Hi PETE!!! I am glad your back Tita here the one who has been waiting so anxiouly to follow your journal. It is giving me the courage to start my presciption of effexor. I am always so terrified to try medicines. I was on Nefazadone years ago but once I came of that I have been fearful of meds. That one worked well for me with little side effects. Celexa used about 2 yrs later started litterally by a crumb and worked my way up to 40 mg increased sweating, lost libido extreme weight gain Very vivid dreams. So I went off those for 11/2 now. I have the Effexor as the depression is making things unbeareable with trying to get out there and do exposure therapy etc. I am constantly worrying about everything. Sorry to take away from your journal I just wanted you to know how much I appreciated it and how it has given me the strength to do whats best for me to get on with my life. After reading your journals today I started the effexor I have 37.5 XR but you can break it open and put it on apple sauce if you have trouble swallowing the pill so that is what I did. I only used half though so more like 16.2 then that tomorrow then 37.5. I prefer baby steps. I also had to take a Activan before today so anxious I knew without the help of it I wouldn't have started the meds... Thank THank you keep posting ok Tita

Today was another good day so far I have had 2 doses of the 75mg and didn't notice any additional side effects with the increased dosage. I actually feel really good especially over the last couple of days. I have an appointment with my counsellor next week on Tuesday so I am sure she will probably recommend to my doctor that I continue because I am sure she will notice an improvement. It's also funny I was working out today again and for the second day in a row on my recumbent cycle, I have the speed/time/heart rate etc. anyways I've been paying alot less attention to the monitor where before I would always look down now I kind of just shrug it off. Trying to sum up my feelings today: I am not worried about dying, not that I want to die or anything but I almost feel like whatever happens, happens. Don't get me wrong either I am not like a zombie stoned on drugs, if fact it is nothing like that, my emotions are more like they used to be, like they are in tune with how I really feel, sad, angry, happy, bored etc., I feel I have a bit more energy as well. The energy thing is wierd it's almost as if my legs want to go run a race on their own. I have been taking my meds in the morning with breakfast by the way and I have not had any trouble getting to sleep at night which I was warned about the possibility of, I have been sleeping well through the entire night.

Hi there sorry I went on a 4 day vacation without access to a computer, my vacation went well I finished the 1st week of my medication and didn't notice much more of a difference but today I started the 75mg doses which I begin after the 1st week of 37.5mg doses. Over the past week I did have feelings of anxiety because I had a pain in my back and then a pain in my chest, I have a tietzes syndrome(sp?) so I do get pain and swelling in my chest area where the cartilidge is inflammed, however I have noticed that althought I have had feelings of anxiety I dont have the oh my god I am going to die feelings I usually obsess about for days after. I am more relaxed, I feel more myself, my wife agrees I seem more myself. I haven't had any side effects other then when I work out now I sweat ALOT. So I am careful to replace the lost fluids after working out. I know that this drug can take weeks to really have its effect so I am just being patient at the moment and trying to relax, which I seem to actually be able to do, so maybe the meds are slowly working. I did have a problem with being off balance occasionally throughout the day and the past week I did not get those sensations but I did get that feeling a few times today so we will see how the next couple of days go.

Hey Pete, What happened I was looking forward to your posting day by day while taking Effexor XR I had it prescibed to me and was elated that someone was writting there experience from the beginning. I thought it would be very beneficial to me as well as other people. Tita

So far today I have felt a bit better, I don't know if the small dosage I have taken could already have made any difference, maybe it is just the weight off my shoulders of not having to try so hard to fight off the anxiety and letting the medication just do its thing.

I thought I would start a post that I will continue to post on a daily basis. I started Effexor XR today 37.5mg. Maybe it will help others with questions they may have about meds or just to share their feelings. Here it begins: I had panic attacks and GAD since last September which I did not know I first went through a few months thinking that it was my brain, heart, inner ear etc. It took me quite some time to come to terms with it being anxiety. About 2 months ago I began CBT which has been a huge help. I've come a really long way in what I feel a short time but I seem to have come to a hump that I just can't get over for some reason, maybe from trying to hard. So me and the dr. sat down and discussed taking meds, something I did not really want to do because I always thought I could beat this without it, and not to say I still can't but I finally decided that maybe I am making myself suffer unecessarily. So Yesterday when it came to be that I would begin the meds today I was feeling a bit down, feeling somewhat that maybe I have failed, feeling that I thought I was doing really good? Why start the meds now, I was worried that my CBT therapist didn't feel like she was helping. I am a little apprehensive about the meds, but I will give them every possible chance to help by taking them when I am supposed to and not drinking any alcohol. I think that is the part that is going to be the worst since I have a vacation coming up visiting with family and friends as well as being the best man in a wedding for my cousin. Not too mention everytime I eat at my parents or in laws I am offered wine or beer so all of a sudden what do I say to them? Don't get me wrong I can live without the alcohol I maybe have 3 to 5 drinks a week but we will see. The reason I was apprehensive about taking meds was I wasn't really not doing things I would normally do because of anxiety, like the things I enjoy doing, other then spending maybe too much time when I am supposed to be relaxing thinking about it. I took my first pill this morning about 4 hours ago. No changes, or feelings yet I know this med can take 2 to 4 weeks to make any differences. I will continue to post on this post with updates and please feel free to add anything you all would like to it as well.