Many AD's have side effects that affect the libido, guess it applies to both sex es. As far as I know all AD's have this drastic effect . Hopefully you'll find one that's OK for you . Good luck.
The intial side effects were extreme dry mouth and sweating. These went away and what remained was sexual side effects which were alleviated by combining Effexor with Wellbutrin. I also did alot of jaw clenching and had to get a mouth guard to protect my teeth when I slept.
Now to the Pristiq:
My doctor and I decided to swtich me over to Pristiq from Effexor. (Pristiq is essentially the same drug, but supposedly without all the side effects).
I would say my experience on Pristiq is pretty much the same as Alto2.
It works better for me than SSRI type antidepressants because it has an effect on Norephineperine in the brain which SSRI's like Lexapro do not.
Like Alto2 I also take 100Mg's a day. A lot of people don't know that Pristiq is very much like Effexor. In fact they are so much alike that 99% of the active chemical in Pristiq is the same as in Effexor, althouh the release of the medication is slightly different.
However the tremors are still there as well as extreme sweating, and muscle tightness. (I have been on this dose for approximately 2 weeks.
If you're doing well on Effexor, I don't see any reason to switch. I've never been on Pristiq, but side effects when taking PRISTIQ 50 mg may include nausea, dizziness, sweating, constipation, and decreased appetite.
In clinical studies of the recommended 50-mg dose, the percentage of people who stopped taking PRISTIQ due to side effects was similar to placebo (sugar pill).
s another possibility. Adding drugs can help with symptoms but it does add side effects. Pristiq is a stimulating antidepressant, so by itself it doesn't have as many problems such as this one as does say the SSRIs. So, two possibilities. Your depression isn't actually in check because lack of motivation and low energy are prime symptoms of depression.
I find this is typical. I am drug resistant; so the Psychiatrist says. He even wanted to put some kind of shunt in my carotoid artery to the brain that gives a tiny shock...have you heard of this? My problem is I had to take Interferon which made me depressed and physically ill with pain. After I finished the Tx and the side effects didn't go away I was told I am depressed. Of course I'm depressed, I don't feel well!
Thanks for the reply! Do you know what is the maximum allowed with Pristiq? I know with Lexapro it's 20mg which is what I took.
Thanks!
All of these drugs come with many side effects -- some suffer more, some less, but all drugs have side effects. They are very powerful and alter the way the body functions naturally, so naturally they throw some things out of balance. How much depends on the person. General docs just don't know this stuff that well as they don't receive specialized training in it.
You have to look at anxiety as being like any other medical condition requiring daily medication to control the symptoms and not dwell on any side effects. These are the only medications we get so hung up on the side effects with. If you were diagnosed with another condition like Diabetes...you wouldn't worry about the medication needed to control it and this is no different! None of us want to take medication but for many...
But did you wean off of it as you introduced the Pristiq? If not you may be having with withdrawal from the Prozac combined with the side effects of starting a new medication. Or it may just be that Pristiq is not for you. Talk to your doctor about these side effects, they're pretty scary and you need to know what to do at this point where medication is concerned. What works for one may not for another. I wish you all the best with this.
They just altered the structure some in order to get a new patent and hopefully to have fewer side effects, but over time that usually turns out not to be the case. I ask because if the effexor was working Pristiq is pretty similar, so why switch? If it stopped working, Pristiq might not work either as it's such a similar drug by the same manufacturer. Perhaps it was to reduce side effects?
My best advice is to go back to your famly doctor. Tell him
or her that you feel Pristiq is not working for you. That you feel that Pristiq
has made you gain weight and that you now have carb cravings that you
never had before and that you want to stop taking Pristiq. A friend of mine
was prescribed a drug by her family doctor which created similiar side
effects as you have described.
Whenever I would switch medications, there was an adjustment period where I did feel some side effects, but if you know that it is happening it really makes it much easier to handle. Starting, stopping, or switching any medication can cause side effects...not just ADs, SSRIs, but other medications as well. As long as you are doing this under the advise of your doctor, you are doing the right thing, in my experience.
Never heard of it...anyhwo I would go ahead and try it. Just because it lists those as possible side effects doesnt mean you will get them. Heck did you read all the side effects for hydro? lol. Every drug has potentially dozens of possible side effects- they have to list them all just in case but most people only get one or two at the most. and if depression and anxiety are a huge problem for you, the benefit outweighs the risk.
Effexor makes it even worse. So the doctor changed me to Pristiq and said side effects will not be as bad as with Effexor. After taking it for 1 month I kept eating and gaining weight. And my menstrual cycle went crazy (one and a half months thinking I started an early menopause!). So I panicked and stopped Pristiq, but next day felt the horrible withdrawal effects (dizziness and nausea that kept me in bed). Next day I started taking 80 mg Prozac and withdrawal effects diminished.
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