My Dr. wants me to go on Effexor for my anxiety...Any advice?

I am struggling with anxiety especially while trying to sleep. I told my doctor about and he prescribed Effexor. I have read some good things and some very terrible things about this drug. Especially trying to get off it. Is there anybody out there that has/had an experience with this stuff?

Thanks.

what are you taking now?

Effexor (venlafaxine ) can make some people quite revved up, my experience was it made me feel anxious , sweaty and confused; not the required outcome but everyone is different.

My advice is steer clear

kind regards

Dave.

I started taking it in July, I say don't take it. Effexor is a stimulant and it actually has made my anxiety worse because it gives my brain this energy that it doesn't know what to do with. I used to nap all the time and now I can't take naps because my brain is too amped up and paranoid, yet I will still feel tired. I plan on tapering off this stuff as soon as I am done with my benzo.

If you really want to try an antidepressant for anxiety I have heard lexapro has helped a lot of people and it doesn't have the stimulating effect of Effexor. It is actually supposed to have the opposite effect and some people find that they want to sleep all of the time which isn't something you would want either but I think it is a better side effect to find through trial and error than a brain that is so amped up that anxiety is amped up with it.

I can't say lexapro from experience though, just from friends and even my doctor wants me to switch to lexapro after realizing the stimulating effects of Effexor making me worse. It is worth talking to your doctor about at least. But I second the fact that you shouldn't take Effexor for anxiety.

what are you taking now?

Effexor (venlafaxine ) can make some people quite revved up, my experience was it made me feel anxious , sweaty and confused; not the required outcome but everyone is different.

My advice is steer clear

kind regards

Dave.

This is something Circuit can discuss with her doc...we are all so different.  My husband takes a certain AD and does fine with it so  I went to his doc a couple of years ago and was given a RX for the same AD and it didn't agree with me at all.  Sometimes what works for one doesn't work for another and visa versa......

Sunnyside

I started taking it in July, I say don't take it. Effexor is a stimulant and it actually has made my anxiety worse because it gives my brain this energy that it doesn't know what to do with. I used to nap all the time and now I can't take naps because my brain is too amped up and paranoid, yet I will still feel tired. I plan on tapering off this stuff as soon as I am done with my benzo.

 

If you really want to try an antidepressant for anxiety I have heard lexapro has helped a lot of people and it doesn't have the stimulating effect of Effexor. It is actually supposed to have the opposite effect and some people find that they want to sleep all of the time which isn't something you would want either but I think it is a better side effect to find through trial and error than a brain that is so amped up that anxiety is amped up with it.

 

I can't say lexapro from experience though, just from friends and even my doctor wants me to switch to lexapro after realizing the stimulating effects of Effexor making me worse. It is worth talking to your doctor about at least. But I second the fact that you shouldn't take Effexor for anxiety.

Hi, Darktime,

It is perfectly fine to relate your experiences, stating options, or posting suggestions of what other members might do, but advising members what they should or must do is considered prescriptive in nature and is against forum policy.  Here is the forum policy for Guidelines Regarding The Giving of Medical Advice:  Guidelines Regarding the Giving of Medical Advice

We encourage members to adopt a non-prescriptive style of writing in support of this policy. 

Thanks,

Sunnyside

I started taking it and it hyped me up like some posters said. I called the dr. and he took me off it. Now he has me on atryptline..(spelling?) I guess I'll see how this one goes.

Thanks for the replys.

Glad you made a different choice.  Understanding that everyone is different, for some, Effexor can be harder than benzos to withdrawal from.