They retested this past Thursday & the ALT/AST were even higher. I hardly drink alcohol & have not at all since I saw my tests results...so it's not from that. And all I take is Pristiq daily. They are doing a hep panel to check that...but that's just what they do when enzymes are up & need to see a GI doc. I've read Pristiq is uncommon to raise enzymes level...but I'm starting to wonder. I only started that back in February...& the enzymes keep going up.
The advantages are that one of those medications would probably help with your anxiety much sooner than the Pristiq, and as the Pristiq started to work you could taper off those medicines. In general, studies that look at the use of a benzodiazepine as a short term adjunct to an antidepressant find that the results are good. However I can't answer the specific question about the benefits and risks of such an approach for you particularly.
I am a 52 year old female. Post menopause and on hormones. Just hot my thyroid levels at a good level. I switched from pristiq to cymbalta back in November. I am tired ALL the time. More than when my thyroid was out of whack. Could the cymbalta be causing this and if so, what if I took it at night?
Equivalencies are generalizations, and you are an individual. Besides, Pristiq is a different class of drug than Lexapro. Lexapro is an ssri while Pristiq is an snri. And if it were me, which it isn't, I'd start at a low dosage and work my way up on any medication so I could see how bad the side effects were and the lowest dosage at which it works is.
I will only add one thing to Ryan's otherwise very good post. People do have different reactions to different drugs, even to Celexa and Lexapro or Pristiq and Effexor. While it's true the companies are trying to keep a patented product in their lineup, Lexapro seems to have fewer side effects than Celexa, but many people do find one or the other works better. Same probably with Pristiq and Effexor. But to prescribe both at once is insane.
I called the pdoc back and he's having me take a 75 effexor xr and my pristiq 50---I guess a ween off of it, no more brain zaps for now, I dont know what will happen after I stop taking effexor all together, we shall see in a few weeks.
As for the comment above, I too have seen people have to pay out of pocket for perscriptions and its usually elderly and people like me, who had been laid off and take medications and are put into a situation of having to pay out of pocket, what to do?
I really dont feel depressed at all,I feel ok when i had my clonazepan dosage,but what if I become an addict, how can I start taking pristiq and not being scared? Like I said above , i feel more anxious and panic than depressed. So Pristiq will work with my anxiety? What about Clonazepan withdrawals?
I take lithium Wellbutrin pristiq and clomping. I am going through menopause. I take about 6 six 7.5 hydros a day. I have taken the meds for 20 years, but the hydros about 2 years. Lately I have become morbidly depressed, and I need to know if you guys think its the hydros. Sometimes I do take more, but never more than 10 hydros.
I want to take it all and see what happens. Pristiq or even effexor wont kill you providing you get to hospital and take activated charcoal, but dexamphetamine rush, I may wake up dead. I am sick of my depression ****, so I have no fear. That makes me borderline in mental health here. I will be in and out like a rocket because I dont meet their criteria, even thougfh I will do 220kmh in a car not caring what tree I could bounce off. You would not believe where I take my 4x4.
I'm thinking about talking to my PCP about going back on an anti-depressant medication. My dysthymia (chronic depression) is getting the best of me, and I'm nearly to the point that I don't really want to do anything anymore.
I've taken Effexor in the past, and it seemed to work well for me, but I really don't like the sexual side effects.
n pristiq before bed...I suddenly stopped taking pristiq cuz I ran out n my phyciatrist doc office was closed..its beeen 2days now that I haven't taken pristiq..my head hurts bad it feels soar n my neck n ears hurt n eyes a bit..I also have a soar throat..could this b cuz im just stressing n stressing or because I stopped my medication pristiq?? I would like help plzz..im scared..
I am taking Pristiq and not sure if it helps or not. I was taking Eflexor 225 mg daily and this pristiq is only 50 mg. The withdrawal from Eflexor was terrible. Had nightmares and felt like I was fading away while trying to fall asleep. What does low magnesium have to do with depression? Never heard of that before. Can you get this over the counter?
I have been taking the pristiq now for over 3 months, and this is the newest add to my list (klonipin next newest at a little over 4 months -- the rest have been years.) I have just recently started getting these odd shocky type feelings through my arms, legs, sides, neck ... I really don't know how to describe tem, it's not quite electrical, but it's a good analogy. sometimes it almost just feels as if I can physically feel my blood moving through my veins.
If you are still considering taking Pristiq, make yourself very aware of the possible side effects, and if you start to feel any side effects at all, talk to your doctor.
I had a HORRIBLE experience with Pristique. I took it for about 3 1/2 weeks. At first, I didn't notice any side effects at all, and then after several days, I began to feel really sad and depressed. Then a little later, I became really irritible. Then all the side effects hit me all at once in full force.
So I cold turkey stopped taking it again and I am now on my 3rd day of no Pristiq. This is the WORST feeling I have ever experienced in my life!!! I am having headaches that are continuous all day long, dizziness so bad that it keeps me from getting out of my bed, everytime I turn my head left or right it feels like I am hitting my head against the wall. I can even hear myself "blinking my eyes". Nausea is starting to set in now making me afraid to eat anything.
t cope with everyday activities still. So we switched to Pristiq-Remeron and I have had severe lows and break through in the moods with the Pristiq. So he today added Abilify to the mix and I hope it is magical !
Good luck with the medication combos. It is very common to have to combine a few to get the results you are looking for.
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