Venlafaxine- 4 months in and feel terrible
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi all,
Been off work 7 months now with anxiety and depression, was on Citalopram for 15 years and been great until this year. So the psychiatrist decided to change me onto Venlafaxine about 5 months ago. I've had up spells where I've felt more like my old self (for several days/even weeks)but it never lasts and now 4 months in on 150mg I'm anxious, really low, very emotional and feel like I'm slipping back-its so scary and I don't know what to do. Felt like I'd improved and was well enough to go back to work in one of my 'up' spells but suddenly I've gone right down and had to be off work sick again. Something feels wrong, and surely after 4 months I should be getting better, not worse. Don't know whether I need to ask my doctor/psychiatrist to increase the venlafaxine or try something else. Has anyone experienced similar after several months on 150mg of ven.? Any advice would be sooo much appreciated, I'm getting desperate x
0 likes, 8 replies
nigel45109 anya68711
Posted
hello, ive been on ven for 7 months now. am on 300mg of ven. doing okay. up to 150mg it didnt do much for me, went to 187 for a couple of weeks, then 225mg, thats when improvements took off. was doing okay for about 8 weeks, then like you slipped back, around 2 months ago. got really sad all the time for 3 weeks, so then went to 267 for a couple of weeks, then 300mg. been on 300 for 2 months now. still not recoverred, but not depressed, and am doing things now to help myself. still feels like im improving.
safe to say you need an increase to 225mg. probably best to do 187.5 for a couple of weeks, then 225mg, to minimise side effect.
150mg is a relatively low dose. 225mg sorts most people out, some need 300mg.
if you explain your situation to your dr as you have done hear, sure they will recommend 225mg.
ven changes the way it works above 150mg, acting more like a snri.
am sure 225mg will sort you out. just sounds like your current dose is too low.
anya68711 nigel45109
Posted
Thanks again Nigel, you always reply to me bless you! X
karen_57593 anya68711
Posted
Nigel is a Legend he's helped me too x
RickHants anya68711
Posted
Ask your doctor to add Mirtazapine to the Venlafaxine. The two go together and complement each other.
"Mirtazapine in combination with an SSRI, SNRI, or TCA as an augmentation strategy is considered to be relatively safe and is often employed therapeutically,[42] with a combination of venlafaxine and mirtazapine, sometimes referred to as "California rocket fuel""
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirtazapine
anya68711 RickHants
Posted
I'm already on Mirtazapine! Been on it right from the start of this latest episode. It has been good for helping me sleep, had some very anxious and dark times over the past 7 months but have managed to still sleep which is so important to me!
karen_57593 anya68711
Posted
I'm on 225mg had too go up a few months ago I started feeling a bit better about 6 weeks in. One thing for me is alcohol defo makes me depressed so I don't drink it any more and so far touch wood I'm doing ok. Every one is different tho but about 4 weeks ago I had quite a few southern comforts n the next week I suffered so much. Xx
anya68711 karen_57593
Posted
Well I'm not a big drinker normally but decided whilst I'm not well to not bother with alcohol-my mental state is so fragile at the moment I don't want any other factors which might impact it negatively! X Glad you've been doing better 😊
karen_57593 anya68711
Posted
Yeah I was the same I was so fragile too I didn't need anything else too make my mental health worse. Xx