Experience using Effexor?

[MaKettle]

DD13 seems to be more depressed & anxious since reaching age 13.  We've tried Prozac & Celexa without any (good) results.  The next recommendation is Effexor.  I would like to hear of anyone with experience using Effexor.

[kara5]

Ma,

I don't have any personal experience with Effexor but I will tell you that as an ex drug rep it was called side effexor(even by the doctors).  From what I know the side effects of it are more harsh than some of the other antidepressants.  I know that my sister took it for awhile and she hated it.  She took zoloft for a long time and it worked well for her but it began to not work anymore and she has recently been put on Lexapro.  Lexapro actually helps with anxiety and depression where the others are primarily just for depression.  Of course with all antidepressants the risk of suicide thoughts in teens is very high.  My sister said effexor made her feel like she wanted to crawl out of her skin and made her feel shaky -just 1 patient - I'm sure there are others that it has worked great for.

One word of caution, if your dd suffers from bipolar (maybe not showing all the signs and symptoms yet) an antidepressant could put her into a manic episode.  Her anxiety and irritability could increase, she could have a decreased need for sleep, she could have an exploded sense of self.  I have heard many doctors talk about antidepressants and that they all work in the same fashion and if 1 or 2 don't work for the patient then none of them are going to work because there is probably a misdiagnosis.  I'm not saying your dd is bipolar but she could be and just has not experienced the mania yet.  I had suspicion that my dd was bipolar but I had a hard time putting my finger on mania - her mania was her anger and anxiety.  Mania looks different in kids than in adults.

I'm sure this is more than you wanted to know - sorry.  I hope there is something here that might help!
Kara

[MaKettle]

Thanks Kara, that was helpful.  At least I have an idea of what to look for. 

I've often wondered myself if DD is bipolar.  The Celexa seemed to have her cycling between silly & suicidal.

[kara5]

Before my dd got just plain mean she would also cycle between a type of euphoria to lower than low and sometimes span the gap in a matter of hours.  If your dd cycles between highs and lows many times in a day or over the course of a week or two then she could be bipolar.  Our dd is on a antipsychotic, antidepressant and lithium and she is still cycling through her "mood swings" as she calls it.  My dd's facial features/expressions will change when she is in a depressive state, I can tell even by the tone of her voice what type of mood she is in when she says "hello" to me on the phone.  She will go from happy to tears in a matter of minutes on the phone - most of the time over nothing.  The big things don't bother my dd it is the small things she gets upset about. 

The psych is still working with her meds and still hasn't found the right combo for her yet.  I hope they find it soon for her sake. 

Maybe you can just simply ask if 2 drugs in the class haven't worked why is a 3rd one going to work?  A class of drugs all have the same mechanism of action.  Sounds like a different class of drugs should be tried for your dd.

Good luck Ma.
Kara

[trying]

MaKettle,  Are you still looking for info on effexor?  I took it for a while, but I won't bother writing much more unless you still need info.

[MaKettle]

trying,

Not at this time.  Psych doesn't want DD13 to think that pills are a quick fix for all of her problems.?   
Where IS that head banging emoticon?