How to Use Effexor to Treat Bulimia

Effexor belongs to the SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine inhibitor) family of antidepressants and is sometimes used to treat bulimia, an eating disorder characterized by binging and purging eating behaviors. Effexor is usually reserved for cases when an SSRI type of antidepressant, such as Prozac, is proven ineffective for reducing the undesirable behaviors. Only under strict supervision from your health care team should you use Effexor to treat bulimia.

Things You'll Need

• Mental health care professional, such as a psychiatrist
• Effexor

Instructions

Use Effexor to Treat Bulimia

1. Have your mental health care professional perform a complete physical and psychological evaluation in order to determine the extent of your bulimia nervosa. With bulimia, early detection can prevent irreversible damage to your internal organs, such as your liver, esophagus, stomach and intestines. All medical conditions will need to be addressed before a program using antidepressant drugs can be prescribed.

2. Educate yourself about the potential side effects Effexor may cause, including decreased sexual drive and response, hypertension and the emergence of mania symptoms, which can lead to suicidal feelings. In addition, Effexor should not be used by people under the age of 18.

3. Avoid combining Effexor with any other type of antidepressant, especially of the SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) class. This could lead to a serotonin syndrome, a potentially lethal condition where levels of serotonin reach unusually high levels in the brain.

4. Combine your use of Effexor to treat bulimia with other treatment options, such as behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy or psychotherapy. While antidepressants tend to mask the symptoms of an eating disorder, talking therapies can get to the root causes of an eating disorder, thereby reducing the chances of a relapse once the treatment ends. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which replaces the attitudes and beliefs of the patient through behavior modification, has been the preferred method for treating eating disorders for many years.

5. Consider natural alternatives to raising the serotonin levels in your brain in order to complement the effects of Effexor. This includes being exposed to sunlight for at least 30 minutes every day or exercising at least three times a week. Yoga in particular has been shown to be unusually effective at raising serotonin levels naturally.

Tips & Warnings

• High incidences of suicide have prevented Effexor from becoming a front-line treatment for eating disorders. Many health insurance plans will not cover the cost of Effexor unless Prozac has been tried first. Use it only under the strict supervision of a medical professional.