my son has been using cocaine. now his doctor has prescribed effexor 75xr.i'm worried about side effects!?

Answer 1

Mary the big thing we should be worried about is the drug problem. If the abuse of cocaine has damage organs then we should worry about that problem. Right now we need your son clean, period. He has to want it, and you have to let go, let him with support from family and love get clean. Remember tough love has to be prescribed by you and all family members. We went though this with a family member and they are doing great now. But it was very hard on the family. We will keep your son and you in prayer.

Answer 2

I was on effexor for awhile.. the side effects I experienced were that I put on weight, I had REALLY weird dreams, and I started becoming apathetic about everything.. for one thing, I completely lost interest in any sort of physical contact with my wife..

I was taking it for awhile, but I didn't like how I felt while I was taking it, so I quit.. normally people shouldn't quit antidepressants without a doctor's guidance though..

Answer 3

Does the doctor know your son has been using cocaine?
This information would be important for him to know before prescribing

Answer 4

I would be more worried about the side effects of cocaine.

Answer 5

Effexor is safer than Cocaine !

Venlafaxine hydrochloride is a prescription antidepressant first introduced by Wyeth in 1993. It belongs to class of antidepressants called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI). As of August 2006, generic venlafaxine is available in the United States. It was previously available only under the brand names Effexor and Effexor XR.

As with most antidepressants, lack of sexual desire can be a very disturbing side-effect for some persons. Venlafaxine can raise blood pressure at high doses, so it is usually not the drug of choice for persons with high blood pressure.

It has a higher rate of treatment emergent mania than many modern antidepressants, and many people find it to be a more activating medication than other antidepressants. Paradoxically, some users find it highly sedating and find that it must be taken in the evening.

The energizing effect of the drug may come unwanted to some, possibly leading to an increased anxiety / depressed mind state. While the specific modality of effect is not well understood, a Black Box Warning has been issued with Effexor and with other SSRI and SNRI anti-depressants advising of risk of suicide. Thoughts of suicide (suicide ideation) as potential risk of suicide as shown in studies by Wyeth and reported on their datasheet for effexor were twice that of placebo (4% compared to 2%, however, no suicides occurred in these trials.[6] The black box warnings advise physicians to carefully monitor patients for suicide risk at start of usage and whenever the dosage is changed. There is an additional risk if a physician misinterprets patient expression of adverse effects such as panic or akithesia as symptomatic of depression or obsessive compulsive disorder and increases the dose thereby worsening the adverse effects. Careful assessment of patient history is therefore absolutely essential as a failsafe measure or the risk of suicide is compounded. As for other anti-depressants, caution is advisable if a patient has comorbid risk factors such as drug abuse. Family members should be advised of this potentially fatal side effect so they may bring the patient to a hospital emergency for surveillance and protection. Patients who are at high risk for suicide are not generally selected for studies, therefore actual risk in specific groups is not fully understood. As the black box warnings indicate, caution is needed so that patients at risk are protected.

Another risk is Serotonin syndrome. This is a serious effect that can be caused by interactions with other drugs and is potentially fatal.

Common side effects

Nausea
Ongoing Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Dizziness
Fatigue
Insomnia
Vertigo
Dry mouth
Sexual dysfunction
Sweating
Vivid dreams
Increased blood pressure
Electric shock-like sensations
Increased anxiety towards the start of treatment

Less common to rare side-effects

Cardiac arrhythmia
Increased serum cholesterol
Gas or stomach pain
Abnormal vision
Nervousness, agitation or increased anxiety akathisia
Panic Attacks
Depressed feelings
Suicidal thoughts suicidal ideation
Confusion
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Loss of appetite
Constipation
Tremor
Drowsiness
Allergic skin reactions
External bleeding
Serious bone marrow damage (thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis)
Hepatitis
Pancreatitis
Seizure
Tardive dyskinesia
Difficulty swallowing
Psychosis
Hostility
Activation of mania/hypomania.
Weight Loss (of concern when treating anorexic patients)
Weight gain (effect not clear, but of concern when treating young women who may have Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

Benefits outweigh side effects. Be confident in your doctor.