Effexor (venlafaxine)
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- čas přidán 24. 08. 2024
- Dr. Pagnani of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates discusses Effexor (venlafaxine) an SRNI or selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that is used for the treatment of depression and various anxiety disorders. This can be a very effective medication, but as it has a short half life, it can also cause significant withdrawal when tapering or trying to stop. Doing so, should be under the supervision of a mental health professional.
Dr. Pagnani is the founder and medical director of Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates, an Instructor at The Johns Hopkins Hospital for the Department of Psychiatry, he supervises psychiatric residents at Jefferson Hospital, he serves on the Young Professional Board of Uplift, the Center for Grieving Children and he maintains a private practice of Psychiatry in Philadelphia where he sees patients for one-time psychiatric evaluations and second opinions. He is a licensed physician and surgeon in NJ, PA, NY, MD, DE, FL and CA and can provide consultations to individuals via HIPAA compliant Telehealth visits living in these locations.
Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates is a private practice of psychiatry consisting of about 25 psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners and psychotherapists with physical locations in Philadelphia and Paoli, PA and serving all of PA, NJ, NY and FL virtually via HIPAA compliant tele-psychiatry. Individuals seeking not only evaluations but long-term psychiatric care, can contact Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates directly.
These videos aim to increase awareness and discussion of mental health topics and to encourage struggling individuals to schedule an appointment directly with a mental health provider. Mental health needs to be normalized, and simply speaking about mental health topics openly, is an important first step.
Dr. Pagnani and Rittenhouse Psychiatric Associates are NOT advocating for or against the use of any mentioned psychiatric medications for any specific individual. Additionally, any side effects mentioned are not a complete list of potential side effects or contraindications to taking any mentioned medications, and all risks and benefits of a medication should be discussed with an individual’s provider at an appointment, before starting, stopping or making changes to a medication regimen.
This video is INFORMATIVE ONLY - NOT MEDICAL ADVICE.
If you are researching a specific topic, please view our CZcams channel, click all videos and use the search function. Please also visit and follow us on instagram and FB: @RittenhousePsych.
www.RittenhousePA.com
www.ChrisPagnaniMD.com
Do not get on this particular drug!! It’s hell to get off if!! These doctors need to take it before they prescribe it so they know it effiing feels!! They have no clue!!
I could not agree more. This is the worst drug ever.
@@ValerieeMusicwhy?
My ENT prescribed Venlafaxine (ER 37.5mg) for my Vestibular Neuritis. He said it would take 2 weeks and my vertigo would be gone. I took one pill and
my vertigo was 80% gone in 2 hours. Hey great... At 4am I woke up with a blinding headache. Then I remembered reading watch your blood pressure if you take this.
So I take my blood pressure....197/121. Off to the ER I go. The ER Dr. gave me 0.1mg of Clonidine and in one hour my blood pressure was 117/74.
If I have to chose between Vertigo and a Stroke I think I'll go with the Vertigo.
You again
I’ve been searching for videos and this is the best one I have found to explain what I needed to hear. Thank you so so much for doing this.
I really appreciate your kind comment, and glad that this was helpful! Sincerely, - Dr. Pagnani
It’s better than Zoloft or Prozac, I can tell you that for sure! It actually works. Might take coupling it with another drug or using high doses, but for what Effexor does, I don’t think there’s a comparable drug that works as well.
That said, I went cold Turkey to get off of it because tapering would take years at the dosage I was on. Yes, you get terrible headaches, head shivers that feel like an electrical shock, but if you used the drug correctly, you’d be ready for that to awaken into the new life of having experience calming yourself when you feel anxious or depressed.
It’s like there’s you before Effexor had an effect, and the stronger, more resilient, more creative person after. 🎉
Sadly, I got so nauseous with them, that I had to lie in bed the whole day and wasn't able to eat. 🙈
I would love to see some more videos about depression (different treatment options, maybe even some of those famous mental health book reviews etc) and would also love to see longer videos! 🤗 The informations you are giving are extremly well summarized and very helpful.
I’ve read a lot of bad / concerning things regarding this drug. I’ve been on it for a few months and it’s the best thing I have ever done for myself. I suffer with anxiety and it’s been wonderful.
I did get some side effects ( yawning a lot and some upset stomachs) from it but it went away after 5 days. I also take a night and I sleep fine.
My husband takes an SSRI and has been on it for some time and he gets the brain zaps and feels off if he misses a dose so please know that it’s not just Effexor that can cause some side effects.
What does he mean by brain zap?
I started taking it 1 75mg pill and it felt like I got really high.
