Effexor Side effect of excessive sleeping??

Question

I have been taking effexor (37.5mg I know a baby dose) for about 7 months and just moved up to 75 about 1.5 weeks ago since I have been sleeping a lot and feel tired most of the time. I normally get like 8-9 of sleep a day but latly it has been more like 9 hours at night with 3/4 during the day with naps. I didn't have any noticiable side effects with the 37.5 and I was wondering if any one else had these problem when the increased their dosage.

I forgot to mention that I also have bizzare dreams just before I wake up in the morning and especially when I nap. There are not nightmare but just strange, I hardlly ever rember my dreams but now I remeber at least a few each night. This past week I have even woken myself up twice by talking in my sleep, I have never talked in my sleep. I know sleepiness can be a side effect but has anyone else had weird dreams as well??

Answer 1

I was taking effexor last year. When I first started taking it (due to sleeping 12-16 hours daily) it wired me at 37.5mg. I was up at the butt-crack-of-dawn for a month straight. I am not a morning person so I'd go to bed late and yet still be up early. I got about three hours of sleep and was fine.
Then after a month they upped my dose to 75 and I had the same effect as you did. Went to napping 3/4 times a day w/ 9 hrs at night.
I cut my dose back down and it did nothing. I had my doctor put me on something else.
Make sure you keep your doctor informed. Also it's a good idea to have someone in your home monitor your behaviors too as anti-depressed can increase suicidal tendencies...... Go figure--- since that's what they're supposed to prevent.
Good luck!

Answer 2

I didn't have that problem when I was on it. You can try switching your dose to taking it at night if you haven't been. The only thing is, do it on a day when you are off work, because if you switch from day to night, those hours that it wears off in your system will make you feel weird possibly hostile. I would recommend you research effexor on the web. There are probably better meds you could be taking. Effexor made me feel out of control if I missed a dose and that is when I decided to switch.

Answer 3

Try changing the time you are taking it. If you dose in the morning, try dosing in the evening for a few weeks, and vice versa.

In case your doctor didn't warn you, there are some very nasty rebound effects when you stop taking Effexor, more so than most of the others. If you stop taking the drug or reduce your dose, you must titrate your dose downward VERY slowly. Your doctor may also want to switch you to Prozac before taking you off the drugs entirely, as it stays in the body longer.

Don't be deceived by the rebound effect when you stop taking it. It is very convenient for the pharm. industry, and many doctors don't know about it. Fewer still tell their patients about it. So when the patient experiences difficulty without the drug, they assume it is because their body "needs" the drug and they become eager to resume dosing.

The lucid dreams are typical of many anti-depressants, including Effexor.

Answer 4

Unfortunately effexor has this affect on most people who take it as it calms you down and aids sleep. If you are finding this a real problem then talk to your gp as there are many other antidepressants you can take that will not give you such dibiltating or life altering side effects.

Answer 5

Generic Effexor is used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder. It affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression.

Answer 6

my father took effexor and he is no longer alive, it has been proven to cause suicidal tendencies and excessive sleep pattens and strange Dreams, so please be careful and try if possible to talk with your dr. about changing meds. i don't want this to happen to you!!
good luck