr. 1997          Adult Patients May Outgrow Their Asthma: A 25-Year Follow-up Study

Response:

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have anxiety and lately the new treat of horrible panic attacks.  I somewhat control them knowing they do not pose a REAL physical threat, i.e., I’m not really having a heat attack, it just feels like it, etc. My anxiety centers around health, think it stems from a friend dying suddenly when I was young, have an irrational fear of death – especially my own – hahaha. Anyway, my doc first gave me Ativan, which works, but I can see several reasons I wouldn’t want to take this regularly or long-term. I went for a follow-up and she just described Zoloft. I have found some really great info on the web about it and some really not great – including supposed Zoloft induced suicides and murders??  Yikes!!! I don’t suffer from depression at all, I don’t think???  Other than worrying about having another panic attack, etc. Am wondering if Zoloft is right for me?  Seems a lot of people are saying it causes MORE anxiety – which would basically be a disaster for me!  Doc said to take 1/2-1 Ativan ONLY IF NEEDED while I get used to the Zoloft?? If Zoloft does increase anxiety, is that temporary?? I’m 33, very outgoing, upbeat, fun/funny, etc. and I am SOOOO sick of this anxiety imposing itself on my life.  I used to hate taking any medicine if I didn’t absolutely HAVE to, but now I will welcome pretty much anything that would make me just be able to be "normal" again. From what I am reading, everyone is different and different meds work for different people, etc. but has anyone taking Zoloft pretty much just for anxiety???  Being that my anxiety centers around my health, etc. – taking something that will increase my heart rate or make me feel crappy could be the worse thing I could do – I’m thinking?? Anyway, nice "meeting" all of you and I appreciate any and all input!!!!! Thanks much!!!

Are you seeing your GP or a psychiatrist?  In my experience GP’s are not the best for treating anxiety disorders, they just don’t have the knowledge that comes with a specialty. Zoloft and other SSRI’s can exaserbate anxiety in some people initially, there no way of knowing if it is going to happen to an individual before they try the medication though.  I found that some SSRI’s I could not tolerate while others worked wonders for me. What I found to be the biggest benefit of SSRIs is that they stopped the obsessive thoughts.  Which in turn ment less panic attacks and high anxiety situations for me. I was at one time prescribed Zoloft for anxiety, at that point even though I was a housebound agorophobic I’d never been depressed.  A few years, a few medications and a really good psychiatrist later, life is pretty darned good. I’d encourage you to at least try Zoloft, use Ativan when you start the feel anxious or panicky, and remember that it can take 6-8 week before one sees the effects of Zoloft, however many people begin to see benefits sooner. Cognitive behavioral therapy is something that you might want to ask your Dr. about, it has a great track record in helping anxiety patients. A couple of books that I found very helpful were _The anxiety & phobia workbook_ by Bourne, and _the feeling good handbook_ by Burns.  They gave me a better understanding of the symptoms and some good tools in how to deal with said symptoms effectively. Take care and let us know how you’re doing. Jess

Response:

If Zoloft does increase anxiety, is that temporary?? I’m 33, very outgoing, upbeat, fun/funny, etc. and I am SOOOO sick of this anxiety imposing itself on my life.  I used to hate taking any medicine if I didn’t absolutely HAVE to, but now I will welcome pretty much anything that would make me just be able to be "normal" again.

Zoloft increases my panic attacks.. but that ’s just me.  spendin 80 bucks on 30 pills has that effect on me. why don’t you try xanax when needed?  i have the same condition.  extreme panic disorder, but no depression, see no need for those "designer meds" for anxiety if you know the form of anxiety you suffer from is "panic".. ya panic?  pop a xanax..  done. ~tanya

Response:

I have anxiety and lately the new treat of horrible panic attacks.  I – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – somewhat control them knowing they do not pose a REAL physical threat, i.e., I’m not really having a heat attack, it just feels like it, etc. My anxiety centers around health, think it stems from a friend dying suddenly when I was young, have an irrational fear of death – especially my own – hahaha. Anyway, my doc first gave me Ativan, which works, but I can see several reasons I wouldn’t want to take this regularly or long-term. I went for a follow-up and she just described Zoloft. I have found some really great info on the web about it and some really not great – including supposed Zoloft induced suicides and murders??  Yikes!!! I don’t suffer from depression at all, I don’t think???  Other than worrying about having another panic attack, etc. Am wondering if Zoloft is right for me?  Seems a lot of people are saying it causes MORE anxiety – which would basically be a disaster for me!  Doc said to take 1/2-1 Ativan ONLY IF NEEDED while I get used to the Zoloft?? If Zoloft does increase anxiety, is that temporary?? I’m 33, very outgoing, upbeat, fun/funny, etc. and I am SOOOO sick of this anxiety imposing itself on my life.  I used to hate taking any medicine if I didn’t absolutely HAVE to, but now I will welcome pretty much anything that would make me just be able to be "normal" again. From what I am reading, everyone is different and different meds work for different people, etc. but has anyone taking Zoloft pretty much just for anxiety???  Being that my anxiety centers around my health, etc. – taking something that will increase my heart rate or make me feel crappy could be the worse thing I could do – I’m thinking?? Anyway, nice "meeting" all of you and I appreciate any and all input!!!!! Thanks much!!!

