I have known i have had anxiety for a while now, though i am just now seeking treatment in the last few months. I have a question though. As you said, depression and anxiety go hand and hand usually. I am also being treated for depression and just started on 150 mgs of Effexor XR. I have .25 mgs of Xanax I can take twice a day. Now, my question. Is it possible that I didnt fully feel my anxiety when I was depressed except in stressful situations because it seems that now I am more content and normal feeling on the Effexor XR, meaning I am no longer depressed at the moment, I feel anxious all of the time. My heart pounding, breathless, and my hand shaking constantly unless I take the two xanax at different times during the day and sometimes that doesnt help. My doc told me to take those as needed. any advice would be great!!

and FYI, I did tremble some before, it just seems more often now... like the last time i went to the doc before i started the meds, I was so anxious and trembly that they couldnt get my blood pressure. I guess i was asking if I could be feeling the true extent of my anxiety issues now that the depression is being successfully treated. and i have been on effexor xr and the xanax for week now1

I must say that I have found effexor to be great for depression but then it has given me too much anxiety which I don't like. I am currently on 10mg of paxil and 37.5mg of effexor. I had more anxiety at 75mg and above.

Thanks for sharing... I cant say that my anxiety is really more, in how i feel emotionally, but more so I can feel it more physically. I guess I will have to discuss this with my doc when I go back in two weeks.

Hell yeah I felt awfully anxious in my 5 days of taking Effexor. The anxiety was causing severe pain and heart palpatations. Maybe because my doctor started me on 75mg which totally blew my mental and physical symptoms far more than they've ever been.

see thats the thing, I always have had heart palpitations... my heart beat was always high... I my hands trembled before the Effecor XR... it just notice it more now.... so how can I tell if its from the drug or not?

How are you doing now? I am not off of effexor as it was just too stimulating for me.

if I dont take my xanax twice a day as prescribed, I feel extremely anxious... my heart rate is still high even with the xanax... but that is normal form me... the xanax calms my trembling and my thoughts some. However, I am really anxious about my mom and my first appt with this therapist tomorrow... so the xanax is not calming that so much... ask again tomorrow, lol.... i seem to have very vivid and strange dreams on the Effexor XR... but I think that is amusing.

thanks for asking :)

Speak to any doctor about this and they will probably tell you it is not healthy to think about this. Drugs can make you more anxious, but to relly make a clear judgement you need to give the meds more time. Over a period of a week the anxiety may go. Hang in there.