Venlafaxine advice

Hi. I personally was on it over ten years and boy I wish it were out sooner as nothing before helped me, I switched over to duloxetine easily and swear by these two meds. I only switched as I was on a long time and this new one came out and Dr suggested it. A life saver for me again and no side effects. And I've tried them all. Good luck

I'm really sorry to hear you've had another bout  I can certainly understand not wanting to increase your doseage, I remember feeling e same and feeling like a medication couldn't possibly change how I was feeling. Luckily I stuck with it though, and unfortunately had to increase my dose several times and even add another antidepressant to take as well, as I'm now feeling much better. I would caution you to be careful coming off hem if you're still feeling depressed, and can't recommend enough doing other things concurrently such as exercise, mindfulness etc. all the best

Hi Matt, 

The fact that you had a major depressive episode on the ven suggests you might be in tolerance withdrawal, otherwise known as poop out.  When that happens, you begin to have withdrawal symptoms even though the dose wasn't changed, and they appear to be a relapse but in fact are not.  Healthy subjects put on these drugs have depression and anxiety on discontinuation of the drug.  Studies show that long term use actually makes people more prone to depression, which is why you read of people switching to new meds after so many years.

You could go up in dose, but the fact that you are having symptoms now means you are sensitized, and going higher might work for a time but then poop out will occur again.  However, then you have that much farther to come off, and ven has a notorious reputatoin for withdrawal syndrome.  

Even if you choose to go to another med, you must withdraw off of ven slowly and carefully. Switching to another med directly will lead to withdrawal that the new med can not negate.

Oddly, people often begin to feel better as they taper off. Of course you must discuss this with your doctor, but many don't recognize tolerance withdrawal or protracted withdrawal and insist that your condition is getting worse and that you need additional meds.  This is a very slippery slope. 

You might want to check out the topic "Reducing ADs using a 10% withdrawala method" in the following thread.

https://patient.info/forums/discuss/depression-resources-298570

I would agree with meowoof that doing other things in addition to meds is crucial, because the meds do not cure depression but are a band aid.  Depression is about the thoughts you have, dysfunctional thinking, and things like Cognitive Behavior Therapy actually work on changing that thinking to healthier thought patterns.  Mindfulness meditation is also very beneficial, and there are lots of free online sources of both.  Even if you switch to a new med, doing the work is what creates lasting change for the better, and perhaps then you wouldn't even need the meds!

i was on it on all sorts doses for about 10 years with no massive improvement, read my earlier post on how i managed to come off them and switch to a different med

Hi

​I have been taking anti-depressants for last 11 years and into venlafexine for 5 years. It hasn't worked at all, I was using it just for the sake of using. I have been always depressed all these 5 years, and I have hit the rock bottom now. I have migrated to Australia, have a promising career but every day is a big compromise, a huge battle and I am laced without a weapon. I have been prescribed Mirtazapine and I wonder if it is going to help me. I have taken it yesterday and day before, the effect is dreadful. I am groggy, foggy brain,drowsy all the time and numb. I have no idea what should be done.