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
Just a little update. It's day 51 on Ven for me and my 24th day on 75mg. No problem with apart from the odd memory lapse. I've also had four sessions of CBT...early days yet.
I've been working on prepping the house for the start of its becoming a holiday let. There's some furniture arriving next Wednesday and I'm pursuing the local council re planning permission.
Doctor tomorrow, to talk about going to 150mg.
davhill
Posted
It's high time for an update so here goes...
My GP put me on 150mg of Ven per day - not extended release. I've been on this amount for 20 days now, 74 days on Ven at all, starting at 37.5mg and rising to 75mg for 25 days.
It's clearly working now, People have commented on how much lighter my tone of voice has become and how I'm more lively.
The side effects aren't too bad. I can nod off occasionally - that happens with having MS anyway. But I'm not experiencing sweats on this dosage.
As regards the ever-present anxiety, I'm not so much making great strides as having small victories. I've driven alone twice to the Al-Anon meetings 20 miles away withput major issues. I also haven't taken Valium for weeks. This suggests the CBT is helping though it's an uphill struggle.
Divorce-wise, she's been paid off with her lump sum, while I continue preparing my new holiday let business. Oddly, she's on the phone every day and most nights. I've put in a rule making it clear that I don't want to know anything about her new love life. I've no idea why I was given the gory details in the first place.
Meanwhile, life burbles on. I'll be picking up a new Motability car shortly and I have plans to use it to travel further in due course.
Purpledobermann davhill
Posted
How odd...I wanted to ask you how it is going yesterday actually but ended up in meetings all day and did not manage to log on.
Sounds pretty regular considering everything. I am thinking 150 mg, once you are used to it, is better on XR to prevent highs and lows by the way. See how you get on over the next 2-3 weeks and discuss with your doctor if your improvement seems to be unsteady (step ahead, two steps back kind of thing) or very slow. You are now reaping the benefits. Oh, there will not be any major victories for a while. The small victories are the point - they are what helps retrain your brain. Your job is to keep trying to do things you were previously unable to and this appears exactly what you are doing. Sounds great so far.
As for the ex wife...sounds like she is still trying to hold on to whatever she liked about you. Wants to be friends. She shared the gory details because you are probably the kind of person who listens. Or she feels you care enough to know
Does she ask how you are at least? My parents became best friends after the divorce. Their marriage was awful - abusive and all actually, but after the divorce they were free to only interact in ways both enjoyed. It has been 36 years since the divorce!
robbie545 davhill
Posted
Hi davhill, I just want to say that it's been very helpful to read about your updates and especially see the correspondence between you and Pupledobermann. I hope the effects are continuing to do well for you.
davhill robbie545
Posted
Hi robbie 545, I'm glad to hear mine and Purpledobermann's input here has been valuable. As many of us are essentially all in the same boat, it helps to have a place to air our experiences.
I'm coming up to my 100th day on 150mg of Ven, with nearly half that time to add after starting out.
I'm certainly far more functional on this regime and haven't touched a Valium in weeks. The CBT sessions are ongoing, though sometimes, life can get in the way. That said, my progress is ongoing, albeit at a slow pace.
It'salso interesting that there's a balance between starting my new business and dealing with my ex's curious behaviour. In some ways, both are helping, while each is putting me to the test in its own specific way. C'est la vie, I suppose.
All the best,
David