Venlafaxine start up
Posted , 7 users are following.
Hello. I've just gone on to 37.5 mg Venlafaxine MR. This is for chronic (40 year) health anxiety that started after I witnessed My dad's death. It's been triggered again by massive stressors including a spell of atrial fibrillation and a collapse caused by Sertraline. On top, my lease car failed and crashed, while my divorce case comes up the first week in September.
I was given Buspirone and then Risperidone but both failed to offer anything but side effects.
I took the first ven last night...got a headache, palpitations and a couple of hot flushes. Not a great sleep.
I had ven for 6 months in 2014...no problems going on or coming off it.
Now, the stress makes me look for problems, this is since the stressors combined.
I've a divorce case conference on Friday...hope I'm more accustomed to the ven effects by then.
0 likes, 64 replies
davhill
Posted
After seeing my GP, I'm on my way up the dosage scale. It turned out that I was on 150mg in 2014. So after 25 days on 37.5mg, I'm to go on to 75mg per day. There'll be a review in a month's time. Will have to see how it goes.
sara20313 davhill
Posted
I was wondering how you were feeling since your recent life events?
Have things improved for you and maybe gained some head space?!
Sara x
davhill sara20313
Posted
Hi Sara, thank you for asking.
It's my 3rd day on 75mg Ven and more life things are happening. It's now all about getting her stuff out of the house and preparing the original holiday flat for her takeover. I've also been doing more prep work for the new business.
I'm feeling noticeably calmer and am able to think more rationally. No doubt the 37.5 doses of Ven are working by now. I also have the first CBT session next Friday at 2pm.
Any news on your withdrawal plan?
sara20313 davhill
Posted
I'm glad things are moving in the right direction for you. I can sense some relief. As hard as it is, life continues and it sounds as though you are moving with it. AD are playing their part in your road to recovery.
For me however they no longer play a part. I've been taking them for too long now. I am managing on a much lower dose but my head sometimes doesn't feel my own. I'm using a diary now to record things. That alone feels good. And I must say this patient forum has helped tremendously.
Sara x
davhill sara20313
Posted
Yes, the forum is very helpful. In your case, perhaps your 'maintenance dose' is doing more than you think.
For my part, the things I must do for both businesses are at least keeping me mentally occupied. Plus, as the next progresses, I've also got appointments with my multiple sclerosis consultant, Mind counsellor and new CBT person.
The higher dose of Ven isn't doing anything untoward as yet. So, I'm ploughing on as best I can.
David x
sara20313 davhill
Posted
Hi there
Yes you're probably right. I was going to say how tired I feel but it would be nothing compared to the way you would be feeling. I'm sorry to learn of your MS. When were you diagnosed?
davhill sara20313
Posted
I'm feeling some tiredness but I think of it as sedation that's helping to reduce the anxiety.
My MS diagnosis happened in 2005. I've been lucky with it so far. The attacks have targeted my left eye, leading to poor detail/colour vision on that side but I'm 100% fit and legal to drive.
Statically, getting 'sensory MS' like this makes the wheelchair kind ('motor MS'
much less likely.
sara20313 davhill
Posted
Okay. It sounds as though you won't let this effect the way you live your life. I had to read up a little on 'sensory MS' to gain a better understanding.
David you are to be admired.
Keep in touch
Sara x
davhill sara20313
Posted
You flatter me😉 Is it really admirable to be stubborn? I work on the basis that MS isn't a killer and it could be worse anyway.
The last cross I bear is a slipped disc that's no longer operable. I had two microdiscectomies that didn't work and two more surgeries were needed to implant a neurostimulator. So, I have an internal T.E.N.S. machine that turns the pain signal into electrical buzzes.
The downside is limited mobility...I use a walking stick. But there's always someone worse off.
sara20313 davhill
Posted
Yes it's admirable to be stubborn. 😉
Goodness you must have experienced a lot of extreme pain. I'm sorry to hear that.
Yet you still say 'there are worse out there!'
I have noticed 'purpledoberman' has been supportive to you and many others. She must be a saint. 👼
Take care and best wishes till next time.
Sara x
davhill sara20313
Posted
I'm glad to hear that - it's largely stubbornnness that keeps me going
The slipped disc causes sciatica (I call the pain 'the three-foot toothache). My implanted neurostimulator can't stop it but moderates it sufficiently so I no longer need heavy-duty painkillers every day.
Purpledobermann has been a star, a have others on here, yourself included. The support is invaluable - all have earned my gratitude.
I always feel there's someone who's worse off. Many years ago, I was the photographer/illustrator at the medical school in Manchester and I've seen very many patients in worse case.
Thanks again for your support.
All the best, David x
davhill
Posted
It's my 38th day on Ven, I've been on 75mg for 11 days now. It's definitely lifting my mood. Anxiety - wise, it hasn't yet made much difference. It's clearly sedating me and my enhanced mood is making me a little less self-absorbed.
I had my first CBT session last Friday. It took the full hour to tell my story and I assume treatment will start next Friday. I've just had questionnaires to complete so far.
Meanwhile, I'm working on readying the house (ground floor) to accept holidaymakers. I've tidied up, washed the carpets and moved some furniture.
