venlafaxine/effexor and broken fitness?

[kiritekanawa]

Have been depressed for a while. Started venlafaxine last week, on the lowest dose (37.5 mg) had all the usual nausea, anxiety, teeth-grinding, rapid-cycling of chills and sweats etc.

But I also had the most amazing sudden drop in fitness. Has anyone else had this and does it get any better? I don't remember this from last time I was on venlafaxine, but I wasn't fit or exercising much then.

I've been running about 50km/week since last year - and suddenly after taking the first dose, running 5km was more than I could do - I had to stop and walk because I was just so tired - felt like my muscles were melting. My heartrate was at about 190bpm and I was drenched in sweat for a couple of hours afterwards.

Does this get any better?

[MrsLettuce]

I took venlafaxine for a good few years, it saved my life but it's not a nice drug at all. Have you tried other antidepressants or has it been prescribed as a first resort by the GP?

[BisleyBoy]

I was on venlafaxine for about 18 months. I had horrific nausea, trouble sleeping and night sweating, but I didn't notice a drop in fitness, no. Is fatigue and/or muscle weakness a side effect?

[BisleyBoy]

As in, is it listed as a side effect on the little leaflet you get in the boxes with the medicine?

[kiritekanawa]

thanks MrsLettuce

I tried citalopram and fluoxetine back in 2006. Both didn't work, but they were also only tried at low doses.

Do you have any idea of whether I'd feel more able to concentrate, and less "stupid", forgetful, tired and numb, if I kept going with the venlafaxine? At the moment the extreme drop in fitness (making it impossible to run), and being unable to sleep, are making me wonder if it's worth continuing - since running and sleep are both possibly more effective than antidepressants.

[kiritekanawa]

BisleyBoy - thanks - it's not on the leaflet, but asthenia (weakness) is on the wikipedia list of side effects.

I probably need to phone the psychs and ask their opinion.

[MrsLettuce]

Yes, do phone for advice.

I'm surprised they've put you on an SNRI without trying a decent dose of an SSRI (or two) first. There may well be plenty of good reasons but I'd want to know all about them.

The the 'extra' part of SNRI's that act on dopamine (which SSRI's don't) kicks in at a reasonably high dose with venlafaxine, maybe 150mg, I forget. 75mg is, officially, the lowest therapeutic but is just acting as an SSRI.

It's a drug that can and does work wonders but it has a lot of potentially problematic side effects on start-up, during withdrawal and throughout use. A short half life is a tricky thing. There are often better options, but not always.

[kiritekanawa]

Thanks again MrsL. Have phoned (am not in the UK), hopefully have a "crisis" appointment being made at the moment.

The nurse I spoke to was scarily polite. Felt like he was treating me with kid gloves on the grounds I might go ballistic. In the end I said to him "look, it's really ok, I've just been feeling tired, down and thick - not dangerously loopy!"

[MrsLettuce]

Good luck

[kiritekanawa]

thanks. Mmm cake

[Latara]

I take 300mg Venlafaxine MR and have done for 2 years. It has worked really well for my depression but there are 2 unpleasant side effects - one is slight urinary incontinence so I also have to take Oxybutynin to stop that; the other is eyesight problems so I have to wear glasses and get a new glasses prescription every year now!

the reason for the urinary and eyesight problems is that high dose Venlafaxine relaxes the muscles in those areas.
Also I'm on anti-psychotics which makes your eyesight blurry.
So it's very annoying as I'm looking at having another eye test soon.

but I won't come off the Venlafaxine as it has more or less cured my depression! I'm having a lot of issues in life at the moment which would normally make me depressed & miserable but every time I start to feel depressed I feel 'lifted out' of that mood by the Venlafaxine.

[NanaNina]

MrsLettuce (love the name!) you sound very knowledgeable, so wonder if you could advise, though I know with ADs it's all trial and error and what suits on doesn't suit another. I've been on Sertraline 150mg for a year (changed from Imipramine) and on Mirtazapine 45mg for 2 years. I've been reducing the Mirt very gradually and am now down to 15mg and it was my intention to stop them altogether, but since dropping to 15mg I've had some very bad days (but this can happen anytime really) I have an apt with the conslt psych on Thursday and I think she will want me to increase the Mirtz again, but she won't do anything without my consent of course. She mentioned Venlafaxine last time as an alternative to Mirtazapine and wondered why, but I see it is an SRNI so maybe that's the reason.

I've had fluctuations for almost 6 years since a severe depressive episode and IP for 3 months , so would be heaven to find the right combination of drugs, though I've sort of given up hope on that. I'm fortunate to have a lovely CPN and oversight of psych.

[MrsLettuce]

Sorry NanaNina I'm not particularly knowledgeable at all! Nor am I in any way qualified in anything relevant, have just done a hell of a lot of reading on Venlafaxine 'cause I was having such a tough time on it but was also unable to stop taking it.

Wish I could be of use but it sounds like you have good medical support, sounds like they know what they're doing.

[Georgio67]

I started on Vanlafaxine 4 weeks ago. Problems galore. I struggled to urinate and orgasm. Eyes are blurry. I am a runner and my normal running heart rate has gone from 150 up to 170 and i struggle with distance, just so worn out. Really worried. Seeing a GP tomorrow to see whatcan be done.