Response:

Question:

Yah, yooh betcha, I read most of and skimmed all of "Your Drug May Be Your Problem: How and Why to Stop Taking Psychiatric Medications."  He is at www.breggin.com  I highly recommend it to everybody here, even though I disagree with large pieces of his arguments. In particular, I found his suggestions about how to come off drugs invaluable. We ALL have to come off drugs, even if only to switch to yet other drugs. He is 110% behind the very-gradually approach. I used his ideas in getting off of Effexor, which was a bastard (I hate saying "it was a bitch"). Anyone who wants to can read elsewhere about the withdrawal I experienced getting off Effexor — I still get email from folks who find my posts when desperately looking on the net for info about Effexor withdrawal. I tapered SUPER ULTRA gradually and still had withdrawal, in retrospect partly because I was taking it only once a day. But reading his advice about coming off of a drug you have become dependent upon was very good for me. The part where I depart from the Dr. is in saying that all drugs everywhere are evil and stew the brains. Methinks this fellow never emptied his checking account and maxed out his credit card in a manic binge, or found out that lithium kept that devil at bay. I have never (to my knowledge) been censored at asdmm. Mostly I think their purpose is to sieve out the trolls and hurtful flames. -Tin who used to be Gan Tinuviel Cuivienen Elbethil "Nightingale, daughter of twilight, singing at the shadowed pool, beholds the divine radiance of the stars."

|Gan, | |Have you spent any time looking at Breggin or the other docs who have |written about the downside of thest meds? I can see that some of my |questions and  comments about them have been eliminated from appearing |on this thread. That seems like someone has a terribly toxic point of |view that doesn’t allow freedom to ask questions and to mention |alternative viewpoints. If that’s the case, then this really isn’t a |place for a bipolar person to be. | |What rare your thoughts? | |Anatman |

| |I’ve done both of those. I think that the obsessing goes along with |the hyperfocusing ADD that I have been noticing — getting stuck and |not being able to shift gears. According to Sears, the ADD doc who |says more than 1/2 of bipolars are ADD, the hyperfocusing ADDers hold |grudges, and I confess to doing that sometimes. The constantly getting |irritated totally sucks — when it is bad it is like running around |with blackboards screeching everywhere. | |- The-Gal-who-was-Gandalf-but-is-thinking-about-Tinuvial | | |   |

| |     | |(2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a |manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the |extent of my forgetfulness. | |As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the |hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he |has decided to stop taking his medications. |       | |Another trait is obsessing about a person, like an SO or someone you |like and just obsessively calling that person when upset or needing |constant validation from everybody. Or constantly getting irritated. | | | |MorphGrrl | |     | | | | |   | |

Response:

etched permanently into the ether: Antaman, lost posts happen from time to time.  Tonight, there was a little difficulty for us to moderate, and finally I was the only one who was able to do so.  I have allowed all the posts to go through.

That’s kind of an understatement!  We are having moderation problems, that are intermittent.  That can cause a few messages to get lost.  Messages also get lost between your provider and our provider–they never get to us at all.  Long messages (longer than about 200 lines) are most difficult to process.  The longer the message, the more likely something can happen to it.  This is why people need to snip messages and only quote what they are responding to.  And kill those blank lines. Just some hints about how you can help your own messages show up more readily. Another thing has been happening to some providers recently.  For some reason, they just don’t post everything.  Supernews is one of them, I haven’t tracked all of them.  So, check in google about 2-4 hours after you send your message–hopefully it will show up there–that is how you know your provider is dropping messages–they eventually show up in google, but never on your provider’s server. HTH, Nancy Just knockin’ around the zoo. (James Taylor)

Response:

That seems like someone has a terribly toxic point of view that doesn’t allow freedom to ask questions and to mention alternative viewpoints. If that’s the case, then this really isn’t a place for a bipolar person to be.

Antaman, lost posts happen from time to time.  Tonight, there was a little difficulty for us to moderate, and finally I was the only one who was able to do so.  I have allowed all the posts to go through. If your posts are a violation, then we would email you and let you know why we were rejecting your post and then give you the opportunity to resubmit if you make the suggested corrections.  We the moderation team do not just delete and allow your posts not to go through.  I’ve gone round and round with Harry over his not showing up on his server and everyone else saw them.   Just resubmit the missing ones again and I’ll be able to take a look at them.  If they don’t fit the guidelines, then I’ll email you a polite note with what you need to fix. We don’t have a problem with alternative view points.  What we DO have a problem with is people who provide misinformation and people who have a "cure" when there really isn’t one for bipolar disorder.  We also have a problem with people who say to stop taking your meds, that it’s all a crock of hooey and there is no such thing as bipolar disorder.  I’m not going to list everyone you need to go back and Google, but there is plenty of examples in ASDM as to why we can’t and don’t advocate going off all your meds.

