Concerta and Effexor

[UrbanCowboy]

Has anybody experience with taking Concerta and Effexor? Seems to be working for me so far, but would be interested in anyone else's experience,

Joseph

[Tali]

Joseph,

I am currently taking 54 mg of Concerta and 150 mg of Effexor each morning. I have been on Concerta since last spring but around early September I realized that I was also suffering from depression. My doctor started me on a low does of effexor and increased it to 150 about a month ago.

I actually came to this board this morning to see if anyone else was having trouble with this combination. Taking the effexor helped a lot with the sad feelings I was having but I didn't not see any difference in feeling motivated to do anything.

I have noticed in the past 3 weeks or so, I have having a very difficult time getting out of bed in the mornings and am late to work almost everyday now. My boss and I kind of work a flex schedule so it is not a big problem but where i used to get out of bed at 5:15 on the second time the alarm went off, now it is taking me 60 - 90 minutes with three alarms going off.

I am able to sit at my desk better and actually work and concentrate more but I feel like I am more of a recluse now then i was 2 months ago and on weekends, if I let myself do it, i will stay in bed and sleep all day.

I also feel like I am sweating a lot more - especially in the mornings about 30 minutes or so after I take my meds. It is not unusual for me to roll down my car window when it is 40 degrees outside.

I don't feel like I am sad and things are not irritating me as much (aka - i am a lot more even tempered) but I am not accomplishing anything.

I am going to make an appointment to see my doctor and talk about this.

[Blueguy]

I started taking effexor just over two weeks ago and I think it does take the edge off my depression but I am also feeling some side effects. Tali, I'm not having trouble getting started in the morning but I do know what you are talking about with the sweating (and I'm a heavy sweater to start with). The biggest thing I've noticed, though, is zero sex drive. It's something I've had trouble with in the past and now it's all but gone. Like most males, I experienced daily "activity" for lack of a better word. Now there's nothing, though mentally, I'm as willing as ever. Have you experienced the same?

[Tali]

Blueguy - I know exactly what you mean about daily activity and going to zero sex drive. I noticed the exact same thing. In fact I think after about 2 months I realized that not only did effexor get rid of me having irritable moods I was not feeling anything at all - zero sex drive, no interest in anything except playing an online rollplaying game on the internet. I cut back to 75 mg about 9 days ago and alot of my feelings have returned - about everything. I have made arrangements to have my neighbors come over for a nice dinner over the holidays and I am managing to get up in the mornings even if the kitties are laying on my and cuddling.

I am not sweating as much in the mornings either - when I get into work it is warmer then I like in my office but it is not bothering me now.

I feel happier now but i feel like I am still not doing things - though I did notice I am more interested in daily activities again. I am going to see my doctor this week and talk about either a lessor dosage or changing to something else. I heard there are some antidepressents with no sexual side effects so I am going to ask about that. Even though I don't have a partner, it doesn't hurt to practiice and stay in shape.

[Blueguy]

Thanks for the info Tali. I've only been on 75 mg of effexor and I can't imagine where 150 mg would put me. Glad to hear some of the normal feelings are returning. I'm curious to know if you have better results with other medications. For now, I will stay with it only because it seems to have provided a bit of a safe haven from any emotional vulnerability I was feeling. I'd rather not feel anything over the next two or three months while I endure some drastic changes in my personal life.

[nuncio]

I had been taking 36mg of Concerta for about 6 months and was doing well with it. I had also been taking 20mg Lexapro to treat depression. With this combination I noticed virtually no side effects. Effexor at 75mg was added to further combat depression and exhaustion. The positive effects included increased energy levels and a decrease in the desire to "sleep away" my problems. However, I know Effexor is an anti-anxiety drug, but I also immediately started having drastically elevated levels of anxiety after introducing this dosage. I also experienced substantial insomnia (with which I do not have a history), hot flashes, difficulty achieving and sustaining erection, and restlessness. Cutting the Lexapro down to 10mg had no real effect on this, but eliminating the Concerta ended the insomnia, the inhibited sexual functions and the anxiety immediately. With just the 75 mg Effexor and Lexapro at 10mg, I feel more like myself than I have in months.

[Tali]

I finally had to get myself off of effexor. It seemed like I wasn't getting anything done. Prior to getting off effexor my dr cut me back from 54mg of concerta to 36mg a day. I definitely feel more anxious and lately it doen'st seem like i can get anything done or concentrate at all.

I need to try something else or a different combination but I am not sure what. For a short while I was on a combination of Concerta and Lexapro - that was a nightmare. I am not sure if there was still lingering effects of the effexor but I was a mess.

[gabriela]

hi!

i've been on efexor (300mgs) for about a year, and seven weeks ago i started taking concerta. because both these meds can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), my doctor and i decided i should lower the efexor dosis to 150mgs, and start with 18 mgs concerta.

almost immediately i noticed the first signs of depression - i became *extermely* tired *very* emotional...

so, i went up to 225 mgs of efexor, and that's where i am now...
i take 54 mgs of concerta too, and so far this has worked *wonders* for me!

[irondiane]

I take Effexor 30 mg at bedtime with my Stratera. I take Concerta in the morning. Works for me.
By the way, I am female. Depression ongoing. ADD recent!

Feeling great this past week. I am optimistic!

[woz]

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I am currently taking Concerta at 72mg and Effexor at 150mg. I am a 27 year old female. I am taking the medication to help with the effects of a moderate brain injury due to an auto accident. I work with a wonderful team of doctors, but unfortunately every brain injury is different so there is really no proven plan of treatment. My biggest struggle is with my energy levels. Without medication, I am always exhausted, to the extent were I could sleep all day every day.

I have been researching both Concerta and Effexor to try to determine possible side effects. It is difficult for me to determine what may be the result of my head injury verses what may be side effects of the medication. I will post another message listing some of my struggles/questions.

[gabriela]

hi and welcome, woz!

[woz]

Does anyone have difficulties with memory as a result of the medication? It is especially difficult for me to recall emotions. For example, I will go to bed worrying about stuff and feel stressed, but in the morning it is difficult to remember why I so upset. I often don’t feel things that I think I should, as if I do not have emotional responses to things. Sometimes I have high levels of anxiety for no apparent reason.

I seem to sweat a lot, but I am not always hot. Sometimes I get twitches around my mouth and eyes. Sometimes I feel lightheaded or dizzy. I don’t have a sense of time. There seems to be little difference between last month verses last year. I can spend hours doing things such as reading or playing a game without realizing it. I feel very content to an extreme. Thanks, and input is appreciated.