From Pristiq To Effexor

[Tnvolgirl]

I am new here. Found this site by googling. So glad I did. :) Anyway, up until recently, just the other day actually, I was on pristiq for PTSD and have been for a couple years now. Had to get off because my insurance said they no longer cover it and it's so expensive that I can not get it on my own. It worked well for me. So my doc put me on effexor because one it suppose to work similar to pristiq and two my insurance covers it. Well this is day four and so far no big issue's with switching. Have been a little tired, head has felt a little funny some, but nothing major. I am hoping that is all I experience. Can anyone tell me that has switched like I have if you have any other issues? Now, after reading about effexor and coming off, if I ever decide to, I am nervous about it. Sounds like it's awful to come off of. I wonder if one could use a med like celexa to taper off of it when the time came? One point when I was on pristiq and needed to come off, my doc tapered me off with celexa and it was not to bad to get off of. Without celexa though, it was horrible. Just wondering if I should be worried at this point about being on effexor. I do hope that this tired feeling will go away. I have a family to take care of. Oh, and i was taking 50 mg of pristiq and am now on 37.5 of effexor. Thanks for any input!

 

[joeylittle]

Did celexa help you with your mood/the issues you were on Pristiq for in the first place? If so, I'd ask him whether you can try celexa first. Although Pristiq is an SNRI and Celexa is an SSRI, celexa is much less of a lifetime commitment.

I'm also wondering if you discussed Cymbalta (duloxetine), especially if you are not planning on staying on it long-term (it loses efficacy after 4-5 years). There is a generic formulation, so I'd think insurance would cover it.

 

[Tnvolgirl]

Did celexa help you with your mood/the issues you were on Pristiq for in the first place? If so, I'd...

Well, celexa seemed to not really help like pristiq. And no, she didn't mention cymbalta. Hoping I just didn't make a huge mistake. She only gave me a one month supply of effexor. Would it be possible to switch to cymbalta after the month if I see effexor is not working out? Would that be a hard transition?

 

[joeylittle]

Would it be possible to switch to cymbalta after the month if I see effexor is not working out? Would that be a hard transition?

Honestly, according to what many users report, yes.

I'm on Effexor, and a very high dose; but I metabolize drugs strangely. I've not felt the withdrawal side effects the way others report (when I've taken it late, or discovered that I'm out and it's a weekend, etc.). I'm not the norm. Most users who are discontinuing effexor have a very difficult time of it. My psych and I had a long talk about this before I switched to it (from cymbalta).

Effexor is the oldest drug of it's class, very well understood, and very effective - but it's sort of the Thor's Hammer of the SNRIs, and if you can take something lighter, you should try something lighter. I'm not a doctor, just have taken a lot of meds and read an awful lot of user reports.

It would be much better for you to yank yourself over to a different SNRI, now, if you wanted to try that, before you've fully ramped it up.

Can you get in touch with your psychiatrist on Monday?

 

[Tnvolgirl]

Honestly, according to what many users report, yes.

I'm on Effexor, and a very high dose; but I meta...

Thanks for your time and help. So cymbalta is a better drug in that class? Pristiq was time release and she said effexor was as well so that was one reason she chose that. I will call on Monday and speak to her about my concerns. I hope based on that, she will switch it.

 

[joeylittle]

I think cymbalta is as well.

The downside to cymbalta is that it's not good for long term; it peters out.

People have reported the 'brain zaps' phenomenon when coming off of it. But nowhere near the problems people seem to have with Effexor.

It (cymbalta) only moved out of patent in the US recently. It's possible your doc is assuming there isn't a generic, or they might have more experience with Effexor.

Make sure you've had a chance to communicate your concerns to them. And if they have a good reason why Effexor is the right med for you, then please, defer to them! Like I said, I take the drugs, I didn't go to school to study them.

Good luck!