I've suffered depression on and off for over 25 years and this last bout has been the worst ever.  So other ADs have marginally worked, but the depression keep coming back and are getting worse.

So finally the Dr prescribed Effexor.

I also got a diagnoses of Personality Disorder but the effexor doesn't really help with that.  

The pdoc did put me on a Zyprexa then Seroquel then Risperidone as an aid.  It helped stabilise my mood but perhaps it was more to help with the PD.

anorexia nervosa (primary diagnosis)
obsessive compulsive disorder (what the insurance company considers my primary diagnosis, due to wacky mental health parity it means that my insurance covers my T visits at 100%, rather than for AN where I'm limited to just 25 visits/year)
panic disorder not otherwise specified

I got the panic disorder dx from a doc the last time I was in the ER for feeling unsafe. The other two come from my pdoc/therapist. He's not one to over-diagnose, he wouldn't even list OCD if it wasn't for insurance. I also experience all of the symptoms of major depression, but he hasn't added that to my official dx list (as far as I know!).

I had a bad bout of depression when i was 13-16, which then relieved a bit

I then got mono (glandular fever) when i was 17 - as i didnt take enough time to recover fully, i have been tired and exhausted ever since (im now 22) - this has made me depressed - it is now thought that i may possibly have cfs, as i have many of the symptoms... aching, tiredness after exertion, headaches, sleepiness etc

the effexor was prescribed to combat the depression and help with the cfs... relieve aching and tiredness

Taking, now weaning off, for rather severe post-partum depression, the third time I have had it and have been on various medications each time.

I am taking the medication for depression. I think I have been depressed for many years but did not look into it in the past. I was always a deep thinker and sometimes had trouble maintaining a level of fun in life that others seemed to be able to. I grew up in a family where drinking was not abused but routinely used and I was no different. It did not really effect my life until recently where I felt I was starting to look forward to drinking to just watce tv etc. I did not drink 12 beers or anything but 5 or 6 to get a buzz. I looked back on many past years and realized that I had no problem drinking alone, in the week etc. when things in my life seemed good or bad. It sort of was a self-medication thing I suppose. Anyways, I felt it was getting a little worse and I finally allowed myself to go to the doctor and tell him about it with no shame. I told him how I was feeling and that I thought I was starting to rely on booze too much. It was actually liberating, embarrasing, and also I felt it was hard to talk about because I am usually quite limited in what I tell others. He put me on effexor 4 months or so ago and it seems to be going fine. I still get the feeling sometimes that I shouldn't be on any meds etc. and that I am whining about life but I had battled myself too many times and finally swallowed my pride and gave the meds a try...sorry for babbling on...hope this helps someone. :)
bigblue

talking about things will help.   I've found that I don't drink anything like the amount I used to.  For the 1st 6 months this year I  didn't have any alcohol at all.

Eileen

I'm bipolar.  I take 2 mood stabilizers, I guess because I'm special.   Taken alone, the mood stabilizers are good, but I feel kind of flat.  The lower dose of Effexor (150mg) puts some pep back into me without making me manic.  I also have an anxiety problem.  My psychiatrist tried to take me off Effexor and put me on Welbutrin XL, and I was bouncing off the walls with anxiety.  I'm back on Effexor, and it's going well.

I take effexor for OCD and depression :)

Hello! I'm taking Effexor for depression. I am also taking Wellbutrin. I just started on this combination a few weeks ago. I have tried a number of other antidepressants in the past without success, so I'm really hoping this combination will work for me.
I also have some anxiety issues and an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa) but the Effexor is mainly for the depression.
~Kait

Kaitrin
I hope it helps you.
Eileen

Severe Postpartum Depression.:;):

I hear that PPD can be really severe.  I heard from a friend who is a nurse that one woman she met whilst doing her training could only be helped by ECT cos she was so bad.

Eileen

Yes, my PPD was really really bad.  Thankfully I didn't need ECT, because I have responded well to the meds.

depression...

it's hard to carry on when you don't look forward to anything... my doc said she wouldn't prescribe more than 115mgs or so of effexor to someone not being monitored by a shrink... o well. at this point im on 75.

depressed_guy
do you want to see a psychiatrist?  they can be useful.  Or a therapist?  Somtimes the meds just aren't enough.   A psychiatrist would be able to give a more accurate diagnoses.  

I'd been going to my GPs for many years with depression but only after a suicide attempt and a week in hospital being assessed was I diagnosed also with a personality disorder.  So for years the GPs were given me anti-depressants (a few months at a time) but the underlying problem needed talking therapies.

Just wanted to add that there is a reason for being depressed.  Maybe its just chemical imbalance, maybe its situational (has something happened like a relationship breakup or a death of someone close) or is it long term (things from childhood - bad, unhappy as a child).

Effexor at higher doses (225mg) works not only on serotonin but also norepinephrine.  So if your only going to be on 115mg max then you could be on something like prozac.  Just a thought.   If you find that the max dose your dr will put you on isn't helping then you would need to see a psychiatrist and get it upped.


Take care.
Eileen

Hi, all.  I take 150 mg/day of Effexor XR to help with the depression part of bipolar disorder.  It seems to be working well for me at this point.  I had previously tried Paxil (60 mg/day), but it really didn't seem to be helping much.  I also tried Wellbutrin, but that caused mania within a week.  So, I'd have to give Effexor a big thumbs up so far.