1. Community
  2. Mental health
  3. Venlafaxine

Venlafaxine The Positives!

Posted , 19 users are following.

This discussion has been locked due to a period of inactivity.
emma1605
emma1605

Why is there only negative posts on here. This medication gave me my life back and if i have to take it forever tgen so be it! X

2 likes, 28 replies

28 Replies

Next
  • anne240
    anne240 emma1605

    Posted

    It helped me too.  Most of the posts are about coming off this drug, as it is so difficult.  People need support and that is why you see so many cries for help.  I am sure, like you and me, a lot of people feel better when taking Venlafaxine.  It is just the nature of most forums that people are seeking help when perhaps things are not going as well as they would like. 

    I am glad you are doing so well.

    • elaine92718
      elaine92718 anne240

      Posted

      Can I ask if anyone has gained weight. Also if they have tried to loose weight have they been successful
    • anne240
      anne240 elaine92718

      Posted

      Yes put on masses of weight.  Only lost it all when I stopped Venlafaxine. 
  • manny89031
    manny89031 emma1605

    Posted

    I agree emma.  It helped me with a difficult time during my life.  I had no real side effects.  No weight gain like so many complain about because I still worked out and ate correctly.  I stop taking it a month ago after being on it for 2 years and was just fine.  Grateful for it.
  • infestissumam
    infestissumam emma1605

    Edited

    Yep, Effexor saved my life. I have depersonalization/derealization disorder and had a severely long episode (about 3 months straight) and starting Effexor helped me deal with the severe anxiety I had. I was afraid to leave the house because everything looked and felt wrong and I threw up almost every day from how stressed and anxious I was during that time. Effexor was like a miracle. I got my life back and started going back to school on a regular basis (it was my senior year of high school) and enjoying spending time not locked in my house. It's very effective, unfortunately it's also unforgiving with its withdrawal. I've been on it for a little under two years and I want to try something less harsh but I may have to come back to it.
    • elaine92718
      elaine92718 infestissumam

      Posted

      That's brilliant. You've done remarkably well. IV been on it 10 years. Will start slow process of withdrawal when the time feels right
  • Guest
    Guest emma1605

    Posted

    I agree Emma, I first got ill in 1986, then better, then ill again in 1989. For nearly 10 years the medical profession just about kept be going with a variety of medication that didn't really work that well and some had very strange side effects.

    At best I would have spent a lifetime in and out of hospital. I'd probably be dead without it. Then I tried venlafaxine and it was like being reborn. I came off everything else and have not been ill since. I was able to have three lovely children and a career. Nobody would know I had ever been severely depressed. For some years I've been reducing the dose without much difficulty - then in 2015 I have come off the last bit. The side effects were a real shock to me. The thing is I had been taking 375mg a day for 6 years and then lower doses- reducing every few years, then every year - could never cope with an unbalanced dose during the day so had to come off two 37.5mgs within a week or two when I did change it.

    ALL the dramatic withdrawl effects happened after stopping the last 37.5mg about 3 weeks ago. Anyway without doubt venlafaxine is the best thing that happened to me, but coming off it is not nice! 

    • elaine92718
      elaine92718 Guest

      Posted

      Can I ask, are you on another antidepressant or none at all? X
    • Guest
      Guest elaine92718

      Posted

      None at all at the moment, but I haven't had symptoms of depression since I went on the full dose of venlafaxine. It really was dramatic. I was diagnosed bipolar in 1991, but only ever had one hypomanic phase for a few months in early 1989, then the really bad depression started. They really did try everything, but I couldn't move, think or speak at times. Changing medication also used to cause me a lot of trouble - I was very compliant about taking it. Now it feels like I dreamt the whole illness. Don't know why it got better or why the illness  started in the first place. Having babies seemed to re-boot my brain chemistry and I've been better ever since. The experts don't tend to tell you that having babies can actually help things! Of course the menopause could muck things up, but at least we know what to start with. Feel very fortunate to be alive and well.
    • Cleora3
      Cleora3 Guest

      Posted

      Did you have children whilst taking it?
    • Guest
      Guest Cleora3

      Posted

      Yes, three. All are perfectly normal. They are aged 11 (375mg per day) , 8 (300mg per day)  and 5 (300mg per day). I did not take the decision lightly, but the only other option was no children at all. I also breast-fed them exclusively for up to 6 months. The "experts" advised no breast-feeding, and then pointed out that it would help the babies with withdrawal effects. Our eldest might have suffered from the brain-zaps immediately after birth because they wondered if he'd had a seizure, but he also had meconium inhalation and wasn't breathing at first - so that factor might have been more important. The irony is that now I am older than I'd like to be to have children - I now seem to be able to come off the drug. The choice for me was take the risk, or remain childless. So far it seems to have paid off.

       

Back to top
Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.