Depression is one of those mental health disorders that are tough to treat. We believe that a chemical imbalance among neurotransmitters is the cause of depression as well as other psychiatric disorders. Prescription drugs are designed to try and correct that imbalance and treat patients. But the side effects are not well understood when using a prescription medication. The other option is to not treat depression and allow a person to disengage from society and enter a deep dark place. Obviously, healing humanity is a priority. One of those drugs to treat depression is called Effexor XR which is also know as Venlafaxine HCl in the generic form.
What Is Effexor XR?
Effexor is an antidepressant of the serotonin-norepinehrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class. Based on the class you should be able to figure out that the drug works by increasing the amount of serotonin and norepinehrine in the brain. To clarify any confusion, Effexor, Effexor XR and Venalafaxine HCl ER are basically the same drug. The XR and ER designations stand for extended release. This basically means that the drug lasts longer in your body by slowing the rate at which you body absorbs Effexor.
Depression is not the only symptoms that Effexor treats. It has been approved to treat Generalized Anxiety disorder (excessive, uncontrollable and irrational worry), Social Anxiety Disorder (intense fear of social situation)and Panic Disorder (intense episodes of anxiety during panic attacks).
Side Effects
Any time you are prescribed an antidepressant like Effexor, the greatest worry is the increased risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior. This is observed the most frequently when beginning use of Effexor and also when scaling down the dosage. The severity of suicidal risk is not fully understood but a good resource is to check out the Effexor reviews online provided by other patients. This will not necessarily be a good predictor for what you can expect but can give you an expectation on what is possible.
The physical side effects for Effexor include amnesia, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness, increased sweating, constipation and decreased sexual function. Depending on the age of the patient, Effexor has been shown to slow growth or add weight gain. It is not recommended to be used with pregnant women due to a heightened risk of miscarriage along with a greater tendency for birth defects. You also have to take into account Effexor withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop using this antidepressant. There has to be a gradual reduction in use to avoid some of the withdrawal symptoms. Your doctor should be able to establish the proper dosage schedule for you.
What has been your experience with Effexor?
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