effexor question

[doingmybest]

I have had anxiety issues for several years and finally got a script for Effexor (I think that is the spelling) but I'm scared to death to take it. I don't want to get addicted, I just feel like I need a little help to get through this time.

Does anyone else have experience with this drug? Or others that work well and are easy to wean off of.

Thank you, this site has been so helpful. It's nice to know that I'm not alone (even though I feel like it sometimes).

[cred]

Hi there,
I was on effexor for a couple of months. This was after I had tried Zoloft and Ativan with no success.
My experience is that effexor helped me a great deal. I was only on it for a couple of months then decided to ween myself off it cause I was feeling so much better.
My advise is to not do what I did. I went off the drug thinking my anxiety symptoms were gone and I didn't need the medication. In reality the drug was getting rid of these symptoms and they just came back.... Hope that makes sense.
I did ween off slowly, but the withdrawal effects were still really bad. It seems my anxiety sypmtoms multiplied. I don't want to scare you, but you should be aware.
I've been off the drug for just over a month now, and am learning to deal with my anxiety without medication. It's a slow process, but day to day I know I'm getting over it.
All the best to you!

[setler]

I am on Effexor right now as well, for about a month now. It has been the most successful, next to Celexa and Remeron. The only noticable side effect for me is constipation and some irritable bowel syndrome, but if you take it at night it is not very noticable.

I wouldn't say that Effexor is addictive, nor any other antidepressant that I know of. The benzodiazapenes, like Xanax and Klonopin, are the ones that have addictive properties.

Hope this helps. Give it a shot! Just hold it all lightly, because sometimes they work, sometimes they backfire. You have to try to know though.

Good luck :)

[anxiousabout]

I have been on Efexor for close on 2.5 years now and have found it to be quite helpful. I was on Zoloft before that and didn't get much help with it. I started on 75mg dose of Efexor and went up to 150mg dosage which I have stayed on.

You will not get addicted to it, it is an anti-depressant and as others have mentioned it is not like drug types such as Valium or Xanax.

When you are ready to stop taking the medication its all about gradual reduction in the dosage. So your doctor will start giving you half dosage, then quarter dosage etc. until you are not on it anymore.

One really important thing I have discovered with Efexor is never to miss a dose. I get bad dizziness and feel nauseous if I miss a day. Always make sure you have enough medication so you don't miss out because the feeling of skipping a dose is really unpleasant.

All the best for you and don't be scared of taking Efexor. It will take a few weeks for you to feel any effects and for it to get into your system but I am sure you will feel benefit for it.

[doingmybest]

Thank you all for your help. I appreciate the feedback. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do but it nice to talk to people that have experience with it.