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Suffered Severe anxiety and depression since onset of menopause

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gillian1900
gillian1900

Hi,

Please help. I am so anxious and depressed. Cant get out of bed most days. This has been going on since the start of menopause - which is now 10 years.

I take 265.5 mg Venlafaxine. I have taken these for 11 years. Went to my GP (re; above symptoms) - added an extra 37.5 mg about a year ago. Not helping. Iam so ill at the moment. I want to go to bed all the time, I cry, cant relax, cant go out of the house through anxiety. Please help.

Ollybear

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest gillian1900

    Posted

    May I ask your age ? It could be the  Venlafaxine all that time making it much worse, Menopause does cause depression and REALLY bad panic and anxiety.  Venlafaxine is a hard drug to come off of and carries tones of side affects. My husband was orignially put on it for pain management but it caused so many issues that at first we was unaware of until it was brought to our attention several years later that it was all caused by the Venlafaxine and him trying to come off of it was nearly impossible, I would do a research on it. 
    • gillian1900
      gillian1900 Guest

      Posted

      Hi,

      Thank-you for your reply. I am 57 years old. Consequently, I have just come back from seeing a GP. Prescribed beta-blockers. However, did have a good discussion regarding taking this medication. Unfortunately, the appointment was classed as an emergency appointment; which I initially went for my Eczema -- I really do  think that Menopause - taking Venlafazine - and Eczema are all conected.

      With reference to Venlafazine - I agree with you totally....... I want to eventually?? come of this horrible drug.....I am going to invetigate further. One really good article I have read was to cut down VERY decreasingly, hense, 10 mg at a time, and then take Prozac which apparently works well in conection with this drug, in respect of the side affects of coming of it????  But why was I not really monitered by my GP? That is my real concern. Regards

       

    • Guest
      Guest gillian1900

      Posted

      neither was my husband told anything who passed away Jan 16, 2015 of  ALS .Venlafazine is the worst drug ever put on plant earth and almost impossible to come off of! My husband did the cut down and everytime had to go back on because of the horrible symptoms on his body well his retarded doc at Fort knox stopped him cold turkey and put him on 40 mgs of Celexa within one month of taking that and cold tuyrkey on the Venlafazine he started spastic city in his stomach right by the navel then weight loss, fatigue then weakness in his hands he could not pop a tab off of an coke can then he could not turn his hands AT all, then falling down, then he deleveloped PBA right after that within days he woke up with very coarse voice, could not hold his head up nor stand without been held up well it didnt stop there he could not fed hisself, then he could not swallow then his breathing became so bad he was quickly put on life support in the mean time his complete body become completely paralized he could only move his eyes he was locked in his own body and the nighmare got even worse from one deadly infection right after another due to this incompetent hosiptal called Kindred! Now all this started out of the CLEAR bluse sky after the doc took him off Venlafazine cold turkey. I have read so many horor stories from others trying to come off that stuff too. Make sure you wing off very slowly and under docs care. Now I fought with the doctors, neuros and so forth that he was fine until the cold turkey of this poisoness drug would they listen NO! Now they just wanted to believe that it all was coincedence DO I believ it was coincedence NO we lived throug it and know exactly what happened and why. He was healthy as a horse until this and uit all happened within 1 month of the 40 mgs celexa and the cold turkey of Venlafazine YOU can never beat the system or teach them anything at all! 
  • Foxy_polly
    Foxy_polly gillian1900

    Posted

    Hi Gillian

    I agree with crosado8 I think it could be the venlaflaxine my mum was on 375mg of it for years and was like you and she's now managed to get down to 37.5mg and is so much better! I too take antidepressants I'm on escitalopram and I too was just awful after being on them for 11years I'm now down to 5mg and am having regular acupuncture for anxiety and all the aches and pains and tummy issues peri menopause has brought me so it's worth looking into! Hang in there it will get better xx

    • gillian1900
      gillian1900 Foxy_polly

      Posted

      Hi,

      You are all so kind!!! thank-you. And, thank-you for your reply it has really, really, helped. I am going to try and do as you suggest....tapering down. And, I will hang on in there......Will let you know how (and when) I go on....

      Regards,

  • julie7525
    julie7525 gillian1900

    Posted

    Hi Gillian, please go to your doctor and ask to try something else. I and others i know with severe anxiety are taking sertraline and its really starting to help. I have a friend on 200 mg, another on 150, im on only 75 and 7 weeks in it is really starting to work. Ive been to work today without needing to take diazepam. Im also on betablockers which has stopped full blown panic attacks, i never get them now and havent had any since beingbon 40mg propranalol Betablocker 3x a day. There are meds out there that will work for you. Mssg any time xx
    • gillian1900
      gillian1900 julie7525

      Posted

      Hi Julie,

      Thank-you for your kindness. As replied to the other supporters and of course yourself, I am really now 100% that Venlafaxine is the major cause of my anxiety. I have just arrived back from a GP - was prescribed Beta-blockers (80 mg - slow realease - one per day). I am def going to try (and plan realistically) to Taper of these horrible meds - Venlafaxine.  Why do GPs not investigate the effects more into this drug? It is 'jjust' a case of 'cause and effect?' : I have lost a lot of faith with the NHS.

