Hey Gang, wanted to take a poll of folks using Effexor (a.k.a. venlafaxine HCl) an anti depressant med which helps some patients with EM. To provide a body composition, Male, age 31, 6'4" 175 or tall skinny man :).
I started at 37.5 (the smallest dose available) then worked up to 150 mg (max is 300mg per today I believe). I noticed imporvements with each increase of 37.5, and no noticable side effects with the exception of being drowsy for the first couple weeks. However,overall I am not a fan of having to depend on meds and wanted to reduce my doseage.
Once I got the "ok" from my doc I started just taking just 75mg and think I'm noticing an increase in flares (hard to tell with the extreme winter temperatures lately). That said, I was curious how much other members are taking of effexor and if 150mg is the standard (of course "standard" is not really possible cause we are all different). Perhaps I am looking for justification to continue with 150mg,
Hi Scanfield. I am sorry I can't tell you any thing about doses and efficacy because I have never tried this treatment. I will be sure to ask my doctor about it though. I just wanted to say how happy I am that you have found something that helps. May I ask has this made you almost normal on the highest dose you took or did you still have flares just fewer of them.I know what you mean by it's hard to tell how a med is working because with weather changes and just the fact EM will fluctuate on it's own too . I hope it continues to help you.
I also started at 37.5 mg, and at the end of each week upped it until I found the best dose for me at the present time. I take 187.5 mg a day. I have tried reducing by just 37.5 mg, but my quality-of-life immediately deteriorated. I have had EM for 25 years, and tried countless antidepressants, and this SNRI is the first one to reduce my pain. After all the types of medications and bizarre therapies I have tried for the last couple of decades, staying on an antidepressant is a very comfortable choice for me
I know this post was over a year ago, but I am currently on Venlafaxine. I started out at 37.5 twice a day and it worked great for a month. I was able to do almost anything. Then the flares came back. I uped my dose to 75mg twice a day and again saw improvements. Now a few flares are back. I am afraid I will have to up my dose again.
Since the both of you have been on this medication for a while, have you found that you eventually get to a dose and it remains steady? OR have yall had to continue upping you dose?
I look forward to your feedback.
Thank you both
Anne said:
I also started at 37.5 mg, and at the end of each week upped it until I found the best dose for me at the present time. I take 187.5 mg a day. I have tried reducing by just 37.5 mg, but my quality-of-life immediately deteriorated. I have had EM for 25 years, and tried countless antidepressants, and this SNRI is the first one to reduce my pain. After all the types of medications and bizarre therapies I have tried for the last couple of decades, staying on an antidepressant is a very comfortable choice for me :-)
I am on 150mgs of Effexor XR & it hasn’t helped me at all. But, I think I will try upping it to 187.5 & see what happens. I didn’t even know you could go up on the dose. Unfortunately, whenever I’ve read of someone trying something that gave them relief it only lasted for a little while. I’m not trying to be a downer because I still have hope in finding something that will at least give me 50% relief! That would be so great!
I have been on effexor 37.5 MG for three days with nausea headache shaky sweaty palms anxiety but was willing to truck through to see but today is day four and last night on day three was the first time my feet were not red when going to bed. However it makes my hands flare worse and veins in arms. Today day four I woke up with several body pain… Throbbing… Can barely stand and my husband had to come home from work. I’m aggrivated be a use it was the first night in many months that I didn’t have to elevate in bed. But weird that my feet were better but hands worse. The doc said stop taking it. Il waiting to talk directly to her. I’m nervous if meds will continue to make feet better hands worse… I can’t cut my body in half. Oh boy.
