sonicwhite Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Five weeks with no improvements. In the past I always felt something by the end of the first week. I just don't think this med is for me. I mean all I do is lay in bed waiting for night to come so I can sleep. But, I can't even escape that way either anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hagar Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Which AD are you on, Sonic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 No AD works in just one week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender fairy Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Your other thread says you just started taking this dose this week. That's not enough time to know if this med wors or not. Give it time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Five weeks with no improvements. I'd still give it another 2 or 3 weeks to see if it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiaB Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Is this the Effexor, which you only increased to 225mg a week ago? Effexor is an SNRI, but only really starts working on norepinephrine at around the dose you're at now. Look, this med may or may not be the right one for you, but you haven't given the new dose enough time yet. I know it's frustrating, and I also know from your past posts that you have a tendency to want to throw the baby out with the bathwater and ditch your meds before giving them a chance. Try to hang in there a while longer, and if you really get the urge to quit it, speak to your doctor, because Effexor is not a med you want to stop suddenly on your own. Trust me on that one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonicwhite Posted June 9, 2014 Author Share Posted June 9, 2014 (edited) I gave it four weeks at 150 mg and didn't feel any better. The doc said let's up it and see if it works than. I'm not talking about 225 in one week but have been and above 225 for five weeks. So I should at least feel the 150 right? When I first started taking Zoloft I felt it break thru a lot of sadness at the end of one week. SSRI's have always seem to have that effect. But also if my BP doesn't go down I'm going to have to come off it anyway. Frustrating like a mofo. Edited June 9, 2014 by sonicwhite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I can honestly say that in the past I was convinced I was on the wrong AD, but I just wasn't giving it time. You really need to allow several weeks after a medication is increased to notice any difference. Unfortunately it can be painfully slow, but hang in there. It would be harder to give up on Effexor and start from scratch with a new AD. You still have room to go up. With Effexor you can go up to 300mg, maybe even more, can't remember right now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 I've seen people around here on as much as 450mgs I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squish Posted June 9, 2014 Share Posted June 9, 2014 Generic venlafaxine did nothing at 75mg, very little at 150mg and kinda worked at 225mg but was significantly more effective at 300mg. I always got nothing but side effects for 2 weeks with every dose increase, started feeling the benefit after about 4, and was feeling better again after 6. YMMV, obviously. Given that you're already at 225mg, I'd try and stick it out for another couple of weeks. Maybe consider a 6 week trial of 300mg, if possible, before ditching it. It won't be that much more of a hassle to get off it and the extra nor-epinephrin can make a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonicwhite Posted June 10, 2014 Author Share Posted June 10, 2014 The only problem is my BP/Both my MD and Pdoc know that I have had high blood pressure since my heavy bout with Pure O OCD in 08.......And there changing the numbers around to where 80 is high not normal. I am rarely below 80 so I'm like well this is just going to escalate anyway so why bother........Inderal isn't that great of a BP med so I have to talk to my MD for something else.....It's just so frustrating....Like I examine what i am thinking whether i feel joy or not and it's just like Blah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiaB Posted June 10, 2014 Share Posted June 10, 2014 (edited) sonic, I don't really know what you want here. I have the strong impression that you've already decided that you want to ditch this med and you're hoping for affirmation and permission from us, neither of which you're going to get. At the end of the day it's your body and you're the one who has to deal with a pdoc who, I have to say, is remarkably tolerant of all your back and forth with various medication. Also, consider this: while none of us on CB is a doctor or here in a professional medical capacity, we represent some of the most highly medicated psychiatric patients in the world. There's a wealth of experience here, and if some of those highly experienced people are telling you that you're not giving the Effexor enough of a chance, it might be worth considering listening to us. Edited June 10, 2014 by miab Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonicwhite Posted June 14, 2014 Author Share Posted June 14, 2014 I'm not insisting anyone coax me to stop this med. I am almost at the sixth week mark at 150 mg and two weeks at 225 ......so I guess this was a miss. Trial and error I have to say I'm lucky because usually I always feel something from a med. I really don't know if it's a creeper more than just BAM! You feel waves of light in the dark hole you have been in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonicwhite Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 (edited) My problem of giving up hope is since I really didn't feel anything at 150 than why would 225 be any different. I'm not giving the med a chance I understand that but would it make a difference whether we where shooting for either doses. I guess some people find relief at higher doses and I should not give up. Also thanks guys for enduring this pain in the butt.......I'm going to give this med a little bit more time........ Edited June 15, 2014 by sonicwhite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 My problem of giving up hope is since I really didn't feel anything at 150 than why would 225 be any different. Even the littlest change could help you, but like others have said, try to give it time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonicwhite Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Yesterday was really this first day I felt the AD working. Now it wasn't like BAM but I kept getting what I call happy moments thru out the day. It was subtle but gave me a lot of hope that things where looking up. I just hope they continue... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lavender fairy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 It took about six weeks at the 225 mg dose for me to really feel the ful effects of Effexor. I have been able to stay at that dose because my depression is pretty much at bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts