has anyone tried effexor? if so, did you have a reaction?

after i tried it, the first day at the starting dose, i had a severe reaction. my heart was about 200bpm, my blood pressure high, i was shaking, felt electric shocks in my body, had severe diarrhea, and was extremely panicked for about six hours. my doctor agrees this is probably a huge clue as to what is wrong with me, but has no idea what.

i know that norepinephrine sensitivies are common in pots patients, but am wondering why i have never heard about this kind of reaction to a drug that promotes NE.

I have tried an SSRI before I had POTS and had a similar reaction to what you describe. Followed by panic. I had never had any kind of anxiety/panic reaction before in my life.

I tried an SSNRI which is what Effexor is after I had POTS and had the same thing. Took it before bed, woke with racing heart, shaking etc.

When I would tell people about my reaction, I swear everyone who had ever been on an anti depressant had a similar tale to tell. I think the side effects are really minimized by drug companies, and doctors who prescribe them.

that is interesting. how long did yours last???

The first time I had taken one very very small dose, and I literally thought I was going crazy for about 6 hours. My arms were crawling, I was just plain scared. Heart racing. I wouldn't let my spouse leave me alone. Total panic attack. I called the shrink who prescribed it and he said he had never heard of a reaction like mine. This was before a dozen friends told me they had the same thing happen. I never took a second dose or went back to that quack.

The second med I took, I think it was effexor, but I am not sure, I took a small dose before bed and lay awake for hours scared I was having a heart attack. I think I eventually fell asleep and never took another one. The doctor convinced me it wasn't an SSRI, but in reality I think it is a combo of an SSRI and something else.

I now refuse to take any meds that mess with brain chemicals.

I like anti anxiety meds that calm the nervous system instead.

what anti-anxiety meds are you on???

that's interesting you have had the reaction to ssri and snris. i suspected i had a reaction to the effexor because of a sensitivity to norepinephrine. i'd like to try a ssri because i don't believe i would react to serotonin. but it is quite interesting you reacted to both. have you had your serotonin checked?

I take lorazapam in the AM and before bed and it seems to have helped with my racing heart and if I do feel anxious, it is controllable and doesn't interfere with my life.

I have not had my serotonin checked.

I have read that people who take SSRI's bodies will eventually go back to the level the body wants to be at, so they have to continually increase the dose for long term depression. And then they add more drugs. That is why I hate messing with brain chemicals. Seems like the brain has a mind of it's own..haha...when it comes to it's chemicals.

When you stop an SSRI your body has to readjust how it makes it's brain chemicals. The whole idea kind of makes me queazy thinking about messing with the brain.

Many years ago I was given a trial of Effexor- after a couple doses it became clear that it was affecting me like amphetamines would - rapid speech, mania, poor concentration, anxiety, insomnia - it was sheer hell.