This question is for the ladies here-sorry guys! Iām on my 5th week of Effexor 37.5 mg and yet to feel better. However, Iāve noticed that a few days before my monthly cycle starts, I have have 2-3 days of feeling better (less dizziness, less head motion induced dizziness and generally feeling good overall). Then the dizziness returns and is constant. Iāve noticed this for the past 2 months. Iām wondering if these 2-3 days of feeling better coincides with some phase of the menstrual cylce?
Has anyone experienced this?
Iām wondering if I should speak to Dr. Hain about this or upping my dosage, because Iāve gotten nothing from the effexor so far.
Priti,
It seems I have read that Hain is upping people to 75 mg on Effexor, and I think in some cases even 150mg. Which isnāt really that unusual of a dose for Effexor as prescribed for depression. At the higher doses, you start incorporating norephinephrine and that works well for some people. Cymbalta, on the other hand, adds the balance of sero/ne at any dose, as itās more of a balanced snri. The tricyclics work for migraine because they already affect many of the neurotransmitters. You can do searches of comparisons of the different TCAās and stuffā¦itās interesting, but I still feel itās a crap shoot till you find what works for YOU>ā¦
With that being said, I def think that the hormone/neurotransmitter stuff is totally related. I find it intersting you get better before your cycle, whereas most people get worse. I have been recommended to take a low dose birth control pill
to balance out my hormones, but havenāt done so for some other reasonsā¦but might be good to research it ā¦either with your gyn or with an endocrinologist.
So, no difference at all on Fex yet? I had some of my most clear days on a bit of fex added to the mix, but as time went on (like 10 days) I started getting increased dizzinessā¦arggghhhā¦this stuff is such a bummer.
It is strange. I feel much better around the 23rd day of my cycle for about 1-2 days. Then the PMS kicks in and Iām back to square one. It may be that the 23rd day coincides with the time my hormone levels are the highest? Iāve made an appointment with an OBGYN to discuss this.
Are you off Fex then? I was really hoping it would work for you.
Priti,
You can look at a chart and see the fluctuations of a womanās hormones as they go through the cycleā¦the fact taht you feel better right then says a lot about hormones playing into this. My stuff never really fluctuatesā¦it stays the same day in and day out, with slight fluctuations depending on how much Klonapin Iāve taken, or if Iām traveling. But I did the hormone work up (and you canāt go to a gp because they will just run the very basic tests, you need to find someone who specializesā¦itās a lot of blood work, but for instance, a thyroid test involves like 6 different tests, not just one)ā¦sometimes a naturalpath is betterā¦they are more interested in the organic reasons for disease instead of just throwing meds to fix the symptoms.
Yes, Iām off Fex. I started it smallā¦1/3 capsuleā¦felt better for about 5 days, then the dizziness crept back upā¦this happened last time as well. I almost think because Iām on Cymbalta, I should do a fex trial from scratch. But getting off Cymbalta isnāt in my near future.
Did you read Richās post re: fex? Iām pretty sure heās on 75mg and itās doing the jobā¦a few side effectsā¦maybe pm him.
I know mine is hormonal. for sure! it all started when i was younger with my horomones changing and before i knew what was wrong with me, my cousin pointed out i always got dizzy before my periods. after the big bang happened to me in september 2010, (had my baby and i blame it on the crash of horomones your body takes when the placenta is removed as well as milk horomones being triggered) i have been playing close attention and i was super dizzy these last few days and voila! aunt flow came to visit yesterday and i am still feeling extra dizzy. hoping things calm down and definitely starting the BC pill and not stopping it for my cycles. i think itās the drop in estrogen that triggers something but Iām also rocky 24/7 just more violent before my period.
Yes , l am exactly the same. This is the usually the way it runs for me:
Usually have 3-4 months where l am pretty much normal. Then 2-3 days before period feel great. Then dizziness and massive anxiety on usually around day 8 of my cycle. It has also come on day one. Then I normally feel dizzy until the next period or more.
So l would say it is all hormone related.
Every women is different.
By the way this all started when I was 38.
I had migraines once a month about time of ovulation. I started taking magnesium tablets and they seemed to help. A few years ago - probably 5 I had a dizzy spell at work that went away after a couple of hours. Then the last couple years Iāve had one at work that was the same - went away after a couple of hours. This past summer, I was feeling fine - walked into the kitchen to refill my iced tea glass - turn one way and turned back and wham! I was dizzy and it never went away. Sometimes it was so bad, I didnāt want to take a shower. I felt like Iād fall.
I went to an ENT and diagnosed me with vestibular migraines and started me on nortriptyline. I always seemed to have breakthrough dizziness every once in awhile and am now on 125 mg. I went to my regular doctor for my annual checkup and he told me if I had dizziness I could take ativan that he had prescribed for those days - 3 xās a day. My breakthrough dizziness is at ovulation time and right before my period. This month though Iāve noticed dizziness after my period.
iām just wondering if I should call the ENT to tell her Iām still having some breakthrough dizziness or talk with my regular doctor - any thoughts?