New to venlafaxine

Posted , 6 users are following.

Hi everyone I will be starting venlafaxine in a few weeks it's my first day on weaning myself of sertraline to 150mg, then week 2 100mg then week 3 50mg then I'll be tapering. I have been on sertraline for over 3 months now and it's done nothing for me also citalopram dude nowt for me (was on it 7 years god knows why!) I seen a pyschartrist last month for a evaluation I have had depersonalization disorder for 12 years and since September my anxiety is unbearable and I haven't felt like myself since summer last year, I feel like a stranger to myself at the moment. I dint think ssri's do anything for me and was recommended by my pyschartrist to be on venlafaxine. I'm always scared to try new drugs and to be honest I can't get more detatched then I already feel, I'm really looking forward to trying venlafaxine and I don't care about the withdrawals I just want to get better for now. Everyday is like living in hell in my own head. When will this drug start to work and how long do side effects last? What's it like after you have took your first dose? Thanks for reading.

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Pamela

    When I changed to venlafaxine I tapered off my Citalopram as you are doing but started introducing venlafaxine at the same time. Isn't there a risk in completely stopping one antidepressant before starting another?

    Venlafaxine works for me, I haven't noticed any side effects, sleep well and wake up mostly feeling happy and ready to face the day. I know I'm addicted to it, and certainly noticed withdrawal symptoms when I ran it temporarily but It's a price worth paying in my opinion. Hope it does the same for you.

    April

  • Posted

    I also tapered off cit then straight onto ven. I am also on mirtazapine and diazepam. The ven has really helped me. Ssri s just made me worse. It took a good couple of months on 150mg to feel better but i do and like you i was in hell before.
  • Posted

    Oh and i had no start up side effects really but have gained weight and lowered libido.
  • Posted

    That's great news Pamela,just keep in mind that you can't feel any worse than you have been, Venlafaxine can start to work after 2-3 weeks but can take as long as 8 weeks for the full benefit, while I've been changing doses I can tell if there is any improvement after a week, I am now up to 150 mg Venlafaxine and 75mg clomipramine, and this has been the best combination for me up to now, I see my GP next week so if my dose changes I will keep a note of how I feel, I did go up to 225mg Venlafaxine, but since I have gone back on clomipramine as well I don't need Venlafaxine atcsuch an high dose, I hope you start t feel the benefit soon, just think you could be feeling more like yourself by Easter x

  • Posted

    Oh I forgot to tell you, try to keep a diary, you will know your getting better when you miss writing in it,that's what I did and I be not wrote in it for a while😀

    • Posted

      Thanks for the replies ladies, I kept a diary when on sertraline then gave up on it after 6 weeks, I will keep a diary for venlafaxine. Thanks so much for your positive replies 😊

  • Posted

    been on venlafaxine for about 10 years, been on every thing  else but its the only one that's work for me. i was told by  psychiatrist  if i took them i'd be on them for life, as you cant get off them. (don't no how right that is ? ) but they work fine as long as i stay on 75mg more than that i get side effects , less than that and i go back into depression, but that's just me. had no side effect going on them. for me best antidepressant i've been on

    • Posted

      I know people who have got off them you just have to do it very slowely.

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