# Effexor XR, crazy anxiety a good sign?



## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

So I did post this in my effexor thread, but I wanted to ask the question separately in a new thread.

Been taking effexor XR 75 mg for now 8-9 days. Haven't felt anything until today, basically feel crazy wired, my hands have been clammy all day and sweating, and I feel like I've just drank about 5 cokes. Is this a good sign that it might help my anxiety? 

I've heard a lot of people say that their anxiety gets better after a week or two of unbearable anxiety symptoms. Should I keep rocking on with the effexor for 2 more weeks or should I switch over to parnate? 

SO WIRED.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

Well I posted basically this same thing in your other thread. Since you've only been on it a short time and are at 75 mg, it is reasonable to think that what you're experiencing are the side effects before the drug starts to "work." So if these side effects aren't unbearable to you and you want to see if effexor will give you desired results then yes stick with it for a couple weeks and see how it goes. 

But what you're describing was almost exactly the same as my experience while taking effexor even after a long time. So you won't really know for sure unless you stick with it a bit longer. 

I know this sucks and you must really be frustrated if it's medication number 8 for you. I am number 7, about a week and half in after starting lamictal. All the SSRI's/SNRI's failed me miserably and it really sucks having to spend a month or more on a drug, experiencing miserable side effects, only to find that it doesn't help your condition at all.

What you're experiencing could very well be side effects that will disappear soon. If it goes on for a month or more and you've already had the same experience of other SSRI's increasing your anxiety and not being helpful then it would probably be wise to drop it and stop wasting your time, energy and money on a drug that doesn't help you.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

istayhome said:


> Well I posted basically this same thing in your other thread. Since you've only been on it a short time and are at 75 mg, it is reasonable to think that what you're experiencing are the side effects before the drug starts to "work." So if these side effects aren't unbearable to you and you want to see if effexor will give you desired results then yes stick with it for a couple weeks and see how it goes.
> 
> But what you're describing was almost exactly the same as my experience while taking effexor even after a long time. So you won't really know for sure unless you stick with it a bit longer.
> 
> ...


The side effects aren't crazy unbearable, I just have chest pain at times, and my hands are always clammy atm. Did you have clammy hands, and did this stop after a month or so?

I think I am going to stick with it for a month like you said, I read on crazy meds to stick to 75 mg and if I feel nothing then there's no point going higher.


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

Maybe you're taking too big of a dose. Some increase in anxiety is normal but it usually wears off in a few days.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

I had clammy hands/excessive sweating that never went away while taking effexor, it was probably the most pronounced side effect besides sexual dysfunction and increased anxiety. I normally get chest pains associated with panic attacks, since effexor did nothing to reduce panic attacks for me I didn't notice MORE chest pain while taking effexor, just the same amount whenever I was feeling acute anxiety. Actually now that I've been of effexor for a while I have reduced anxiety, reduced experiences of chest pain. I'm also eating a lot less.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

clammy hands have been much better today, I also feel less wired. 

Does effexor XR mean that the drug releases every few hours or so? What does extended realease mean?

And if effexor XR @ 75 mg doesn't work on my anxiety, should I bump it to 150 mg after 4 weeks? When does the norepinephrine come in to play, because I need that. That's what the cymbalta was about and how it helped alot of my anxiety.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

I'm not sure of exactly what the method of extended release is that they use for effexor xr. If I remember correctly the 37.5, 75, and 150 mg doses were capsules full or very small, round pebbles of the drug. The 225 mg was just a pill. But yes, Effexor XR is designed to release the drug over an extended period of time, about a day as opposed to all at once. The effects on noradrenaline do not take effect until a dose of at least 150 mg/day is reached.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

So if cymbalta worked VERY WELL on my anxiety, and it was the first SNRI I've taken (with apparently equal balance between serotonin and NE) then it makes sense to bump it up to 150 mg then right?

Cymbalta has been the only thing where I've noticed all of my gagging anxiety/sweating/paranoia and fear to go away. 

It just unfortunately gave me suicidal thoughts a week later.

