# Has anyone tried the new drug Fetzima?



## Ineko (Jan 5, 2014)

Its for depression and its an SNRI

SSRI's make me very sick, so I was wondering before I take this has anyone had it yet and what were actual side affects?


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## The Professor (Jul 31, 2011)

"On 20 January 2011, Forest and Pierre Fabre Medicament announced that levomilnacipran *was no better than placebo* in a late-stage clinical trial. Two other late-stage trials will be finished in mid-2011. *The FDA approved the product*, which is to be sold as Fetzima, in July 2013."

What else is new...

The patent on Savella is expiring so they simply isolate the levorotatory enantiomer and market a new drug. Idk OP, If anything, I would try Savella first. But then again, the side effects are pretty severe so possibly Fetzima would avoid some of the side effects at the expense of efficacy.


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## Ineko (Jan 5, 2014)

speaking of expense it's 75.00 bucks right now even though my first prescription was free with a coupon. The price alone maybe won't be keeping it,


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## LoveMissesG (Dec 21, 2011)

My doctor just gave me samples, but what is the difference between this & Cymbalta??


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## LoveMissesG (Dec 21, 2011)

*UPDATE* The drug is making me sweat more than usual & seems to have increased my anxiety. Could be because it deals with norepinephrine more than serotonin? =\


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## Ineko (Jan 5, 2014)

I've taken it two days now, it gives me a jittery feeling and lots of energy, then gives kinda has been down in the evening


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## LoveMissesG (Dec 21, 2011)

I woke up this morning acting very irritable & mean spirited towards my family members. I had to double my Xanax just to calm down! For anyone who has taken Wellbutrin, that is exactly what this medicine feels like. I don't think I'm going to continue. It's not worth the unexplained rage.


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## Ineko (Jan 5, 2014)

I agree about the Wellbutrin, that medicine makes me itchy and so does this. It did shut off my over thinking though, but the itching isn't worth it


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## Ineko (Jan 5, 2014)

had to completely stop taking it, so I'm w/o a antidepressant and I'm paranoid and my chest hurts. I'm worried over things I can't change. this is bad very bad


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## LoveMissesG (Dec 21, 2011)

My dr told me to break the capsule open & take a few of the granules. Well I took three & didn't notice anything bad but nothing good either. Maybe I'll try again tomorrow.


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## TenYears (Jan 15, 2010)

Ineko said:


> had to completely stop taking it, so I'm w/o a antidepressant and I'm paranoid and my chest hurts. I'm worried over things I can't change. this is bad very bad


I'm sorry, I really am beautiful. I wish I could be there to give you a hug irl. It will get better. You just need to find a med that works for you. It took me years of trying.


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## will22 (Mar 28, 2011)

Oh boy, another SNRI...


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## loneliness (Oct 3, 2013)

Looks like they pulled off another Pristiq. :roll


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## LoveMissesG (Dec 21, 2011)

It's funny because I asked my doctor for Pristiq (Cymbalta just wasn't doing the job) & she hands me this mess. Her excuse was that Pristiq had bad withdrawals associated, as if the rest don't LOLOL


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

will22 said:


> Oh boy, another SNRI...


And they named it after Zima, that alcoholic beverage from 20 years ago.


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## GiftofGABA (Oct 2, 2013)

I once had a Portuguese cleaning lady named Fetzima. Never tried her though.


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## Ineko (Jan 5, 2014)

UltraShy said:


> And they named it after Zima, that alcoholic beverage from 20 years ago.


I remember that drink, and blue sky or something or other
Anywho called my doc up and got put on Remeron...
lets see side effects are...increased appetite?!?? and weight gain?!!! 
/sigh


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Ineko said:


> Anywho called my doc up and got put on Remeron...
> lets see side effects are...increased appetite?!?? and weight gain?!!!
> /sigh


Remeron at least lacks sexual side effects so common with other ADs, though it may make you fat & sleepy so pick your poison.


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## swim (Apr 4, 2011)

LoveMissesG said:


> *UPDATE* The drug is making me sweat more than usual & seems to have increased my anxiety. Could be because it deals with norepinephrine more than serotonin? =\


Yes. Levomilnacipran (fetzima) has a 1:2 relationship between preferring serotonin and norepinephrine, respectively.


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## gail (Jul 27, 2014)

I have been taking Fetzima for nine days and I'm experiencing a lot of night sweats which last into the morning when I get out of bed. I am also losing weight. Has anyone experienced the same side effects?


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## debl (Aug 4, 2014)

*fetzima*

I just started taking fetzima afew months ago. although my dr. increased my dosage to 80 mg it has worked very well for me. I don't feel too anxious and the depression has been kept at a distance.


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## Jennay (Aug 6, 2014)

*Sweating Like a Wh*** In Church...*



gail said:


> I have been taking Fetzima for nine days and I'm experiencing a lot of night sweats which last into the morning when I get out of bed. I am also losing weight. Has anyone experienced the same side effects?


I am also taking Fetzima 40mg and it's been for about 2 weeks and at first I notice EXTREME urge to vomit and that has slowly subsided but I do wake up feeling like I have had night sweats...but during the day I have EXCESSIVE SWEATING! It is absoutely disgusting! Anyone else dealt with this...do it last or will it subside as well.

