anyone on effexor?

[adoodle]

Doctor just gave me a scrpt for low dose of the medication
for hot flashes. I've never taken anything like this but they
say its good for hot flashes.
I am confused if its going to make me down or up?
anyone taking it or took it before?

[smackie9]

Check out this site on Hot flashes http://www.breastcancer.org/tips/menopausal/facing/hot_flashes.jsp.

[adoodle]

Antidepressants
Low-dose antidepressant medication may help forestall a hot flash by rebalancing or intercepting the chemicals in the brain that transmit the hot flash alarm, epinephrine and serotonin.

Effexor (venlafaxine) can reduce hot flashes by about 50% in nearly 60% of women with breast cancer according to a study done by Dr. Charles Loprinzi at the Mayo Clinic. Improvement happened relatively quickly: 80% of the eventual decrease in hot flashes occurred within the first week of taking the medication. Side effects, when they were noted, were mild. The dose used was 12.5 milligrams taken twice daily.

A more recent study showed that some women may need a higher total dose of 75 milligrams daily to get significant relief. Extended-release preparations are available. Paxil (paroxetine) works in a similar way to Effexor and is a good alternative. Some women tolerate Paxil better. Its recommended dose is 10 mg once a day for the first week, then 20 mg once a day thereafter.

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looks like this is common.
thanks for the link