Thank you. I just started taking it a few days ago. I have been hesitant due to all the extremely negative things people say. At this point, I need something to help and am willing to try.
@@ben-hurraybro same i started a few days ago i feel so happy and energetic im literally messaging old friends and i feel like my anxiety is just slowly disintegrating. when im about to ruminate its like the happiness pushes back twice as hard as the anxiety which is crazy because my anxiety is crazy and like so ocd. anyway dont chase the high but do enjoy it, its probably a good med for you. make sure your sleep is good, if it's not the high feeling might be mania so you might need to switch to a mood stabiliser, but for most ppl it stabilises after a few days or weeks. idk though im on day 3. how r u now??? im great?? hope its going well for you!!
The problem with me....I was taking only 75mg which only works as a SSRI and it was raising my blood pressure and cholesterol levels through the roof. Even SSRI's raise my blood pressure.
Thank you for sharing and watching this video. I am sorry to hear that you are so sensitive to these medications and hope that you get the care that you need. Sincerely, - Dr. Pagnani
@@RittenhousePsych I took the genesight test and according to it certain SSRI's are fine. We will see.
What about your diet and exercise level? im sure you dont eat extremely healthy. so basically you cant do anything wrong and its always the medication that screwed you up?
@@GeraltOfRivia99 why would I make any sort of statement without knowing my blood pressure before and after? Before starting Effexor, my blood pressure was usually around 116/80, on Effexor it was 160 over 92 to 100. After Effexor was out of my system it went back down to under 120/80. This is well documented for all SNRI's .I am 6 feet tall and weigh 170 pounds. Don't drink or smoke, drink only water, eat a balanced low fat diet with plenty of vegetables and I am a very active person. So next time, keep your comments to yourself because you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about or know anything about me. All drugs have side effects, especially antidepressants. Oh one last thing, most antidepressants will raise your lipid panels and give you countless of other side effects as well.
Just upped my prescription from 37.5 to 75mg month 3
So far no major improvements in social anxiety, however this med doesn’t make me sleepy like my last medication Cymbalta which is good
How did it affect your blood pressure overall?
@@PAULEYBOY84 increased it on average about 8 points nothing physically noticeable for me
I’m used to take 250mg caffeine pill everyday however I’ve stopped taking caffeine pills to be on safe side when I started this med , and honestly seems like this med gives me enough energy on its own without caffeine
I had terrible side effects from Cymbalta. I take Effexor right before bed and sleep like a baby.
I’m on 75 mg as well.
What effects can alcohol have on effexor xr?
Ive been on it for 30 years
And my doctor has been slowing
Tapering me off for the last couple of months and Is makes me having all kinds of strange mental effects and my doc
Does not seemed concerned
About it
How are you tapering off and what side effects are you experiencing?
Sounds like you need a new doctor. Also if you’ve been on it for 30 years, why come off?
I started Venlafaxine 1 and a half weeks ago, I feel terrible sleep, I keep yawning all the time, feeling tired, headache, hand tremors
@hxbmw490hello, i am having side effects from Effexor. Do they subside? I also take for a few days, stop it, then take it. Should i stick with it or completely get off of it?
@hxbmw490how are you?
Also acts on opiate receptors
Does it help with pain then?
For some individuals SNRI's (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) do help with chronic pain (as can SSRI's and TCA's). This is something to discuss with your provider. Best, - Dr. Pagnani
@@RittenhousePsych Would this be the right meds for a person with depression, anxiety, severe ADHD and perimenopause symptoms (to be added on top of HRT but without ADHD meds)?
I’m on it n had no side effects😮 but also I don’t think I feel any difference I’m crazy for sure😢😢😅
The way these medication works and what their effects really are is theoretic and can result extremely negative outcomes.
Explain
@@iQmliAwyrMRyPWfV well I have my anecdotal experience, but as far as the SSRI classification of drugs and their mechanisms of action, much of what is stated about how they work is based on theory. As for outcomes, generally speaking these drugs are prescribed and used as a bandaid type of treatment. They allow people and Drs to ignore the causes of the symptoms just long enough for the problem to get really bad to where the drug wont work and the patient is left with an extremely serious and difficult problem and no way to heal from it. Often patients are told that they have an incurable pathological illness that can only be treated with heavy doses of psychiatric drugs and that coming off these medications can result in very dangerous episodes and even self delete. I'm just coming off Effexor after 15 years at a dose of 450mg daily. It's rough really rough. I lost all of my 30s and half of my 40s to this mistake. By listening to and trusting psychiatrists . It just blunted all of my emotions and suppressed my creativity and ambition. It made me into a different person, weak frightened defeated unconfident cowardly selfish uninspired unmotivated without pride a sense duty or independence. A completely different person from how I was as a young man. I needed a lot of therapy and close connections to other men. A tribe. I needed to face my own faults and forgive others for theirs. I needed to find a passion in my life. I needed to stop settling for less than what I needed. But instead I got pills I got fat and comfortable and eventually it all caved in.
