Venlafaxine??

[Painting345]

I've been having very dark thoughts lately and my doctor has prescribed venlafaxine twice a day. Has anyone taken this? Did it help? I read the side effects and it says it can increase suicidal thoughts, and wonder if that's the case what is the point in them?!

[BloodiedButUnbowed]

I take venlafaxine, just 150mg in two doses each day! I’ve been on it for about 5 years and I bloody love it.
Yes, for me it really did take the dark thoughts away and when i’m fully dosed up, I have no intrusive self harm thoughts.
Some people report that it’s hell to come off or cut down - i can’t comment on the coming off, but I successfully halved my dose last year (eventually increased it again as the dosage was too low to manage my depression, and the dark thoughts were returning).
Good luck with it - everyone’s experiences are different so you won’t know whether it will suit you until you try. If it does, great! If it doesn’t - remember there are lots of different antidepressants out there so you don’t have to settle for one that isn’t right for you.
All the best!

[combatbarbie]

300mg once a day here, it has changed my life, I feel "normal" for the first time in about 10yrs. I found the first months hard but my dose was managed carefully and now dreading the attempted withdrawal after my EMDR treatment but will see how it goes.

[buzzingmama]

For the first week or so I experienced severe suicidal thoughts. My doctor failed to tell me this was a side effect. It was only after me standing staring at train tracks for nearly an hour (thank goodness turned around), that my doctor mentioned this could be related to newly being on venlafaxine 150. After probably 2-3 weeks, it kicked in and my mood lifted. Beware - DO NOT MISS A DOSE!! You can feel physically ill... so taking it every day at the same time is important.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

It gave me horrific trapped wind.
I know that sounds silly but it was awful, really awful, I was in agony, so I came off it and that was terrible.
Never, ever again.

[MalloryLaurel]

I've been on venlafaxine for 8 years and at an increasing dose, starting at 75mg to 300mg. I've just reduced the dose to 200mg. When I first started it and each time I increased the dose my symptoms were much worse for a couple of weeks and during that time I had active suicidal thoughts. Not just, I don't want to live, I was thinking, how could I? But when you feel like that, remind yourself that it's just your body getting used to the increase. Make an appointment with your doctor and explain how you feel.
But this was the medicine that got me through the worst of times. I was severely depressed. Very ill. This is worth sticking with. It's good for anxiety. You need to give it time to work.
Don't discount therapy. I had therapy and it really helped me. But this medicine saved my life.

[Babdoc]

It's true of a lot of antidepressants, and also of a course of ECT, that they will increase your motivation and energy before they actually lift your mood. So there is a dangerous time, a few weeks in to treatment, when you are still depressed but now have the drive to do something like make a suicide attempt. As PPs have said, this does pass, and you begin to feel much less depressed and become able to enjoy life and function normally again. But it's important to tell someone and get help if you experience that suicidal patch early on.

[Lilacwine1]

I have just posted on here about coming off Venlafaxine 225g. I have been taking them for eighteen months, and hate the side affects, really bad sweats, weight gain and high blood pressure. I am thinking of going cold turkey, and wondered if anyone has experience of this and could give me some advice.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I had head buzz, aches, pains, shits, and that was coming off 50mg.
I think you'll need to taper.

[MalloryLaurel]

You definitely need to taper. There are really horrendous side effects from going cold turkey. I have noticed that now I've reduced my dose I am less sweaty. Also my appetite is less. I'm still very overweight though.

[Lilacwine1]

Haven't taken any Venlafaxine, my last dose was Saturday. Getting brain zaps, and just a little bit irritable No other side effects at this moment in time, but I'm sure they will hit me soon.

[Grumpbum]

I’ve just started 75mg switching from 100mg Sertraline. I feel like I’m off this planet and have strong urges to hurt myself in some way. I’ve an realatively recent sh scar which I can’t leave alone. I still feel so low, which is rubbish, I know it’ll improve I hope

[purpleshimmer]

Hi
I take 225mg over 3 tablets per day.

I have tried several antidepressants over a number of years and I can say hand on heart these are the only ones that have worked for me.

It took about 3 weeks for it to kick in.
Just be careful not to miss a dose as the "brain zaps" are horrible...apart from that, mood wise, they have really helped.
Good Luck and Take Care

[friendlyflicka]

Definitely saved my life. Only ad that has worked consistently for me. I have bipolar and take in conjunction with mood stablilisers and anti-psychotics.

SR once much better for less anxiety. A few side effects at first which have always improved for me.

I have come off them a few times and yes it is horrible: you have to put a side a week where you are totally irrational and emotional and all of the place and feel sick and tired, but then it goes. Not nearly as bad as seroxat or others I have tried to come off.

[forgotMyusernameAgain]

I was prescribed it for severe pnd after my son was born 11 years ago. I wouldnt be here if they hadnt given me it. I am now down to 75mg once a day, they cant get me off it at the moment but it literally saved my life

[Cakemonger]

I recently went up to 225mg and have had a positive experience so far (minimal side effects, has slightly taken the edge off my depression). It hasn't worked miracles - I still have a lot of negative thoughts, it has just provided a bit of a cushion so far, the lows aren't nearly as bad. I didn't notice any increase in negative thoughts in the first two weeks.

It makes me tired and I have been more sweaty, although with the heatwave there really is no way to tell if this is the drug or not. I accidentally ran out of medication this week and had to halve my dose for a few days (not good, I know), was really worried because of all the horror stories about withdrawal but it was fine - I seem to be in a minority who don't get bad effects, although I've never done full withdrawal of course.

I was almost put off taking the drug after reading people's bad experiences so just wanted to counterbalance them. Citalopram and sertraline gave me worse side effects/withdrawal than venlafaxine.