Frank King45 said:My sleep has been worse since I started Effexor. Although, last night was actually a bit better.🙂 I don't usually have any issues sleeping, normally speaking. As for bumping up the dosage, my psychiatrist prefers making sudden changes, 🙂 but I took half a pill today.
On the other hand, Effexor let me sleep like a baby.🙂 I’ve been on various doses (up to 300 mg a day sometimes) for nearly 10 years. I tried switching over to Prozac to get off it—didn't work at all! I went totally cold turkey on Effexor three months ago, and I'm still dealing with pretty bad insomnia; honestly, that's the only side effect left from weaning off it (besides all those other nasty ones everyone knows about). I’ve been trying some herbal stuff with valerian and melatonin to help me sleep; they aren't terrible, but they just don't do the trick...😢
I’m constantly complaining about them, but honestly, I don't really care if they show up late.🙂 Sometimes you’re stuck waiting for up to 10 minutes, but what can you do? It's not like a 5 or 10-minute delay is going to ruin my life.🙂
For me, Pablo is the only way to go when I need a pharmacy.👍 The staff there are genuinely kind and helpful—they’ll actually take the time to walk you through everything.🙂 Unfortunately, the people at Farmacia aren't nearly as friendly. They aren't exactly approachable, so you basically have to pull information out of them tooth and nail, unless you get one of the rare nice ones,😁 which is why I avoid them whenever possible.😢
Yeah, and the Stela lab is over in Queens—not sure where else they have branches in the city. They’re super friendly and fast, too. Plus, they aren't pricey; they always seem to have some kind of deal going on.😍
Look, sorry if I’m coming on a bit strong here, but I really need some help! Which calming pills can I actually pick up over the counter? Besides valerian root🙄? Thanks in advance.....
shadowbear9, I was on Zoloft for a while myself. It was absolutely terrible—you can check my old posts if you don't believe me. The only thing was, I slept like a rock; I spent the whole day just counting down the minutes until I could crawl into bed and spaaaaaaave.🙂 Thankfully, I don't really struggle with insomnia. Sure, there are nights when anxiety keeps me up for a few hours, but it’s not a regular occurrence. My main fear is that my mom has been dealing with insomnia for years now, and since it seems to run in our family, I'm praying to God that her chronic sleeplessness doesn't pass down to me.🙂 Especially considering the depression.🙂
But again, for me, that medication was awful. I gained weight like a balloon, felt like I was constantly in a fog, did nothing but sleep, and stayed just as high-strung as before—if not worse. I'm on Effexor now and I feel good.🙂
Yeah, you never really know. The side effects clearly state that mixing alcohol with Effexor bumps up the suicide risk... which hits home because even just a single shot of Bailey makes me feel incredibly depressed.😢 Back when I was on Prozac, I’d have two or three vodka-juices, or maybe a rum and coke, and I felt totally fine. Honestly, I was actually happy—everything was hilarious, just pure bliss!😂 So, basically, Prozac worked fine with alcohol, but Effexor works without it.🤣
Just to add to that, mixing alcohol and Effexor is a bad move. Even if I just have an espresso with a splash of Baileys after lunch, my mood tanks and I end up feeling miserable for the rest of the day.😢 That’s honestly the only "downside" I get from Effexor; everything else is working perfectly for me.👍
Mark Nelson said:What I really want to know is how Zoloft has affected your weight, especially for those of you who have been on it for a while.
So, what's the deal with patients slowly putting on pounds over time? What has been your experience with that? 😁
For me, it was honestly pretty terrible.😢 During the few weeks I was on it—my doctor put me on 50 mg the first week and then immediately jumped me up to 100 mg—I didn't feel any improvement at all. I was still constantly pissed off, hating half the world, everyone was getting on my nerves, my heart was racing, and I was just exhausted... all I wanted to do was sleep.🙂The depressive thoughts just kept coming one after another... plus, I gained so much weight I almost had to go out and buy a whole new wardrobe.😱 My doctor tapered me off Zoloft pretty abruptly, and now I'm on Effexor. I started at 150 mg and I've been at 300 mg for a few weeks now, and I actually feel good.🙂
Lisa Myers said:I’m curious if there’s any psychotropic medication out there that actually causes weight loss 🤣? I’m being serious here—is there anything that genuinely suppresses appetite? I read somewhere that Zoloft works that way initially, but then the effect reverses... so, does such a thing exist? If that's the case, what do doctors prescribe for patients who are already struggling with weight issues? It seems counterproductive to give someone medication when we know it might just make them gain more weight 🤔
I gained weight like crazy when I was on Zoloft; you wouldn't believe it, I just kept getting rounder and rounder.😱 So Dr. Phil put me back on Effexor, and within about a month, I just "deflated" and went right back to my old self. I haven't heard of anyone actually losing a ton of weight from antidepressants—usually, it's the exact opposite; people end up looking like they're filled with air.😢
Chloe Hughes6 said:Oh, brilliant! Simply wonderful! Why don't you take a look at the previous posts on this forum and find my specific thread regarding Seroquel? It is also categorized as an antidepressant, yet the manufacturer has had to pay out $600,000,000 due to various lawsuits! The New York Times even ran a headline about a $560,000,000 settlement to "fix things" regarding Seroquel. The American commission told the Pentagon not to give it to soldiers in combat, yet they continue to provide it—and every doctor will insist it's a great antidepressant, even though it's primarily used for schizophrenia! It is one of the most frequently prescribed drugs in the world. Can you find me a single patient who has stayed on the exact same antidepressant long-term without their therapy being adjusted? These studies claiming antidepressants promote neurogenesis are nothing more than fabricated data, just like the claim that Seroquel is an antidepressant; in fact, it is banned for use as an antidepressant in Canada! Do you really think The New York Times would dare run a front-page exposé on pharmaceutical fraud if there weren't hard evidence? And can you even imagine the legal firepower of a company that earns more from that one supposed "antidepressant" than the entire annual budget of the Department of Defense? Where does all that money go? Why are posts pointing out the flaws and incompetence within psychopharmacology being deleted? My post about Seroquel is still here, but whether our colleagues above will let it stay, I cannot say.
