I'm new to the forum..........
I've been taking Pristiq since Oct 08, and have really had no problems w/ it. (other than initial nausea - bad nausea - that went away pretty quickly). I seem to have responded quite well to it. I had actually been off AD's for a while, so had nothing to compare it to. Previously had success w/ Lexapro. Wellbutrin alone did nothing for me, but combined w/ the Lexapro was okay. My dr. seems to think that I've done well on the Pristiq, compared to some of his other patients.

I also wanted to add:

I am on Pristiq, as well as Adderal for ADHD (only recently diagnosed). The Adderal seems to really help w/ my energy and focus and concentration at work.

Now: my side effects (presumably from the Pristiq)

VIVID dreams, weird, bizarre dreams, that I remember.
INSOMNIA - HUGE ISSUE
NIGHT SWEATS - wake up slimy, with soaked sheets night sweats
EXCESSIVE SWEATING during day, more than usual.
HARD TIME REACHING ORGASM

My dr. has tried the following drugs, all w/ awful side effects, to combat:

[list]

[*]Clonidine (for the night sweats and insomnia - didn't work - don't think it did anything at all)
[*]Doxepine - made me a Witch on Wheels!!! bad mood swings, irritability, increased appetite, hard to wake up, got off it pretty quickly
[*]Trazadone - slept all night it was wonderful! - BUT Witch on Wheels again, very moody, irritable, snapped at everyone, everything! got off quickly
[*]Atavan to sleep - OMG!!! Hallucinations, even MORE Bizarre Dreams, absolute 'black outs'/amnesia. AWFUL! Stopped and woke up w/ the worst hang over type feelings, and headache.

I don't know what to do - my dr. (a psychiatrist) seems to be a pill pusher - I don't do talk therapy w/ him. I have terrible insomnia and the night sweats are awful. I have a hard time reaching orgasm. I don't want to keep trying different pills to sleep - his next choices are lunestra or ambien. HELP!!!

anyone else have similar side effects, and have you found anything that helps combat them? Or just weigh out the negative side effects v. the help of the AD..........