copperheron18 said:I’m honestly at a loss for words... I’ve been on Xarelto for over two months now, and while there are stretches where I feel fantastic—where I can actually tell the medication is doing its job—there are also these days where the most trivial, ridiculous little things just throw me completely off balance. On those days, I spiral into this intense fear and panic; I become so depressed that I lose all motivation to do anything, and I end up needing Xanax just to get through it.
Is this kind of mood swinging typical when you're on an antidepressant? 🤷
I have absolutely no idea how an antidepressant is actually supposed to function, and I don't really have anyone to talk to about it. It just doesn't make sense to me why I have these days where I'm so incapacitated that I literally cannot pull myself out of bed, yet during other times, I can clearly feel that Xarelto is "working" well.
It’s as if some minor nonsense knocks me completely out of my element, leaving me to rely on a bit of "assistance" from Xanax to steady myself; it seems like the only way I feel okay is with both drugs working together.
There was actually a window of two or three weeks where I was functioning perfectly fine on just Xarelto alone. There weren't any major life events or shifts happening that would justify feeling anxious or fearful. Clearly, I'm in such a fragile state that even the smallest, most insignificant things set everything off in my head.
Yes, those fluctuations—those shifts in mood—are entirely normal and to be expected. If you look at the patient information leaflet that came with your medication, it mentions that there is a certain risk regarding the emergence of suicidal thoughts or self-harm.
Effexor falls into a category sometimes labeled as a "heavy-duty" antidepressant, though, of course, it all depends on the individual.
It treats severe depression, but it requires time.
During that waiting period, regressions are quite common; you simply have to remain persistent. You could also have a conversation with your doctor, who might decide to add another medication (like AP or something similar) based on your symptoms, or perhaps adjust your dosage.
Effexor only shows its true benefits with long-term use; that is when you begin to react the way you expect to. Life isn't a constant, and neither is the illness, so you shouldn't expect miracles—but you can certainly achieve a high quality of life.
In fact, how much you expect from the process matters immensely... if you lower your expectations and realize that health arrives gradually rather than in a straight line, you will face fewer disappointments.
It is rare for serotonin syndrome (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor issues) to occur, but one should keep it in mind because while it is extremely rare, it isn't impossible.
Even when you aren't experiencing major depressive episodes, you continue taking the Effexor until your doctor tells you otherwise. 😉
