Starting Efexor XL encouragement please

It’s always a bit of a pain to get adjusted to a new medication, I’m having the same issue and it’s not the first time I’ve been through this process. I think that in my case I give the medication about two weeks to determine if it will help me, I know that they usually take about 4 to 6 weeks but not for everyone, I can tell by the first week of it’s working for me or not. I don’t know if this is your first time taking antidepressants or not so a lot depends on your experience with them and being able to determine whether it’s helping you, feeling very low is a side effect and it should settle down but I think it’s a good idea to go back to your doctor and discuss what you’re experiencing, they might change your medication or increase your dose, either way try not to get discouraged because it may take time to figure things out, best wishes for you and I hope you have a happy new year.

@frouke thank you so much for sharing your experience! I was on escitalopram before, I had to switch to something else because it stopped working after 2.5 years. Anyway, it took about 15-17 days for me to see some benefits from that medication, but I I was on 20mg, the equivalent for Efexor is 150mg and I'm currently on 75mg. I have an appointment with my doctor on the 6th to discuss how I have been feeling and whether it's worth increasing the dose and see how it goes. I'm also still tapering off escitalopram so it might be a mix of Efexor side effects and Escitalopram withdrawal symptoms. It's difficult not to get discouraged as days are difficult to get through. Time doesn't seem to pass. Going for a walk might help, but I just can't bring myself to doing it 😟
Happy new year to you too! 😊

Yes, it gets better. In my case. I'm taking Effexor XR 150 MG BID. You tend to, after years of taking it, get a resistance. So after a while they may need to give you an add-on like Rexulti. After you level out of course.
Just breathe, put yourself on the to-do list and give it some time, it usually takes 4 or 5 weeks.
God bless

thank you for putting yourself out there. its kind and relaxing for me right now and i could easily board your train. Happy New Year. ill send a smile your direction now------------sent had to put a little extra one in there. glad you have an appointment coming so soon. most have to wait a bit. so tomorrow or today, smile at someone and when they ask what for say somebody's shared there's with me and said to pass it on. next ones just as easy tell someone to have a great day today even if you don't know them. now for yourself have a blessed day.

doc has wanted me on lamotrigine for so long now , I finally tried it , ack the palpitations even on waking during the night. so I am off them ,seeing him in a couple of days so see what he says.

I wish I could offer encouragement but I would encourage you to ask for another drug. I have been on this nasty thing for 20 months Trying to wean off. It caused cardiac symptoms and GI symptoms and getting off it is miserable. Check out the people on this form that are trying to get rid of it. There are plenty of other medications out there that will be as good and not cause the problems that this one does and are not as awful to wean off of.

@pjs70 I really appreciate you sharing your experience, and I’m sorry you’ve had such a rough time on this medication — that sounds exhausting and upsetting.

I’m feeling quite anxious about starting, which is why I was hoping for some encouragement rather than warnings, but I do understand everyone’s experiences are different. I wish you all the best with coming off it and hope you get some relief soon.

@silmil93 As pjs70 suggests, I would recommend any drug except this one. If you were to research Effexor use on this site, you would see how incredibly difficult it is to stop taking this drug. It has been hell for myself and others. There are now doctors who refuse to prescribe it; in the UK it is not prescribed without warning, called "informed consent," because it creates dependency. That is generally not the goal of one taking an antidepressant intended for short-term use.