I'm not being rude but l'm not watching the video as I have intense health anxiety. But, I was on venlafaxine for nearly 4 weeks and twice when I got put up from 37.5 to 75 | had 24/7 dyspnea.
In the uk it says it is a common side effect, my dr allowed me to stop taking it 3 days ago but I still feel like I can't breathe, will this go the longer I don't take venlafaxine? I'm moving to Zoloft sertraline thank god.
I took 150 for 7 months and am 125lbs and got SCT and memory loss as a side effect… is this permanent???
Side effects with Effexor would be very unlikely to be permanent, however, it is possible. Speaking directly with your provider to make sure that any workup for other explanations is completed, is important. Sometimes symptoms such as difficulty with focus and memory can also be related to under- treated anxiety or depression as well. I very much appreciate you sharing, and hope that any issues resolve quickly. - Dr. Pagnani
Doctor this medicine seems to be dangerous.. if you miss a dose it seems to be worse…
...that's how medicines work my guy
@@puckduckman the right medicine and dose for you offer real benefits
Which class of drug is best for cluster severe anxiety ssri or snri lexapro or effexor plz sir reply
Extremely dry mouth headache going through nausea, stomach upset and they’re ringing in my ears is a eight anyone else with those symptoms😢 I’m on 220 mg
yes
Me too
But afraid to come off it
😮
Hi im also on 225 mg
And have very loud ringing in my ears
If noradrenaline causes anxiety, how does more of it available reduce anxiety?
The anxiolytic effect is mostly from increasing availability of serotonin. Many providers will start with SSRI's for this reason. Increasing norepinephrine can however, improve focus for some individuals. It is not uncommon for someone's focus to improve with SNRI's (resulting in improved anxiety, as being distracted and having difficulty being mindful and present can result in anxiety). If someone's main difficulty is depression, then SNRIs could also improve anxiety (if anxiety is a manifestation of that depression). That is a great question! - Dr. Pagnani
Great video thanks for all the information! I've been taking 75mg extended release tablets for 2 years and I want to get off. Should I taper down to 37mg and for how long?
Thank you for your question, and note about the video. Everyone is different with tapering a medication like Effexor (some will have no withdrawal symptoms, and others, rather severe). It's important to tailor treatment to the individual. As a general rule for my patients, if they are having withdrawal symptoms, I try to decrease the dose in a small increment, and then for SSRIs or SNRIs wait at least 1-2 months, before making another drop (until the patient is completely at a new baseline, with not only withdrawal, but their mood and anxiety). I'll also wait to make another drop, until any withdrawal symptoms are gone (unless there's an urgent need to stop a medication faster, such as a serious side effect). For medications like Effexor, if the smallest incremental decrease in a capsule results in too much withdrawal (for example, if someone wants to decrease by 37.5 mg, but they are not tolerating that size drop) they could utilize a compounding pharmacy to make an even smaller decrease. I do not know what's best for your specific situation, but I believe it may be helpful to discuss all of this with your medical professional. Best, - Dr. Pagnani
It only acts as an NRI at the high end of dose range
Thank you for your comment! It is certainly correct that at higher doses, Effexor (or venlafaxine) works more as a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. This is also one of the reasons why you can see an increase in blood pressure as the dose is increased. Thank you again! - Dr. Pagnani
Is Klonopin and effexor a good combo for anxiety?
Thank you for watching!
Effexor (Venlafaxine) is a once daily medication that can be helpful for decreasing anxiety throughout the day. Sometimes a once a day medication like this can be extremely helpful, in terms of just decreasing someone's overall level of anxiety. Klonopin (clonazepam) is a benzodiazepine that can be very effective for decreasing anxiety, but carries with it the potential for abuse, dependence, withdrawal and other risks. With that said, for some individuals having a once daily SSRI or SNRI and then a medication for "break through" anxiety, can be very helpful. I obviously cannot comment as to what is best for an individual without an evaluation, but a combination like this is not unusual and can be effective.
I wish you the best, - Dr. Pagnani
It worked great together for me! No complaints. Effexor and Clonopin.
Get a proper mic 🎤
Have to agree
Just can't hear u Doctor 😮