Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 852006

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Prozac to Effexor XR

Posted by medicated86 on September 14, 2008, at 17:44:45

I am changing myself from prozac to effexor xr and wanted to know if anyone here actually likes effexor? All i see is haters.

Prozac takes so damn long to wash out that i got to thinking, maybe i could factor in the Effexor XR while im still tapering off the prozac.
Any advice experiences?

Does anyone know which is more stimulating out of effexor XR and prozac?

any input appreciated.

 

Re: Prozac to Effexor XR

Posted by azalea on September 14, 2008, at 23:10:32

In reply to Prozac to Effexor XR, posted by medicated86 on September 14, 2008, at 17:44:45

Effexor XR can be difficult to discontinue. Perhaps you could explain why you are changing from Prozac. Are you doing a wash-out in preparation for an MAOI?

You're correct that Prozac takes a long time to wash out as it has a long half life as well as an active metabolite.

> I am changing myself from prozac to effexor xr and wanted to know if anyone here actually likes effexor? All i see is haters.
>
> Prozac takes so damn long to wash out that i got to thinking, maybe i could factor in the Effexor XR while im still tapering off the prozac.
> Any advice experiences?
>
> Does anyone know which is more stimulating out of effexor XR and prozac?
>
> any input appreciated.

 

Re: Prozac to Effexor XR

Posted by Phillipa on September 15, 2008, at 0:21:06

In reply to Re: Prozac to Effexor XR, posted by azalea on September 14, 2008, at 23:10:32

Welcome to babble see you're new great info here. Hope you get a lot responses to your thread also check the withdrawal board lots of withdrawls from different meds. Phillipa

 

Re: Prozac to Effexor XR » medicated86

Posted by bleauberry on September 16, 2008, at 17:24:15

In reply to Prozac to Effexor XR, posted by medicated86 on September 14, 2008, at 17:44:45

> I am changing myself from prozac to effexor xr and wanted to know if anyone here actually likes effexor? All i see is haters.

There are definitely people who swear effexor changed their lives for the better after not doing well on many other meds. They can be seen at revolution health or at askapatient.com. But as you have commented, there are also definitely people who hate effexor. I guess the one thing for sure is that getting off it is hard.

>
> Prozac takes so damn long to wash out that i got to thinking, maybe i could factor in the Effexor XR while im still tapering off the prozac.
> Any advice experiences?

No experience here, but a common strategy to get off effexor is to take prozac in its place, which is then later easier to get off. A frequent poster here did fairly well at one time on a combination of effexor plus prozac. If it were me, I would use the regular pills, not extended release, so you can cut them to custom sizes. 6mg doses, 12mg, and such. Gently ease it in. For prozac, empty a capsule into orange juice, stir it well, and drink a custom sized dose, store the rest in the fridge for up to a week, stir it good before drinking (it won't dissolve). With these tricks you can custom tailor a cross taper.

>
> Does anyone know which is more stimulating out of effexor XR and prozac?

As mileage varies, I don't think this is predictable. Some people get wired on prozac like too much coffee, while others get tired and lethargic. Some people get wired on effexor while others get tired and lethargic. But it deserves mention that with either drug there are also people who feel perfectly well.

>
> any input appreciated.

Regardless of any of this discussion, in my experience there usually is some kind of weird stuff to expect when transitioning from one med to another. It can be hard to figure out whether it is withdrawals from one med, partially covered up by the new med, or side effects from the new med, partially covered up by the old one.

One thing in your favor is that from statistical clinical terms, effexor has a slight advantage over all others (except lexapro) in terms of response and remission, as determined by metastudies reviewing thousands of patients in many different clinical trials. There is built in flaw and bias in all of this though, but still, effexor is generally regarded as better than ssris. I think why we see people hating it is because side effects can be worse than other meds, and if it doesn't work or isn't tolerated then the experience in getting off it is worse than other meds.

 

Re: Prozac to Effexor XR » azalea

Posted by medicated86 on September 16, 2008, at 17:24:39

In reply to Re: Prozac to Effexor XR, posted by azalea on September 14, 2008, at 23:10:32

> Effexor XR can be difficult to discontinue. Perhaps you could explain why you are changing from Prozac. Are you doing a wash-out in preparation for an MAOI?
>
> You're correct that Prozac takes a long time to wash out as it has a long half life as well as an active metabolite.
>

Prozac isnt potent enough im doing the wash out so i can get onto efexor. dr says 7 days is enough, others are saying it takes longer.

ill only be slowly tapering the effexor on so shouldnt be a problem

 

Re: Prozac to Effexor XR » medicated86

Posted by azalea on September 17, 2008, at 21:58:15

In reply to Re: Prozac to Effexor XR » azalea, posted by medicated86 on September 16, 2008, at 17:24:39

As Bleuberry mentioned, posters have taken both Effexor XR and Prozac together. You *should* be able to gradually add-in the Effexor XR while decreasing the Prozac. Keeping in mind that Prozac will still be in your system for 5 weeks after you last dose. So it might be a while before you know how the Effexor is working.

> > Perhaps you could explain why you are changing from Prozac. Are you doing a wash-out in preparation for an MAOI?

>
> Prozac isnt potent enough im doing the wash out so i can get onto efexor. dr says 7 days is enough, others are saying it takes longer.
>
> ill only be slowly tapering the effexor on so shouldnt be a problem


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