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Original poster

Did Venlafaxine change your life for the better?

142 replies

Crispsmakemehappy · 14/10/2022 09:29

Venlafaxine prescription sitting a few days now and I’m unsure what to do. I’m AD free as week now but scared to try these incase they make me have suicidal thoughts like others have….

Tell me your positive stories please, I know they are meant to be horrendous to come off and needs to be done at a super slow pace.

TIA 😌💐

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New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Leomii81 · 26/03/2026 07:21

Been on these 18yrs 225mg, currently under supervision from a lovely Dr, I'm coming down in dosage. I don't think I'll ever be off them as they keep me stable.Whilst appreciating they don't work for everyone they've been great for me 🤎🤎

cmarkme · 25/03/2026 23:50

Get OFF this poison. I have brain damage from them. Because no doctors knows that after a while they stop working then, when you try and stop them you get Protracted Withdrawal, which is 6 years of Living HELL! Don't believe then just continue, I warned you!!!

GentleLilacBear · 31/05/2025 15:34

A trick I learned from nurse in children's hospital, take juice with a straw then pop tablet in mouth while drinking don't even notice large capsules going down.
HOPE THIS HELPS

GentleLilacBear · 31/05/2025 15:25

Got took off fluxatine because I had been on them 10y,venaflaxine 150mg to start with, too strong could hardly function changed to 75mg ,been that was 8years ago now,found transfer easier than other ad, 37.5mg ,half what I get I'd say try them ,long term depressed ,keep me very stable,

horrorghost83 · 17/05/2025 15:23

Venflaxin I have been on since September of 2024. It took about a month, like any med, to really take full effect. But I have never felt better and more “like me” before in my life than I have on this. It is such a huge difference from before and waking up with that dread every day to waking up with just a little hope that even though things aren’t perfect, I still got this. I hope this makes sense. I am on 150mg bc I was in pretty rough shape this time last year, but start low and gradually go up if you feel it’s needed based on you and your body ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ good luck love

ThatCheeseIsMine · 13/03/2025 08:52

About 1-2 weeks for me.

Helpmesos · 27/11/2022 22:54

bump

Helpmesos · 26/11/2022 18:00

How long does it take Venlafaxine to kick in?

Grenola · 16/11/2022 06:07

I am on week 4 of trying to get these out of my system. I’m stuck on the last 17mg and the dizziness is unreal.

I do wish I hadn’t started taking them

ReginaPhalangee · 16/11/2022 00:11

I'm so sorry for your predicament. I posted very early on advising you not to go near these pills. I am hugely triggered reading your posts so I'm afraid I'm going to have to step away from your thread now. Many years of my life were ruined by Venlafaxine and it was no easy task for me to post in the first instance.

Take care

Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 14/11/2022 16:20

@Deguster and will be starting these tomorrow. Doctor said on Friday there is no difference in them. But I definitely have read before that people do find a difference. I was on 37.5 for 2 weeks and 75mg for just under a week and back down to 37.5mg.
i am a mess. I never thought it would be so hard to find one that would agree with me

Did Venlafaxine change your life for the better?
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Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 14/11/2022 16:18

@Deguster I run out of these today

Did Venlafaxine change your life for the better?
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Deguster · 13/11/2022 21:40

I’ve found the generics less effective than Effexor (branded). Chemically they are identical but the extended release mechanism in Effexor is dramatically different (and work better).

Athenen0ctua · 13/11/2022 18:49

@Crispsmakemehappy
I hope it does work for you 💐 Just remember it is always up to you. If an increase feels wrong you don't have to do it. You can come off it if you feel you need to, just gradually and tell your doctor.

Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 13/11/2022 18:02

@Athenen0ctua i was thinking these were side effects but I don’t know. Doctor said we will slowly increase gradually. I think next increase could cure me or kill me.

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Athenen0ctua · 13/11/2022 15:41

I wouldn't continue to take something if the side effects were worse than what I was taking them for.

Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 13/11/2022 15:07

Spoke with doctor on Friday. She advised me these were side effects and try to persevere and if I wished to alternate days of 37.5 one day and 75mg the next until my body adjusted to them. Today I have took 37.5mg. I continue to feel dreadful. The suicidal thoughts are constant. I’m so unsure whether to continue or wean the hell off.

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Athenen0ctua · 10/11/2022 18:27

If it's a different brand then I think some of the non active ingredients could differ? I have heard of people not able to take a generic medication because of this.

Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 10/11/2022 13:39

Lifted my new prescription today. This is a totally different box from my previous from up thread. Does that matter?

Did Venlafaxine change your life for the better?
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Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 10/11/2022 10:24

No luck getting an appointment with GP this morning. Over an hour waiting to speak to someone. I may try tomorrow morning again. Very teary today again. I’m unsure whether to take just the 37.5 today or stick with the 75mg. Has anyone experienced this when upping their dose? Citalopram didn’t agree with me and fluxotine was shockingly bad. But they were SSRI’s and doctor said Venlafaxine is an SNRI. They are apparently same family of meds but more like a far out cousin according to doctor.

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Grenola · 10/11/2022 06:02

me personally would be getting urgent support from gp and stopping the medication, that sounds intense and worse than I have ever experienced. It would also suggest that it would be heard when it came to weaning off.

they do take time to settled but that sounds a lot x

Athenen0ctua · 09/11/2022 22:48

I'd see your GP tomorrow or ASAP. I'd go back to 37.5mg in the meantime.

Buteverythingsfine · 09/11/2022 22:16

@Crispsmakemehappy I don't want your post to go unanswered, it sounds horrendous, but I don't know if that's normal or not, so I would push for a GP appointment tomorrow- just say it's a MH emergency, I've found you need to be quite pushy to emphasize how important it is that you are seen. I think when you are anxious, you tend to panic and feel worse when anything changes, that said, you need a GP review asap.

Original poster
Crispsmakemehappy · 09/11/2022 22:02

Hi everyone, desperately needing some advice again. Yes I will speak to my GP tomorrow if I can grab an appointment but Iike to speak on here to people who have experienced it.

Yesterday I doubled my dose from 37.5 to 75mg. It’s been horrendous today. The worse I’ve ever felt in my life. I’m so tired and I can not stop crying. Feeling dizzy and having brain zaps. I’m so emotional infront of everyone which is very unlike me. Is this normal with an increase?

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Buteverythingsfine · 08/11/2022 10:14

It is so tough, I really have been there. Just keep in touch with your GP (so you can get new dose tablets at some point) and your MH team as well. Don't feel bad about taking pills, there's nothing wrong with needing something to get you off the bottom and start living how you would like to again. I've never taken them til recently, but needs must. I can't tell you whether these particular ones are the answer though, which is why talking with the drs will help, as they know the range of options. you can always use other things (meditation, reading good books, exercise) alongside medication, it's just when you are really low it's hard to do those things. Hope today is better for you.