Response:

Gan, Have you spent any time looking at Breggin or the other docs who have written about the downside of thest meds? I can see that some of my questions and  comments about them have been eliminated from appearing on this thread. That seems like someone has a terribly toxic point of view that doesn’t allow freedom to ask questions and to mention alternative viewpoints. If that’s the case, then this really isn’t a place for a bipolar person to be. What rare your thoughts? Anatman – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I’ve done both of those. I think that the obsessing goes along with the hyperfocusing ADD that I have been noticing — getting stuck and not being able to shift gears. According to Sears, the ADD doc who says more than 1/2 of bipolars are ADD, the hyperfocusing ADDers hold grudges, and I confess to doing that sometimes. The constantly getting irritated totally sucks — when it is bad it is like running around with blackboards screeching everywhere. – The-Gal-who-was-Gandalf-but-is-thinking-about-Tinuvial (2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications. Another trait is obsessing about a person, like an SO or someone you like and just obsessively calling that person when upset or needing constant validation from everybody. Or constantly getting irritated. MorphGrrl

Response:

Here’s Ten for you, hot off the press; You’ll be fine (for the rest of the day). You won’t need to take a holiday from hell, you can imagine you’re there. You won’t need a bank account, it will be empty. You’ll save money on pills, but in any case you would not be able to buy them (see above) You won’t need to pay rent for a property, you’ll feel quite comfortable on the street. You won’t have to buy your friends birthday cards, you won’t have any. You won’t need to decide if you are a Christian, Buddhist or Jew, you can be all three at once. People can make decisions for you in accordance with the instructions you left. Oh sugar, you forgot to leave any. Your family will be really worried and concerned, but that won’t be a problem as you will think everything’s hunky dory. You won’t be able to read this as you will have forgotten to pay your utilities bills. That’s Ten, and you won’t even wonder who this crazy person called Geoff is. Geoff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Geoff, Sorry to hear about your brother. Mine is thinking about heading down a similar path. He is such a great guy too, so funny! But he doesn’t really care about or for himself, and if he doesn’t watch out pretty soon he is going to lose his current job, which just fits him to a tee at the moment. So let me see if I can squeeze any creativity out of this soggy brain. First the title. PLEASE folks we are bipolars here, and that means we are Creative!!! Help me out with some more reasons and with making these funnier. Heavy is fine — it IS heavy — but a little sugar will help the medicine go down. TOP TEN REASONS TO NOT STOP TAKING YOUR MEDICATION #1) Spending every cent you have and then maxing out all of your credit cards to start a collection of ceramic oriental dragons because they have a deeply mystical significance for you no longer seems like such a great idea.      Especially since you discovered from your last episode when you bought an entire library of Zen Buddhism books that these purchases are non-refundable once you return to sanity. "I was manic at the time," was not a valid defense for those hard-nosed shopkeepers. You could have returned them within that 10 day period, but you were still in the hospital at the time and had totally forgotten about them anyway because you had moved on to the next wonder. #2) You are thinking that you might like to keep a girlfriend/wife for longer than 5 years without scaring her away by telling her stories all night and calling her in the middle of the night from the hospital to tell her she is a whore and you never loved her anyway but then when she confronted you you  didn’t even remember calling her because you were bonkers psychotic at the time. #3) Because the drugs actually work. You have read stories about what happened to manic-depressives before there were drugs that work, and you really don’t need to go there — their lives were a nightmare. You’ve also heard that if bipolars don’t take their drugs their illness gets worse, and you’re not big into suffering. #4) You know that every time you have an episode you damage your brain AND increase the likelihood of another episode. You need to hold on to what little brains you have. With what little brains you have now you are thinking about doing stupid things like stopping your medication — what kind of brilliant life decisions will you make with less of a brain? #5) Suicide no longer has the attraction that it once did, and you know that chances are that bipolars will try and they unfortunately mean it and succeed at it. Life looks a little better to you at the moment and you’d to hang on to it for a bit longer. #6) You realize that although the depressions totally suck and are actually in fact valid reasons for contemplating suicide, that the depressions basically hurt you the most. Those manias on the other hand are a living hell on the people around you and you have decided sadism is not going to be your legacy to the world around you. This is always going to be a difficult one. Every visit for 10 years I ask is there a chance that I can stop or reduce my medication. Last December, my younger brother was also diagnosed b/p. (I’m 52, down in E England he is 47 up in Scotland). In my opinion he has always been ‘crazier’ than me….no, amend that….in everyone’s opinion! However, I do sometimes struggle against the effects of medication to maintain some sort of well being, and keep my eyelids propped open, whilst he seems to be carrying on on his own little planet, quite oblivious, unmedicated….well that’s how it seems……. But, I am not the one that’s had an acrimonious divorce; the one that’s fallen behind with house payments; the one that’s 40,000 UKP in debt; the one that drove down from Scotland on bald illegal and dangerous tyres; the one that forgets to keep in touch with his children;  and that bought a rubbish timeshare holiday apartment. Oops, not exactly playful as you had wanted, but a comparison between two people sharing the same nature, but not all of the same nurture in our case, due to the long time and distance separation. Hope you come up with the right form of words for your brother Geoff (2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications. Since I am the older wiser? big Sis who has already been there and done that, he does think highly of me and defer to me in many ways about this. i.e. I have some clout. I’ve tried to keep a low profile and not give too many "thou shalts" — this is hard enough without people telling you what to do. But I feel called to say something, with my training and expertise I have some responsibility. I’m thinking about making this playful, and sending him an email with a "Top 10 reasons not to stop taking your medication." Any ideas? Many thanks, -The-ASDM/M-poster-previously-known-as-Gandalf-who-is-currently-in-transi t ion-to-a-new-moniker

Response:

I’ve done both of those. I think that the obsessing goes along with the hyperfocusing ADD that I have been noticing — getting stuck and not being able to shift gears. According to Sears, the ADD doc who says more than 1/2 of bipolars are ADD, the hyperfocusing ADDers hold grudges, and I confess to doing that sometimes. The constantly getting irritated totally sucks — when it is bad it is like running around with blackboards screeching everywhere. – The-Gal-who-was-Gandalf-but-is-thinking-about-Tinuvial – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications. Another trait is obsessing about a person, like an SO or someone you like and just obsessively calling that person when upset or needing constant validation from everybody. Or constantly getting irritated. MorphGrrl

