Doc just gave me Effexor...question for anyone who might know
#68676 - 05/07/04 09:55 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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My doc just prescribed Effexor XR for me to try and help my stomach and anxiety issues. I had been on Paxil for a long time and it did help my tummy; however, I was trying to wean myself off it (down to 5mg) due to the side effects. I figured since my tummy was better when I was on regular dose of an anti-depressant, I'd see what the doc said, and so he gave me effexor.
My question is, when I was talking to the pharmacist he mentioned that Paxil works primarily on serotonin while effexor works more on noephrine (sp?) and dopamine (he was explaining why it was safe to overlap and take both for a few days). This made me question whether Effexor would be good for me, because I thought that it was the serotonin that affected the gut and made it better, so I'm not sure if the effexor will work. Anyone have any ideas?
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Effexor definitely works. I've been on it for several years now. It increases BOTH serotonin and noreprinephrine so you get a double benefit!
-------------------- Laura
Keep it simple!
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Good luck with the effexor. I've been on Paxil for two years - more for anxiety than depression. I tried Effexor and had vivid nightmares with the drug, which is a possible side effect. Hope you do well with it.
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Yeah, I have really vivid dreams but fortunately not nightmares. It's kinda cool, like mini-movies!
-------------------- Laura
Keep it simple!
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I'll try to answer the best I can on what I understand. I'm bi-polar and you use antdepressant to change the seritoin level in the brain and have it function better because it causes people to be depressed if their serition is low.
Some antidrepessent raise levels in the brain while some are more of a sedative that help to relax. Like prozac is supposed to help for depression where as adavan given to depressed people just straight out is supposed to calm them down.
If you haven't read Heather's book there is a spot in one of the books that also talk about antidepressant for either c or d.
I hope that I was helpfull.
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