Just about to change from Fluox to Ven

Posted , 2 users are following.

Hi All,

I have suffered with Chronic fatigue for 13 years been on and off Fluoxatine for many of those years most recently the past 6 of them. Depression comes and goes but the Fatigue is relentless and the Doctor has suggested the change to help with this.

I am taking my first tablet tonight and am hoping it will have an effect on my energy levels. Does anyone have any similar experiences with fatigue, and or any general advice for me, what are the best times of day to take it, as I can forget to take if I become distracted during the day, and at bedtime seems a good routine to get into, however other posts seem to suggest the morning.

I really am looking forward to having some good results with this, but wonder if I am getting my hopes up, I am getting quite desperate after all this time to start being able to function well and participate in life as it is passing me by, could this be my ticket to get back on the bus and keep up??? :idea:

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    Well I'm on day three, and i don't feel too bad, my sleep has been broken, and i am slurring my words on occasion, but not too bad at all.

    This morning my head feels a bit thick, very heavy, but not sure if that is the weather and down to not sleeping right through. We will have to see!

  • Posted

    Hi Tired Annie,

    I have suffered depression for many years and chronic fatigue for the last 3 years. I change to venlafaxine almost a year ago and was quite alarmed at some of the posts on here :!: However I have very good GP who started me off very gradually and things were fine. I take one in morning and one in evening, and apart from a dry mouth the other things like slurring speech have gone. If I`m particularly fatigued or not had sleep for a few nights then I can be quite sleepy during the day but its quite hard to decide if thats the venlafaxine or just the fatigue etc.

    Hope things go ok for you too.

  • Posted

    Thanks Paddy,

    thats really encouraging, I am on day 4 and just completed a long day in work, and I am still standing. I am really encouraged that there are some people who don't suffer some of these awful side effects, and If it carries on like this, I am sure this is going to be a positive experience all around.

    as for dry mouth, I need to drink more water anyway!

    TA xx

  • Posted

    hiya folks :mrgreen:

    venlafaxine isn't an SSRi its an SSNRi, it works on two neuro transmiters one that keeps the vicious depression at bay (seretonin) and another one that 'fires' us up, that transmiter is a cousin of ADRENALIN :huh: :ok:

    it's VERY important to take the dose VERY regularly as it has a VERY short halflife, 24 hours in fact :shock: once at 150 mg theres a time release capsule called effexor that only needs to be taken once a day :ok:

    with the 'stimulant' properties it has, take it in the morning, at night it may keep you awake :?

    chronic fatigue :huh: last december/january i could win gold olympic medals for sleeping, no sweat, 16 + hours a day, EVERY day and the rest of the time it was as if i was wearing lead diver's boots walking through treacle :cry: :wink:

    good luck peeps, take care :mrgreen:

    cheers,

    Ken~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :run: :rainbow: :cheerup:

  • Posted

    Well a whole week, and I dont feel too bad, a few headaches at the end of the day, but in the main I feel great, lost a few pounds this week too, no emotional eating to speak of.

    High Hopes all round!

  • Posted

    Oh well I'm in week 3, and getting really bad headaches, the initial energy has gone, and I'm finding it difficult to wake up in the mornings. I had a night out, stayed completely away from alcohol, and woke up with the worst headache I have had in a while. anyone got any ideas why the headaches are happening?
  • Posted

    hiya tired annie :cheerup:

    i'm afraid 3weeks is VERY early days :? the side effects will subside :ok:

    hang on in there, take it a day at a time :wink:

    cheers,

    Ken~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ :rainbow: :peace: :rose:

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