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Severe nausea and vomiting on anti depressants

Posted , 3 users are following.

julesjulesjules
julesjulesjules

Hi there,

About 4 weeks ago I started taking Venlaflaxine after my long term medication (Sertraline) stopped working and also Citalopram and Mirtrazpine had no effect. I became severely nauseus on the Venlaflaxine, I only took it for a week or so (last tablet was 2 weeks ago) and I started taking Brintellix a week ago. For 4 weeks now I have been nauseus constantly, anti sickness tablets not working. I've lost a worrying amount of weight. Ive had to come out of work. I can't eat/no energy etc. My doctor has advised it must just be the medication - I have actually been to a & e yesterday and all bloods and urine came back fine.

Does anyone have any similar experience? I never had anything like this happen on any antidepressant until the Venlaflaxine, and it seems to be continuing.

Just at a loss. 

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • lisad1970
    lisad1970 julesjulesjules

    Posted

    It's a side effect. I would Contact the Dr and ask him to put you on something different with less side effects. Since you haven't been on it long I would stop also let your Dr know you had stopped and to put you in something else.

  • nigel45109
    nigel45109 julesjulesjules

    Posted

    Hello, the sickness may not have been completely down to venlafaxine. If youve tried a few anti depressants in a row, and they have not worked, your anxiety and depression are likely to have got worse. I think its more likely higher levels of anxiety that are causing you to be sick. Weight loss will also be down to anxiety. I have a friend who had severe stomach cramps on a morning, lasting until the afternoon, went on for ages, really painfull. Had also sorts of tests, nothing wrong. She had been suffering from severe anxiety and mild depression for some time. After trying 2 antidepressants that didnt wotk, started on ven, gradually increasing the dose. Initially starting and each increase made it worse. After about 10 weeks, the cramps started to go away. She also started taking something called rexulti. Upshot is, 16 weeks on, her anxiety is considerably lower, no stomach cramps, has put weight back on. Still feels sick on a morning now and again, but considers herself recovered. Took a year to reach that point. I think it may be that your anxiety levels may have increased, causing the sickness. Anxiety causes involuntary muscles to tighten, eg in your stomach. It can happen anywhere in your body. Once your anxiety levels come down, the sickness should stop. Starting your new anti depressant, may initially increase your anxiety as well. It will take quite some time for it to work. You could ask your doctor for a muscle relaxant or benzo, that will immediately deal with anxiety, to see if it is anxiety causing your sickness. Sorry, a bit of a ramble. Generally, stomach issues while stressed or taking anti depressants, are caused by anxiety.
    • nigel45109
      nigel45109

      Posted

      Sorry, meant to add. Starting a new anti depressant usually initially increases anxiety. Youve started quite a few revently. If your doctor cannot find any other reason for your sickness, its likely to be elevated anxiety thats causing it. Each time you change a med, its likely to do this, possibly making it worse, certainly not helping it. In your situation, i would give your new anti depressant longer to work, so you get over the initial increased anxiety, which might take 3 or 4 weeks, for your anxiety to drop. You are in an awkward position, you need your anxiety to drop, starting a new anti depressant is likely to initially increase it.
    • julesjulesjules
      julesjulesjules nigel45109

      Posted

      Hi there Nigel, thank you so much for your post. In fact, I feel worse always in the morning as your friend did. It is scary to think that it is being caused by anxiety but I think this makes sense. I am definitely going to speak to my doctor about the fact that my anxiety has been gradually getting worse and I think has resulted in the dire state I am currently in. I have taken a beta blocker to see if that helps at all with nausea - the past 2 days the sick feeling has carried on through the day whereas before it eased off around 1 or 2 pm. The reason could potentially be that I moved from 5mg to 10mg of my new meds yesterday. 

      So thank you again for your posts - it has helped me think about things objectively and realise that my anxiety has been increasing for some time now (hence why several weeks ago I was given beta blockers which I have not been taking regularly due to not thinking the horrific sickness was anxiety related). 

  • lisad1970
    lisad1970 julesjulesjules

    Posted

    vision changes,

    nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;

    changes in appetite or weight;

    dry mouth, yawning;

    dizziness, headache, anxiety, feeling nervous;

    fast heartbeats, tremors or shaking;

    sleep problems (insomnia), strange dreams, tired feeling;

    increased sweating. These are the Side Effects of Venlaflaxine.

    • julesjulesjules
      julesjulesjules lisad1970

      Posted

      Hi there Lisa thank you for that. My doctor said that as I had only taken the Ven for 9 days and stopped taking it over two weeks ago that it would not still be affecting me - but I guess who knows with all these medications. It's a minefield. 

       

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