# Pristiq



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

I just got back from my appointment and the Doc is getting me off of Celexa and putting me on Pristiq. Is anyone here on this? How long did it take to work? What did you notice? Any info on Pristiq will be helpful. Thanks! Oh he put me on 50mg if you were wondering.


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

Prestiq gave me a lot of nausea and helped reduce my appetite thats about it.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

I don't start until tomorrow morning. I hope it helps my concentration and increases my energy level.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

Anybody else know anything about this stuff or do you take it?


----------



## sadboy (Jan 29, 2010)

I think Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) is very similar to Effexor XR (venlafaxine) and Effexor XR was the best antidepressant for me until it stopped working. Now I'm back on 150 mg of Effexor XR and it seems to be working again.

I think Pristiq is just a newer, better version of Effexor XR with less side effects.

Good luck man.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

The first two days were pretty good. Yesterday was okay and Today is just okay. He said it acts in full force in about 2 weeks. So we will see. It makes my head feel a little funny but has not really changed my mood or consideration issues.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

LaRibbon said:


> Yeah I took it for a month. It made me jittery and chatty. I quit due to bad side effects. Goodluck with it. Coming off it is absolutely shocking though.


Why? Is it bad withdraw?


----------



## redtogo72 (Jun 7, 2008)

Pristiq is a newer SNRI, and I don't know much about it except from what I've seen from the ads on TV. Here's the most recent thread on Pristiq: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/forum/f30/pristiq-52490/.

I know, at least, that when I was tapering off Effexor had bad discontinuation syndrome symptoms. I went up to 300-350mg of it so it took a while to completely get off of it. I'm tapering off Lexapro right now.

I hope Pristiq works for you.


----------



## jarrod2279 (Feb 4, 2010)

Hi, I'm on day 4 of Pristiq 50mg. I'm also taking Xanax as needed.
I've tried Effexor XR in the past with some success but also with some common side effects (dry mouth, delayed orgasm, feeling jittery) and the bad withdrawal.
I've tried Celexa and Lexapro numerous times too.

I'm finding Pristiq pretty easy going as far as starting meds goes.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm on day six now and I've been even more irritable than normal. I really think I have ADHD. I see my Doctor in another week. Maybe the Pristiq will make a turn around in me by then. As of right now it seems to be having an oppisite effect.


----------



## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

steelpenguin79 said:


> I'm on day six now and I've been even more irritable than normal. I really think I have ADHD. I see my Doctor in another week. Maybe the Pristiq will make a turn around in me by then. As of right now it seems to be having an oppisite effect.


Is it getting worse with each day? If not, I would stick it out a few more days and then if things are still going downhill switch meds.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

IllusionalFate said:


> Is it getting worse with each day? If not, I would stick it out a few more days and then if things are still going downhill switch meds.


Yeah it's getting worse each day. I'm going to stick with it untill I see my Doc in about a week and half from now. Xanax just knocks me out, Celexa might as well have been a tic tac, and Pristiq is just making things worse. I really think I have some ADD or ADHD. Maybe my mental health specialist will think about that and do something about it.


----------



## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

steelpenguin79 said:


> Yeah it's getting worse each day. I'm going to stick with it untill I see my Doc in about a week and half from now. Xanax just knocks me out, Celexa might as well have been a tic tac, and Pristiq is just making things worse. I really think I have some ADD or ADHD. Maybe my mental health specialist will think about that and do something about it.


How long were you on Celexa on, and do you remember the dose you tried it at?


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

IllusionalFate said:


> How long were you on Celexa on, and do you remember the dose you tried it at?


For two years and 20mg. It never did anything for me.


----------



## jarrod2279 (Feb 4, 2010)

steelpenguin79 said:


> Yeah it's getting worse each day. I'm going to stick with it untill I see my Doc in about a week and half from now. Xanax just knocks me out, Celexa might as well have been a tic tac, and Pristiq is just making things worse. I really think I have some ADD or ADHD. Maybe my mental health specialist will think about that and do something about it.


Good on you for sticking it out until you see your doctor. The first two weeks can be awful!
I've been using the Xanax to knock myself out and have some sleep during the day to cope with nausea.
All the best.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

Day six and this still sucks! Head aches in the evenings and I'm getting more irritable. Zero change at all and actually it is getting worse.


----------



## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

steelpenguin79 said:


> For two years and 20mg. It never did anything for me.


