Take Your Pills

[headmeddler-blog]

Tuesday September 10, 2013

So much for documenting my progress!

I kept at 150mg for roughly 4 months before raising my dose of Effexor to 225mg per day. I must say, for the most part, I have felt fantastic on this dose: much more 'get up and go' in the morning, good humoured, no more irritation or mood swings. I have felt so much lighter, it's been amazing.

I suppose it's probably been around about a year now since my dose went up to 225mg. I'm lucky to have suffered little to no side effects, just the occasional light dizziness here and there. No weight gain. For the first few weeks on the higher dose I did feel very lethargic and tired in the afternoon and evening, but as my body became accustomed to the new dose this went away.

[headmeddler-blog]

Sunday June 24, 2012

Since Thursday 21st I've increased my dosage of Effexor XR to 150mg. No side effects to note. Still feeling tired to the point of falling asleep in the afternoon. Energy levels are the same. I have been managing to read a book which I've struggled to do for years now, so possibly my concentration levels are a little better? I'm hoping to feel more energised soon although I'm not sure if 150mg is high enough of a dose to help with this.

[llorenne-deactivated20160521]

Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama - who has notably lived in a psychiatric institution for the last four decades - has been obsessed with dots and infinity for her entire career, an inspiration she attributes directly to her hallucinations. In an attempt to share her experiences, she creates installations that immerse the viewer in her obsessive vision of dots or infinitely mirrored space.

[headmeddler-blog]

75mg: one week on

It's been 7 days since I increased my dose of Effexor XR to 75mg. I'm yet to really notice any difference except mild side effects, which are mostly a dry mouth and fatigue. I'm no longer suffering from my blackest thoughts which is a relief, but otherwise I feel pretty much the same. I've been feeling tired in the afternoon which is not unusual for me, but have been barely able to keep my eyes open in the early evening, 6:30 - 7:30pm. Early waking continues but again, this is normal for me. 

[headmeddler-blog]

[headmeddler-blog]

Effexor XR, 75mg

Day 5 -

I've upped my dosage to 75mg. Side effects are again mild with occasional fleeting sensations of dizziness and slight nausea. My appetite is somewhat diminished (a positive in my book) however my sleep hasn't been as restful and for the last two nights I've returned to early waking. Teeth grinding has stopped but I am yawning excessively. My mood feels lower than my first four days on Effexor, however this could be to do with being at work (days 2 - 4 were a long weekend). It's also possible that my mood was elevated initially due to feeling good about taking action on my mental health.

[headmeddler-blog]

Effexor XR, 37.5mg

Days 1 - 4 Starting on 37.5mg per day the effects are mild but noticeable.  I have a general feeling of calm and am much less distressed than I had been prior to starting. Side effects are also very mild, the most noticeable being a dry, sore throat, excessive swallowing and grinding of the teeth. On the first night I experience insomnia but on subsequent nights my sleep actually improves from my usual early waking.