I think I can bump up from 75 mg to 150 mg without causing a horrible reaction right? Just not sure if the chest pain is going to get worse, its prettty bad at times, not sure if it can actually cause me to have a heart attack.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

You've only been at your current dose for 2 weeks max. Wait a couple more weeks before raising it 150 mg. I think most doctors will just raise you to 150 mg from 75 mg. But it is really best to take the titration a bit slower to lessen the side effects. 

I wouldn't assume that effexor xr at a higher dose will have the same effect at relieving your anxiety that cymbalta did. They're both two different drugs. It sounds like cymbalta has a stronger effect on noradrenaline than effexor does. This could be good or bad for you, it just depends on your brain chemistry.

Your best bet in seeing if effexor works you without causing undue stress is to stay at 75 mg for another week or two, hopefully the side effects will go away. Then go ahead and raise the dose to 150 mg. If you feel like that is helping and working good for you, then go ahead and go up to 225 mg for the greater NE effects you want.

If/when you quit effexor be very careful to lower your dose slowly because withdrawals from that drug are a nightmare.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

istayhome said:


> You've only been at your current dose for 2 weeks max. Wait a couple more weeks before raising it 150 mg. I think most doctors will just raise you to 150 mg from 75 mg. But it is really best to take the titration a bit slower to lessen the side effects.
> 
> I wouldn't assume that effexor xr at a higher dose will have the same effect at relieving your anxiety that cymbalta did. They're both two different drugs. It sounds like cymbalta has a stronger effect on noradrenaline than effexor does. This could be good or bad for you, it just depends on your brain chemistry.
> 
> ...


Since the clammy hands was better today, it really is only the chest pain side effect. I decided to just take 75 mg more an hour ago. Regardless it should work if it works, I should just have more side effects. I'd rather see some efficacy for mood + anxiety + side effects than have no efficacy + no side effects.

Hope it wasn't the wrong decision choosing effexor XR instead of parnate.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

another great night of sleep by using 150 mg effexor XR + 12.5 mg of seroquel.

Did not feel like I was being sedated, but I just somehow fell asleep which is very atypical because that doesn't ever happen. 

Effexor is still doing zilch for my mood though, I don't feel like talking, have 0 interest in anything which is kinda annoying being that I'm finally waking up at 8-9 AM and am up for the entire day.

I really can't tell if it's doing anything for the anxiety yet because I feel like doing absolutely nothing because I have no interest in doing anything. Which is very out of the normal for me, but pretty common when something isn't working on my mood.

Thinking of adding 50 - 75 mg of Zoloft with the 150 mg of effexor.


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## swim (Apr 4, 2011)

I just think you should stay on a single AD for longer instead of constantly switching meds.


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## istayhome (Apr 4, 2012)

swim said:


> I just think you should stay on a single AD for longer instead of constantly switching meds.


I agree. Even though I spent years trying almost every SSRI and SNRI and had absolutely no success. If you're going to try them you might as well give the med the best shot at actually working and spare yourself any undue stress and pain.

I've never combined two SSRI's so I don't have much to say about that. It seems pretty useless though as your whole reason for taking a higher dose of effexor is for it's effect effect on NE. I don't think most doctors would prescribe both prozac and effexor concurrently anyways so it's not really a long term solution.

Just be patient with the effexor, if it doesn't work, then move on. I know how much it sucks but if you're trying to find an AD that works for you it is reality.


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## gilmourr (Nov 17, 2011)

swim said:


> I just think you should stay on a single AD for longer instead of constantly switching meds.


I agree with you entirely. The only reason I'm skeptic about effexor is because I was not depressed when I was on zoloft, nardil, cipralex, remeron. Essentially every AD has helped my depression, and when I transition I never go back into deep depression because I'm just replacing the previous med with an AS EFFECTIVE AD.

But this time when I replaced it with effexor my mood has been going downhill. The only reason I'm still on it is because I felt it giving me crazy anxiety 2-3 days ago and I thought this was a good sign.

I'm going to switch to parnate because MAOI's have been very effective with my depression.


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