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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by nyer on April 11, 2008, at 21:53:28
Hi all:
Has anybody on Effexor experienced lowered stamina while doing any vigorous physical activity?I started weight training roughly 3 times a week around a year ago. I was only on Wellbutrin SR (150mg/day) at that time and all was fine at gym.
6 weeks ago I started on 150mg/day of Effexor SR. Now when I do weight training exercises (especially the heavy ones like squat), I am tired very easily. After each set, I am breathing much more heavily than usual like I just ran a 10k race. I come back home and I am told that I look more tired than usual...as opposed to having that glow people normally get after working out.
Is this common?
Effexor seems to have lowered my stamina...not so much the strength.
I've tried Effexor before with Wellbutrin. The combination worked great. I wasn't physically active at that time. It did make me lose around 10 pounds. This time I haven't lost any.
At that time I tried switching from Effexor to other medications due to sexual side effects. I tried Lexapro, Cymbalta and one more whose name I can't recall. Didn't work. Then I tried Wellbutrin only for a while. That wasn't that great either. That's why I gave up and I am back to Effexor.
Nothing I tried except Effexor has worked for me. Cymbalta was the absolute worst. Made me feel so much worse. And quitting it was horrendous, absolutely the worst experience. That's saying something because looong time ago I have tried and quit Zoloft and Serzone as well, so I'm a pro, unfortunately. :)
If you are curious, I seem to have chronic mild depression. That's what they say anyway. However, I have much much stronger phsycial symptoms of depression than emotional ones..mainly tiredness, never feeling refreshed after sleep, having a hard time getting out of bed, lack of mental clarity etc.
Even without the medications, I manage to do very well in a rather demanding professional job. But, lack of energy is a damper. Especially in private life.
I've tried all sorts of medical evaluations (physical), but I always get a clean bill of health.
Went to a few endocrinologists (hoping thyroid was the issue, but been told no a few times),
did sleep study,
tried alternative holistic therapy (this guy was practically a robber. He's an MD and very uncaring and uninterested in your health. Beware of this guy who sometimes advertises on 1010 WINS radio in NY. I had a ridiculous experience, wasted a lot of time/money. My insurance company too was fradulently charged. I started getting letters from my insurance company inquiring when and where was I involved in an accident!).
I have been a ping pong between medical doctors and phychiatrists each telling me to go to the other. Few times. Antidepressants seem to work, so I take them, never mind the fact that emotionally I may be a low key guy, but not exactly depressed.
Anyway, I digress.
Back to the question, has anybody taking Effexor experienced lowered physical stamina?
Thanks.
Posted by undopaminergic on April 13, 2008, at 1:25:06
In reply to Effexor: Lowered Stamina While Working Out, posted by nyer on April 11, 2008, at 21:53:28
>
> If you are curious, I seem to have chronic mild depression. That's what they say anyway. However, I have much much stronger phsycial symptoms of depression than emotional ones..mainly tiredness, never feeling refreshed after sleep, having a hard time getting out of bed, lack of mental clarity etc.
>Stimulants can help with that, but also make sure that you don't suffer from sleep apnoea. According to Wikipedia, "Symptoms may be present for years, even decades without identification, during which time the sufferer may become conditioned to the daytime sleepiness and fatigue associated with significant levels of sleep disturbance.".
Another possibility is that the Effexor may be interfering with your sleep quality. The best remedy for that may be cyproheptadine.
>
> did sleep study,
>Ah, OK, I suppose sleep apnoea is ruled out then.
>
> I have been a ping pong between medical doctors and phychiatrists each telling me to go to the other.
>A familiar problem in my exprience.
>
> Back to the question, has anybody taking Effexor experienced lowered physical stamina?
>No, but I did notice it with another noradrenergic medication (reboxetine).
This is the end of the thread.
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