... anxiety attacks and they are getting worse. Is there anyone in here taking Effexor XR and how is it helping you? Thank you, Nikki
Hello all, one ? I am currently taking Effexor XR for anxiety and depression. But I'm still having?
Question posted by FDSAnxiety on 14 Nov 2009
Last updated on 12 August 2020
19 Answers Page 2
I had the same problem with Effexor XR. I talked to my doctor about Abilify. Abilify is a "Mood Stabilizer" used with antidepressants such as Effexor Xr when you feel like you're not getting the full effect of the antidepressant. I take it and it works Great! It takes a few weeks to start working but it's amazing. It does cost a fortune but it's worth it in my opinion. If you're having anxiety you should check out xanax. I also take xanax. It gets a bad rep do the addicts that abuse it but if you take it as prescribed you shouldn't have a problem. Hope this helps!
Taking effexor 150 three months. Still depressed. Curious about Abilify?
I took Effexor XR and since it is just a ssri it really did not help with anxiety. However there are new meds that address both anxiety and depressipn ssri and a ssnri. Cymbalta, Prestiq are two that I know of. I am now on Cymbalta x 2 weeks I still have anxiety my doc said that it takes about 4 weeks to start working and that it will start helping the depression before the anxiety maybe the Effexor will work for you the same way but do let your Doctor know how you are feeling maybe he/she can change it or add something to it for the anxiety.
Hi barbles2413
Your post was informative... I saw a dose response curve for Effexor... if I read it correctly... Effexor treats the reuptake of serontonin at about 30 to 80 mg, where it maxes out. Then at about 150 it starts to affect the reuptake of norepinephrine
Isn't Prestig just the active metabolite of venafaxine?
Do not know a lot about Cymbalta
You are correct in saying Effexor acts as an SSRi from 30 to 150 mg than starts to affect norepi after that.but the other SSRis do not affect norepi and still help with anxiety.
And benodiaipennes Cant spell..offer quick relief from anxiety..acting on Gaba A receptors
,
Not sure what is giong on Xanax affecting Gaba 1 receptors ok
me
ADs for social anxiety
, generalied anxiety disorder and panic disorder.;I take 37.5mg sr and it helps me chilll
It is not an SSRI. It is an SSNRI. Major difference.
I am currently taking it and have found it alright at first /a physc, didnt like me talking about euthanasia as a ___topic___and increased my meds to poisen level with drs help I am now self treating at my own rate I think I may increase soon
I am on the strongest dose for 3 yrs It keeps me from having bad thoughts, but I am still very depressed. I stay in my house alone all of the time. Shower once a week.
I took Effexor XR for panic attacks and it only worsened my anxiety. I would recommend talking to your doctor. How long have you been taking it? If you've been on it for more than two months or so, I'd probably ask your doc to change to a different SNRI or SSRI.
I was on Effexor XR for several years and I did not experience the anxiety. I switched to Cymbalta which is a SNRI and a SSRI and I am now experiencing anxiety so I can say I know how this feels and I am looking for the same answer about Cymbalta. Good Luck with finding your answer hopfully it is only a temporary side effect. Or may they can change you to something else.
I have taken effexor for a year now and I've been on cymbalta and that was an aweful drug I had to go off it. I just feel like I'm getting no where with the effexor, and I'm having panic attacks every day now.
Thanks for answering, Nikki
I have been on Effexor for about 1 1/2 years. I only took 75mg for a year and then it stopped working. My doc changed it to 150mg and it is finally working. It did take about a month or two for it to really start to work. I do still have anxiety attacks every now and then but not on a daily basis. What dosage are you on? Maybe they can change that and it may start to help. I hope you get the answers you need. I know how bad it feels to have anxiety attacks everyday and it is not fun.
I also am on Effexor XR 75mgs, and recently started having major anxiety and panic attacks, so my doc also has me on Ativan .5mg, which has helped me alot. I just wish i could find one pill instead of having to take two, but for now it works, so I'm happy and feeling much better.
Effexor can make you anxious at first, and its horrible, then settles - well did for me. It wasnt pleasant BUT I have been on it 3 times now, am again on it as for depression its brilliant. I have been on Cymbalta, Zoloft, Paxil (Aropax in Aust) , and Remoron. Now for me Remoron (Avanza in Aust) sent me violent, agro, irritated, agro agro agro. I had to stop it after a week. Some of these have caused me to feel low moodsfir anxiety zoloft & paxil are brilliant - but Effexor XR helped. Its hard. Know who you are & get good advice. Like some of them can worsen your symptons then mellow out to be ideal. Its hard.
Update: I'm still taking Effexor XR 75mg (name brand), and recently added Klonopin .5mg (generic version) I feel great. This is the perfect combination for me. I haven't felt this good in years. I liked the Ativan, however it didn't last very long, but the Klonopin last much longer. I'm happy and enjoying life again.
Thanks for all the comments.
From my experience (and I'll say upfront that EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT), that Effexor XR is not one of the best drugs for Panic Disorder. Also, it has the worst withdrawal syndrome of all the SSRIs/SSNRIs (this is from experience and from much research-See crazymeds.com's page on Effexor).
I was put on Wellbutrin XL, which increased my anxiety; however, I was in a deep, suicidal depressive state, and it DID help that. It caused horrid insonmnia, though, so I've stopped it. And it's BS that there's no withdrawal symptoms if you don't taper - I had muscle aches, depression, was tired ALL the time, etc.
Right now I'm just on Xanax (for panic attacks only) and Klonopin 2mg at bedtime for insomnia. The Klonopin hasn't been working for insomnia but it's decent for preventing panic attacks. Before Klonopin, I was having them up to 5x per day.
I think Serotonin is just NOT always the reason for many mental illnesses, including panic disorder, for some people. They've done studies that show that low serotonin in the brain does NOT correlate with depression, and high levels of serotonin in the brain does NOT prevent depression. I know that many SSRIs/SSNRIs work quite well for people, so I'm not discounting that it does help many people. Just not all of us.
I've tried pretty much EVERY drug for insomnia, with no luck (Doxepin, Nortriptyline, Amitriptyline, Trazadone, Remeron, Ambien, Sonata, Lunesta, Restoril, Dalmane, Benadryl, Meditation, Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, Valium, Flexeril, and others).
Does anyone have any suggestions as to what the hell is wrong with my brain?
My histamine receptors adapt after ONE DAY. ie if I take Remeron one night, it works fine. The next night, I feel NOTHING (except a huge carb craving, ugh). What's up with that?
I have been taking effexor XR since i was 33 i am know 47. I haven't had any problems but i worry of the effects later as i get older?
I've was on Effexor for 2 years till I hit the max dose, and now on Cymbalta for the past year for depression and chronic pain. I couldn't handle the cymbalta until the doc added Bupropion to mask or rid some of the unwelcome cymbalta side effects. These helped with depression, but I still had anxiety attacks - most I could get thru with 'mind' exercises, but some I need Lorazapam or Valium to handle an attack... Both lorazapam and valium work for me, but my doc switches up on them about yearly to reduce chance of dependency.
I have found there is no one pill to solve my problems.
Cymbalta is not both an SSRI and SSNRI. Cymbalta is an SSNRI only.
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effexor, effexor xr, depression, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder
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