- What Do You Think Of The Combination Of Effexor And Zyprexa?
QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
Please comment on this combination (Effexor and Zyprexa) of medications for treatment of chronic depression/BPD.
ANSWER:
Some practitioners describe great results with Effexor, particularly at high doses. I’ve not had that experience. In theory this combination should be a good one for chronic depression and the BPD, but in practicality side effects are going to be a huge problem. In my experience there are better options. Effexor needs to be taken in high doses to get the best BPD effectiveness, usually 300-450mg daily. At this dose high blood pressure and other side effects can be a problem (nervousness, insomnia, nausea, dry mouth, dizziness and others). Zyprexa is a very effective medication, particularly when the thinking processes aren’t clear. Weight gain is usually an insurmountable problem for long term use – 25 to 100 pound weight gain is common. Some people complain that they “have no feelings” while taking Zyprexa. I use it short term, particularly for those patients who are extremely underweight and have no appetite.
