Lisa..
#278478 - 08/15/06 07:21 PM
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The weird side effects should go away in another two or three days or so. I'd say give it a week to two weeks total for it to start taking a good hold in your system. I had the same dizzy, out of it feeling the first couple of days. I felt sorta sleepy after I'd take it, then I'd feel like I'd chugged a pot of coffee for a while. I couldn't sleep the first two nights. But it went away very quickly! Stick through it and I'm sure you'll find it's worth it.
By the way, no sexual side effects with me from Effexor 
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Thank you Amanda. Do you still take Immodium daily even with the Effexor? If so how much? I have a follow up appt. with my dr. in a week and I will talk to him about this. The diet helps a LOT, but being a full time student in grad school working on a ph.d. and having two young children I can't keep stress completely out of my life, its just not possible. Hopefully this will be the next best thing! Oh, don't know if you've tried this or not but I've also found a lessening of my symptoms as I've gone through the IBS hypnotherapy CDs by Mike Mahoney. I'm on about day 39 and I credit their use with getting me through my daughter's first day of school yesterday with no attacks, which is amazing given my track record of stress induced attacks. Thank you for taking time to answer my post!
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I've been on it for almost a week; taking half a pill in the morning and half in the evening (75 mg daily total). I feel tired in the morning, and then I have been waking up in the middle of the night periodically! How can one medicine make me both tired and awake?? The nausea and "out of it" feeling have disappeared, thankfully. Eventually the doctor will get me on an extended release once daily dose, but that is probably a month or so away. Would it be best to take that at night?
And yes, I've already noticed that the sexual side effects are no more! 
--Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Yay! I'm glad you're doing well on it! I take my Effexor XR at lunch since that is my biggest meal of the day. If it tends to make you sleepy, then taking it at night may be best for you. I know it took about a month for the sleepy effect to go away completely for me. At that time, I took it at night.
I know it's weird about the sleepiness/insomnia effect. That, too, will go away soon. If it doesn't, let your doc know. I don't know if that is something that can be remedied with the extended release form of the med or not.
Just curious, why did s/he put start on the regular v. extended release and then plan to switch you?
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Hi Rachel!
I just got through law school, so I know am very familiar with the stress that accompanies grad school. You certainly have more on your plate than I did, what with having two children as well! I am glad you're feeling better 
I do still take Immodium daily and only take one pill a day. Being on Effexor sometimes makes me feel a little "stopped up" so if I get that feeling, I skip a day on the Immodium. Once you get on the med for a while you'll see what I mean. I just listen to my body in the morning and can tell if I feel I need one or not. There are some days when I get a little over zealous with the IF (I love my veggies) and may need two Immodium. I never notice any problems with that.
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Yes, so far so good.... other than the fact that I haven't slept through the night in over a month!! I hope this goes away soon. My doctor wanted me to start on a very small dose (37.5 mg/day) and slowly work up to the 150 mg. I assume the extended release only comes in 150 mg, and not smaller doses? Right now I'm taking 37.5 mg twice a day, so I have to take it both morning and night. I'm supposed to call her in another week or so to see if I'm ready to up the dosage. Perhaps if I tell her about my sleeping problems, she'll put me on the extended release sooner rather than later.
I should assume that my disturbed sleep is related to the effexor, right? I mean, this was going on well before I started the hypno CDs. However, since starting the hypno, I do wake up FEWER times during the night, so perhaps that's a good sign....
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Lisa...
#279368 - 08/21/06 07:23 PM
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First, Effexor XR comes in all the dosages that regular Effexor does. I started at 37.5mg and stayed there for about six months before it began to lose efficacy. Now I am on 75mg and doing great.
Second, if you haven't been able to sleep in a month I would definitely address the problem with your doctor. It may be the meds, it may not. If the doc thinks it is the meds, there are tons of other medicines that can help you sleep. My doctor gave me Xanax which really helped when I had the sleeplessness problem.
Glad the hypno is working for you! I do not use it, but I have heard great things
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I'm beginning to wonder if ADs are the right answer for me. Thursday will be my two week point on the Effexor. I have noticed an increase in C over the last week or two - wondering if this is due to the Effexor? Will this also go away eventually? I thought this medication was supposed to HELP my IBS! But the C has been really bad lately. And the sleeping issues are bugging me too. Perhaps it's too soon, but I haven't noticed a change in my anxiety/depression. But I assume that will take more time. My doctor and I chose Effexor because it worked really well for my mom and one of my cousins. I'm hesitant to ask for sleeping meds to counteract the side effects of another medication - know what I mean? The therapist I'm seeing said that sometimes increasing the AD dosage can actually help eliminate its side effects. Have you heard that? Perhaps you are right and I should just email my doctor about this...
It's all so frustrating!! I can't help it - I'm an engineer, so I'm used to there being a clear-cut answer to everything... 
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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Re: Amanda...
#279490 - 08/22/06 11:49 AM
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Miso
Reged: 04/20/06
Posts: 559
Loc: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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AD's are definetly tricky, but too many people quit too soon before the side effects weare off and the benefits kick in so hang in there, you need to give it 6 weeks for the true benefits to stratt showing through, if nothing by then, then try switching to an ssri instead of the ssnsri that effexor is.
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Quote:
AD's are definetly tricky, but too many people quit too soon before the side effects weare off and the benefits kick in so hang in there, you need to give it 6 weeks for the true benefits to stratt showing through, if nothing by then, then try switching to an ssri instead of the ssnsri that effexor is.
What's the difference between the two types of ADs you mention? I was on Prozac before and didn't like that one at all. Are Prozac and Effexor the same kind of AD, or totally different?
Lisa, IBS-C
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Lisa, IBS-C (Vegan)
Stable since July 2007!
Mommy to Rhiannon Marie (Dec. 13, 2008)
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