2nd day on increased 150mg ven dose, when can I expect some improvements

Posted , 6 users are following.

2 days ago had my ven dosage upped to 150mg, from 75mg that I'd been on with 10mg of cit for 3 weeks during change over from cit to ven. Prior to that 37.5mg ven, 20mg cit for 2 weeks, and a reducing cit doseage of cit for 4 weeks before that. Basically, feel tragically down, hence my increase to 150mg 2 days ago. I have got so down, just wondered if anyone else has done this sort of switch and when might I expect some improvements? It's been such a horrible process. Thanks.

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  • Posted

    Took 6 weeks on 150mg of ven.

    I too swapped from cit.

    • Posted

      3 months of citalopram for me were a complete disaster. Ended up worse than when I switched from seroxat, which had stopped working.
    • Posted

      Well i am alot better but far from great.

      It did get worse before it got better.

      I am on extended release.

    • Posted

      Sarah, if you want to read my reply to Nigel, you'll understand my situation. I started having breakthrough anxiety about 3 weeks ago after being back on Effexor XR 75mg for 3 months. Then about 10 days ago, I had an anxiety attack that has not left me yet. It's low grade, but every once in a while, it flares up horribly. Right now, I'm taking trazadone 25 mg (2 nights so far) to sleep through without waking up several times with anxiety. And I'm debating whether or not I should follow my Drs advice and increase the Effexor XR to 150. Did you notice a difference IF you did increase your dose??? I'd rather not take an additional med. So tired of this roller coaster. Thanks!!! Hope you continue to get better.

    • Posted

      I did notice a difference if i increased my dose and felt calmer for a few days then it went away. After 6 weeks on 150 mg xr i did not feel a oermanent improvement till 6 weeks and the week before was my worst i was ready to give up.
    • Posted

      So you feel calmer now on 150... none of that butterfly heightened anxiety in your chest feeling??

      Right now on 75, I feel anxious, but not crazy anxious. If someone told be I had to live like this the rest of my life, then I could probably do, but it works be a struggle. Just want that feeling to go away forever.

  • Posted

    Hiya, I don't know what cit is ? It's only been 2 days on higher dose of Venlafaxine..is it slow release or instant release tablets.It takes time for Venlafaxine to work..try not to expect it to work right away.. It takes time to get into your system.. it also depends if it's the slow or instant release tablets.. let me know..I know you're worried..things do take time tho' to work.. I know ..

    • Posted

      Hello Irene, it's immediate release tablets, 150mg split 75mg each morning and night. I was hoping being on the lower 75mg per day for 2 weeks, and the lower again 37.5mg for 2 weeks prior to that, might speed things up a bit. Switched from seroxat in Jan to citalopram, which ended up being a disaster. Ended up worse on citalopram than when I started.

  • Posted

    I have taken ven since July 2015 and it works great for me. It does take a few weeks to notice much improvement so try to hang in there. Good luck. Take care.
    • Posted

      Hello Phyllis, thanks for your comments. It's so hard. Really long tapering down of old and introduction of ven. 7 weeks I think. Made me much worse. Have noticed the ven 150mg immediate release makes me dreamy and tired at night, and dreamy and invigorating in the morning. It does feel nice for a few hours after taking it. Hopefully this is a good sign. I came off citalopram, and that made me more anxious the longer I took it.

  • Posted

    Hi Nigel. I've been right where you are only a few months ago. I was on Effexor XR 75 for about 12 years when my generic stopped working and was substituted so I weaned off of that successfully in about 2 months and started on Lexapro 10 mg for 3 weeks then was increased to 20 mg for a total of 10 weeks. My anxiety worsened. So I went back on the Effexor XR 75mg but it's the name brand. I was feeling very very bad during my taper down of Effexor and the startup of Lexapro. My anxiety was off the chart and couldn't sleep. I've been on Effexor XR 75 for close to 4 months now and I'm having a lot of breakthrough anxiety. But my age has a lot to do with it I'm a 53 year old female.... To quote my husband who happens to be a doctor, "your brain has been through a chemical blender".

    He's right and I think that's what you're going through to right now. Once one medication is completely out of your system and the other one is built up in your system I think you'll be feeling a lot better. I tell everybody on this site that I try to get through minute by minute then hour by hour. Some days I don't do so well, other days I do better. I know how hard it is to start a chore or think about doing something else. Trust me when I say that you need to keep living your life. Do one thing at a time even if you can't finish it, at least start. And if you finish it you might be feeling like you can do something else.

    We're all in this anxiety boat together, so come here as often as you need to for support. God bless you!!!

    • Posted

      I So, know what you mean Tammy. I've been through "the blender" and want out of it now. Having forgotten to take Venlafaxine a few times over the years..it's been hell..then when the supplies dried up last year, Again! and was given slow release.and not told how to take it properly..I was actually Over dosing on it..I decided then.that I want to come off it.. it's 10 times worse than coming off Seroxat was.. I am now wondering what these drugs are actually doing to our brains.. But,if it works for people that's great.. I just feel it's Ruling my Life rather than Me being in control.

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