Response:

Geoff, Sorry to hear about your brother. Mine is thinking about heading down a similar path. He is such a great guy too, so funny! But he doesn’t really care about or for himself, and if he doesn’t watch out pretty soon he is going to lose his current job, which just fits him to a tee at the moment. So let me see if I can squeeze any creativity out of this soggy brain. First the title. PLEASE folks we are bipolars here, and that means we are Creative!!! Help me out with some more reasons and with making these funnier. Heavy is fine — it IS heavy — but a little sugar will help the medicine go down. TOP TEN REASONS TO NOT STOP TAKING YOUR MEDICATION #1) Spending every cent you have and then maxing out all of your credit cards to start a collection of ceramic oriental dragons because they have a deeply mystical significance for you no longer seems like such a great idea.      Especially since you discovered from your last episode when you bought an entire library of Zen Buddhism books that these purchases are non-refundable once you return to sanity. "I was manic at the time," was not a valid defense for those hard-nosed shopkeepers. You could have returned them within that 10 day period, but you were still in the hospital at the time and had totally forgotten about them anyway because you had moved on to the next wonder. #2) You are thinking that you might like to keep a girlfriend/wife for longer than 5 years without scaring her away by telling her stories all night and calling her in the middle of the night from the hospital to tell her she is a whore and you never loved her anyway but then when she confronted you you  didn’t even remember calling her because you were bonkers psychotic at the time. #3) Because the drugs actually work. You have read stories about what happened to manic-depressives before there were drugs that work, and you really don’t need to go there — their lives were a nightmare. You’ve also heard that if bipolars don’t take their drugs their illness gets worse, and you’re not big into suffering. #4) You know that every time you have an episode you damage your brain AND increase the likelihood of another episode. You need to hold on to what little brains you have. With what little brains you have now you are thinking about doing stupid things like stopping your medication — what kind of brilliant life decisions will you make with less of a brain? #5) Suicide no longer has the attraction that it once did, and you know that chances are that bipolars will try and they unfortunately mean it and succeed at it. Life looks a little better to you at the moment and you’d to hang on to it for a bit longer. #6) You realize that although the depressions totally suck and are actually in fact valid reasons for contemplating suicide, that the depressions basically hurt you the most. Those manias on the other hand are a living hell on the people around you and you have decided sadism is not going to be your legacy to the world around you. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -This is always going to be a difficult one. Every visit for 10 years I ask is there a chance that I can stop or reduce my medication. Last December, my younger brother was also diagnosed b/p. (I’m 52, down in E England he is 47 up in Scotland). In my opinion he has always been ‘crazier’ than me….no, amend that….in everyone’s opinion! However, I do sometimes struggle against the effects of medication to maintain some sort of well being, and keep my eyelids propped open, whilst he seems to be carrying on on his own little planet, quite oblivious, unmedicated….well that’s how it seems……. But, I am not the one that’s had an acrimonious divorce; the one that’s fallen behind with house payments; the one that’s 40,000 UKP in debt; the one that drove down from Scotland on bald illegal and dangerous tyres; the one that forgets to keep in touch with his children;  and that bought a rubbish timeshare holiday apartment. Oops, not exactly playful as you had wanted, but a comparison between two people sharing the same nature, but not all of the same nurture in our case, due to the long time and distance separation. Hope you come up with the right form of words for your brother Geoff (2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications. Since I am the older wiser? big Sis who has already been there and done that, he does think highly of me and defer to me in many ways about this. i.e. I have some clout. I’ve tried to keep a low profile and not give too many "thou shalts" — this is hard enough without people telling you what to do. But I feel called to say something, with my training and expertise I have some responsibility. I’m thinking about making this playful, and sending him an email with a "Top 10 reasons not to stop taking your medication." Any ideas? Many thanks, -The-ASDM/M-poster-previously-known-as-Gandalf-who-is-currently-in-transit ion-to-a-new-moniker

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(2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications.

Another trait is obsessing about a person, like an SO or someone you like and just obsessively calling that person when upset or needing constant validation from everybody. Or constantly getting irritated. MorphGrrl

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This is always going to be a difficult one. Every visit for 10 years I ask is there a chance that I can stop or reduce my medication. Last December, my younger brother was also diagnosed b/p. (I’m 52, down in E England he is 47 up in Scotland). In my opinion he has always been ‘crazier’ than me….no, amend that….in everyone’s opinion! However, I do sometimes struggle against the effects of medication to maintain some sort of well being, and keep my eyelids propped open, whilst he seems to be carrying on on his own little planet, quite oblivious, unmedicated….well that’s how it seems……. But, I am not the one that’s had an acrimonious divorce; the one that’s fallen behind with house payments; the one that’s 40,000 UKP in debt; the one that drove down from Scotland on bald illegal and dangerous tyres; the one that forgets to keep in touch with his children;  and that bought a rubbish timeshare holiday apartment. Oops, not exactly playful as you had wanted, but a comparison between two people sharing the same nature, but not all of the same nurture in our case, due to the long time and distance separation. Hope you come up with the right form of words for your brother Geoff

