Social Anxiety Support Forum banner

Any Pristiq experience?

9.3K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  546617  
#1 ·
Doctor said I should try Pristiq as I refused to be put on SSRIs (Doctors’ holy grail are either SSRIs or SNRIs. Stupid ****). Anyone took Pristiq? How does it affect SA? Does it cause sexual dysfunction? Is it comparable to Paxil (if you’ve tried it)?

P.S I want something that targets anxiety not depression.
 
#2 ·
I tried it, it didn't help me much. No issues sexually though or any other side effects.
 
#4 ·
I took it for a while. Side effects for me were it made me really drowsy and out of it for some reason. I stopped it because it really didn't have any effect at all on depression for me.
 
#5 ·
I've been on it for 2 years (recently just stopped it to give the MAOI Parnate a go). For me (and coincidentally, my flatmate who takes it as well), it helps a lot with depression. I found it helped more with depression than it did for my particular type of anxiety (social fears, can't-look-people-in-the-eyes disorder, self-doubt, fear, fear, fear). This may or may not be the same for you, and I guess depends on the intricacies of your particular issues.

If Parnate does not work for me, then I will either go back on Pristiq or try Parnate's sister drug: Nardil (edging more towards Pristiq because of low side effects). Pristiq could end up working well for me again, but I'd need something to assist with my social anxiety as well, be it a benzo or marijuana or psychedelics. To note also, I didn't have huge sexual side effects when on Pristiq (I've tried a lot of antidepressants, and Pristiq was the least detrimental to my sex drive). But on stopping Pristiq, I have noticed the return of a higher sex drive.

I could also never sleep properly on Pristiq as it was probably too stimulating for me, but apparently stimulation drugs un-stimulate a lot of anxiety sufferers, so it just depends.

My advice to you is to jsut give it a go and if it doesn't work after say 6 months as max dose (100mg), then you'll know it's not for you. I've been off it for 2 weeks. The first few days of withdrawal were a bit uncomfortable and I stayed in bed with a headache and lot of annoying brain zaps, but they're all gone now and I'm clean and ready to move forward.

Good luck
 
#8 ·
Pristiq is pretty weak. Not even as good as regular Effexor XR. Maybe some people have had good results but I didn't and maybe I can't metabolize the pills compared to Effexor.

The advantages: Less sedating and seems to have no major sexual side effects compared to Effexor.

the downside: It's no better than a sugar pill in some studies and no benefits over 50mg though some exceptions like poor metabolizing.

Overall, most people who take it end up switching back to Effexor because it's at least 10 times stronger at inhibiting serotonin.