Help with venlafaxine

Hi Lynn

?I have re-read all your messages to purpledobermann (who I will refer to in future as pd and it takes so long to keep typing the full name) and all her replies to you.

?She is extremely well informed in this medication and also very experienced on how to handle the situation. 

?Your dose of 37.5 is very low but I understand you have to start low and build up the dose.  I was on a starting dose of 75XL for 16 days, spoke to a different doctor on the phone, and advised her that I was previously raised from 75mg to 150mg after 4 days.  This was however in a hospital environment with a specialist doctor in the field of anxiety and depression.  Anyway, this new doctor was happy to raise the dose to 150mg which I have now been taking for 33days.  

?I have felt a slight improvement and rarely take a diazepam now, which would suggest to me that I must be improving.  I understand the morning anxiety only too well.  I couldn't stay in the house alone during the day, but did return around 6ish in the evening and found I could relax then.  It would appear that this is a very common problem with anxiety.  The thought of a whole day feeling so terrible is overwhelming and I think that by early evening, the relief of getting through another day sets in.  However, we both know that it will all start again in the morning.

?I used to feel a failure and guilty for leaving the house all day to be with someone, but as pd said in one of her replies, just think to yourself 'what would make me feel more comfortable' and do that, whatever it is.  Time weighs heavily on sufferers like us.  We just can't wait to feel better.  This medication, as most for anxiety and depression, takes a long time to work fully, and the daily progress is very slow.

?I am still suffering anxiety and often feel very sad and down.  But I have been able to stay in the house for longer periods of time, although I still go out every day.  I am eating a little more but still can't face cooking an evening meal for my husband.  He is looking after himself for meals and I have been buying a few ready made meals for myself, which only take a few minutes in the microwave.  I have managed to do a weekly shop on my own just once - it was a struggle but I did it.  In my opinion, you must be kind to yourself.  Acceptance of how you feel is hard, and I just can't ignore the fear and internal shaking I experience.  So look after your own personal needs and do whatever gives you any kind of comfort.

?I know how tough and debilitating this illness is.  All you can think is 'will it never end'.  Yes it will eventually, but getting through the time is the hardest thing I have ever done.  But we will get there together. You are NOT ALONE. 

?Message me anytime you want.  We are in this together.

Take good care

June XXX

Did you meet with a psychologist during any of this time?  If so, was that helpful?

Thank you for your response.  It is hard to talk to people about This!

Tomorrow I will have been on Effexsor 37.5mg for 2 weeks. On Tuesday the doctor will raise my dose to 75XL, and I will be starting therapy on the 21st of the month. I had just started to do EMDR therapy for PTSD, but I have to see one of the therapist that work with the psychiatrists on staff. Living in a rural area in Vermont  there are not many options and very few physchiatrists in private practice. I had to go into an impatient retreat situation to get weaned of the high doses of zoloft they had me on. They did the cheek swab test from gene sight, which I never knew existed. It helps doctors when prescribing Meds  to see which ones have a better chance of working with your personal genetic makeup. I read about Effexsor and all the comments I read about going off the medication were frightening. I’m 66 now and if I need to stay on it for the rest of my life so be it. I can’t think about that now. I am eating again but staying asleep at night is difficult unless I take an anxiety pill. My husband is also retired so I have him around me during the day. Before this happened I was very independent and loved being home alone when he would go away. With Anxiety and Depression you turn into someone unrecognizable, and become scared of life.  I never thought I would be in this state after having  survived my daughter’s death four years ago. We will get through this. I saw appreciate Purple Doberman’s knowledge and openness. It helps to hear other people’s experiences.

your right we are all in this together. Lynn

Doctor said I could stay on 37.5 until I see her a week from today it will be 4 weeks. Today is three weeks. I felt almost like my old self last Friday and Sunday didn’t need any Klonopin. I have started going back to the gym but usually still need to take .25 Klonopin in am for anxiety. Tomorrow I start seeing a counselor and on Wednesday will start to see an acupuncturist for my anxiety and knee issue. How are you doing? 

