Citrolpram or venlafaxine? ??

Posted , 3 users are following.

Coming off mirt I have 2 AD choices which are the above .. I really need input of side effects ect .. thankyou x

0 likes, 19 replies

19 Replies

  • Posted

    Not sure about venlafaxine. But citalopram has mild side effects compared to other Ad's.

    You may want to consider escitalopram which is a potent version of citalopram and less side effects

    • Posted

      thankyou adam, theres not may choices here in the uk .. this is my last hope really, i mentioned cit to her & her reaction wasnt good asual she then said we havnt much use for it her.. so i no it is legal here therefore if i have good feed back i will go to my dr not the phyciatrist. iv been on venlefaxine before she nos this but still putting me back on it. when i told her of the awful side effects off mirt which i no are real because others on here experience the same, she said iv never heard of such thing. i have a 3year old son whom im bringing up alone, i need to get my meds right. i cnt ruin his childhood thats why im so desp to get it right.
    • Posted

      Hi Sharon , I'm in the Uk too.

      I started on Mit too, I hated it. Stopped after 6 days. I had such bad anxiety with it. Blew my head off.

      Start on a low dose and build yourself up. I started on 10mg which is lowest and switched to 5mg escitalopram .

      Lower doses will help you a lot because side effects will be very minimal.

    • Posted

      Ahhhhh your the 1st 😉 that's good to no.. my phyciatrist just isn't nice.. mirt blu my head off to 1st relapse in 3years I even broke down in front of her .. all she had to say is iv never heard such side effects ..didn't want to no about citrolpram then said youl have to try venlafaxine again ..I said I can't for reasons u pointed out before u put me on mirt..she said well there's nothing else left. Because I'm on lithium too.. Iv made an appointment with my doc to pt citrolpram to him ... he's alot easier to talk to but dnt no how it will go. People on here say they had to come off mirt slowly she's told me just to stop taking it .. my head isnt great I no that.
    • Posted

      To be honest I think you might want to change doctors. You need a good doctor who can advise you and reassure you at the same time .

      And yes your right you can't just stop taking mit like that you have to taper off.

    • Posted

      I don't get a choice with the phyciatrist ..I go every 3months to mental hospital & I'm terrified when I need to change pills..she really does make me feel worse than I already do.. my head feels like there's a fire goin on in it.

      I just hoping my gp can go over her head .

    • Posted

      I know exactly what you mean.

      Speak to your gp see if he can help.

    • Posted

      Hi adam went to my gp this morning he can't over ride the phyciatrist so iv got to go with the venlafaxine. .the last time I was on it was in 2000 150mg ..with it being years ago there isn't a reason I came off it .. he has to find the paper files..I told him how distressed I am about taking it all he can do is write to the phyciatrist & ask for an alternative. In which she told me there is.. I'm dreading this already. .he can't believe she never told me to come off mirt slowly either..he says I'm over the worst of the WD tho .so deflated ..
    • Posted

      That's good news that your past the worst WD and it's also good news that your doc is writing to the pschiatrist because usually they do take on recommendations from the doctor especially when there is a alternative .
    • Posted

      Hi Sharon,

      My doc is switching me from escitalopram to venkaxafin.

      How you doing with venlaxafin

  • Posted

    I have been on both.

    I had a lot of success with Venlafaxine when I took it for mild anxiety years ago. When I was put on it for much more severe anxiety, it really didin't help me much. It may have been because it was the second time around. I tried it for 18 months before switching to Cit. Venlafaxine has a reputation for being really difficult to come off of, but I didn't have any problems. Some people find Venlafaxine to be stimulating and maybe that is why it did not help with my severe anxiety, but was fine for my very low level anxiety that I first had; I really don't know for sure. 

    I have been on Cit. for about 8 weeks, so I am still fairly early on it. I was on 10 mg for one month and now on 20 mg. I am gradually starting to feel improvements. I hope over the next few weeks it just gets better and better. I really had mild side effects on it. Knowing what I know now, I wish I would have been switched to Cit.  months and months ago, but I trusted my pdoc and she never suggested a change.

    Everyone is different and responds differently to medications. Personally, I would try Cit. first, but this has to be a decision between you and your doctor.

    I tried Paxil for one week. I definitely was not going to be able to handle that even with a benzo. That for me was a nightmare, but others love Paxil.

    Sissy

    • Posted

      Thankyou sissy. I was on ven years ago but cnt remember why I came off but must of been a good reason. I suffer bad with depression caused by the anxiety. . Just had a relapse so really need to sort myself out. I have a bad worry of drugs piling weight on me also.. I'm thinking that could of been the ven.
    • Posted

      The weight thing sucks! Right now, I just want to get stable and I will work on the weight at a later time. 
    • Posted

      Oh really.. I dnt mind the the weight gain because it's a new drug & in time when your body is used to it you can get back to normal. It's the drugs like mirtazapine that's a forever battle ..&;quetiapine was for me too ..
    • Posted

      I have read that mirt really can cause the weight gain. I have gained weight since starting Cit, but I have also been trying to get my hormones leveled out. I am not sure what is doing what right now.
    • Posted

      Mirt is awful you cnt get away from the weight gain ..because it's the cravings just after you take the pill.. & they don't stop until youv eaten everything possible.. then you can sleep..so it's a vicious circle with it .
    • Posted

      Well... I don't need any help in the weight gaining area, so I will avoid that drug! I have heard of people eating and not even realizing they are on it. 
    • Posted

      Thankyou sissy that's a great help.. I think I want to try cit. ..there's a reason why I came off ven years ago ..maybe it will be in my notes with the gp..
    • Posted

      Yer your right when I think about it.. its gone before its touched your mouth.. horrible ..

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.