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Venlafaxine ER tablets vs ER capsules

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james22918
james22918

Hi, I was on viepax Immediate release 75mg tablets twice a day. (150mg in total) viepax is a generic version of Effexor in the UK.  I never felt quite right on them but felt 150mg suited me best as the 225mg was too strong as  i had disorientation and depersonalisation after 14 weeks when I tried the higher dose.  So I went back down to 150 per day ( still immediate release 75mg twice a day) and after 10 weeks I went to pick up my tablets from the pharmacy and was told my immediate release tablets have been discontinued and viepax are only now doing a ER or XL version (24hr) tablet, which I thought was great as it's only once a day now.  When I started them My heart plaps calmed down which was bad when I was on the IR but now I'm 4 weeks in on the ER/XL and I'm having awful side effects such a major heightened anxiety a few hours after I take my tablet in the morning and by the evening I'm coming back down to normal again and I can feel my anxiety releasing.  When I wake up I feel ok but as soon as I take my tablet, within a few hours I'm climbing the walls again.  I take one 150mg viepax tablet not a capsule.  Ive read that there is no difference between the 24 hr tablet or 24 hour capsule as they are both prolonged release but it feels like it's releasing the majority of the tablets within the first few hours unless it's just the side effects I need to ride out? Has anyone taken both or have any advice around this please? 

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2 Replies

  • sallystrawb
    sallystrawb james22918

    Posted

    Hi James, I'm on slow release Venlafaxine 150mg right now. I was on 75mg twice a day like you were, but they were making me so tired all i wanted to do was sleep all the time, so my doctor suggested the slow release tablets, but she also told me to try taking them at night, she didnt seem to know whether or not it would help as so many of the tablets i've been on have made me so tired. So i tried taking them in the evening about 9pm and I started feeling so much better! I actually had energy the next day. So I don't know if it would work for you, but maybe it would be worth a try taking them before you go to bed, and maybe you could sleep through the worst of the symptoms. Hope these tablets work out for you.

    • james22918
      james22918 sallystrawb

      Posted

      Hi Sally,

      Thanks for your reply, I'm sorry to hear you're struggling too.  Yes that's a great idea.  I think I might try this if it doesn't ease off soon. 

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