How long does it take Venlafaxine to work?

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

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