I'm haunting local used furniture shops now. I need a double bed, small wardrobe and a dining set. Just ordered a second TV for downstairs, then I'll need a sofa bed.
It's hard work but it's all in a good cause.
Purpledobermann davhill
Posted
Ploughing away I see
38 days! The worst is pretty much over by now! You can gauge the effect at about 4-6 weeks on 75mg. Let us know. Ah see...150mg was your dose! Makes much more sense. I have not seen many GAD sufferers with great improvements on 75mg. Milder cases maybe - especially the strictly situational kind. I am sorry to hear about your MS too - sounds like you take a lot of things in your stride - at least on the surface. You had a lot going on and all the stress takes its toll. We don't live the kind of lives that lend themselves to processing stress. Most of it just gets swept to the side due to speed of living, into a dark corner where it eats away at us slowly. I am also sorry to hear about sciatica - my husband has just started suffering with it. It comes after major thoracic surgery that was lifesaving. He spent weeks in recovery and it messed up his core muscle support. He is very overweight and leads a largely sedentary life so his already troubled discs seem to have caved. He is in so much pain. He literally can't walk at times and crawls instead. Heartwrenching. If you can have some relief from this pain and have fair mobility even with a walking stick - it is doable. If life were simple we'd find it boring. I keep telling myself 
Sending love!
davhill Purpledobermann
Posted
I'm becoming profound at ploughing!
We all have to deal with a variety of stressors. ..the secret is not to weaken. I try hard to not worry too much. Worrying is so wasteful, it's psychologically costly and has little to offer that's positive.
It's a pity that the dreaded sciatica has struck your husband. When my L5/S1 disc let go I was working in France. I doubt many others have had to climb Mont St Michel using a photographic tripod as a crutch. Still, I got the required pictures.
I can't offer much advice about sciatica, save for mentioning something that helped me. About a year post- disc prolapse, I had three dorsal root ganglion injections. The first and second each cut the pain by 70% for three months. In any case, all the best with it.
Love gratefully received and reciprocated!
Purpledobermann davhill
Posted
hahaha oh my....well if you got the pictures on a tripod crutch and sciatica-ridden vehicle...i am not worried about you at all! You have tons of strength!
My husband is at the very beginning stages. In fact the orthopedic-neurosurgeon who saw him today did not even want an x-ray. He said it was just a bad spasm as it seems to be improving now and he can expect to be back up and running over the next couple of weeks. Which is when he can take his lazy ass to the gym to recover some muscle tone and prevent further rapid degeneration. The lung surgery weakened him. Bedrest after it was prolonged. And i think he is in no rush to recover as he seems to be enjoying being served. Thanks for your tip - is it a very long needle for the dorsal root ganglion injections?? If not can i request a long one? I need some revenge 
Balance is everything in a marriage! 
x
davhill Purpledobermann
Posted
I was working as a freelance journalist/photographer for a magazine and in this job there's no excuse for not getting the pictures and story!
Bedrest is a guaranteed core weakener. ..gym time is indicated for sure. I'm told swimming helps.
I was advised to avoid the orthopaedic people...neurosurgeons performed all four surgeries for me.
Sounds like you'll be pleased to learn that a DRG injection needle is very long - and wickedly curved. The task involves a lot of local anaesthetic at the entry point. Then, live X-ray is used to help in guiding the needle. However - and it's a big however- most surgeons twist the needle so it touches the sciatic nerve. Guess which nerve is the biggest in the human body. Experience proved that my right side one was working perfectly!
Purpledobermann davhill
Posted
haha 'no excuse'...you sound like me on a deadline. Until someone points out, "well what if you were in a coma - would you send through the reports telepathically?" They just don't get it
Thanks for making me laugh...and for making my day with the needle promise. Ouch...i don't want to imagine the sensation. Getting the epidural 'electric shock' was disturbing enough. Touching the sciatic...sounds like hell. I am hopeful. He is not in a lot of pain for the last 24 hrs (but I will be patient until the next time 
. Ah the doctor i found has a double specialisation - orthopaedic surgeon and neurosurgeon...i picked 2 in 1 so as not to miss anything 
Swimming should do the trick yes. If he can motivate himself. I will look up the DRG pictures - these may help prod him along. He had epidural anaesthesia for his lung post op pain management. He swears that the worst part of the ordeal was the epi - he screamed when they touched a nerve and promptly passed out. yup the long curved needle should do the trick. You are a star!!!
davhill Purpledobermann
Posted
Well, I'm proud to reveal that in over 30 years as a journo, I never once failed to make the deadline. Mind you, I could spot a false deadline a mile away!
It sounds like your husband had a thoracic epidural. The procedure is much the same as it is for a DRG injection.
The reason the DRG surgeon tweaks the needle is to establish that it's in the right place. The aim is to bathe the ganglion in a mixture of local anaesthetic and a steroid. I watched the mix going in, live on the fluoroscope's display.
The sciatic touch felt very like being connected to the mains electricity supply - I was told off for jumping! Still, the needle was proven to be in the right place and the injection worked.
The last one of these I had was very frustrating. It involved three needles at once, at three vertebral levels in the lumbar spine. Snag is, it did precisely nothing in terms of pain relief. You win some...