If it will continue for as long as I am taking this med then I can't do it, but I just do not want to start over because otherwise it seems ok. I went from Lexapro to this....seems like a big jump. Any advice welcome. Thanks!


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## Jennay (Aug 6, 2014)

*Excessive sweating*



debl said:


> I just started taking fetzima afew months ago. although my dr. increased my dosage to 80 mg it has worked very well for me. I don't feel too anxious and the depression has been kept at a distance.


Any sweating (I know it is a common side effect)? If so, did it subside? It is driving me insane...I am freezing but sweating PROFUSELY! Thanks!


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## Mollcchiato (Sep 9, 2014)

*Fetzima.*

I have been taking Fetzima for 20 days now. No help for me AT ALL.
It has been making me feel way way restless, my pupils are always big, SO MUCH NIGHT SWEATING ITS UNBEARABLE, I've been getting hot spells, super irritable, pounding heartbeat, having crazy dreams, and just overall more over thinking about life to the point where I'm freaked out.

How does everyone else feel on it?

HELP.


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## 5tephanie (Sep 18, 2014)

*Started today*

I started Fetzima today. Everything else has made me sleep or nauseated. :)


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## Devs Demons (Sep 23, 2014)

*Fetzima - not looking good*



Mollcchiato said:


> I have been taking Fetzima for 20 days now. No help for me AT ALL.
> It has been making me feel way way restless, my pupils are always big, SO MUCH NIGHT SWEATING ITS UNBEARABLE, I've been getting hot spells, super irritable, pounding heartbeat, having crazy dreams, and just overall more over thinking about life to the point where I'm freaked out.
> 
> How does everyone else feel on it?
> ...


I've only been on Fetzima for 10 days.

[Brief background: I'd been deeply depressed for over a month. I hadn't wanted to even get out of bed, had to force myself to. I still wouldn't leave the house and didn't want any interaction with anybody - which isn't easy to get around when you have 3 kids who don't understand why and you haven't been able to make yourself have THAT conversation with them to explain why Mom is such a mess  I slept A LOT - not just to avoid all that, but because I felt so tired].

After only 2 days on Fetzima, I was feeling so happy again. I suddenly had so much energy; though I noticed that by early evening, fatigue would suddenly set in and I would go to bed early. But I just thought that was my Klonopin and Vistril. Then, I hit the fourth full dose mark and I was running hot and cold - physically and emotionally. I was going from sweating to chilling, from happy to irritable and back in short amounts of time. My anxiety levels started hitting the roof! And I've been able to stay steadily on lower dose of my Klonopin and Vistril for 2 months or more with no trouble. But now I'm struggling to keep from going back up  I fought so hard to stay lower  And I've been having the craziest dreams - that's why I picked your comment to quote. I thought it was just me. I haven't had such visually intense dreams, except during pregnancy (which hasn't been possible for 7 years), and they are SO REAL! I wake up from them feeling so disoriented and disturbed. And I don't feel rested at all. I haven't even been on Fetzima very long and I don't want to continue it. I don't want to go back to playing anti-depressant Russian Roulette with my doctor either  I hate being like this.


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## Gwendy (Sep 24, 2014)

*I'm taking fetzima... It's horrible!*

I have been on fetzima for 6 days and I feel worse now than ever. I have extreme nausea ..... All day, all night.. Can't sleep....very edgy. This is horrible!


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## cosmicslop (Nov 24, 2012)

I've been taking it since May since I was having another depressive episode that my normal medication set couldn't help me get out of. I haven't made any side effects other than nausea. I think it's helped me a bit to level my mood. But I stopped taking it back in July because I hated the nausea. I suspect that how i was slowly going back to feeling depressed for the past month a half was a result of withdrawing. I should tell my psychiatrist the next time I visit. Right now I'm seeing if upping my other med dosages during the day will help since my doctor said it's okay to take these certain meds as much as needed.


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## keithm (Feb 14, 2015)

I started taking Fetzima about 2 weeks ago and really feel good. Only problem is sex went down the drain. Before this i was on Effexor.


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## SweetSummertime (Sep 25, 2015)

I had been on Lexapro since this past March for generalized anxiety. It did wonders for my anxiety, but I felt lethargic, exhausted, and all of my emotions were numbed. I went to my doctor this morning and they switched me to Fetzima. Aside from the expensive price, I'm hoping that it will help keep my anxiety in control. 

What has Fetzima done for you all in terms of weight? Lexapro made ma gain a ton of weight (close to 20 lbs). I increased my gym activity and changed to better eating habits, but no change in weight. I'm hoping Fetzima will at least help me to lose that weight.


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## ladysmurf (Jan 3, 2012)

Hi all, I just wanted to know what experiences you had with this drug?? Thanks..


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

Never heard of it. :stu


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## Lauris (Nov 1, 2015)

Why do so many people have issue with weight gain from mirtazipine? It won't make you obese if you were thin. It increased appetite, but I still know to not stuff myself full every 2 hours and didn't gain a single pound.


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## RockmanJL9981 (Aug 23, 2012)

does Fetzima make you less anxious in public?


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## 18 years of nothing (Jan 31, 2016)

No.


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