Social Anxiety Support

BearFan · 11-27-2009, 09:36 PM

I've seen a few psychiatrist about my social anxiety, add and depression, and many of them mentioned Pristiq. Everytime I try it, it seems to magnify my anxiety at first and then make me really tired/fatigued later. I never took it longer than 3 weeks due to not feeling like myself. It was not the same as Effexor (which helped reduce anxiety feeling). Will it ever be like Effexor or something calming, or is it just not an effective medication for social anxiety?

jim_morrison · 11-27-2009, 09:39 PM

I'm guessing because it's the newest antidepressant on the market, it's still on patent, and from what I've heard the company that makes it wyeth is giving out alot of free samples to clinics.

I don't think it will be like effexor, infact I think pristiq would feel alot more similair to cymbalta than effexor, based on it's binding affinitys.

No Surprises · 11-27-2009, 09:40 PM

I've never tried it (although I have tried Effexor, of which it's apparently a metabolite), so I can't comment, but my cynicism tells me that the reason for doctors pushing it is its recently-patented status and hefty price tag.

BearFan · 11-27-2009, 09:44 PM

Well Cymbalta always felt more calming/sedating than Pristiq did. Cymbalta and Effexor has been approved for GAD, while Pristiq has not, nor does it seem likely that Wyeth is pushing for this indication? What tends to be the most overall successful drug (non-exotic ie maois) for social anxiety sufferers on this board? I found Effexor effective, just it had terrible sexual side effects.

jim_morrison · 11-27-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BearFan

Well Cymbalta always felt more calming/sedating than Pristiq did. Cymbalta and Effexor has been approved for GAD, while Pristiq has not, nor does it seem likely that Wyeth is pushing for this indication? What tends to be the most overall successful drug (non-exotic ie maois) for social anxiety sufferers on this board? I found Effexor effective, just it had terrible sexual side effects.

What dose Effexor did you take? It seems to have the least sexual side effects at 225 mg.

See; TABLE 3 Treatment-Emergent Adverse Experience Incidence in a Dose Comparison Trial

http://www.drugs.com/pro/effexor.html

BearFan · 11-28-2009, 08:13 AM

mostly 75mg, although I have also briefly tried 112 and 150mg. I higher dosages seemed to make me a bit more jumpy, and didn't perceive any reduction in sexual side effects.

Croquantes · 12-18-2009, 06:37 PM

I was prescribed Pristiq today, and just started taking. 8 hours after my first dose, I feel... weird. I've tried MDMA before, and right now it feels like I took a very low dose of MDMA.

It's not bad, I just feel a little... off. I'm too antsy to sleep, even though I feel a tired. My skin feels somewhat prickly, I keep clenching my jaws without noticing, and my palms are sweaty. My mood is great. I feel better now than I have in a long time.

I don't know what effect this is having on my anxiety, because I didn't really have any social situations today. All in all, it feels like I took a little MDMA. :P I wonder how my next few days will be like.

MavenMI6Agent009 · 12-18-2009, 06:44 PM

prestiq helped me lose weight thats about it..than again i did take it for six months and lost more weight but all were free samples.

Croquantes · 12-19-2009, 01:40 AM

What time do you take your medication? I've been trawling other forums, and it seems that you should take it in the morning. Otherwise, some of the effectiveness of the drug wears out overnight.

There's a lot of conflicting experiences with taking Pristiq, and whether people have had good experiences or bad experiences seems to depend on the forum. So far it's been hard finding good information. Sigh.

Croquantes · 12-21-2009, 06:58 AM

It's now my fourth day on Pristiq. I have a bit more confidence, and a lot more energy. I feel the anxiety, but I also feel like it's smaller somehow, and that I can overcome it. My heart beats like crazy if I do something strenuous though, so I'm afraid to exercise or run somewhere...