That's a low dose. I would try escitalopram (Lexapro) @ 20mg or citalopram (Celexa) @ 60mg before ruling out SSRIs. Obviously you'll want to gradually increase your dose over time rather than starting out at these doses to minimize side effects.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

IllusionalFate said:


> That's a low dose. I would try escitalopram (Lexapro) @ 20mg or citalopram (Celexa) @ 60mg before ruling out SSRIs. Obviously you'll want to gradually increase your dose over time rather than starting out at these doses to minimize side effects.


Insurance will not cover Lexapro and my Pcyh Doc seems to think that SSRI's Don't work for my and I tend to agree with him. I see him again on April 8th so well see what's next.


----------



## IllusionalFate (Sep 10, 2008)

steelpenguin79 said:


> Insurance will not cover Lexapro and my Pcyh Doc seems to think that SSRI's Don't work for my and I tend to agree with him. I see him again on April 8th so well see what's next.


You tried only one SSRI, and at a pointless dose as well, so he concludes SSRIs don't work for you -- then he prescribes an SNRI? Strange pdoc you've got there. :con


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

I've been on this crap for two weeks now! Nothing has really improved. My fuse is a little bit longer but I'm still having concentration issues and fatigue. Sigh..........


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

I'm going on week 4 of Pristiq and my mood and concentration issues have not changed. Plus I've had to pop Advil like tic tacs because of headaches in the evening. I'm guessing it's safe to say that Pristiq does not work for me. I wonder what the Doc wants to try next?


----------



## jarrod2279 (Feb 4, 2010)

My doctor is pulling me off pristiq after 3 weeks. Seems to be making me feel a lot more agitated and suicidal. He prescribed valium to help with the crappy come down.

All the best steelpenguin79.


----------



## Phibes (Mar 8, 2009)

I'm onto day 33, coming up to 5 weeks, this is great medicine for me.  

Concomitantly with the medicine, I feel that the following lifestyle changes have really helped the healing process:
- I quit alcohol as of the 1st of jan 2010. 
- I've been exercising for 45mins each night on my bike. 
- Eating healthy food. 
- Going to university <- This is a big one! I'm making friends, doing something worthwhile which in effect makes me feel like a good human being - doing something with my life.


----------



## jim_morrison (Aug 17, 2008)

Phibes said:


> I'm onto day 33, coming up to 5 weeks, this is great medicine for me.
> 
> Concomitantly with the medicine, I feel that the following lifestyle changes have really helped the healing process:
> - I quit alcohol as of the 1st of jan 2010.
> ...


What dosage do you take?

Congrats on quitting alcohol btw, I quit drinking about 2 yrs ago now and have never looked back , and congrats on attending uni too, I'm bad with that one, I usually miss class then watch the lecture online....damn 'blackboard/elearning' computer program lol.


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

Well I go to my pych Doc today at 10:45 EST. I've been on Pristiq for one month and I have all the same problems with added head aches. I want off this stuff because it is not helping my mind set and fatigue issues. Plus I've been popping Advil like crazy because of all the head aches I'm getting as a side effect. Any guess on what I'll get next? I'll let you guys know when I get back but lets see if anyone can guess right. You can see my script history in my signature so that should help out. See ya soon.


----------



## mike8803 (Feb 21, 2010)

Try zoloft at 150 mg a day


----------



## steelpenguin79 (Feb 13, 2010)

*He put me on* *Wellbutrin XL 150MG in the morning for two weeks and after two weeks bump it up to 300MG.*


----------



## kirribilli (Mar 9, 2010)

steelpenguin79 said:


> *He put me on* *Wellbutrin XL 150MG in the morning for two weeks and after two weeks bump it up to 300MG.*


I'm on Day 16 on Pristiq, and my depression is much lighter although the good mood does fluctuate during the day; the headaches are few and manageable as are most of the other side effects, with the exception of concentration and focus, which has declined on this drug, and a periodic sluggishness which may be from occasional insomnia or from the drug itself; I'm not sure. My biggest complaint, though, and the only one that might drive me off the drug, is that the impact on specific anxieties and the related panic attacks is minimal; the drug alone is not sufficient to get through an attack -- I still need a drink or two, which is what I needed before, and these panic attacks/phobias are the main reason I went for help. It's nice being in an elevated mood, and I am quite happy to keep that. But it's not the biggest problem I am really looking to fix. I'm still self-medicating, when necessary (speeches, meals in public with people not close to me). (Btw, Xanax didn't work; Valium is too ragged and my doc won't give me Klonopin because of past drug abuse.) Any further thoughts are always welcome.


----------

