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Life event, venlifaxine not working

Posted , 8 users are following.

tammy76379
tammy76379

Hi, I've been a big cheerleader for this medication and I feel like it's dropped me. We recently had a major life event that turned me inside out. My anxiety and panic have skyrocketed.

I can't sleep. I can't think about much else. I've lost weight. I'm such to my stomach all the time.

Ven had worked for me before going generic twice, and I'm on the brand name Effexor XR 75mg now.

I'm afraid to bump up another 37.5, or even up to 150 mg. I've read that it can have the opposite effect, but I guess I'm living that opposite effect right now.

Lexapro didn't work for me. So I can't go that route again. Zoloft, same class as Lexapro, made me a zombie, but at this point, I'll take it.

I'm doing the right things, take therapy, no caffeine, started to exercise again, but could do more of that....

Has anyone increased their dosage without any side effects?

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • jennifer21990
    jennifer21990 tammy76379

    Posted

    it has worked for me.. i am now on 150mg of ven and rexulti .1  i am finally feeling better..  the combo must be working for me.. but sometimes i feel weird still but hoping that it will be less everyday.  i have been on ven now for 45 days and rexulti for 36 days..  i am feeling so much better .   it will work... how long have you been on ven now?
  • patricia85842
    patricia85842 tammy76379

    Posted

    Hi Tammy

    I have been taking venlafaxine for about 15 years  I started on 75 mg which worked for quite a few years.  When they stopped working the psychiatrist upped them to 150 plus 15 mg mirtazapine.  They also stopped working and I now  take 225 mg ven. and 15 mirt.   You wanted to know if anyone had increased the dose without side effects.  I have never had side effects with ven the problem is they stop working after a while.

    Pat

    • RickHants
      RickHants patricia85842

      Posted

      Agreed. Antidepressants are only part of the solution - if your depression is bad enough, they won't completely work.

      The 150 plus 15 mg mirtazapine, or 150 plus 30 mg mirtazapine is a good combination to take, as they interact with each other very well to make them a potent antidepressant called "California Rocket Fuel" (google it).

  • nigel45109
    nigel45109 tammy76379

    Posted

    Hello, 75mg is a relatively low dose for ven. I would say you need to increase your dose, to deal with your life changing event, which no doubt increased your anxiety. 150mg is quite an average level to take. I take 225mg, and didnt experience any side effects increasing up to that amount. Having said that, people with high anxiety do generally experience side effects for a few weeks after the increase, until things settle down. As 75mg worked for you in the past, its highly likely that a dose increase will work for you. An increase in dose is the next logical thing to try. Its highly likely to work well for you. See yiur doctor and see what they say.
  • norton77
    norton77 tammy76379

    Posted

    Any benefit is most likely placebo effect, the evidence suggests that these medicines don't work, which could also explain why people have to switch or increase dose, plus yu could just be getting used to the dose so it won't effect you as much, with many of the side effects being the same as the symptoms as they are used to treat, it can be hard to say if it's symptoms or medication causing them

     

  • karen_57593
    karen_57593 tammy76379

    Posted

    Tammy i went up too 150mg 2 weeks ago with no side effects xx
    • tammy76379
      tammy76379 karen_57593

      Posted

      That's good news. What was your original dose? And are you seeing any difference? I'm going to take a longer acting benzo (Klonopin .25 mg) until the higher dose kicks in. I doubt that I will though. .25 mg of Ativan works for me, still a bit anxious when I take it, but it's enough to take that edge of the anxiety so I can function. I just don't want to take them long term because they're addicting. But I see my doctor today and she said to take the Klonopin instead because it is longer acting than Ativan..... Especially since I can't sleep.

      Isn't that horrible.... To feel yourself relaxing and drifting off and then it's like your brain says NO!!!! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ANXIOUS!!!

      anyway. I'm starting the increase tomorrow. Thanks!

    • karen_57593
      karen_57593 tammy76379

      Posted

      Tammy I was on 75mg only thing is I'm still struggling with the sleeping was doing ok then last 3 notes not been great. Going bk too doctor on Friday too see if he can give me something. Don't think he might but even if I just take a sleeping tablet every third or fourth nite too get a sleep. Did they give u help too sleep ok .

    • karen_57593
      karen_57593 tammy76379

      Posted

      Sorry tammy that's me just seeing this how u been getting on. I'm doing ok on 75mg twice a day I'm back at work as well xxx

  • phyllis11904
    phyllis11904 tammy76379

    Posted

    Hi Tammy. I have taken 300 mg venlafaxine and 15 mg mirtazapine since July 2015 and so far it is working great. I have no depressive episodes and any anxiety is well managed. For me it was a cure.

    Your recent life event has understandably caused your depression and anxiety to worsen. Have you talked to your doctor about the ven not working for you now? You may just need something else to help through this difficult time. Good luck.

    • tammy76379
      tammy76379 phyllis11904

      Posted

      Hi. Thank you. Yes, I saw her today. She is also one of my husband's partners, so I can bounce things off of him as well. We did talk about it not working, but she also said that I am on a low dose. I've never had any side effects with ven before, so I'm hoping that it'll work for me when I increase. My only worry is that should it not, and we decide I should try something else (Lexapro didn't work for me), I'll have to wean off the higher dose, and it's not any fun.😥

  • Rhubarb57
    Rhubarb57 tammy76379

    Posted

    I had no side effects in the increase from 75 to 150. When I increased to 225 after an event in my life I suffered from increased anxiety and headaches for about a week...
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