I also have absolutely no hunger, and I've been forcing myself to eat. It's bizarre, to go through the whole day and not have a single hunger pang. I've only been sleeping about 3 or 4 hours a day, which is frustrating because I know I should sleep. It's not healthy to sleep only three hours, but no matter how long I lay in bed I just can't sleep. My eyes are also a little buggy, like I'm on meth or something :S

11-27-2009, 09:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
BearFan Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 154	Why do Doctors keep pushing Pristiq? I've seen a few psychiatrist about my social anxiety, add and depression, and many of them mentioned Pristiq. Everytime I try it, it seems to magnify my anxiety at first and then make me really tired/fatigued later. I never took it longer than 3 weeks due to not feeling like myself. It was not the same as Effexor (which helped reduce anxiety feeling). Will it ever be like Effexor or something calming, or is it just not an effective medication for social anxiety?

11-27-2009, 09:39 PM	#2 (permalink)
jim_morrison Status: Super Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Australia Gender: Male Age: 23 Posts: 2,460	I'm guessing because it's the newest antidepressant on the market, it's still on patent, and from what I've heard the company that makes it wyeth is giving out alot of free samples to clinics. I don't think it will be like effexor, infact I think pristiq would feel alot more similair to cymbalta than effexor, based on it's binding affinitys. __________________ Warning: I am not a trained medical professional. Please contact a medical professional before taking any action which may be discussed on this board.

12-18-2009, 06:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
MavenMI6Agent009 Status: 2Depressed2BeeHear Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: EL Crapo, Tx Gender: Male Age: 25 Posts: 19,177	prestiq helped me lose weight thats about it..than again i did take it for six months and lost more weight but all were free samples. __________________ "The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares." (Henri Nouwen) -------------------------------------------------------

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11-27-2009, 09:40 PM	#3 (permalink)
No Surprises Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Male Age: 25 Posts: 182	I've never tried it (although I have tried Effexor, of which it's apparently a metabolite), so I can't comment, but my cynicism tells me that the reason for doctors pushing it is its recently-patented status and hefty price tag.

11-27-2009, 09:44 PM	#4 (permalink)
BearFan Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 154	Well Cymbalta always felt more calming/sedating than Pristiq did. Cymbalta and Effexor has been approved for GAD, while Pristiq has not, nor does it seem likely that Wyeth is pushing for this indication? What tends to be the most overall successful drug (non-exotic ie maois) for social anxiety sufferers on this board? I found Effexor effective, just it had terrible sexual side effects.

11-28-2009, 08:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
BearFan Status: SAS Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 154	mostly 75mg, although I have also briefly tried 112 and 150mg. I higher dosages seemed to make me a bit more jumpy, and didn't perceive any reduction in sexual side effects.

12-18-2009, 06:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
Croquantes Status: SAS Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 43	I was prescribed Pristiq today, and just started taking. 8 hours after my first dose, I feel... weird. I've tried MDMA before, and right now it feels like I took a very low dose of MDMA. It's not bad, I just feel a little... off. I'm too antsy to sleep, even though I feel a tired. My skin feels somewhat prickly, I keep clenching my jaws without noticing, and my palms are sweaty. My mood is great. I feel better now than I have in a long time. I don't know what effect this is having on my anxiety, because I didn't really have any social situations today. All in all, it feels like I took a little MDMA. :P I wonder how my next few days will be like.

12-19-2009, 01:40 AM	#9 (permalink)
Croquantes Status: SAS Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 43	What time do you take your medication? I've been trawling other forums, and it seems that you should take it in the morning. Otherwise, some of the effectiveness of the drug wears out overnight. There's a lot of conflicting experiences with taking Pristiq, and whether people have had good experiences or bad experiences seems to depend on the forum. So far it's been hard finding good information. Sigh.

12-21-2009, 06:58 AM	#10 (permalink)
Croquantes Status: SAS Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 43	It's now my fourth day on Pristiq. I have a bit more confidence, and a lot more energy. I feel the anxiety, but I also feel like it's smaller somehow, and that I can overcome it. My heart beats like crazy if I do something strenuous though, so I'm afraid to exercise or run somewhere... I also have absolutely no hunger, and I've been forcing myself to eat. It's bizarre, to go through the whole day and not have a single hunger pang. I've only been sleeping about 3 or 4 hours a day, which is frustrating because I know I should sleep. It's not healthy to sleep only three hours, but no matter how long I lay in bed I just can't sleep. My eyes are also a little buggy, like I'm on meth or something :S