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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Does Effexor XR Aggrevate Depression?

Have been on Effexor XR 75 mg for about 2 weeks now and the past 3 days my depression has worsening and become very severe. Does this medicine make your depression deepen before it starts working? Had been taking Prozac for 20 years and it worked well but my dr. wanted me to switch due to it causing weight gain and fuzzy thinking, which I didn t think were problems. First tried Trintellix and had such severe nausea I had to stop. Next tried Pristiq for 1 month, but it didn t seem to work very well, although I wonder if the dr. gave it enough time? Now am just starting Effexor and experiencing extreme depression. Is this a normal side effect?
Mon, 6 Mar 2017
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General & Family Physician 's  Response
Effexor XR does not aggravate depression but it has many side effects such as changes in behavior, suicidal ideation, agitation, tremor, anxiety, insomnia, confusions, abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, vomiting and diarrhea. Some of these side effects resemble symptoms of depression.
Prozac can cause weight gain. If weight gain is significant then it is better to discontinue it. You can control your weight by exercise and diet control.
Effexor XR is a very effective medicine for treatment of depression. Side effects are seen but side effects usually occur in early stage of treatment. If you are so afraid of using it then you can use citalopram or escitalopram. Citalopram and escitalopram have a better safety profile. But these are prescription based medicine and you need a written prescription from registered medical professional. Discuss with your doctor about this.
Advice
1.     Citalopram or escitalopram instead of Effexor XR
2.     Regular exercise at least 30 minutes for 5 days in a week. The best types of exercise for controlling depression are walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing
3.     Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products
4.     Avoid smoking, alcohol, coffee and caffeinated beverages
5.     Lose extra weight if you are overweight and keep your body mass index between 19 and 25. BMI is calculated by formula BMI = Weight in Kilograms / (height in meters x height in meters)
I hope this information will help you. I will be happy if you ask another question
Thank
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Does Effexor XR Aggrevate Depression?

Effexor XR does not aggravate depression but it has many side effects such as changes in behavior, suicidal ideation, agitation, tremor, anxiety, insomnia, confusions, abnormal dreams, headache, dizziness, dry mouth, vomiting and diarrhea. Some of these side effects resemble symptoms of depression. Prozac can cause weight gain. If weight gain is significant then it is better to discontinue it. You can control your weight by exercise and diet control. Effexor XR is a very effective medicine for treatment of depression. Side effects are seen but side effects usually occur in early stage of treatment. If you are so afraid of using it then you can use citalopram or escitalopram. Citalopram and escitalopram have a better safety profile. But these are prescription based medicine and you need a written prescription from registered medical professional. Discuss with your doctor about this. Advice 1. Citalopram or escitalopram instead of Effexor XR 2. Regular exercise at least 30 minutes for 5 days in a week. The best types of exercise for controlling depression are walking, jogging, cycling, swimming and dancing 3. Eating a diet that is rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products 4. Avoid smoking, alcohol, coffee and caffeinated beverages 5. Lose extra weight if you are overweight and keep your body mass index between 19 and 25. BMI is calculated by formula BMI = Weight in Kilograms / (height in meters x height in meters) I hope this information will help you. I will be happy if you ask another question Thank