Pristiq

[Iridisis]

Has anyone tried this antidepressant? I have been on it almost a month and honestly I feel like it's a placebo. The Dr. says it's very new and it's the "best" he has seen. I've been on a number of AD's and with the exception of the very first SSRI I tried in '93, nothing has worked. It's like once I took the first one (then quit because I got pregnant), I became immune to them. What's going on?

[RobinS]

AD's can have different effects on patients, doesn't mean the AD is bad, could be that it doesn't help you. It depends on the kind of depression and the symptoms. However, AD'S don't really help, they just repress the symptoms, only a good therapy can fight depression effectively.

[NancyD]

Sorry Robin...Don't agree with you...check out PubMed..Latest research shows that therapy plus AD is the most effective way to treat depression!!

[NancyD]

Hello- Just wanted to share some info with everyone. I just did a search regarding EffexorXR and Pristiq...Found that they are VERY similar and even the head doctor of its clinical trials say that they are virtually the same. BUT, Effexor's patent is expiring very soon...so they had to come up with a "new" antidepressant.

[Knawx]

Hey there, I just started Pristiq 2 days ago, and so far I basically feel normal. My stomache has been a bit jittery but other than that I feel fine. I'll try and update how things go over the next few weeks.

Here is how Pristiq works. First of all you need to understand that there are two kinds of medication.

1. Mind Altering (these meds actually make the brain produce chemicals that may be needed to balance you out.)

2. Mind "Glue" (these tell the brain to use the chemicals that are already produced more efficiantly.)

Pristiq is a "Mind Glue" medication. It tells your brain receptors to use the already existing serotonin more efficiantly, because many people who have anxiety, have it because their brain destroys more serotonin than it needs to which means your mind is over run with adrenaline. This in turn causes anxiety. So basically Pristiq helps the brain receptors act like "glue" and use more serotonin.

I'm not sure if you will find any of that useful, but it's nice to understand how your medication works. :D

[Iridisis]

That's an interesting and helpful illustration. Did a DOCTOR explain that to you? If so, you're really doing good. I can't get them to explain anything to me. I ask all sorts of questions, but it's hard to get more than a grunt or two.

[Knawx]

That's an interesting and helpful illustration. Did a DOCTOR explain that to you? If so, you're really doing good. I can't get them to explain anything to me. I ask all sorts of questions, but it's hard to get more than a grunt or two.

Yes, my Doctor is very good to answer questions. You can also do some research online and usually get enough information to piece things together.

I just don't feel comfortable taking medication I don't understand. So I don't blame you for wanting to know.

[jbii]

Has anyone tried this antidepressant? I have been on it almost a month and honestly I feel like it's a placebo. ?

I've also been on Pristiq for just over a month now, and I feel like its a placebo as well. I still get tense everyday.

[dragonslayer428]

I started taking Pristiq a week ago (50mg) and so far am having good results. In the past, I was on Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin (stopped after a day...made me a nervous wreck) Effexor and Paxil.

I have GAD and Panic Disorder with slight depression. Effexor made me a little too jumpy but pristiq doesn't seem to have that effect on me.

The only problem I'm having is coming off the Paxil. I am having bad brain zaps. I've halved my dose and then will cut that in half starting this week.

So far, so good!

[Robbed]

Pristiq is a "Mind Glue" medication. It tells your brain receptors to use the already existing serotonin more efficiantly, because many people who have anxiety, have it because their brain destroys more serotonin than it needs to which means your mind is over run with adrenaline. This in turn causes anxiety. So basically Pristiq helps the brain receptors act like "glue" and use more serotonin.

I'm not sure if you will find any of that useful, but it's nice to understand how your medication works. :D

Unfortunately, it has NEVER been proven that serotonin is indeed THE underlying problem when it comes to depression and/or anxiety disorder, and there are NO lab tests that can show that anyone has low serotonin. If low serotonin truly WAS the problem, then SSRIs/SNRIs would be MUCH more successful than they are as treatements for these problems. But many people either fail to respond to antidepressants, fail to respond to an acceptable degree, or suffer from intolerable side effects. Indeed, it is a well-known fact that the whole 'serotonin story' is more marketing than anything else.


Sorry Robin...Don't agree with you...check out PubMed..Latest research shows that therapy plus AD is the most effective way to treat depression!!

Sorry, but I just don't buy this. This isn't the 'latest research'. This is the same old stuff that we have been told since the early 90s. From my observations of people I know who have taken antidepressants, they leave MUCH to be desired in terms of being helpful. That's not to say that there aren't any people out there who may see some benefit from them. But to suggest that EVERYBODY (or even a majority of people) with depression and anxiety would benefit by adding an antidepressant to their recovery program is just LUDICROUS. These drugs are just WAYYY to risky and unpredictable to be of benefit to more than a select group of people who respond favorably to them. And none of this takes into account the difficulties which can be experienced when trying to get off these drugs. Now I know this may sound a little cliche. But I would not believe ANYTHING that the health care establishment says about antidepressants. It is a well-known fact that everyone from doctors to medical schools has their hands in the pharmaceutical industry's pockets. And antidepressants are HUGE money makers. It's also a well-known fact that pharmaceutical companies have failed to publish some of the less favorable studies done on these drugs.

[dragonslayer428]

Well, it's been about 3 weeks on Pristiq and am having mixed results. On one hand, I don't feel bad, but I don't feel good. On the other hand, I am not having any bad side effects. Therefore, I still can't decide whether it is working or not.

I read on another board that it took one person 6 weeks to feel the full effect (also read that on a gov. web site). I guess I am willing to wait, although that is a long time to have to wait.

I was also prescribed Remeron (to replace Trazodone) to take at night. Yesterday, I woke up feeling really good, but today, woke up feeling kind of anxious and depressed.

Also, I am still having problems getting off the Paxil. The brain zaps are still happening, although they have subsided a little.

Any suggestions on how long I should wait until I make the decision whether the Pristiq is working for me or not?