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Help with venlafaxine

Posted , 9 users are following.

elaine73067
elaine73067

I am now 4 weeks into taking Venlafaxine for severe anxiety (had to give up work as could not cope). Was previously on Citalopram for 10 years but I guess it stopped working! Docs tried Setraline and after 2 weeks I was like a zombie. Then they started me on venlafaxine. 3 weeks on 37.5mg twice a day. Thought I was starting to get better, had a few drinks and anxiety back with a vengeance. Docs asked my to gradually increase to 75mg twice a day. Still feeling tired and anxious. Will this subside? Anyone had similar symptoms. I just want to get well again so I can get looking for a new job.  

0 likes, 34 replies

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  • nigel45109
    nigel45109 elaine73067

    Posted

    hello, i switched from cit to ven 5 months ago. cit got me into a severely depressed state. ven has completely turned me around. it does seem to take a long time to work though, about 8 to 10 weeks, before you notice the first improvements. you shouldnt drink until you have felt well for a couple of months, it really sets you back for a few days afterwards. for me it worked for depression, and also worked for a friend who had severe anxiety. we both started at the same time, and it took 10 weeks, until we felt better. each time my friend increased her dose, her anxiety would initially go up for a few weeks, before settling down.
    • elaine73067
      elaine73067 nigel45109

      Posted

      Hi Nigel that’s great to hear. I’m at the point of constantly analysing how I’m feeling and keep asking myself when I will feel better. It’s good to hear that your friend with anxiety felt better after 8 weeks. Hopefully this will be the same for me. Many thanks
    • haydenm
      haydenm nigel45109

      Posted

      same here nigel, cit drove me out if my mind with anxiety and depression, ven turned me right around and ive never felt better. i taje ven in conjunction with a moderate dose of wellbutrin

    • nigel45109
      nigel45109 haydenm

      Posted

      glad you are doing okay. no idea why i reacted so badly to cit. ive had a low 15mg dose of mirtazipine added. ven does have an issue, in that if you end up on a high dose, its likely you will need something added to it, for a good recovery. found out recently, above 150mg, the seratonin effect stays at the 150mg level, while the noradrenaline effect starts at 150mg and increases in line with dose increases. think you need something added, to also increase seratonin effect.

    • haydenm
      haydenm nigel45109

      Posted

      really? interesting where'd you hear that! right now im in 37.5 of ven (im in the first week) & 150mg wellbutrin. also taking 5mg zyprexa at night until the meds fully kick in

    • Guest
      Guest nigel45109

      Posted

      boy Nigel, I'm so relieved to find your post. I've only been on ven for 6 weeks, 75mg , doc increased dose 6 days ago to 112.5mg. I was on sertraline for about 6 years but it stopped working. unfortunately during this 6 weeks I've had to take Antibiotics, opiods etc for a dry socket and infection after tooth extraction, all agonising hell, the hellish anxiety sent me to A&E...they gave me diazipan to help. I seriously been thinking there's no hope I feel so awful still, you've helped no end...Thankyou!

  • pixie22
    pixie22 elaine73067

    Posted

    There are always ups and downs in the recovery so this could just be a temporary blip - try to get through it without worrying about it and it should pass. I do know how frustrating it is to have these set-backs just when you start feeling better but it is normal and it is encouraging that you have seen improvement. Gradually the better times get longer until they merge together.
  • karen_57593
    karen_57593 elaine73067

    Posted

    I'm on the 75mg twice a day but I defo didn't drink any alcohol until they were in my system 12 weeks. I think u will start noticing a difference so on it took me about 6 weeks but have really helped me . I was on 37.5mg twice a day then they needed upped. Keep an eye in it any questions just ask on here I honestly thought I'd never get through it but now I'm glad too say I'm back at work just 3 days a week but it's a start xxx

    • nigel45109
      nigel45109 karen_57593

      Posted

      i would echo karens comments. i deteriorated badly 8 months ago, when i tried citalopram. ended up much worse than when i started it. i couldnt see recovery being possible, but 4.5 months on ven, im so much better. went backwards a few weeks ago, so had a recent dose increase. i havent recovered on ven yet fully, but think i will. ive found myself and from a couple of prople i know, that ven takes a long time, for you to feel consistantly better. this applies to other anti depressants as well. a few lucky people seem to recover more quickly, while others it can take considerably longer. important thing at this stage is that overall, you sense that its working, rather than how you feel at any one time. while you have that sense, its a question of waiting for the improvements to come. you are likely to feel much better in the next 4 to 8 weeks, but with blips along the way.
  • t21stapril
    t21stapril elaine73067

    Posted

    Hi Elaine,

    how are you feeling today? Thanks for your reply to my discussion (https://patient.info/forums/discuss/venlafaxine-7th-week-update-677777?). I might as well just reply here since the topic is almost identical.

    Just one thing: do hang in there! I have been taking Venlafaxine for 8 weeks now (and over 1 month at 150mg) and the situation is gradually improving. I was very discouraged last week, because my anxiety came back with a vengeance for a few days. But, as many people will tell you, these "blips" are not uncommon. Since then, things have gradually improved.

    I totally understand it's hard to have hope when the medication has not begun to work yet. But it will work. The fact that your anxiety is worse in the morning and subsides after 5pm (as you wrote in your reply) is absolutely within the bounds of normality, as far as I understand. As of today, I still get some mild anxiety in the morning and around 3/4pm.

    Just give yourself some more weeks, and you will gradually realize you are slowly but steadily getting better. And, in the unfortunate case of a "blip", just remember it's really just temporary (might be 2-4 days, according to the experiences I have collected on the forum) and, when it ends, you will feel better than before it started.

    Keep us updated. Take care!

    • elaine73067
      elaine73067 t21stapril

      Posted

      Hi and thanks for your reply. Can I ask do you work? I think that is what is causing some of my anxiety in the fact I want to get better to look for a less stressful job. Feeling a little better today but still anxious and tired but bearable. X
    • t21stapril
      t21stapril elaine73067

      Posted

      Hi Elaine,

      how are you doing today? Yes I do work. Except for a couple of weeks, I have been working throughout this one most recent, long critical period. But my work environment is good and I know I am lucky I could do that. Don't blame yourself for giving up on a stressful job. Your life and health come first. If you couldn't handle, that was probably the right thing to do. And in a little time I am confident you will be back to a state where you can put all of your efforts into finding a new job that suits you better.

    • elaine73067
      elaine73067 t21stapril

      Posted

      Hi

      Sorry for the late response. Getting better each day thankfully. Been on higher dose now 5 days now. Anxious in mornings still and little pangs throughout the day but manageable. I know you are right what you say about my job I just beat myself up a little thinking I’m weak! I know I need to think of myself for once and get myself sorted and then look for a less stressful job. Hope you are keeping well. X

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