Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Can Endep Be Substituted By Effexor?
Question: I have been prescribed endep by a neurologist to help with a condition he calls functional weakness but also Effexor by a sleep specialist for possible narcolepsy/cataplexy. Which do I choose? I had horrible side affects of pristine some years ago and have also taken escitalopram with no problems.
Brief Answer:
Effexor will be a better choice
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your query.
I have read your query and understood your concerns. So you have narcolepsy and sleep apnoea. Endep will cause more sedation and other side effects. May I know the dosage range prescribed by your neurologist?
Between effexor and endep, effexor will be the better choice.
I had a patient with similar complaints, I used prozac, modalert, bupron etc. Varying combination of these drugs in different dosages benefited to my patient a lot.
Continue your drugs and discuss about the better treatment plan with your doctor, if required take help of psychiatrist. I have mentioned the drugs which are approved and used commonly in illness you are having. Discuss the possibility of using these drugs.
Other issues you need to address are decrease your weight if you come in obese category, light exercise in morning for 20 to 30 minutes, avoid naps in day time if possible.
Hope I have answered your question. If you have further query then feel free to ask.
Wish you good health.
Effexor will be a better choice
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your query.
I have read your query and understood your concerns. So you have narcolepsy and sleep apnoea. Endep will cause more sedation and other side effects. May I know the dosage range prescribed by your neurologist?
Between effexor and endep, effexor will be the better choice.
I had a patient with similar complaints, I used prozac, modalert, bupron etc. Varying combination of these drugs in different dosages benefited to my patient a lot.
Continue your drugs and discuss about the better treatment plan with your doctor, if required take help of psychiatrist. I have mentioned the drugs which are approved and used commonly in illness you are having. Discuss the possibility of using these drugs.
Other issues you need to address are decrease your weight if you come in obese category, light exercise in morning for 20 to 30 minutes, avoid naps in day time if possible.
Hope I have answered your question. If you have further query then feel free to ask.
Wish you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Ashwin Bhandari
Thanks for your reply. I am not obese, a bit underweight, since my muscles haven't been used much over the last 20 months. I can't use my muscles much in exercise as I said before I just get exhausted and collapse and it takes me two days to recover. I also have memory problems. I am worried about taking Effexor because I read that it was similar to Pristiq (the spell checker renamed this in my previous post to pristine) and I had a bad reaction to it. Can you tell me if that is the case? Neurologist prescribed starting with 10mg of endep working up to 40mg.
My sleep specialist prescribed one 75mg tablet daily. What time of day is advisable?
My sleep specialist prescribed one 75mg tablet daily. What time of day is advisable?
Brief Answer:
Effexor and endep work more or less similarly
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Pristiq is similar drug to effexor, even effexor has more side effects XXXXXXX pristiq.
Endep works more or less similar way to effexor but has more side effects.
Endep is brand name of amitriptyline. In lower dosage it does not produce significant side effects but as you go on higher dose you will face them. You can read more about it on internet. None of them will work for you.
You have taken escitalopram previously without side effects then you can have that one again or another drug from the same class likes prozac, zoloft, paxil, celexa etc. These drugs neither will nor produce side effects like effexor. I have clinical experience with prozac, so I would give it to my patient.
Another drug with different action is wellbutrin [bupropion] which has antidepressant action as well as activating effects in brain; it increases the level of dopamine and norepinephrine in brain that is very important in narcolepsy.
Modafinil will have similar activating effects and works like miracle in some patients of narcolepsy and also improves mood and weakness. So, in conclusion the drugs like bupropion, prozac and modalert have activating effects which will alert you, increase your functioning, decrease weakness, improve mood.
I am recommending these drugs to you because I have used them and found great results. You can discuss about them with your doctor and see what he will have to say about them.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Effexor and endep work more or less similarly
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.
Pristiq is similar drug to effexor, even effexor has more side effects XXXXXXX pristiq.
Endep works more or less similar way to effexor but has more side effects.
Endep is brand name of amitriptyline. In lower dosage it does not produce significant side effects but as you go on higher dose you will face them. You can read more about it on internet. None of them will work for you.
You have taken escitalopram previously without side effects then you can have that one again or another drug from the same class likes prozac, zoloft, paxil, celexa etc. These drugs neither will nor produce side effects like effexor. I have clinical experience with prozac, so I would give it to my patient.
Another drug with different action is wellbutrin [bupropion] which has antidepressant action as well as activating effects in brain; it increases the level of dopamine and norepinephrine in brain that is very important in narcolepsy.
Modafinil will have similar activating effects and works like miracle in some patients of narcolepsy and also improves mood and weakness. So, in conclusion the drugs like bupropion, prozac and modalert have activating effects which will alert you, increase your functioning, decrease weakness, improve mood.
I am recommending these drugs to you because I have used them and found great results. You can discuss about them with your doctor and see what he will have to say about them.
Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.
Wish you good health.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
