upping my dose??

Sorry almost 4 weeks, not 3

Very few side effects? You are lucky, I had many but it sure helped when I needed it. You could give another week or so. I can tell you from my experience that I knew the higher dose was a good idea when the improvement I felt started to slip and I started to feel like I did before I started the lower dose.

Hi Danielle,

Be very careful with this nasty drug. The more you take, the worse the withdrawls are if you decide to discontinue. Doesn't matter if you are weaning off or going cold turkey, you WILL get horrible withdrawls and they WILL drive you to drink or drive you crazy! I weaned off slowly and gradually all the way down to 18.75 mg every other day until I decided to stop. It has been 4 days now and my withdrawl has been almost unbearable. Headaches, nausea, nightmares, chills, sweats, dizziness, electrical shocks that begin in the brain and shoot out to my extremities. The shocks are the worst!! Seriously feels like I'm being tasered on the inside of my brain. I just wanted to warn you that what you might read about these symptoms is very true and very serious. Drs. won't warn you like the people that that suffer will. I hope you all the best and good luck in life

Chad

Chad you've just scared the crap out of me!! I'm scared now, i don't want all that....i didn't really think of withdrawal symptoms as i didn't have many when i started it (i tried citalopram and this is a breeze compared) ... Venlafaxine has worked wonders for my anxiety and depression and i feel like i owe it all to this drug so i am a bit reluctant to come off them just yet anyways. Now in worried about upping my dose if its going to be that bad coming off them!!

I feel i need to up my dose just to get rid of this last bit of anxiety on a night, its the only thing stopping me getting a decent nights sleep at the moment, but its no where near as bad as it was, where i was scared of going to sleep.

I will talk it over with my doctor anyway, but thanks for the feedback.

Danielle

How bad is your depression? Venlafaxine can help. There is the potential for side effects. You should read them. Ask your doctor if your dosage should help w/anxiety. This is a course of treatment that you have to commit to. It may take a while to find your proper dosage.

Personally, I take something else for anxiety. Do Not Take Abilify (aripprozole) to amplify any anti-depressant. It can have serious, permanent side effects.

These are all brain drugs. There is a withdrawal should you decide to stop the course of treatment and stop taking the drug.

I'd say ask your doctor for something to help you sleep or for an anxiety drug. Just my opinion.

I was on 225 mg and have tapered over 3 months. I am not doing the the every other day taper for the end I am just cutting down gradually by opening the xr capsule, which you can do, and mixing it with away peaches and swallowing, don't chew. I am at 1/2 of 37.5 and I am feeling good. They don't sell anything but xr in canada. The pharmacist thought this was a good plan.

The drug worked very well for 13 years and then pooped out that is why I am weaning off. Everyone has different side effects. If you are having very few going on the drug then I would expect you will not have a lot of side effects going off.

Hi - we take the meds for their help. If they help, that's what we need. Don't worry too much about issue which may or may not affect you at some point some years from now. You are on a low dose now and it's good it is helping. If you are having issues then it is worth trying the larger dose. I take 2 by 75 extended release each morning. I can also recommend Mirtazapine taken at night for anxiety and helping me sleep. Tell doc how you feel so far, be open and detailed. Maybe write some dot points before you go and give it to them. They get a pleasant surprise and it helps them to focus on you, not what they need to buy for lunch or something. I had that happen, but I could be paranoid . I have come a long way on these 2 drugs and CBT . Best wishes for your meeting. David .

Another word in support of Venlafaxine. I take 3 x 75mg sustained release each day, and it has helped me a lot, I'm not in any hurry to reduce it if it's enabling me to lead a normal life. i also take mirtazapine (30mg) and this has helped too. So I say don't be afraid to take something that is helping while you need it.

I've tried asking 3 different doctors for something to help me sleep but they've all said no, so i dunno, i also take propranolol so don't know if that has owt to do with it.

I will try the higher dosage and see if it helps curve the anxiety at night.

And thanks David, it went quite well, looking forward to the next time.

Danielle

Right well i went to the doctors today and she's put me on 150mg slow release venlafaxine x1 a day. Start taking them tomorrow so wish me luck 😊

Hopefully this last little bit of niggling anxiety is going to make like a magician an disappear...

I can only hope if all goes well it back to work on Thursday after a month off.

Thanks for all the advice and best wishes to all 💖

Danielle x

Danielle, Good luck to you. Remember to be kind to yourself. Your brain and your body are going through real changes on these meds. Get enough sleep. Eat well. Exercise a bit. Breathe. Hope life gets better and better. m

Great advice Maureen. I was on effexor for 13 years and have just recently changed to welbutrin as the effexor stopped working. It really helped when I needed it the most. I am a trauma survivor and have ptsd symptoms so I have done a lot of hypnotherapy and emdr therapy. I am now doing cbt and I am finding it helpful.