Hi Lynn

Sorry to hear you've taken a step back. Please don't consider it a negative. I think you are still on the roller coaster of anxiety and you will have times when you think all is not as it should be. I have many of these ups and downs and all you can do is ride them out. If you continue to feel the way you are after about a week or so, then yes, you may need an increase in dosage. But give it time before you think about upping your meds.

Like you, I gave it consideration to go higher than the 150mg I have been on since almost the beginning of this relapse. But what with Christmas and being busy, I decided to wait until the new year. However, I seem to have stabilised after just over 4 months. I still get moments of anxiety and palpitations but I try to get through them and not panic. If all else fails, then I will take a diazepam to help me stay calm.

It is hellish Lynn and you have my sympathy. But don't let this devil win. We will stay strong and beat this horrendous illness. XXX.

Thank you so much for your reply June. Sometimes you feel so alone with this. This up and down is hard. I am so happy you are doing well. The last 5 days have been up and down, but I have taken Klonopin when I need it. The doctors don’t tell you about the roller coaster ride

Hi Lynn I still get these crazy ups and downs it drives me insane, I have had some really good periods and this last week I have been so s**t, but I know things will change again I just have to try and stay as positive as possible and I know we will eventually beat it

Thanks Roger, Today I feel better, after a few days of feeling like I was going back to the beginning. It is so scary because when the blips come back I don’t have confidence it will get better again. I just spoke to NP AND SHE SAID TO STAY ON THIS DOSE, that you see the full affects in 6 weeks but will continue to have blips up and down for a while. 

Yes thats exactly how I feel like I am going back to the beginning but we are not its just part of the process

Looks like I am going up to 225mg

Did you and your Doctor decide it would be good to go up a notch. Let me know how it goes. I will give 112.5 another week. How long were you on 187?

 

I just sent an email to my doctor. It’s been a week of feeling like this. I think I need to go up to 150. I felt so good a week ago.

I have been on if or close to a month was doing pretty well and then this week was not so good it has progressively got worse for me, it feels like I am back at the start most of my symptoms which had calmed down have come back again so he suggested i try 225m I did try it once before but I think I got there too quickly, I am so disappointed because I truly felt this was the correct dose for me so I am going to try again

I am having the exact same issues. Really thought I had got to a stable point on 112.5. Since last Friday I have been up and down. Yesterday was great, today was awful and had to take a .25 Klonopin. It seems like every other day. June who is also on this forum said it happened to her and it eventually evened out. My doctor said if it’s not frequently bad to try and stay on this dose, if it gets bad go up to 150. I have a prescription for both strengths at the pharmacy. I guess I will wait a couple more days.

Hi Lynn I have 2 friends who are my support who also say you have these ups and downs till it evens itself out, but my Psych who happens to be a professor doesnt like the ups and down to go on for more than a week and Im a person who panics so much so when these ups and downs come I always hope they dont last long because I know my pysch will push me up, I push myself to do everything whether I enjoy it or not, just so it wont ruin my life, I have to put a clown face on and pretend everything is ok, at least we know one thing that this medication works for us, its just trying to find the right dose, I hate going up Im scared of change I always think something really bad is going to happen, it was such a problem for me to go on it in the first place

I am going to call in today for the raised dose. For me it is the anxiety which has returned. I have had to take Klonopin again a few days. Yesterday was horrible with it but the day before I was great. I am a panicky type person myself. It is 6 weeks on this dose and it seems like it should have settled by now

So had mine and also a bit of depression so now Im on my second day of 225mg the mornings are horrendous always, I also sweat quite a bit in the morning on it (I hate that) its so exhausting, i really hope the 150mg does it for you.

Started a dose of 150 today. Could not stand the anxiety again. I am hoping it will kick in soon as I felt well at the lower dose a week ago with no anxiety. 

When you raised your dose again did you get side effects like sweating at night and dry mouth still have anxiety so took a Klonopin 2nd day on 150. How long till it kicks in

Day three on 150 day, some side effects, have your’s stopped