First week on Effexor
Posted , 3 users are following.
So after about five years unmedicated I finally caved and decided to get back on psychs. My first week on Effexor has been a little nuts. My last experience with psychs was with Zoloft when I was 18 (I’m 23 now) which has super mild sides so I wasn’t really prepared for this.
I took my first dose before bed and woke up at 3:30am with searing nipple pain (literally, as if they were on fire) and really bad nausea. Somehow fell back asleep and woke up just as queasy. I sat around for a couple hours feeling pretty spaced out—the sensation reminded me of a couple bad concussions I’ve had—and my sister remarked that I sounded high. I definitely felt pretty far from earth, almost like a nicotine buzz but not as awesome. I was also clenching my jaw badly and grinding my teeth like I was on adderall. I tried to get outside and do some landscaping, and quickly got hit with a pounding headache. Popped a couple Advil which helped and I worked through it and got a lot done. The queasiness didn’t really subside and I didn’t have much appetite but I forced myself to eat something which helped for about an hour and then it came back.
So in the last few days I’ve worked out a more comprehensive routine to deal with these sides (which I’ve read can subside after the first week or so) and it’s been pretty helpful: taking the drug in the morning before going to work, popping a promethazine at night to deal with the nausea and get to sleep, keeping light snacks around to ease my stomach during the day, taking it a little easier on the espresso for the teeth grinding, getting at least a gallon of water in me daily and keeping Advil on hand for the headaches which have started to get better already. No changes in mood yet but I didn’t expect any this early anyway.
I’ve got some really bad attention deficit issues which have always made me respond a little differently to drugs; amphetamines make me drowsy, antihistamines wake me up, etc, so I don’t want to dismiss these sides as a wash and change meds immediately. I’m gonna stick it out for a month and see if they wear off. If not I’ll go to half dosage or switch to something new. Will continue to post updates.
0 likes, 3 replies
nigel45109 camca
Posted
Hello, I can't give you any specific advice, apart from general stuff at bottom of my post, as only had 1 venlafaxine tablet, from a switch from citalopram. I didnt sleep well after 1 pill, and woke up very alert. This frightened me, as I've had 6 weeks of intense anxiety on citalopram. I bottled the change, for a couple of weeks, before I see my pysc again for a review. My lower cit dose isn't working well, so think I will end of changing to venlafaxine in a couple of weeks. I would say it's far to early for you to make any decisions. If you are managing to cope, then carry on, and side effects should ease. As long as you are finding ways if coping you should be fine. It's likely to be 6 or more weeks, until side effects ease. All the best.
nigel45109 camca
Posted
Hello again, although I can't help you much about venlafaxine, I can give you advice about starting on antidepressants, as have just gone through a hard time for 13 weeks on citalopram. If you don't mind, you may be able to help me. I was due to switch to ven, took one ven 37.5 tablet at night, after an hour felt pretty awake, didn't sleep much, and in morning was very alert. This alertness scared the s**t out of me, as I'd thought it would turn to anxiety, which is why I immediately stopped the switch. Do you find that you are very alert, and does it turn into anxiety. I'm pretty sure my pysc will recommend switch again in 2 weeks, when lower dose of current cit, and low levels of diazepam should make switching easier. As I said alertness next day, scared me. Do you get similar? I believe in time, this will subside. Just looking for help. Thanks.
nigel45109 camca
Posted
Hello, I started venlafaxine switch from cit 3 days ago. Switching from citalopram, 20mg of cit plus 37mg of ven for first 2 weeks. Tried switching a week before, with ven ta night. Made me way to alert, didn't sleep well. Told doctor this, so was told to take ven in morning along with cit. Only 4 days doing it, but no side effects I can tell from taking ven in morning. It's doing something, as my mood isn't declining rapidly, as it was on just a lowered cit dose. How are you finding it?