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Venlafaxine stopped working??? HELP PLEASE

Posted , 5 users are following.

lauren46699
lauren46699

I am feeling like I can't carry on at the moment.

I have had severe anxiety and depression since giving birth to my daughter 4 years ago and it seems to coincide with my hormones during the month.

Since December 2015 I have had to increase my venlafaxine 5 times.

I was initially on mirtazapine 45mg then venlafaxine was added on for a year at 37.5mg this was great for the first year but now Every few months I am having relapses before my time of the month and the venlafaxine has to be increased by 37.5mg.

I am now up to the top dosage of 225 mg 4 days after increase and top dosage of mirrazapine 45mg and just feel like giving up and that I am running out of options, I am taking 4 different tablets of Ven throughout the day.

The doctor thinks I have PMDD but could it be that the venlafaxine is just not working well enough to mask my major hormone issues which it did successfully for a year.

Any advice please ???

0 likes, 50 replies

50 Replies

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  • neil91349
    neil91349 lauren46699

    Posted

    Hi Lauren

    Sorry your feeling this way especially when your taking so much AD's. Personally I found out that Mirt and Ven do not mix well. I came off Mirt within a month because it was reacting with my Ven, it was making me hungry all the time, anxious, sweating, angry and constantly tired. My depression was the worst ever. I came off Mirt and started to be better almost straight away, however Ven was still making me feel depressed so came off them too.

    Just remember it's not you that's making you feel awful but the drugs and it's only temporary, you will feel better soon.

    You need to tell your doctor how your feeling as this isn't right and you need a change now.

    Good luck and remember if you need a chat I'm here.

    Thanks

    Neil x

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 neil91349

      Posted

      Thanks Neil.

      What dosages were you on when they were both together?

      I have had to increase 5 times since last December.

      I go to my GP in floods of tears and they just keep increasing them.

      The fact I have had to increase so much does make me feel that they aren't working.

    • neil91349
      neil91349 lauren46699

      Posted

      Hey Lauren

      I was on 225mg per day of Ven and 30mg of Mirt at night. Trust me they don't mix well, it got to the stage I was hallucinating and sweating in bed so much I had to change the bedding.

      I've been on nearly every AD you can think of and these were by far the worse.

      To help me come off them I was taking Benadryl and Omega 3, I read this somewhere and they really helped.

      Thanks

      Neil x

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 neil91349

      Posted

      Thanks Neil.

      God I am so scared to come off anything. I really don't feel mentally strong enough I just don't know what to do.

      X

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 lauren46699

      Posted

      That's how I feel, hate been on meds but scared to come off

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 Anne1968

      Posted

      I get scared changing meds, upping dosages thinking of coming off etc
    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 lauren46699

      Posted

      I tried mirtazapine earlier this year but it knocked me off my feet, ended up taking a quarter of 15mg but then my mood dropped
    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 Anne1968

      Posted

      I'm not surprised it knocked you off your feet. I don't know why a doctor would give you that when your so tired anyway.

      I was put on it for extreme insomnia

    • neil91349
      neil91349 lauren46699

      Posted

      Hey Lauren

      You can do it but if you feel bad/worse see a doctor hun don't suffer.

      Thanks

      Neil x

  • Bogmonster
    Bogmonster lauren46699

    Posted

    Hi,

    I am not sure what the maximum dose of ven is but it is over 300mg if prescribed by a mental health worker. I am on 300mg. I have heard of people being on as much as 600mg long term and I think that is probably the max. I wanted to go up from 300mg but my psychiatrist decided I should not and he felt that the higher doses should only really be used short term. Anyway, 300mg is OK for a long term dose.

    BW, BM

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 Bogmonster

      Posted

      I'm aiming for 225 but if that doesn't work my GP will refer me back to psychiatrist. I'm feeling worse now than before I started them

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 Bogmonster

      Posted

      Thanks for replying.

      That's good to know maybe I do have room to increase then.

      Just not sure as I take mirtazapine as well.

      Do you take anything else?

      Many thanks

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 Anne1968

      Posted

      I'm still feeling rubbish too.

      5th day of increase.

      I've phoned my gp this morning and she has agreed to fax psychiatrist to ask them to see me ASAP.

      Could you not demand that your gp refer you? A pshyc would know a lot more about how your feeling and whether your on the right med? X

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 lauren46699

      Posted

      I was referred to a psych and she put me up to 150 with a possible increase to 225, then she discharged me but said get GP to re-refer me if no improvement. My GP did offer to write to her but I said I'll see how I feel on this dose first

    • Bogmonster
      Bogmonster lauren46699

      Posted

      Hi,

      I take Amisulpride 200mg (antipsychotic) and Lamotrigine 200mg (mood stabilizer). I mainly take Lamotrigine for epilepsy as it is a dual purpose drug.

      BW, BM 

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 Bogmonster

      Posted

      I'm giving up hope of ever feeling better, it's been a year now and I'm fed up

    • Bogmonster
      Bogmonster Anne1968

      Posted

      Don't give up!

      The ven helped me with anxiety (although I am having a bit of a relapse recently). The Amisulpride helps me with intrussive thoughts (although they have never gone completely away). The Lamotigine helps with epilepsy and flattens out my moods a bit. Sounds like you need to go back to the psychologist and see if there is anything additional that could help you? It is a long road to recovery... I ahve just been allocated another care coordinator so I will see if they can help with my relapse.

      BW, BM

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 Bogmonster

      Posted

      I'll try to keep feeling hopeful, it's just all the waiting to see if something works. I'm wondering if Venlafaxine isn't going to do anything after so many years on it

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 Anne1968

      Posted

      Don't give up.

      I would at least give it another week. If no better book back in with your gp.

      I will let you know how I go on the 225mg increase.

      I have read up about a better version of venlafaxine being available it's the same drug but a better one can't remember the name of it now. I wonder if that could be good for you Anne? X

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 lauren46699

      Posted

      I'll give it a week then might go to 225 and just bite the bullet. There's prisiq which might be what your thinking of but I don't think it's in uk x

    • lauren46699
      lauren46699 Anne1968

      Posted

      Oh that's rubbish!

      Let me know how you feel over the next couple of days xx

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 lauren46699

      Posted

      Thanks I will, I'm working tomorrow and Wednesday then got two days holiday. Work is distracting apart from the anxiety which never lets up xx

    • Anne1968
      Anne1968 lauren46699

      Posted

      I've no choice, if I lose my house I've absolutely nothing to get well for x

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