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – (2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications. Since I am the older wiser? big Sis who has already been there and done that, he does think highly of me and defer to me in many ways about this. i.e. I have some clout. I’ve tried to keep a low profile and not give too many "thou shalts" — this is hard enough without people telling you what to do. But I feel called to say something, with my training and expertise I have some responsibility. I’m thinking about making this playful, and sending him an email with a "Top 10 reasons not to stop taking your medication." Any ideas? Many thanks, -The-ASDM/M-poster-previously-known-as-Gandalf-who-is-currently-in-transit

ion-to-a-new-moniker – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

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(2) As I THINK I posted here my half-brother was hospitalized for a manic episode last fall (Now recognizing the ADD I’m also seeing the extent of my forgetfulness. As I predicted to his folks the month after he got out of the hospital, and as I have seen in almost every bipolar I’ve ever met, he has decided to stop taking his medications. Since I am the older wiser? big Sis who has already been there and done that, he does think highly of me and defer to me in many ways about this. i.e. I have some clout. I’ve tried to keep a low profile and not give too many "thou shalts" — this is hard enough without people telling you what to do. But I feel called to say something, with my training and expertise I have some responsibility. I’m thinking about making this playful, and sending him an email with a "Top 10 reasons not to stop taking your medication." Any ideas? Many thanks, -The-ASDM/M-poster-previously-known-as-Gandalf-who-is-currently-in-transiti on-to-a-new-moniker

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Question:

For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks…

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I have taken 75-150 mg before. I currently take regular effexor (not XR) 100 mg.  Effexor XR dosages range from 75 (low) to 450mg (very high).  Avg is from 150mg to 225mg.  You know you are taking too much if you begin to have more and more trouble getting up in the morning. hope this helps, SaNd For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks…

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I have taken 75XR… my doctor inscreased my med at 150… Yark… I have had hallucinations. Aline – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks…

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I am on 150mg/day, and having difficulty getting up in the morning. But that was the same before Effexor. I think it is my depression that keeps me tied to bed. Why are you suggesting to lower the dose in this case? I mean, how does high dose of Effexor cause difficulty waking up? cem

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have taken 75-150 mg before. I currently take regular effexor (not XR) 100 mg.  Effexor XR dosages range from 75 (low) to 450mg (very high).  Avg is from 150mg to 225mg.  You know you are taking too much if you begin to have more and more trouble getting up in the morning. hope this helps, SaNd For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks…

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If you are having more difficulty getting up now than you were before you began taking effexor or when you ere on a lower dosage, then you know that getting up in the morning is becoming even more difficult than before.  That is when you might suspect that you are taking too much effexor.  If you are having the same difficulty getting up inthe morning as you were before you began taking it or when you were on lower doses, then you may not be taking enough and/or it may not be working for you.   Is that a little easier to understand? I know it can be hard to tell how difficult getting up inthe morning is.  I guage it by how long i sleep.  The longer I sleep, the more difficult it is to get up.  Taking too much effexor when it is working can paralyze a person and it can be maddening because it happens so slowly. =) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -I am on 150mg/day, and having difficulty getting up in the morning. But that was the same before Effexor. I think it is my depression that keeps me tied to bed. Why are you suggesting to lower the dose in this case? I mean, how does high dose of Effexor cause difficulty waking up? cem I have taken 75-150 mg before. I currently take regular effexor (not XR) 100 mg.  Effexor XR dosages range from 75 (low) to 450mg (very high).  Avg is from 150mg to 225mg.  You know you are taking too much if you begin to have more and more trouble getting up in the morning. hope this helps, SaNd For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks… __ Posted Via Binaries.net = SPEED+RETENTION+COMPLETION = http://www.binaries.net

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I am on 75 mg/day.  Many people are on 150 mg.  I have heard of people being on 300 and 375 mg/day.  That’s where some of the bizarre side effects seem to be seen.  (Try a Google search on "effexor side effects.") Contrary to some of the other posts in this thread, I don’t see Effexor having any impact on my ability to get up in the morning.  But I am on a pretty low dose.  I do find that it causes me to have extremely vivid, detailed, long, and sometimes illogical dreams.  Paxil had this effect on me as well. I have heard the opinion that Effexor’s effect on norepinephrine reuptake doesn’t kick in until 150 mg/day, e.g. below 150 it supposedly only works on serotonin.  But I’ve always done fine on 75.  Perhaps it is a function of concentration, which in turn is a function of both dose and body weight, as I am not a large person. Hope this helps.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks…

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Thanks very much for the help. Much appreciated. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – For anyone who’s ever been on it or is familiar with the drug: What is the average dosage for this stuff? Thanks…

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Question:

No recomendation yet, meeting with Doc next week… — Dan ICQ 108553906

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks,          I’ve been on the Paxil for about five weeks now,  feeling better but really experiencing the sexual side effects of the Paxil. I have heard that Serzone gives you all the benefits of Paxil and No sexual side effects.         Can anyone respond both pro and con for switching to Serzone. I’d like to get my drive/libido back. Also if you have made the switch from Paxil how did you do it, were you weaned off the Paxil slowly or just a cold turkey switch to the serzone. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. — Dan ICQ 108553906 serzone does indeed have less sexual interference then the ssri’s-switching is best done by a slow taper off the paxil and once on around 5 mg a day for a week just switching over to a small dose of serzone-initially you may feel fatigued and spacey for a few days to a few weeks if you go too fast upward in the titration-what has your doc recomended? LM

