Question:
Can anyone who takes Effexor for depression tell me if you took it continuously?

I am concerned about being able to take my Effexor immediately post op as the Psychologist told me that abruptly stopping this medication makes for a really nasty experience. Did you take it in the regular capsule or open the capsule and put it into something? Thanks for your help. Jill    — Jill C. (posted on June 12, 2000)

June 11, 2000
Hello--My mother is on Effexor and she actually was suggesting that I see someone and possibly get put on it for panic attacks. Upon reading the package insert, I read that it says it is time released I think? Anyway, I was under the impression that time released medication may be a problem for post ops due to the fact that stuff doesn't stay in the body for that long. I don't know if that is all true, but you may want to check into that. Good luck
   — enjo4

June 12, 2000
I am on antidepressant medication, too. I was told that one wk prior to surgery, I am to cut my meds in half for the entire wk. the week of surgery, I will not be allowed to take any meds. I am concerned, too but my shrink says that if I taper off the medication slowly, I will not have negative effects afterwards. I hope this helps. You say a psychologist told you this. A psychologist can not write out prescriptions for medications. Psychiatrists can. It might be in your best interest to contact an MD about this. they have more knowledge about this kind of thing than a psychologist does. (a psychiatrist is an MD, too).
   — kathy S.

June 12, 2000
I am on two antidepressents. I take one in the morning and one at night. I was allowed to take one of each the day after surgery. The good thing about antidepressents is that certain drugs stay in our system for 72 hours. That is common for antidepressents. Contact your doctor and ask what the amount of time is the medication will stay in your system and make sure you talk to the surgeon about this. You need to let the surgeon know that it is urgent you have this medication.
   — twenc

June 12, 2000
i take effexor too and had the same concern. at the time of my surgery i was using the capsule form, called XR. i was able to use it in the hospital and afterward but discovered that capsules were not working for me at all, for this or any other prescription meds. i asked my physician to prescribe the standard effexor Rx that is available in tablets,and had no further problems, so check with your MD or psychiatrist. Best of luck!!
   — [Anonymous]

January 28, 2001
i dont know how you will do, but i am on effexor xr and there came a time i could not buy it for a week and went without it but i did not have any side effects from doing without, i too was concerned but i did fine even though i had read that you are NOT to go without it. your surgen should give you the answer you need for this.
   — Regina W.

January 29, 2001
I've been taking Effexor XR for about 2 years. My last pre-op dose was the night before distal RNY surgery and I resumed on the 4th day w/o withdrawal problems. (Once, I was off meds for 5 days because of a mix up at the pharmacy and became weepy and had nightmares!) Effexor XR needs stomach acid to dissolve and that doesn't happen until it gets to the common channel. Mine is short (100 cm = 40 inches) so, to get the most "mileage" out of the time it's there, I empty the capsule into applesauce. That way, I won't waste time dissolving the capsule shell once it gets to the gastric juices. I talked to my psychiatrist and the drug manufacturer's representative about switching to the tablets, but they both agreed that XR is better absorbed and has a longer half life (so the medication stays at a more consistent level in the body). I did have to increase the dose by 75 mg to get the same therapeutic effect, but this might not have been necessary with a more proximal bypass.
   — Linda B.