a week of effexor
I've been taking Effexor for a week, and I've benefited from a friend's med diary about her early experiences with it, so in the spirit of paying it forward, here's what my first week has been like.
1. Side effects. I've had nausea and headaches. It was really marked at first, dwindling each day. Though I'm actually still getting a bit of this, depending on what's in my stomach when I take the pill. I also feel like I'm sweating a little more than usual when I get a little warm or exert myself, but it's hard to be sure.
2. Mood improvement. Not sure yet. I kind of hit bottom the first day I saw the psychiatrist-- I got turned around on the way from the train to the office and walked the wrong way for several minutes, which happens to me ridiculously often when I take the train somewhere new, and I had to run back to make it on time. I felt like the world's worst fuckup for not even being able to make my psych appointment on time even though I gave myself an extra half-hour to find the place and when I arrived I locked myself in the office bathroom and cried for a while. And then I was hot and redfaced and sweating throughout the appointment while I explained how depression ended my career and ruined my life. I felt like there was no drug on earth that was ever going to be able to fix me and even if my depression were cured, I could never dig myself out of the hole I'm in at this point.
Fortunately it was a two-day initial consult, and the next day I was able to find the place early without running and I could talk to the doctor in a much more calm state of mind. Getting the prescription left me feeling optimistic. Which is still how I feel most of the time... neutral with some optimism that it's going to get better. But the better hasn't actually happened yet. Not surprising. It's supposed to take three weeks.
One plus: earlier I worked out on the exercise machine for 30 minutes, and for the first time in memory, exercise actually made me feel good. I've written before about how it drives me crazy that people claim exercise always helps depression-- I'm sure it does help with many individuals' depression, but I've been exercising regularly for 16 months since we got the machine, and it never helped my mood, not immediately and not in the long-term. I kept at it because I do want to be healthier. But this time, I felt good after 30 minutes of activity. Hope that keeps up.
3. Writing. I do feel like slowly my will and ability to write is ebbing back. I did some writing tonight. Over the past few months, even my usual habit of telling stories to myself while doing dull chores had deserted me, and it felt horrible to lose that. Now it's coming back. Huge relief.
So, that's a week in on Effexor. I'll add more when I'm further along.
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1. Side effects. I've had nausea and headaches. It was really marked at first, dwindling each day. Though I'm actually still getting a bit of this, depending on what's in my stomach when I take the pill. I also feel like I'm sweating a little more than usual when I get a little warm or exert myself, but it's hard to be sure.
2. Mood improvement. Not sure yet. I kind of hit bottom the first day I saw the psychiatrist-- I got turned around on the way from the train to the office and walked the wrong way for several minutes, which happens to me ridiculously often when I take the train somewhere new, and I had to run back to make it on time. I felt like the world's worst fuckup for not even being able to make my psych appointment on time even though I gave myself an extra half-hour to find the place and when I arrived I locked myself in the office bathroom and cried for a while. And then I was hot and redfaced and sweating throughout the appointment while I explained how depression ended my career and ruined my life. I felt like there was no drug on earth that was ever going to be able to fix me and even if my depression were cured, I could never dig myself out of the hole I'm in at this point.
Fortunately it was a two-day initial consult, and the next day I was able to find the place early without running and I could talk to the doctor in a much more calm state of mind. Getting the prescription left me feeling optimistic. Which is still how I feel most of the time... neutral with some optimism that it's going to get better. But the better hasn't actually happened yet. Not surprising. It's supposed to take three weeks.
One plus: earlier I worked out on the exercise machine for 30 minutes, and for the first time in memory, exercise actually made me feel good. I've written before about how it drives me crazy that people claim exercise always helps depression-- I'm sure it does help with many individuals' depression, but I've been exercising regularly for 16 months since we got the machine, and it never helped my mood, not immediately and not in the long-term. I kept at it because I do want to be healthier. But this time, I felt good after 30 minutes of activity. Hope that keeps up.
3. Writing. I do feel like slowly my will and ability to write is ebbing back. I did some writing tonight. Over the past few months, even my usual habit of telling stories to myself while doing dull chores had deserted me, and it felt horrible to lose that. Now it's coming back. Huge relief.
So, that's a week in on Effexor. I'll add more when I'm further along.
http://cesare.dreamwidth.org/166144.html |
comments | Comment at Dreamwidth