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Folks,           I’ve been on the Paxil for about five weeks now,  feeling better but really experiencing the sexual side effects of the Paxil. I have heard that Serzone gives you all the benefits of Paxil and No sexual side effects.          Can anyone respond both pro and con for switching to Serzone. I’d like to get my drive/libido back. Also if you have made the switch from Paxil how did you do it, were you weaned off the Paxil slowly or just a cold turkey switch to the serzone. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. — Dan ICQ 108553906

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- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks,          I’ve been on the Paxil for about five weeks now,  feeling better but really experiencing the sexual side effects of the Paxil. I have heard that Serzone gives you all the benefits of Paxil and No sexual side effects.         Can anyone respond both pro and con for switching to Serzone. I’d like to get my drive/libido back. Also if you have made the switch from Paxil how did you do it, were you weaned off the Paxil slowly or just a cold turkey switch to the serzone. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. — Dan ICQ 108553906

serzone does indeed have less sexual interference then the ssri’s-switching is best done by a slow taper off the paxil and once on around 5 mg a day for a week just switching over to a small dose of serzone-initially you may feel fatigued and spacey for a few days to a few weeks if you go too fast upward in the titration-what has your doc recomended? LM

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Danny, I didn’t go from Paxil to Serzone but did go Zoloft-Wellbutrin-Serzone, which I now have been on for about five months.  With the Wellbutrin I ramped off, and then began the "starter pack" of Serzone.  But even the lowest dosage I found intolerable at first – it upset my stomach and made me feel like I had drank ten cups of coffee.  I had to break the beginning pills in half to make it comfortable and move up from there.  Once you’re on it it’s fine, but it’s bumpy getting there. As far as libido or sexual side effects there were none . . . . at first. However (and this could just be me, obviously) at about the four month mark I did start to have problems, similar to what the Zoloft was doing.  It disperses my concentration to the point where it’s very difficult to "finish" in bed.  I don’t know why it took this long to kick in, but it did. I’m currently at 150mg twice a day, and at one point my doc tried to increase it to 400 total.  That DIDN’T work, made me feel like a zombie and totally screwed with my physical coordination, so I went back to 300.  But I’m seriously thinking of ramping off it entirely, not just because of the sexual problem but other side effects as well.  I’ll call my doc and talk about it. Good luck to you, however, and don’t take my experience as a negative for trying Serzone.  I’ve noticed on the other meds many times I have an unusual reaction which just proves we all react differently to some degree. Wayne

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Folks,           I’ve been on the Paxil for about five weeks now,  feeling better but really experiencing the sexual side effects of the Paxil. I have heard that Serzone gives you all the benefits of Paxil and No sexual side effects.          Can anyone respond both pro and con for switching to Serzone. I’d like to get my drive/libido back. Also if you have made the switch from Paxil how did you do it, were you weaned off the Paxil slowly or just a cold turkey switch to the serzone. Thanks in advance for any and all responses. — Dan ICQ 108553906

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Question:

That is so excellent, every step in the right direction is a huge step forward! ok…went to see my ob/gyn yesterday for a checkup…and i finally broke down and told him i was suffering with depression…i was so embarrassed…started crying and everything…but he gave me some sample of this drug called Effexor…(spelled right?) i haven’t started taking it yet, guess i’m a little nervous of the side effects, if it has any. and he also gave me a couple of 800 numbers to call to see about therapy…too nervous to call them yet. but just wanted everyone to know, i’m on my way to getting "there" hopefully will be "happy" again… Toni

– "Anything is hard to find, when you will not open your eyes."

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Effexor XR was a good med for me. We’re going to try Zoloft. Effexor XR was fine but I still had some deep depressions. G

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Good to see you working in the solution. Now if I could just KEEP my head out of the problem more often. G

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Good for you, Toni! I’ve been through therapy too, and I know you will find it worth it. Howard

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ok…went to see my ob/gyn yesterday for a checkup…and i finally broke down and told him i was suffering with depression…i was so embarrassed…started crying and everything…but he gave me some sample of this drug called Effexor…(spelled right?) i haven’t started taking it yet, guess i’m a little nervous of the side effects, if it has any. and he also gave me a couple of 800 numbers to call to see about therapy…too nervous to call them yet. but just wanted everyone to know, i’m on my way to getting "there" hopefully will be "happy" again… Toni

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Question:

Does anyone here have any experience taking Effexor for ADHD?  My doctor just prescribed it.  I am taking 75mg per day.  I was taking Zoloft for depression, and he thought the Effexor would help with both the depression and the ADHD. Thanks, Phil Zerr

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Does anyone here have any experience taking Effexor for ADHD?  My doctor just prescribed it.  I am taking 75mg per day.  I was taking Zoloft for depression, and he thought the Effexor would help with both the depression and the ADHD. Thanks, Phil Zerr

About 1 month ago the same question was asked.  If this thread is not available to you check dejanews.com and search for threads on effexor.

More later George

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Hi.  yes i take zoloft and effexor along with some other meds for depression and hypomania.  they all work well.  i just have to remember to take the darn med’s daily.  otherwise all i can say is try it and see how it goes.  i have a complaint about my meds.  i am also an artist.  i can’t stand the flat line feeling (no mania)  i don’t feel energetic, creative, and grandiose with ideas (laugh).  i can’t sit still and study for my prof. exam.  i am so restless. not because the meds don’t work but because i don’t take my meds ON TIME or DAILY. it’s like i get too busy.  crazy huh?  Don’t feel bad, we’ll all find our balance… soon i hope.

