Hey guys im currently taking Effexor 375mg, im starting to get bit manic problems sleeping, restless, anxious, feel bit speedy somtimes
its been suggested to me that it could be bipolar 2, showing some of the signs part of me wounders if my dose is just to high! I have had
several kinds of sleeping tablets which dont really work very well! Im taking Temazepam 20mg before bed but it still takes me several
hours to get to sleep! I have tried Zyprexa but it made me feel like a Zombie and I put on 7lbs in a week!!! My Pdoc has suggested Lithium
which kinda scares me. Im ment to be starting it in 2 weeks as long as an ECG and blood tests come back all ok! Does anyone have a simular
situation or any input they could share?

Thanx guys

Hi ja4445

I've recently been diagnosed as BP2 due to manic behavior on EFfexor. I've never exhibited any manic symptoms whatsoever before I began on this medication.

I'm only on 225mg. I'd say that 375mg is a high dose. Is it only just now that you're experiencing these symptoms? Are you having mood swings at all?

The Effexor itself can make you quite edgy. It certainly did me, so that's not necessarily a sign that you're BP2. It does that to quite a few people, I believe.

What does your pdoc say about these symptoms?

I'd be very interested to see how you go over the next week or so.

Please keep me posted

Cheers

Dan

Thanx for the reply dan! I have been on a few AD's mirtazapine make me abit manic as well, i started getting bit manic on effexor at 150mg and i always kinda put it down to being a side effect because it comes and goes, but since i have increased to 375mg a few weeks ago its getting worse. The nurse i see for talk therpy identified the symtoms as BB2 last week, and is writing to pdoc which im seeing in 10 days, the pdoc wants be to take lithium, his diagnosis is refactory depression! I do get a alot of mood swings! I taken 20mg of temazepam to sleep a few hours ago and im still awake! V chilled out but cant drift off! Im off to GP's tomorrow to see if they can give me anything else to help with the sleep, but as far as im aware temazepam is the strongest sleeping tablet!

Cheers

James

Hey James

How are you going with the manic feelings? Are they worsening, or leveling out?


Cheers

Dan

Hey Dan

I have started lithium which seems to help abit, but im only on day 4 so its abit soon to say yet I guess! My pdoc has also given me Risperidone to help with sleep & anxity tis a tough drug to take tho makes you very sleepy for most of the day, but it does work well!

Hey James

If it's working well, it sounds good

My pdoc gave me depakote, but I don't like it, so have stopped taking it. I know he's gonna be pi**ed when I see him...

I really know what you mean about the tired bit, tho.

Hang in there, and keep me posted

Take care

Dan

Thanx Mr im hoping that when the lithium kicks in i wount need it! Plus im gonna end up putting on loads of weight hehe will keep ya posted!!!

James

Effexor has a stimulating effect because it acts on the neurotransmitter norepinephrine in the brain. It's different than manic problems.

I stopped taking my stabilizer about 6 days ago, and wham! The mood swings I'm having are horrible.

I'm going from bawling uncontrollably, to suicidal, to OK, to agitated and irritable, to feeling pretty darned good three or four times a day at the moment.

Anyone know if this is standard for stopping a stabilizer? I was taking depakote for about four weeks, but it was giving me bad stomach aches, which is why I stopped.

I haven't changed my Efexor dose at all. Still on 225mg.

Dan

Hey Dan sorry to hear that your not feeling well, I did take zyprexa for a while and stoped taking it but didnt have any problems, have you talked with your pdoc? maybe he can give you somthing different? I didnt get on with zyprexa but Risperidone is better im to scared to get on the scales tho i dread to think how much weight I put on!

Wow, from suicidal to mega hyper at the moment. I'm practically bouncing off the walls. I actually don't mind it, to tell the truth. Feels pretty good.

Talked to my psych today, and I'm starting on some antipsychotic tomorrow. Don't know which one, but it's only gonna be a low dose.

Hopefully, that'll level me out without the stomach aches, and no more suicidal episodes.

Wow that sounds fun hehe, as long as your ok tho, If i get hyper i get really moody!
I take Rispiradone it seems to work quite well, it leaves you feeling abit flat tho! It makes me quite relaxed! Let me know which one u get!

James

hi guys ! effexor is killing me ! i have only been on it for 2 months and only on 75mg. i have not slept in the past 4 days !! i am doing ok during th day ,actually started feeling pretty good, as son as i go to sleep my brain goes into high gear! first it started with these dreams taht were so vivid i couldnt tell if they were real or not , not scary just intense, now i lay down and it just goes nuts i cant even let one word go into my head without becoming obssesed about it ! by body is eaxhausted! i have taken mr and other meds to tr to sleep but they dont help i cant go on like this ,, i am not stressed out, i am actually not working rigt now and spending my days playing nerf dart guns and swiming.. i love that th effexor has made me feel good enough not to si any more but if this continues i may stop taking it.. is this the feeling you guys get ? do you guys ever have really intense thoughts? i will get them every now and the like the other day i was driving and i saw abig rig and i couldnt stop thinking about how it would feel if i ran my car head on into it? i didnt want to it was just a thought...

I don't get the dreams, oddly enough. I seem to be the only one that doesn't.

When I have an upswing, I usually start off really hyper. That's always an indication that one's about to start for me. Usually within an hour or so, I'm feeling fantastic. Really optimistic, more confident (I have social anxiety, so that's a big thing for me), and lots of energy. I don't sleep much, but I do sleep. I find that it's difficult to think about anything that doesn't take my interest, but I can quite happily work away at something if I'm into it.

On a downswing, I get suicidal. Really bad. Lots of crying, total loss of anything remotely resembling hope. I tend to sleep more, which is a blessing when I'm feeling like that.

I've just been put on Seroquel. I'm supposed to start tonight, but I'm holding off, cos I don't want to sleep at the moment.

Hope you manage to get some sleep soon. You'll end up psychotic soon if you don't.

Cheers

Dan

ok 4 days no sleep.... i even took a sleeping pill last night. i warned my husband that i am going to end up loosing it,, as you put it going psychotic! he acted like nothing was going oni think he is tired of hearing about that and my pain... its like my brain has ocd while my body sleeps , this cant be normal.. i am so tired that i feel my depression and need to si getting stronger..... ok wel everyone try to have a good weekend!

I know exactly what you guys mean about the manic thoughts! I've been on Effexor XR for a few months now, and my doctor just increased my dose to 225 mg./day (and slightly decreased my xanax) about a week ago after I told him I didn't feel the medication was working anymore. Well about the same time (about a week or more ago) I started having pretty bad anxiety again and having irrational thoughts (hence why I made a doctor's appt.) It's been getting worse every day now. Like when I'm in the kitchen and loading the dishwasher or something, I keep looking at the knives. And I almost become fixated on them. And then I keep having these visions in my head (that don't seem to go away) of me hurting someone else. (NOT that I would!!) But, that's the way it feels. Not to mention the racing thoughts. Do you think these thoughts will go away while I settle into the new dosage?? It is really becoming scary to me.