As for Americans, they sue everyone for everything. You can't tell where the tail ends and the head begins anymore. People sue McDonald's because they're morbidly obese, blaming the company instead of their own massive appetites for inhaling ten burgers a day. They win these suits and walk away with huge payouts for "damages." One woman even sued McDonald's because her coffee was served too hot, and she managed to squeeze a few million dollars out of them! Regarding Seroquel, I’ve already mentioned that I personally hated it. It did absolutely nothing for me, and I gained weight like crazy. But I know people for whom Effexor works wonders, so it really just comes down to the individual.
I totally get where you're coming from.... I’m actually grateful for all these meds—or "brain chemicals," as some people like to call them. They don't realize that without this stuff, I wouldn't even be here today. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion, but honestly, I’m feeling pretty great right now (again).🙂 Long live Effexor!🙂
Chloe Hughes6 said:It is lovely that you are feeling cheerful, but won't this be short-lived? Just as Prozac stopped working for you, isn't it likely that the same will happen with Effexor? Once the neurotransmitters become saturated, won't you find yourself back at square one? Then comes a new medication, then you feel good again until the exact same thing happens... and so it goes on and on... while the brain just keeps burning out.
So what? I'll deal with that when the Effexor "inevitably" stops working. Right now, thank God, I feel totally fine. If it means having a new, better drug to turn to later, then fine. Honestly, I’d eat literal garbage if it meant feeling this good. And yeah, maybe I'll be okay, maybe I won't, then I'll be okay again—that's just life. Besides, my brain is already fried regardless; might as well let it happen while I'm actually enjoying being alive.
Just wanted to share a quick win: I’m back on Effexor and honestly, I feel amazing!🙂 After Prozac basically stopped working for me, my doctor immediately suggested switching over to Zoloft at 50 mg. I went back to see her about ten days later, and I felt absolutely terrible. I was so exhausted I could barely stay on my feet; all I wanted to do was sleep all day. She told me, "Fine, let's try 100 mg of Zoloft, you'll be feeling great in a week." So, I tried the 100 mg dose for the next ten days, but there was zero improvement. In fact, during those three weeks, I actually gained about 15 pounds!😲And just when I finally worked my ass off to get my body in shape! 🙂 Once my doctor realized how deep in the hole I really was, she decided to put me back on Effexor. We started at 75 mg, bumped it up to 150 mg after two weeks, and I've been on it for about a month now—everything is perfect. I also feel like that awful Zoloft is finally out of my system, because I can actually fit into my new jeans again. They're a tight squeeze, but they fit!👍
Quick question... A friend of mine is planning on shipping a package to me from Spain. It's just a standard box, weighs about 25-30 lbs; she can't find any info online regarding what the shipping costs might look like. Does anyone know where I could actually check that? The box is just going to have clothes and shoes in it; do you think Customs will give me any trouble?🙄🙄 Thanks for the help!🙂😉
I have to admit, even if I feel like Eli Lilly's meds are pretty mediocre, they actually helped me during the transition away from Valfax. Honestly, I didn't deal with nearly as many 😱 side effects as some people on here; and I managed that for a long time. But then, being an idiot, I decided to just quit all those "chemicals" cold turkey. I thought, "whatever, it's just going to hurt me anyway," and I let some "energy healer" talk me into it😵. Seriously guys, don't do that if you actually value your life🙂. Just be straight with your doctor; take it slow and do it right.🙂
Kenneth Scott41 said:Reading through all these posts, I get the impression that most people seem to be gravitating toward Wellbutrin or Prozac, treating them as if they’re somehow the gold standard or just the best fit for everyone. I’ve been on Wellbutrin myself, but lately, I can't help but feel like it’s stopped working... or maybe its effectiveness has just started to wane. It seems perfectly logical that you might develop a tolerance to a medication if you've been taking it for six months or so, but I suppose that leaves one wondering what the next move should actually be. Do you just bump up the dosage of the current one, or is it better to switch over to a different antidepressant entirely?
That was my experience too—I went from 75 mg to 150 mg and everything clicked. I think (not 100% sure, sorry) the max dose is around 300 or 350 mg.🤷 Or maybe 450?🤔 Best bet is to just ask your doctor.... Don't give up on it yet; this stuff is top-tier.
Honestly, nothing beats how good I felt when I first started taking Effexor🙂 😍 besides that Abilify... I was taking it alongside the Effexor, just one pill at a time—I can't even remember the exact dosage, but it wasn't much. The only real headache was that you couldn't even find it here in the States (at least not a few years back)🙂so I had to order it through some private pharmacy service. A single box ended up costing me nearly $667!😲 I didn't really deal with any major side effects; I actually felt totally chill and level-headed, which was honestly great...🙂 But since it was getting way too expensive, my doctor suggested I switch over to Prozac, saying it might work for me... and yeah, it kind of does, but not really🤷 Still, seeing the kind of side effects some of you guys are dealing with from Prozac, I probably should just keep my mouth shut. Luckily for me, I haven't hit any of those issues at all.....😛