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Hi.  yes i take zoloft and effexor along with some other meds for depression and hypomania.  they all work well.  i just have to remember to take the darn med’s daily.  otherwise all i can say is try it and see how it goes.  i have a complaint about my meds.  i am also an artist.  i can’t stand the flat line feeling (no mania)  i don’t feel energetic, creative, and grandiose with ideas (laugh).  i can’t sit still and study for my prof. exam.  i am so restless. not because the meds don’t work but because i don’t take my meds ON TIME or DAILY. it’s like i get too busy.  crazy huh?  Don’t feel bad, we’ll all find our balance… soon i hope.

You keep forgetting because of the flat feeling.  You don’t like it. From my experience, the SSRIs – zoloft – may cause this feeling.  I recently tried an SSRI that is new to the U.S. – Celexa  - which made me feel like sleeping all day.  I guess it reduced my impulsivity, but it increased my inattention.  Paxil was also useless for me for several similar reasons.  The Effexor seemed to be very helpful without the flat feeling, but I developed such miserable urinary tract irritation that I could not sleep.  Fortunately, for you, this side effect is uncommon.   In summary, my experience is that Effexor, which is not a SSRI,  is more effective in ADD treatmant than SSRIs.  However, for some people SSRIs are effective and often SSRIs are used in conjunction with other drugs to treat ADD.  I would suggest that overmedication with SSRI’s is not good for an artist.  It’s ok for an artist to be a little hypomanic.  It’s far better than losing one’s creativity.  Just don’t be tempted to be manic.  Talk about a rebound effect… You should discuss your problem with meds. with your doc. so that you will take your medication as prescribed rather than self-medicate.  Perhaps less Zoloft and more Effexor would work better.  Perhaps your overall dose is too high.  Your failure to follow dosing instructions could be showing that your ADD symptoms are not being well treated, also.   I certainly can not tell you, but you should think about these possibilities. George

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I just started taking effexor for depression.  I quit taking paxil and last year I was on zoloft.  I am not sure how I feel about it yet.  Would enjoy talking with you about it.

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Question:

I’ve been off the stuff for about 3 days now..can’t really say I feel that bad…I actually feel BETTER….my body feel so much less sluggish and I want to DO stuff and I don’t feel uneven or unstable by any stretch of the imagination. I just feel good because this is actually turhing out to be an "up" week for me.  Maybe I don’t need the meds…  I dunno….things are on an upward curve for me at eh moment.  I feel great….great great great…..not upity, but just plain old great. i think.

dear spacegurl, i’ve done what you’ve done so many times…hell, i’m not on any mood stabilizers right now (shhh!) actually, i’m going to my doctor to trade my (rash-inducing…but that was just me…) tegretol for what i’m guessing will be neurontin, since i’ve tried most others. my summary of life without meds: short term, i felt fine. long term, i never have really gotten better. i haven’t had any unusual catastrophes, but i’ve just never been able to really "heal." my mood/neuro-issues still interfere with my life. it’s cyclical, so somtimes i think i’ll be fine without… in fact, i stayed off meds for seven years. but i am coming back to try again. i haven’t been able to produce much artwork (except for my website) or hold a job for long, i feel alternately sad and without energy or frightened/agitated, and my boyfriend and i are increasingly socially isolated due to my having a panic attack half of the times we try to go out. note: i also haven’t been able to stick to an exercise schedule of any kind when depressed! this seems pathetic to me, as i used to take ballet, race bikes, etc. so i am urging you to try different meds instead- and on your terms. my first time on lithium, i gained a ton of weight and consequently felt so betrayed by my doctors, who didn’t even warn me…and i’ve also tried depakote. neither worked for me anyway… I do’nt see how any meds that make you gain weight can make you happy.  At least not for me.

i really do agree. as i’ve said before (on this newsgroup,) every med i try is a gamble- it may help, it may not. whereas i *k*n*o*w* that the more weight i gain, the more depressed i’ll get. it’s just common sense to be unwilling to take a drug that makes me depressed via weight gain when i’m taking it to alleviate depression in the first place! call it vanity if you wish, but that’s my philosophy. I know, I need to change my views on this, but hey…I am doing what I need to do.

i know- believe me. but before you leave the mystical world of psychopharmacology, i really wanted to show you this: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ask the Expert – Mood Disorder Meds Weigh In Q. What mood disorder medications are most likely/least likely to cause weight gain? Information on both bipolar and unipolar drug therapy would be appreciated. A. The following is a basic summary of the effects of various mood medications, and their usual effect on weight: Key +++ weight gain very likely, often exceeding 8 lbs ++ weight gain sometimes seen, usually modest (5-6 lbs) + weight gain uncommon (less than 5% of patients) and usually less than 5 lbs. Antidepressants Fluoxetine (Prozac), Sertraline (Zoloft), Paroxetine (Paxil) + Bupropion (Wellbutrin) + Venlafaxine (Effexor) + Tricyclics Elavil, Tofranil, Doxepin and others +++ Mood stabilizers Lithium +++ (average weight gain=9 lbs) Valproate (Depakote) ++ Carbamazepine (Tegretol) + Note: Some elderly patients actually lose weight while taking Prozac. These figures are based on the literature, and my own experience. Patients vary greatly in their responses, however, and there are always patients who gain weight when they weren’t supposed to on a given agent.

