effexor

jphilpo
jphilpo Member Posts: 177
in Breast Cancer #1
Hi all,

I just saw my onc. who gave me a 30 day prescription for Effexor. I am on tamoxifen and dealing with night sweats and hot flashes. I am hesitant to try a new drug, but he said the dose is very low and to try it.

Anybody have any issues with it?

Thanks

Comments

  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #2
    I've never tried it but have
    I've never tried it but have heard it helps with night sweats. Let me know because I am tired of soaking my bed every night :(
    Hugs,
    Wanda
  • cindycflynn
    cindycflynn Member Posts: 1,132 Member
    #3
    I've been taking Effexor
    For about a year now. I have not noticed any negative side effects myself. In fact, I've been sleeping better than I have in years.

    I was also concerned about starting it, and had read about some of the potential side effects. Of course, a lot of the serious side effects were experienced by people taking a much higher dose for a mental illness. I discussed this with my doctor, and she said that it was very rare for someone taking a lower dose to have those types of side effects. Before trying the effexor, my doctor had recommended taking up to 800 IU of vitamin E for hot flashes (which started for me during chemo). That seemed to help for a while, but when I started tamoxifen, the hot flashes increased in frequency and intensity, and the vitamin E just wasn't cutting it.

    Although the effexor hasn't totally eliminated the hot flashes, it has make them bearable, so I'm happy with my decision to start it.

    Please discuss your concerns with your doctor. I hope you will find relief for your hot flashes soon!
  • poplolly
    poplolly Member Posts: 346
    #4
    Jph--I took it for years and
    Jph--I took it for years and never experienced any difficulty. My new doctor change me to a different medication which is ok too.
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #5
    effexor
    I also had have taken it for 5 years at higher doses with no side effects. I know of others who were taking it for hot flashes. I was perimenopausal when I began this drug and take it for the depression. I only had 2 hot flashes prior to use and none of course since.
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
    #6
    I've been on Tamoxifen for
    I've been on Tamoxifen for 1.5 years and on Effexor for 1.5 years minus 2 weeks. That's how long it took for the hot flashes & day sweats from my menopause phase to get unbearable. I also started at 37.5, the lowest dose. When that gave no relief, we upped it to 75 mg. The flashes are bearable but still come, perhaps a dozen in 24 hours.

    I hope you will choose to take it to improve your quality of life for a while. I was taking 2 drugs prior to breast cancer: Lipitor for high cholesterol and Nexium for GERD, both since I was about 50. Now I take so many pills I can hardly keep them straight. But Effexor is an important one to me.

    ~~Connie~~
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #7
    Lighthouse_7 said:

    I've never tried it but have
    I've never tried it but have heard it helps with night sweats. Let me know because I am tired of soaking my bed every night :(
    Hugs,
    Wanda

    I've not been on it, but, I
    I've not been on it, but, I have also read that it helps some. Hoping that it will help you.


    Lex
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #8
    My gyn
    started me on Effexor 12 years ago after I couldn't stand the hot flashes from menopause. It didn't help my depression or hot flashes. I was on Wellbutrin for the next 10 years for depression. After finishing rads my hot flashes got unbearable again and my gyn tried me on Prozac and Savella. Neither helped and both have a se of increased sweating. No thanks! Lately my hot flashes have seemed a bit more bearable but I walk around with a little portable fan. LOL I see my gyn tomorrow and MO in June and will talk with them about controlling hot flashes. The problem is most meds have se that I don't want. I am on Arimidex for the next 5 years and I'm dealing with the bone pain. I already had osteoarthritis.
    Char

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