Anyone taking Pristiq?

Imadickens · ‎06-15-2016

I've suffered from severe migraines for most of my life. Finally, I found the right doctor and went from having 5-6 dehabillitating migraines per week (I would go to bed in a dark room and try to sleep it off, usually taking over 8 hours to do so, if it went away) to one minor headache ( the kind I can cure in 30 mins. taking Excedrin Migraine)

every 3-4months! Part of the treatment for prevention is taking a low dose anti-depressant. The only one I could tolerate was Celexa. I heard many negatives about Celexa so 2 years ago I asked my doc if there were a better one for me. He told me about Pristiq, saying it would also help with some other issues I have. So, I switched and didn't have as much success with the headaches I found it did help a little with some other issues. After getting good and tired of all the meds I take I decided to wean myself off. I knew enough to do it very slowly. So, after 6 months I was down to the very last doses. Around that time I began feeling very ill. I would get fits of tremors, dizziness, heart palpitations and profuse sweating. At first it happened sporadically. Then, it never stopped! I ended up sitting in my doctor's office in tears. When I told him what I had done with the Pristiq we had a long discussion about why I began taking it (my former doctor prescribed it before he retired). My new doc felt the Celexa was a much better fit for me and we decided I was better on it than nothing at all. So, I switched back to Celexa. I have been on Celexa now again for about a month. I had never made the connection but once I began taking Pristiq I really stopped enjoying my life. I had gotten so I only left the house one day a week and I only did that because other people depended on my being there. Now, after being on Celexa again, I actually took my grand to lunch, the hairdresser and shopping! Best of all, I really enjoyed it! I went out again two days later with my ds and met friends for dinner that night! When I was falling asleep that night I realized how much more I was enjoying my life again! What a revelation! I was not suicidal by any means, I just had no desire to do anything! I looked up info about Pristiq and found tons of info about how awful this med is and how it has robbed people of their lives! I just can't believe any doctor would subject a person to the terrible things it does to people! I just wondered if anyone else is on Pristiq or has been and has had any other problems.

Never underestimate the power of kindness.

winamac1 · ‎12-29-2010

@Imadickens wrote:
I've suffered from severe migraines for most of my life. Finally, I found the right doctor and went from having 5-6 dehabillitating migraines per week (I would go to bed in a dark room and try to sleep it off, usually taking over 8 hours to do so, if it went away) to one minor headache ( the kind I can cure in 30 mins. taking Excedrin Migraine)
every 3-4months! Part of the treatment for prevention is taking a low dose anti-depressant. The only one I could tolerate was Celexa. I heard many negatives about Celexa so 2 years ago I asked my doc if there were a better one for me. He told me about Pristiq, saying it would also help with some other issues I have. So, I switched and didn't have as much success with the headaches I found it did help a little with some other issues. After getting good and tired of all the meds I take I decided to wean myself off. I knew enough to do it very slowly. So, after 6 months I was down to the very last doses. Around that time I began feeling very ill. I would get fits of tremors, dizziness, heart palpitations and profuse sweating. At first it happened sporadically. Then, it never stopped! I ended up sitting in my doctor's office in tears. When I told him what I had done with the Pristiq we had a long discussion about why I began taking it (my former doctor prescribed it before he retired). My new doc felt the Celexa was a much better fit for me and we decided I was better on it than nothing at all. So, I switched back to Celexa. I have been on Celexa now again for about a month. I had never made the connection but once I began taking Pristiq I really stopped enjoying my life. I had gotten so I only left the house one day a week and I only did that because other people depended on my being there. Now, after being on Celexa again, I actually took my grand to lunch, the hairdresser and shopping! Best of all, I really enjoyed it! I went out again two days later with my ds and met friends for dinner that night! When I was falling asleep that night I realized how much more I was enjoying my life again! What a revelation! I was not suicidal by any means, I just had no desire to do anything! I looked up info about Pristiq and found tons of info about how awful this med is and how it has robbed people of their lives! I just can't believe any doctor would subject a person to the terrible things it does to people! I just wondered if anyone else is on Pristiq or has been and has had any other problems.

i don't take it, but I used to "sell" an antidepressant to psychs and some FP's. Pristiq is one of the hardest antidepressants to wean oneself off of!

"friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel"

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

I've never taken Pristiq but having chronic pain from my spine that is basically falling apart, I've tried just about everything. I'm not doing very well at all right now on my regime of meds. I'm suprised at how hard it is to get someone to help me try to ferret through them all, and decide what I need to change. It's gotten very discouraging. I have tried to do it myself, but I've been on most of them for over 10 years, which makes it really difficult and still try to get through life. I'm amazed that every doc I see says it's not the meds and they go off ordering more tests. I took Effexor many years ago and stopping that was horrible. At the time, it was the most difficult antidepressant to discontinue. I do know that I was doing quite well on my regime of meds until recent years when the generics seemed to get crappier and crappier. Not a single med I take is made by the same manufacturer anymore.

I'm beyond fed up and wondering if I'm going to have to check myself into some rehab facility or something to get help! I even went to the ER with dehydration, high BP (which I don't have), and so sick and disoriented. They said they couldn't admit me because I was "just" dehydrated and insurance wouldn't pay. Isn't that a heck of a note? Insurance companies dictating when a patient can be admitted. No explanation as to why I was dehydrated. Follow up with PCP my BP was normal as were my labs. I know it has to be related to meds. I just wanna scream!!

I sometimes regret that I ever took anything yet I know realistically I had to have something as I couldn't even move and get out of bed. What a mess....

sweetee2 · ‎06-21-2015

Reba055-Have you looked into a Pain Clinic. We have one where I live. They are just for severe pain.

sweetee2 · ‎06-21-2015

jewelwisher- I had Migraines. Ended up I had a hole in my heart which I had repaired, no more Migraines. It just takes a ultrasound and they can see the blood rushing through. Just a thought.

Reba055 · ‎06-23-2014

@sweetee2 wrote:
Reba055-Have you looked into a Pain Clinic. We have one where I live. They are just for severe pain.

@sweetee2 Yes, I've done that but still no one works together. I have other issues and often one thing affects another. If there's someone who covers it all, I'd like to know. Thanks!

Imadickens · ‎06-15-2016

@Reba055 wrote:
@sweetee2 wrote:
Reba055-Have you looked into a Pain Clinic. We have one where I live. They are just for severe pain.
@sweetee2 Yes, I've done that but still no one works together. I have other issues and often one thing affects another. If there's someone who covers it all, I'd like to know. Thanks!

I've felt the same way! I considered trying to get in to a place like Mayo clinic! My med. group is a very large practice with doctors from all specialties. My chart is accessible to whichever one I see. Unfortunately, the doc has to be good to be effective! Some feel that this group has just started hiring to cover its large patient roster!

BTW, I had extensive testing on my heart recently (for no good reason, but that's for another thread!) so I will ask my PCP if that would show up on the tests they ran. Thanks for the info! I'd never have thought of that connection!😘

Never underestimate the power of kindness.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

I suffered from migraines for many years. I was put on a daily, low dose of Amitriptyline. I went almost 5 years without a migraine. After menopause I never had another migraine and stopped the medication.

My younger sister had migraines worse than mine. She asked her doctor about Amitriptyline and told her about my experience. At first she still had an occasional migraine but eventually hers were gone too.

Imadickens · ‎06-15-2016

@lulu2 wrote:
I suffered from migraines for many years. I was put on a daily, low dose of Amitriptyline. I went almost 5 years without a migraine. After menopause I never had another migraine and stopped the medication.

My younger sister had migraines worse than mine. She asked her doctor about Amitriptyline and told her about my experience. At first she still had an occasional migraine but eventually hers were gone too.

So sad so many people still suffer! Even without prescription meds there are still many ways to treat migraines today!

Never underestimate the power of kindness.