Dilated Pupils/Feeling High

[musicjunkie]

Hello everyone. I'm new here. I just took my first dosage of 75mg Effexor last night. I woke up this morning and could barely function. Still, 14hrs after taking my first dosage, I can barely function, but better.

I have huge dilated pupils, shakey hands, and to-be-frank I feel like I'm really high.

I do not like this feeling.

I have a husband and a 3.5yr old who count on me to be as active as I can be throughout the day. I felt better before the medication than I do now. I don't know what to do.:weep:

[SADnomore]

Sounds just like the sort of typical start-up side effects that some people get, on Effexor and other antidepressants. Try not to worry, these are normal but not permanent. The key is to keep going through the first days and few weeks at most until they normally ease off. Do note that Effexor is available in 37.5 mg capsules, which is what my doctor had me take for the first week, then upping to 75 mg after that. I probably could have done with another week at the lowest dose to become accustomed to the fuzzy "high" feelings and, for me, nausea and muscle tension. Increases in serotonin are at first met by a shut down in new production, resulting in added anxiety. Which may make you feel like you are getting worse, but the levels normalize after awhile and you will find that you are less apt to become unduly anxious or slip into a depressed state. For me, I found that I gradually became able to sidestep negative thoughts and to think clearly and positively again. At the same time the side effects dissipated one by one, the last of the dizziness and muscle tension left at about 5 weeks in.

Also, many report that the extended release capsules vs. the immediate release tablets create less side effects for them. I waited about a month before slowly increasing my dosage from 75 mg using the 37.5 mg capsules, two weeks at each new dose. My doctor started me in spring 2014 and kept me at 75 mg for the following summer months until mid-August. At which point I began the slow increase to 300 mg. I suffer greatly from seasonal affective disorder. I did much better this past winter, provided I didn't allow too much stress and restricted contact with negative people in my life. In other words, I mostly stayed home with hubby, or went out to shop or lunch with a supportive friend. A sun getaway helped, but I am not against the idea of sunbed time, 5 minutes only and mostly covered with sunscreen.)

As with all drugs, not everyone has the same results or experience with side effects. There are lots of threads and posts under Effexor/venlaxafine here, and you would do well to read any that interest you as far as you can. I rested with a blanket and drank lots of water to combat dry mouth and dizziness. Small meals, or soda crackers and ginger ale to discourage nausea. And read all the positive threads on venlaxafine I could find on here. Lots of success stories, of which I consider myself one! Very very glad I stuck with it. Try not to give up! I wish you all the best!
Marie :bighug1:

---------- Post added at 22:15 ---------- Previous post was at 22:13 ----------

ps After switching to bedtime for taking my Effexor, I regained more normal energy during the day. I tended to sleep through much of the bothersome effects, and so continued with that!

[musicjunkie]

I hate to say, I gave up. I could not feel that way ever again!!! I wish she would have started me at the low dosage. It was the time release, so my crazy symptoms lasted 20hrs. I just can't live that way with my son. Poor kid was about to go crazy. I've taken Celexa, Zoloft and Xanax and have never had that experience. I think it was the worst day of my life.

I will ask her on Monday about the lower dosage, or another medication. I feel awful that I gave up, I just couldn't.

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and for replying. I, too, suffer from seasonal depression as well as OCD and all forms of anxiety.

[nicola1980]

Hi i also take effexor and I only started out on 37.5mg too, there's no wonder you struggled on 75mg as I nearly gave up the first few days, i felt dreadful and my pupils were huge and that scared the life out of me, the only thing that kept me going was that this was sort of my last resort med as others had failed and I'm so pleased I now stuck with it, i slowly increased to the dose im on now which is 187.5mg and with each increase back came the side effects but I took Diazepam to help me thro. I suffer bad anxiety and panic attacks.
Good luck with whatever you try next XX