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How long does it take Venlafaxine to work?

Posted , 6 users are following.

lizzie97270
lizzie97270

I was told by psychiatrist when I got up to the dose of 225mg that it would take about 4 - 6 weeks to work.  I was given the hard white slow release tablets.  After 4 weeks I had a repeat prescription and the tablets were from Spain.  I could not understand why I was feeling worse and panicky.  I saw a tablet in my stools (as mentioned in the leaflet) but decided to investigate.  It was still full of powder and weighed the same as the ones still in the blister pack. I don't know if the 4 weeks of being on ones from Britain were working, although ironically on day 7 of the 4th week, I did feel calmer in the morning for about 4 hours.

I am now on day 10 of the soft gel slow release tablets and stll feel the same.  All I can do is lie in bed all morning (can't sleep) and sit in fron of telly in the afternoon.  I force myself to go for a walk most days but find it difficult, and even more difficult to get to appointments.  I am also on 30mg Mirtrazapine and 2.5 mg of Olanzapine at night. 

I am normlly a strong, cheerful, optomistice person.  I have had this awful anxiety for just over 18 months, following 4 quite traumatic things in my life.

I have found some of the postings helpful and some very scary, ie withdrwal.  I have been off work for quite a while now and just want to be me again.  I would be very grateful to hear from other about when I might see some improvement as I guess I am back at the beginning with the Venlafaxine.

Thanks

I am now on the soft gel slow release capsules and still feel very an

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

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  • judy1959
    judy1959 lizzie97270

    Posted

    I went up to 225mg last year and suffered from anxiety so bad I just laid on the couch for a few weeks.  After a few weeks I did feel a lot better but I still never felt like they were working right.  I had angry outbursts and was unsettled and still having problems handling everyday stresses then came severe depression.  Anyway long story short I found out that at the 225mg dose the drug taps into the norepinephrine more which can cause more anxiety.  I am now on Cipralex also known as Lexpro and generic is escitalopram 10mg and 112.5 mg effexor and feeling much better, better than I have for a year. 

    The pdoc that my family dr. reffered me to said at the higher doses of effexor she would go from 150mg up by 37.5 for a month and then reassess because of the anxiery issues. 

    Also if the Dr. suggest adding Wellbutrin I would be cautious as this also cause anxiety and may not be right for you.  My dr. tried me on this and finally had to take me off it due to extreme anxiety.  It also works on the norepinephirne.

    I hope you see some improvement soon.

    • lizzie97270
      lizzie97270 judy1959

      Posted

      Thanks so much for replying Judy.  I haw told by psych that I will feel worse before I feel better, but that was before I realised that I was not having any of this drug for at least two weeks.  I wonder if I was having any at all on the hard tablets.  Possibly had the whole six weeks with nothing

      I guess I just have to hang on in there. 

      I will see a different psych next time as last one was a locum, so it will be interesting to see where I am by then and what he says.

      I'm so glad to hear that you feel much better now.  I hope I will soon!

  • Guest
    Guest lizzie97270

    Posted

    Hello,

    I have been on 37.5 venlaflaxine for 2 weeks twice a day now & i was just wondering when they may start to work.

    I too have been sick from work for a long time now & still feel so unwell it's just awful isn't it sad

    I'm a little concerned about reading that people have found the tablets in their stools & not working??

    Hope you feel an improvement soon x

    • kat50
      kat50 Guest

      Posted

      I think your on quite a low dose of venlafaxine.  Sometimes it takes a while for the drug to work. Not what you want to hear of course. Hopefully it will start working soon. It's so horrible to feel like this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone! I haven't seen anything in my stools , not that I look that closely! Have you been on any other medication? 
    • lizzie97270
      lizzie97270 Guest

      Posted

      Hi

      It's the white slow release tablets that people have been having problems with, including me!  From what you are on I dont think they are they slow release ones, so you should be getting the meds.I was told 4-6 weeks before they work.  It is horrible feeling like this.  I had an hour of feeling calmer this morning, so hope this may be a sign that they are gong to work.

      Lets hope they start working for both of us soon.

  • Guest
    Guest lizzie97270

    Posted

    Hello,

    I hope they do work for you. It is very worrying tho isn't it.

    Yes i have been on citalapram, prozac, escitalipram & sertraline with no joy so fingers crossed this will work for me.

    I feel very low today & can't stop crying.

    I want to try and go to a place where i can meet people like me. Does anyone know of a place such as this as i am pretty desperate & so so lonely sad

     

    • kat50
      kat50 Guest

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that your feeling so low today. Me too.  Its so horrible to feel like this isn't it. I saw my psychatrist yesterday and have been referred to Mind in my local area. It's to do mindfulness so will probably meet some like minded people there. Sorry to hear you feel so lonely. Do you live on your own? When you see your gp next ask them if there are any groups in your area. 
    • kat50
      kat50 Guest

      Posted

      What area do you live? If you don't want to answer on here you can private message me. 
    • lizzie97270
      lizzie97270 Guest

      Posted

      Sorry your feeling so low.  Me too with anxiety.  It's crap.  I am still holding on the the hope that the Venlafaxine will work.  look at my reply to Kat as there is a link you may find helpful.

      Let's hope we both start to feel better soon.

      As for groups, try to find out where your nearest branch of Mind is.

    • kat50
      kat50 lizzie97270

      Posted

      Hi Lizzie, how are you doing? I'm feeling low today. Its rubbish isn't it. I keep telling myself that I've had yet another dosage change and it's that that's making me feel so low and anxious. 
    • liam28679
      liam28679 lizzie97270

      Posted

      Hi Lizzie, how are you doing? Has the Ven started to work yet? 
    • mrself
      mrself Guest

      Posted

      Did they work for u love? I'm on week 2 feeling dreadful hoping they will kick in

      Hope yr ok

    • stephen410
      stephen410 kat50

      Posted

      hi i have just started these meds hope they work

       

  • kat50
    kat50 lizzie97270

    Posted

    Hi lizzie. Was just wondering how you are doing.  Hope your starting to feel some improvement.  
  • kat50
    kat50 lizzie97270

    Posted

    Hi Lizzie. How are you feeling now. I'd be interested to know how your getting on as we're on the same meds. 
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