Stress Center Peer Support

has anyone took this medicine for panic attacks? I have been on imipramine for 20 plus yrs and was needing something that would not cause constipation as that was what the imipramine did I think. I wanted to take lexapro but it doesn't have a genreic and my perscription drug program stinks as I have a 250.00 deductible and then after that a co pay of 55.00 I got this venlafaxine filled and it cost 69.00 and am afraid to take it. I can't return it and if I want to try something else I will have to pay that much our more. was afraid I couldn't get off this medicine if I needed to. I know some are hard to get off of. I know you have to wean down slowly but some are extremely hard to get off of. I will be taking this with my other anti depressant as I wean off it. my drug anxiety that I thought was gone is kicking in again I can see. I have called the pharmacy and afraid to keep calling them and afraid to google this too

Hi forever young 06- I've been on Effexor and it works really good for depression. I was put on it after my son died, so I can vouch for you that it works. I've also gotten off of it and changed to Cymbalta at one time as well. So weaning can be done, sometimes it is easy, and other times it is hard. I guess you'll have to decide, I'm on no anti-depressant right now and my panic attacks are at bay. I do take Restoril to help me sleep at this time. I only experienced panic attacks just last spring after a combination of factors. It took Beta Blockers, and Remeron for me to settle down instead of using Xanax. I've since weaned off of those meds. Xanax is used for emergency purposes, but I haven't had to take any for quite some time. Good Luck. Paislee

thanks paisleygreen for answering it is fursterating when no one answers but I am trying to not let it bother me.
It is the way we need to be not so affected by everything. I was given it for panic attacks. I wish now I had asked for something different. I hear zoloft is good and celexa. I am not a dr though just read too much. I am not having any panic attacks now or anxiety if I stay out of stressful situations. I have phobias I need to address and I don't know how to do that or even if the medicine will help there. she gave me zanax maybe that would be the best I don' t know but I have been like this too long and I need to start working on changing my life.

Hi Forever Young, I just wanted to let you know, that Wellbutrin or Effexor I think caused constipation as well. Remeron didn't, but I don't care for that med. Zoloft works good for the time I took it, but all these meds were started for a depression, and maybe the weaning off of them brought about my first panic attack. Xanax was introduced when I weaned off of Cymbalta and was still on Wellbutrin. It was to calm the "rubbery leg" feeling, so I can only surmise that my panic attack came about after being off of Wellbutrin and Xanax for 2 months and then had a surprising incident happen that brought on a lot of stress and obsessive thinking. Long story, but might still be here on the boards, or you might already know it.

I read somewhere that panic attacks can come about after being on meds or sedating meds for a bit and the body was not liking the change from the medical calm. Anyway, I hope things go well for you with the Effexor. It really did wonders for depression. Paislee