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Can anyone advise?

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donna198021
donna198021

Hi i have just came off escitalopram to try venlafaxine and have been on this a week now because escitalopram just wasnt helping my anxiety after 6 months. Iv started venlafaxine 37.5. I feel ok in myself i have no bad anxiety from starting it i just feel really stressed and bad tempered at the minute and irritable like i dont know what to do with myself. Is this normal? Its like a restless feeling. I suffer from generalised anxiety and obsessive thoughts and im worrying the venlafaxine wont help the obsessive thinking side also. Will it help?

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Purpledobermann
    Purpledobermann donna198021

    Posted

    The restless "don't-quite-know-what-to-do-with-myself" and even moderate to strong irritability, increased anxiety or emotional outbursts are common in early therapy. Venlafaxine is potent, often moody to begin with but typically very good at addressing anxiety.

    In your case, venlafaxine is expected to pick up and lighten the escitalopram withdrawal, however the first 2-3 weeks may be a bit of a blur and it willl be hard to gauge which is escit and which is ven 'fault' smile . I would not worry unless you suddenly develop really weird urges or feel like you are worsening every day. Other than any extremes, ups and downs are normal for the next few weeks or even months in any case.

    Venlafaxine is effective at addressing uncomplicated obsessive thought propensity common with GAD. The more complicated cases, i.e. ones that escalated well into OCD territory, may or may not be succesfully managed with ven. However, most anxiety sufferers do not have full-blown OCD and the obsessive symptoms or tendencies lessen as therapy progresses. Do note however that obsessive thinking is usually the last to go. It comes not so much from the drug, but positive experiences you acquire while the brain is held in balance on the drug. So in fact it comes from you developing confidence, coping skills and gaining a healthier perspective once the pressure and turmoil of abnormal anxiety starts to lessen.

    Wishing you the best of luck on your new treatment, with a fast and steady improvement.

  • patricia96761
    patricia96761 donna198021

    Posted

    Hello Donna I took a 75mg dose of Venlafaxine fir about two and a half years it seemed to make me very talkative but it got me out of the depression caused by a couple of life events and low vitamin D. It was a bit difficult coming off them as I dropped to 37.5mg fir a couple of weeks and experienced sort of " brain zaps " it all cleared up after about another month and I am not as talkative and feel mire balanced

    • donna198021
      donna198021 patricia96761

      Posted

      Thank you for replying i was previously on sertraline for 8 years then tried citalopram, escitalopram but none of those ever worked for my anxiety and made it worse, these venlafaxine have been the only ones iv never had start up anxiety with which i am hoping is a good sign? I feel ok i think its just general worry about taking new antidepressants, i have experienced weird brain zaps before taking my next dose but i also have had those with other medications. I just hope i improve on these as i havnt had much success on previous ones. Iv had a lot to deal with also with childhood trauma which im waiting for EFT therapy.
  • Zio10
    Zio10 donna198021

    Posted

    I came off Citolopram 20mg for 7 wks straight to Venaflaxine 37.5mg next day. No reall issues. Anxiety has came but not often like on Citolopram! Citolopram was bad after 3 wks. Suicidal thoughts, extreme fatigue, non-motivated, crying alot, anxiety bad. Now non of that. On day 16 of 37.5mg. Sure Ill prob be going up. This med #8 for me. GAD an depression dx. I know what you mean by " that feeling of now what!" Like my brain is a clear slate but bored. (?) Im gonna start a new routine fr what I was doin. Exercise an maybe part time job if I can handle it. Iv got tons of extreme stress (not goid for your health at 48 an a yr into menopause!) Im caregiver to my parent's both 81. Neither drive an many health probs. Just moved into a retirement community fr their very large home. Estate sale I had to organize in Dec now cleaning rest out an trying to sell on my own. Showing house an multiple phone calls!! Uggg...but they need the money an are running out! Im married with 2 sons (teens). No vaca for 5 yrs. My sister (older) doesn't help really. So I do most everything for them an my family. But, at least Im more active a little now an no obtrusive thoughts! That scared me an my psychiatrist. She immediately took me of Citolopram. Its not for everyo e. I hope Effexor is it!! Tired of starting an withdrawling over an over...

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