I've had issues with depression in the past. Was on prozzac 7 years ago and went off cold turkey when I got pregnant with my oldest son.

I had major surgery back in may and something clicked....I don't know what it was, but my depression came back full force. I was sleeping 12 hours a day, didnt want to get out of bed. I started yelling at my kids. I was a total you know what to my husband. A couple of days ago my husband said to me "what is wrong...I know something is wrong". I just broke down. I explained to him that I don't feel like myself. I rarely feel like a mom, I don't feel like a wife, and most importantly I don't even feel like myself. I don't want to do anything, ever, I have to force myself to get out of my pajamas. So yesterday I went to the doctor. I walked in and broke down again. He asked me all sorts of questions and perscribed me effexor. I felt SOOOO much better knowing that I've made my feelings out in the open and that I'll be on the road to recovery. So I'm to start on 37.5 mg for 7 days, go up to 75 mg for 3 weeks, then I'll go up to 150 mg.

So I took my one pill at 7 pm last night (pharmasist said to take it in the evening because it makes a lot of people drowsy). No side effects after taking it. I went to bed at 10 and my body was exhausted but my mind was just going a mile a minute. I layed in bed for hours and I couldn't open my eyes because my body was tired...but my mind would just not shut off. I came to the conclusion last night that I wouldn't be taking the 2nd pill today. I didn't need the medicine becasue I didn't have any reason to be depressed. I have two wonderful children, a wonderful husband, really awesome siblings, parents, inlaws, etc. Only other thing I noticed last night was that I felt really really cold, but I was sweating like a pig.

Hubby got up with the kids this morning so I was able to sleep in and I woke up in a much better state of mind. I explained to my husband my fears and concerns and he reassured me. He pointed out that half of the side effects of the medication I already have from being depressed anyways. So I'm going to go with the flow and hopefully I've made the right choice. All I want is to be the mother that I know I can be, be the wife that I know I want to be, and be back to my normal self.

I took Effexor for a year.There was a nice calming effect that happened right away.Good for you for getting the help you need.
I don't know if you know this but it is hard to get off of.You have to wean slowly and even then the effects are not always pleasant.I almost restarted them to get rid of the effects.

Awww I hope you feel better soon. I understand when you said getting your feelings out to your doctor and your husband made you feel so much better. I am in a different kind of situation as I suffer from anxiety and sometimes my brain cannot shut down at night...it's frustrating and exhausting and depressing.
Have you considered counselling? I go to a psychotherapist once every month and talk to her about my worries and concerns...immediately following the theray session, I feel so much better and I am able to do things and have so much energy. I am sorry if I am rambling....I just want to say that maybe you need to go see a counselor and see how you feel afterwards. You may not need meds but maybe just someone to talk to, to air things out, to be supportive and objective. A counselor can help you with put a plan in place on how you can begin your road back to full depression-free recovery. I sincerely hope you feel better.

P.S. Ihave also found that losing some weight and starting to exercise helps me a lot. At the beginning I hated anyone who mentioned exercise but now have to admit that it does make me feel better.

I've been on Effexor for over a year now and it really helps me. I was having terrible crying jags and major depression and it has helped them both to a degree. I have been on 8 other antidepressants and this is only the 2nd one that has worked for me. ( Lamictal worked very well but ended up getting the rash that is common with that one).
I understand the feeling when you just kick yourself for feeling depressed when your life is great. But sometimes its just a chemical imbalance that you can't do anything else about. I have noticed that since I have been eating cleaner I have been feeling much better. I hope to eventually get off the Effexor.

Good luck!

Yeah, I read about that.

I've been before to a couple of different ones and I HATED it!!!! Felt even worse when I left.

Exactly. That's what the doctor told me. He was a great doctor. Told me "now is not the time to be brave. You don't get an award for being depressed. You don't earn bonus points by not getting help. Now is the time to open up and let it all out". So I did, lol.

I have been on effexor for a few years now. I actually did come off of it for a few months in the beginning, and I had no negative side affects - so although a lot of people do have problems, not everyone does. (Im also only taking 75mg a day). Since then, I have been back on it, and I have found that it does what it should - I feel like me. So good luck with this! The most important thing is that you make it to a place where you are you again.

Thank you, that's comforting!

Also great to see that you've lost weight!!! That was one of my fears. I've worked my buns off trying to lose weight and a few pounds have came back and then I read horror stories of people gaining 100+ pounds! ACK!

I also was on Effexor for several years and had no problems coming off of it. You should do well. I also never had the drowsy problem with it, so I might try to take it earlier if you need to.

I have been on Effexor for years. It has been amazing. I am a completely different person and love it! My husband and I are now TTC so I am slowly weaning off. I forgot to take it last night and I am feeling it today. I am so nervous about the fact that I might become pregnant before weaning off and be forced to quit cold turkey. I know I have EXTREME withdrawal when I miss it for just one day. I feel incredibly nauseous, light headed, and have flu-like symptoms when I am off for just 1 day! Other than the dependency and addiction, Effexor has worked wonders.

I also like Effexor. It made me feel "human" for the first time in years. However, I had to stop taking it becuase it made my blood pressure go up A LOT (this was several years ago). I had no problems coming off of it like I have heard of people having, so I was grateful forthat. I didn't really find anything else that worked as well until I found a doc who diagnosed my as bipolar. Now I take Lamictal (no rash), Wellbutrin, and Seroquel. It's a lifesaver for me. I again feel like myself. Therapy also helps and if you don't like your therapist, try another. It took me several before I found one that I really like.

I myself was prescribed this..I took one and decided after reading several reviews online that the withdrawal i would get from it would be ultimately worse than the state i would be starting it from. instead, i have kept going to therapy and coping on my own...that is not to say that everyone should do this. my depression i have found is eased when i stay focused on living healthy and reading a ton of philosophy books...living in the present and taking care of myself. still, i have days where it is hard to get out of bed...winter also sucks in general. good luck to you.

My doctor gave me effexor xr 75mg. I am really worried about the side effects I have been hearing about... weight gain and the sexual side effects too.I am 175 and 5'1". my doctor says I need to lose about 30 pounds. Does anyone know if you can take diet aids with effexor?? thanks

I'm on 150mg of effexor now, and I'm feeling better than I have in a LONG time haha. I've only been on it three months but the difference is AMAZING. I was sleeping 15 hours a day, cutting deep daily, purging, binging, etc. Now I haven't purged in 3 weeks (I hadn't before then in 2 months, damn stupid me forgetting my pills when I went on holiday) and I have only cut very shallowly once in those 3 months. I also found that I was very very mentally active when I started taking it, and very twitchy. But I have found those effects have gone now. And when you say you have no reason to be depressed-surprise, neither did I! I have a wonderful guy waiting for me back home, I have a lovely family, I'm doing well at school, I'm overweight but not horribly so, I don't have any issues ASIDE from the depression haha. But I honestly think that you should keep it up with the medication, and keep seeing a doctor. If you find after a month that nothing has changed, then perhaps it would be time to change. I have found a good way to sleep is to take herbal remedies, nice tea (chamomile), or herbal medication (there are these drops that you can take before bed which are called Haenseler Valerianae in german anyway...google it and see what you can find, they help me LOADS when I can't sleep before exams). Looking into eastern medicine might help you too with sleep, I've found that sometimes it is actually BETTER than western medicine for non-serious issues.

I forgot about this thread.

I quit taking the effexor a few days after I posted this. I feel really good. I've made an effort to make time for ME. I've been eating way better, exercising every day. I don't feel 100% like myself....but way better than I was feeling when I went to the doc.