Venlafaxine 75mg XL

Thank you for taking the time to reply. What dose are you on and for how long?

I've still been unbelievably tired today.

I do try to keep busy and today have been to the gym and for a very long dog walk. So hard to do these things when I'm feeling so rubbish and also keeping active doesn't seem to help.

I also haven't slept very well at all for the last few nights which obviously doesn't help. I was sleeping ok to begin with but was still exhausted so the lack of sleep is not the cause. Find it strange that I go to bed exhausted yet can't sleep 😴

Did you have any problems with your appetite when first starting?

Thanks again

Clare x

Well you've done a lot more than ive done 😊 lately im trying to put my 'achievements' down in a diary every night to remind myself that I Actually did achieve something on the day-u went to the gym AND a walk I would be seriously proud if I had done that today, I did a mini walk and put on two washes 🙈😂. I was on Lustral before I switched to Venlafaxine about a year and a half ago. Def stopped the obsessive thinking and calmed my brain down a

Lot. If I miss a dose or late an hr or two I feel it. So my advice would be to try take it around the same time every day. Appetite wise I didn't notice much of a difference I usually go off my food when I'm stressed about something so I suppose it helped that way because I was no longer going into deep depression or highly anxious States that caused me to stop eating. I'm on other medication for sleep because I think not sleeping was what caused this in the first place so def try to work on the sleeping. There's lots of natural things u can try first for sleeping also taking magnesium ive found brilliant cos I get restless legs at night (which both medications make worse) this really helps. Look up benefits of taking magnesium, it's apparently a mineral most people R deficient in. It can be daunting first going on medication (I personally was totally against it) but If taking just one tablet a

Day prevents me from feeling as bad as I felt before then I'll do it for the rest of my life if I have to. I went first from 75mg for about 4 wks then up to 150mg , then up to 225mg. I actually recently came back down to 150mg and im Id say 'coping' on that. Trying to build myself up in other ways, really minding myself, just finished a course of hypnotherapy, saying no to people when asked favours etc not pressuring myself to do much. Next- trying to have a healthy diet. Have u tried little things like less coffee, better diet, taking something natural for more energy? The tiredness is tough

I manage to work all wk but at the weekends I could b up and down for 'naps'. 😁

Thanks again for replying,

The activity diary is a really good idea! Think I may try that.

I also completely agree, if I have to stay on medication for the rest of my life just to feel normal then I'll do it happily! Just need to get to the stable level and find out what works.

I have tried a few natural remedies for sleep but nothing works long term. What medication do you take for sleep? Also are you on the slow or immediate release of venlafaxine and what time of day do you take it?

Many thanks

Clare

No prob, I usually just read these threads but when I saw ur comment I couldn't reply until I signed up, I just remember feeling like you did when I first started. This is prob the hardest time for you but you'll get through it, there's ups and downs but get through the first few wks and you can handle the rest 😊😊

I take the slow release ones... And ive swapped around times when I take it, at the moment usually around 4pm... I don't usually have a breakfast so even tho I'm sure it's fine on an empty stomach I just don't but ideally I would like to take it in morn. I take quietapine at night im prescribed 25mg of that but I only take half of it cos the full tablet wiped me out practically the whole next day as well. It's actually an anti psychotic (which scared me when I first realised) but it is prescribed in low doses for insomnia. Getting a night sleep has changed my life tho but also I feel like it's cut it short because my 'awake' time has halved 😂 I didn't sleep for about ten years tho so I would recommend trying everything else first. Even tho ive no prob with it and it's all good but it's another medication to be on that if I had to come off at some stage are supposed to b very hard.

Have you tried hypnotherapy? It's definitely getting me to sleep-they are really good ones on YouTube just google 'sleep hypnosis' and loads will come up 😊

and that activity diary, write everything - phone calls you've put off, bills you've paid, cleaning a room, making your bed, having a shower because when I was feeling very Low they R things I found so so hard to do then when u get low again you can look back and know that you can do those things again when ur feeling that bit better 😊

I've heard of quetiapine, I have a couple of friends who take it and swear by it.

I actually slept ok last night but it's so hit and miss I never know if I'll get to sleep or not.

I've actually been seeing a hypnotist and I've got my last of 3 sessions today. I'm not entirely sure how much good it's been to be honest.

Have you suffered from depression and anxiety for a long time or did something trigger it this time?

Clare x