sertraline to venalfaxine

Posted , 5 users are following.

I've been on Sertraline for 7months was on 50mg then went upto 100mg, then had a low period so was on 150mg, after a few weeks on150mg, went back down to 100mg as was too high for me, had a few ups and down but it was xmas, in january my doctor decided to put me on 75mg Venlafaxine and started to develop major cryheadache like trapped nerve pain around front left of temple and round eye, its been that bad I've been to AE twice and at times had to go to bed, over the 4 weeks this pain got worse, my anxiety has gone through the roof, so they higherd dose 150mg, as I've been that bad this week and been in bed for 4 days they lowered it back to 75mg and put me beta blockers and some Diazipan as doc make think the headpain is cronic tension or migraines which i never suffered from in my life, also my panic attacks are back and suffering nightmares.

I'm at my witts end, Has anybody else experienced this, my doctor has lowered the dose this week on the venlafaxine. I have lowered it for 2 days and just want to come off it today, and go back on my Sertraline!!! i feel like I'm taking too much medication, and making me worse.cry

2 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi Laura, 

    i had had really bad headaches on 100 mg sertraline and the driest mouth, like the desert,  I drank loads and loads of water and I hate water.

    i would go back to gp and ask about going back on sertraline, the withdrawals may be bad from the others but your gp should be keeping an eye on you, have you been offered CBT and given phone numbers in case you need to talk to someone, 

    my headaches are not as bad as they were, I also take paracetamol, multi vitamins flaxseed, and menopace. 

    Try some rescue remedy as well but check with chemist or gp that it's ok to take on top of everything else, I have been on my ADs for 2 months now and I feel like I have turned a corner, mine was due to a very serious infection and the menopause

    I hope you find some relief soon,  and keep posting on here there are lots of lovely people on here to give their advice. 😊

  • Posted

    Hi Laura,

    I would seek another opinion if I were you concerning changing medicines and dosages so much. It does seem you are susceptible to many side-effects, but I am not qualified to say from what. I have been taking sertraline for many years, and at all the doses you mentioned, but with greater gaps. 

    The dry mouth you mention sounded interesting to me because I get that too sometimes, but I take a few other medications and cannot be sure if the sertraline is the cause. I doubt it though since this is a symptom I rarely get. But I too worry about taking too many medicines and want to experiment soon and cut out sertraline altogether and see if I can maybe try alprazolam on an as needed basis. I don't think my PCM will be keen on this idea, but the sertraline seems to do little good, crushes my libido, and makes me very tired, as do other medications I am taking as well as my tender age of 63.smile 

    It sounds like you could use a good vacation and support network. If so, here's hoping you get the former and already have the latter.

    Take care,

    Dave

     

  • Posted

    hi laura if a was you a would go back to my doctor and say you now feel as if sertraline did you more good than you realised at the time am going into week 8 and have an appointment with my doctor on tuesday a was thinking about coming off them but after talking to a few people on here am going to try them a bit longer because like you i have found am having up and down days but before them it was mostly down days but now a lot of good days i hope this was of help to you take care john.
  • Posted

    Hi Laura, although I'm not a professional it would seem all this switching doses and now different medication isn't doing you much good.

    When you were on 50mg Sertraline for 7 months why was there a need to increase the dose?? I ask this because if you were ok then took a dive for the worse it may have been related to something else, possibly a change of the generic brand!!! Do you remember if there was a change of brand??

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