i’m admittedly not sure where i got this.. it was a well-established website that i found easily by entering "weight" and "bipolar" into a search engine. spacegurl, i just want to let you know that not all drugs cause fattening. some even encourage loss (wellbutrin has been known to cause a loss of over 5 pounds in about 25% of the people who take it, for example. i wouldn’t really recommend  it as the most effective drug out there, but your results may differ.) i haven’t seen most of your posts leading up to this, but if you’re really quitting meds over the weight issue alone, you still have a range of options you could try (tegretol, neurontin…) love and luck, selene

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Well,  I just thought I’d check in with you guyus and first of all thanks you all sooooooo much for your e-mails and responses on here.  they really did help me.  I know you guys think that I am drilling a hole in my foot doing what i"M doin, but I can’t think of any other way.  I’ve been off the stuff for about 3 days now..can’t really say I feel that bad…I actually feel BETTER….my body feel so much less sluggish and I want to DO stuff and I don’t feel uneven or unstable by any stretch of the imagination. I just feel good because this is actually turhing out to be an "up" week for me.  Maybe I don’t need the meds…  I dunno….things are on an upward curve for me at eh moment.  I feel great….great great great…..not upity, but just plain old great. i think. But the weight thing was just a pisser for me.  I do’nt see how any meds that make you gain weight can make you happy.  At least not for me.  I know, I need to change my views on this, but hey…I am doing what I need to do. I think it is great that people out there are able to get help w/ the medication.  I won’t ever go backk on the stuff….i won’t. never ever ever…yuck. So, just thought I"d let you all know I am doing excellent w/ out the meds! — For more information about this service, send e-mail to:

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I’m a new poster to this list and I am hoping that someone out there can give me some advice on Effexor. I take anti-depressants for chronic pain.  I just recently switched from Serzone to Effexor.  The Serzone was working well, but I was having trouble concentrating. I have been taking the Effexor for two weeks.  When I first started taking it, I was taking 75 mg. per day, but I had terrible side effects.  I had panic attacks, blurred vision so bad I couldn’t drive, twitching/shaking, and more. I’ve cut the dosage down to 37.5 but I’m still having some sleep disturbances and difficulty achieving orgasm.  Other than that, I’m actually feeling pretty good on it?  Does anybody have any input on this? Or had any experiences with side effects?

Been on it about 9-10 months.  Have had mostly good to say about it (but the first couple of days were tough).  The side effects have waned considerably without excessive loss of efficacy.  I still don’t sleep well though unless I take my nighly Ambien.  I don’t know if that particularly side effect will ever go away.  Given that I already had problems with insomnia… But by and large it’s been great for me.  The only times that it seems to not keep me from slipping are hormone upheaval times and I’d have to guess by your address name that this won’t be a problem for you.  (too much anyway). Take care and good luck, KCat — For more information about this service, send e-mail to:

Response:

I take anti-depressants for chronic pain.  I just recently switched from Serzone to Effexor.  The Serzone was working well, but I was having trouble concentrating. I have been taking the Effexor for two weeks.  When I first started taking it, I was taking 75 mg. per day, but I had terrible side effects.  I had panic attacks, blurred vision so bad I couldn’t drive, twitching/shaking, and more.

I am currently taking Effexor myself at 150mg a day with no severe problems. It took me over two weeks to adjust to it though.  The very first day I took the medication was not very pleasant, as I recall.  I had all kinds of side effects for the first two weeks.  These side effects grew less with time. I’ve cut the dosage down to 37.5 but I’m still having some sleep disturbances and difficulty achieving orgasm.  Other than that, I’m actually feeling pretty good on it?  Does anybody have any input on this? Or had any experiences with side effects?

Effexor can cause both of the problems you describe.  In my case, my last dosage is at 4 PM so I do not have problems sleeping.  Maybe you should consult your doctor over the times you take the medication.  Effexor can cause anorgasmia and other anomalies of that kind (I know!), but except in severe cases this should not be a severe problem (in some ways it can be viewed as an advantage!). If you need more details feel free to mail me at (remove the —-)

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I have been taking the Effexor for two weeks.  When I first started taking it, I was taking 75 mg. per day, but I had terrible side effects.  

My doctor started me out at 37.5 per day for a few days, then I went up to 75. Now, I’m at 150. Of the four ADs I’ve been on, Effexor has probably been the least annoying. I’ve cut the dosage down to 37.5 but I’m still having some sleep disturbances and difficulty achieving orgasm.  

Effexor tends to be stimulating. My pdoc had me go with the last dose about 4 PM and that helped. (Actually, as long as I don’t take it immediately before going to bed.) Other than that, I’m actually feeling pretty good on it

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Hi, I’m a new poster to this list and I am hoping that someone out there can give me some advice on Effexor. I take anti-depressants for chronic pain.  I just recently switched from Serzone to Effexor.  The Serzone was working well, but I was having trouble concentrating. I have been taking the Effexor for two weeks.  When I first started taking it, I was taking 75 mg. per day, but I had terrible side effects.  I had panic attacks, blurred vision so bad I couldn’t drive, twitching/shaking, and more.   I’ve cut the dosage down to 37.5 but I’m still having some sleep disturbances and difficulty achieving orgasm.  Other than that, I’m actually feeling pretty good on it?  Does anybody have any input on this? Or had any experiences with side effects?

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