      Thankyou again for your support, and I am so glad that you  are feeling better.

      Regards. PS You are wonderfully kind..god bless...

    • julie7525
      julie7525 gillian1900

      Posted

      Ahhh, thank you Gillian, it's only people whove suffered it that can truly empathize, anxiety is so debilitating. I have been mentioning my increasing anxiety to doctors for 2 years and its only been taken seriously once escalating to panic disorder after Xmas. By which time its a huge challenge to beat it! I can't remember if I said earlier, Im seeing a therapist for CBT as that along with the meds is supposed to have the best outcome. All i was offered on nhs was 5x 20 minute phone conversations which i tried in september when i was having occasional PAs. Clearly it didnt help cos by january I was having looping PAs day and night, I thought I was having a nervous breakdown. So Ive borrowed from the bank and paid privately to see a guy who does CBT and hypnotherapy. After 2 sessions i am already feeling the benefit of his techniques to manage the anxiety and change the way i think. I booked 12 sessions, 1 a week. Have you tried therapy? So whilst tapering off venlafaxine, are you just going to be taking the BBs? Have you tried diazepam to get you through any rough transitions? You can only have it for around 4 weeks cos of addiction but i found it brilliant on really bad days and for getting me back to work. Its valium but 2mg just makes me relaxed, calm and able to function normally. Now i only take it if i really need to and am having more days when i dont need it at all. Let me know how you get on. Oh and its my guess that, being an anxiety sufferer you are kind, intelligent, big hearted, a deep thinker and have all the time in the world and empathy for others. Its a pity we're so hard on ourselves! We'll get there though, I don't want my old self back, I want a new improved version! :-) xx

  • Jay91157
    Jay91157 gillian1900

    Posted

    Hi, That is a serious amount of medication you are taking. I am not sure why increasing is going to help. when is hasn't for the last 11 years? Have you seen a different GP? You say you can't go out due to anxiety. Have you tried just being in the garden and having a walk around, assuming you have a garden. Trying walking around for 1 minute and if you can achieve this then try for 2 minutes gradually building up while in the safe confinement of your grounds. If you have a parnter then perhaps they could walk with you as it is such a short period of time. Just to bring a bit of confidence back and release some of the anxitey. I would definietly go back to a GP to see if they have another form of support.

    • gillian1900
      gillian1900 Jay91157

      Posted

      Hi Jay91157,

      Thankyou for your support and kindness.  When I get PMT - although I am going through the menopause (about 1o years) the symptoms are awful..... However, it is not constantly.....apologies for misleading. Howerver, it is a frightening thing to happen

      . I think the worse of the anxiety effect is when I cry and cry.....which is in  the mornings or.........when I decide to get out of bed....I have just finished a lot of studying (Teacher - Primary teaching).....I didnt pass the teaching placements through this illness. At this moment in time, I am feeling quite despondent.......

      Yes, I do have a garden........and your right.......I will try to spend time in it....its just so hard some times?? On bad days.  I am going back to my GP (trying to get an appointment with her is quite difficult!!) and I will def try and Taper down the venlafaxine.  Got prescribed Beta Blockers today.......made an emergency appontment. So I will try those tmw.  I think the worse issues for me is the thought of 'how I use to be before the onset of the menopause, and taking Venlafaxine.  I keep dwelling on this.

      But thankyou again for your support.  The support from all you lovely people has really, really helped...

    • julie7525
      julie7525 gillian1900

      Posted

      Oh and Gillian, I'm also a primary school teacher, part time supply, had a month off when at my worst after xmas, been back in last 3 weeks, had some really hard days, went back too soon, then today i was in with no need for diazepam, little anxiety, confident and calm again. Its a hard job when feeling so ill, there is no place to hide lol xx

    • Guest
      Guest Jay91157

      Posted

      I agree with Jay, Gillian. Sounds like you need a new GP....why increase the medication when it hasn't helped for 11 years!!?? A fresh look at the whole you with a new doc sounds good.

  • anetta94863
    anetta94863 gillian1900

    Posted

    Please, look at the bright side. the drug might have helped you get through the 10 years. Who knows how it would have been without it? ow, if you believe it is causing you issues, which is quite possible  you can try to come off of it. It comes with a price, but trust me for some of us everything comes with a hefty price. I am in peri and my symptoms are horrible. I can almst compare them to the time when I was coming off of benzodiazepines,which was hell. But my life is also very disorganized, I allowed it and it definitely affects the way I feel. Peri gave me severe depression and anxiety, migraine type headaches, vertigo, MS type symptoms with dizziness and balance, allergies, asthma, palpitations, insomnia ad many others. I would really like o hear that it can go away. I command you for studying, sometimes work helps to get us through the worst. Keep up the good work.

     

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