HELP, please.

[elleng]

A question: Been taking effexor for couple years, seems to do pretty well. Taking 150mg and 37.5mg per day. Yesterday, Friday, I missed both (which I usually take at the same time, with/after eating)due to my weird/non-existent schedule. Pretty weird dream, actually dream not so weird but FELT weird IN the dream, and when I awoke, felt REALLY weird. Actually think IN the dream I was thinking about meds.

SO, when I woke, had a bite to eat and took meds. Feeling more normal every minute now. Its 8:30 Sat AM. SO, your thoughts on meds for today? Should I take some later today/tonight? Take the small one then? Take the large one?

Thanks for your advice. I do remember reading here about problems for those going OFF this particular med (which I have NO PLANS to do!)

[elleng]

1. RE-questing:

please let me know what you think.

[Lorien]

2. I wouldn't add an extra dose if that's what you're sking

less is better, more can have awful results. A friend's father in law has accidentally overdosed a couple of times and it made him downright wacky. Just resume the normal routine without adding to your dosage.

[elleng]

3. Thanks.

SO no more today, but tomorrow regular dose. I really appreciate the advice.

I was feeling downright wacky this morning, but 'normalcy' began resuming not long after I took them.

[yy4me]

4. Whatever you do, don't ever double up on this stuff. At the top

of my Doctors list of allergies sits Effexor. It is powerful stuff. I was put on it and took my first pill late one eve before bed. Got up in the AM and somehow made it downstairs, quickly felt strange but was able to call for my husband. I then fell forward onto the kitchen table, felt the complete loss of all muscle tension and saw a blinding white light in my right eye that seemed to pierce right through me. I had this strange feeling that I had to get away from the light and fought not to look. Strange that I could try an avoid looking at the light. I can't explain that. My husband called the doc after the worst seemed to pass. He was to keep the Doc informed. I spent 2 days on the couch feeling as though I was hit by a bus. It was a severe and unexpected reaction. I did not feel I needed to go to the Emergency room as it seemed to pass in about 5 minutes. It was then that the tiredness hit me.

If I had gone to the hospital, nothing would have been visible. Bottom line I guess is that all this stuff is potent and should be taken with care. Hopefully with someone near when you first take it. I was lucky to have my husband here to catch me as I fell forward.

[elleng]

5. Had you eaten near when you'd taken it?

I've been taking it for a few years, and haven't had any dramatic effects. But when I missed a day recently, really felt bad/weird, even in dream. That's why I checked with folks here.

My daughter (24) heard something about it some time ago, and ever since then she lectures me, 'that's terrible stuff; get off of it.' I could live without that, especially because depression is now aggravated by actual family events.

[yy4me]

6. I had taken it near bedtime. The MD said it didn't matter when.

An anti-depressant was new to me and I had no idea what to expect. I was taking no other medication. (I do now but not then). Now I take it in the AM with vitamins and a bowl of cereal.

He switched me to the generic Celexa which I pick up at Target for $4.00. No problems with that at all. Effexor and Celexa are a different chemical formulas from all that I have read. Don't take my word for what I am talking about,ask your Doc. If you go to www.ask.com you will find a good deal written about these and other drugs and their side effects--in layman's terms.

I too am on this medication to help me cope with severe events in the last couple of years. I believe it will be for a while longer. I'm sure you know that you never "Stop" taking this stuff, you have to go slowly, weaning your body from one thing to something else. The danger is in what the abrupt change does to your mental state.

[elleng]

7. I learned, after some time, that it should be taken with/near meals.

Says on container, 'take with food.'

Thought that might have been reason for your bad experience.

[hunter]

8. These drugs really seem to get enmeshed in my circadian rhythms.

I don't like to take any med once a day, especially effexor, because if I miss a dose and I'm taking it once daily it will really screw me up badly for a couple of days following. But if I miss one of a twice daily dose my body will let me know in good time NOT to miss the next dose, and I end up missing only half my daily dose, and I'm off balance for less than a day.

For a time I took effexor once a day with breakfast, but if I forgot it in the morning and took it in the afternoon there would be hell to pay. Some part of my internal clock would reset and I'd suffer something worse than jet lag for a few days afterwards.

I hate my damned brain meds, there are a few unwelcome side effects, but my unmedicated self is not a functional human being.

[no name no slogan]

9. I was on Effexor for about seven years

and like everyone else has said, DO NOT double up on it. If you miss a dose and it's only been a couple hours, then take it. If it's more than that, wait until the next one. Taking too much can make you sick, or could even be fatal if you take too much.

Also, do you take the XR version or the regular release? Effexor tends to leave your system relatively quickly (at least compared to other anti-depressants). When I took the regular version, I could feel it within a couple hours if I missed dose. I didn't get that so much after I switched to the XR.

[Ocracoker16]

10. I was on Effexor XR for 4 years

Effexor has a pretty short half life in comparison to other antidepressants. My doctor started me on Effexor, but she had to change it to Effexor XR because I was getting headaches in between Effexor doses.

[no name no slogan]

13. My experience was very similar

I'd take the first half of my dose at 7 in the morning, and by 3 I was already starting to feel a bit woozy. If I didn't take my second dose by 4, I was almost physically ill.

[elleng]

11. XR

All this is interesting info! I missed an entire day's dose (foolish me!) and felt SO WEIRD both in dreams and in 'real world' after I woke, it was clear something was WRONG! Actually, in the dream I knew I had to get home to get my med!

ANOTHER ?. STUFF going on in my life, so I'm not sure whether feeling more 'down' than usual, even WITH med, is due to that, or because I should take a heavier dose. Obviously won't do anything without discussing with my Dr. first. (She is a 'family' Dr/Internist, and DIAGNOSED me as being depressed with no suggestion from me!)

[no name no slogan]

12. It's not unusual to adjust dosage due to life situations-- but check first

I'm bipolar, and my primary drug is lithium. Like a lot of bipolars, I tend to cycle at certain times of the year-- I tend to go up in the spring and summer and down in the fall and winter. The doc and I adjust my lithium dosage accordingly, depending on what's going on and how I feel.

IIRC, you're right about in the middle range for the Effexor dose, so you have a little room to move around. But definitely talk to your doc before you do any kind of adjustments in your meds.
:hi:

[elleng]

14. I certainly will do that.

Thanks

:hi: