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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for your experience of SNRIs specially Venlafaxine

41 replies

Niffler92 · 20/09/2021 19:06

I came off my antidepressants about a year ago as they seemed to be doing nothing I’d been on three different SSRI’s. GP had this time recommended these instead.

Any advice and experience very welcome.

OP posts:
Original poster
Niffler92 · 20/09/2021 22:34

Anyone?

OP posts:
Rantyrantason · 20/09/2021 22:52

I switched from citalopram to venlafaxine after the cit stopped being as effective. I was only on it for about 8 weeks - it didn’t feel like it made any difference to my mood/anxiety compared to the citalopram (but possibly I wasn’t on it for long enough). Had to stop and switch back to citalopram as it seemed to raise my blood pressure.

Outfoxedbyrabbits · 20/09/2021 22:58

Seems like the logical next step to me if SSRIs aren't working for you!

SteelDrumSoul · 20/09/2021 23:07

I would say make sure you take Venlafaxine after you’ve eaten. I made the mistake of taking it on an empty stomach and it made me projectile vomit.

I ended up switching to escitalopram instead.

rocklamp · 20/09/2021 23:10

Venlafaxine is extremely difficult to come off as it causes an unpleasant discontinuation syndrome. It's not something I would go onto unless I was very unwell with no real alternative.

UndertheCedartree · 20/09/2021 23:17

I take venlafaxine and I would say it contributed to saving my life. I have found it very effective at lifting my mood and it worked quickly. I take it combined with mirtazapine. I take it on an empty stomach every morning with no problem. I have heard it can be difficult to come off but personally I have found I can miss a dose without any bad effects which is fine for me as I'll probably never come off it. I take pregabalin too and I have to be very careful never to run out as if I miss a dose the effect is horrendous! Good luck, op Flowers

Janeaustensquill · 20/09/2021 23:24

Slow release Venlafaxine has been brilliant for me.I am now reducing my dose very slowly - I aim to take two/three years to come off.

MrsBush · 20/09/2021 23:48

I was on Venlafaxine for a few years and over to 3-4 months cut down the dosage and it was fine. I tried other three other ADs before I settled on the Venlafaxine and found it worked for me

JustStartingOut1 · 20/09/2021 23:54

It was good for me.

Withdrawel from them was awful though so do it gradually!!

discombobulatedonion · 21/09/2021 00:32

Venlafaxine for me was a lifesaver. Yes, I felt extremely numb but that was better than constantly wanting to kill myself. I’ve been off of them for nearly a year now, but would gladly go back to them if I felt I needed the extra support.

discombobulatedonion · 21/09/2021 00:33

@discombobulatedonion

Venlafaxine for me was a lifesaver. Yes, I felt extremely numb but that was better than constantly wanting to kill myself. I’ve been off of them for nearly a year now, but would gladly go back to them if I felt I needed the extra support.
@discombobulatedonion

I will mention, though, that the withdrawal effects were horrendous and I couldn’t stop crying for about a week after coming off of them, and it took 2 weeks for the shaking to stop.

sobercuriouskind · 21/09/2021 00:42

I've taken Venlafaxine for nearly 2 years now after trying several SSRIs that didn't help. It has stabilised my mood and improved my anxiety to the point that I am able to function at work (my job is highly stressful).
Downside is that I sweat a lot with them, especially at night, I am 41 so not sure it is menopausal. I've also put on several stone and I was overweight to begin with. I am now worried for my physical health.
One doctor explained that SNRIs and SSRIs can mess with your feeling satisfied with what you have eaten.
One bonus is that my orgasm is better on Ven than other SSRIs. On Citalopram it was so numbed and disappointing.
I would echo what someone else said about trying not to run out of tablets as you can quickly withdraw from these. The slow release ones are better if you might forget to take a dose for this reason.
And if you do decide to come off them, buy a pill cutter and go slow. Take advice from the GP and then go even slower than that. Otherwise you will experience brain zaps and awful nausea.

Original poster
Niffler92 · 21/09/2021 12:01

Thanks I just want my This depression to end and to not feel so completely and utterly miserable with nothing to give to anyone.

OP posts:
Outfoxedbyrabbits · 21/09/2021 22:30

@Niffler92

Thanks I just want my This depression to end and to not feel so completely and utterly miserable with nothing to give to anyone.
I'm sorry that things are so difficult for you at the moment Flowers As you know, Venlafaxine is a different class of drug to the SSRIs that you've tried in the past so hopefully you will respond to it better (some classes of drug just seem to suit some people better than others).

My bipolar father tried quite a few different drugs/combinations of drugs before finding what worked for him, he has been very well for many years now Smile Hoping for the same for you.

Theoldprospector · 21/09/2021 22:37

I will echo what others have said.

You can orgasm easily on venlafaxine.

It elevates mood in a natural feeling way.

It is difficult to stop taking. I am basically still taking it because I don’t have time to deal with the stomach bug type withdrawal symptoms.

Original poster
Niffler92 · 25/09/2021 12:26

Thanks guys I’m on my second day, so far side effects not too bad, just the clenching my teeth feeling and tired and dry mouth, having trouble sleeping which could or could not be related.

OP posts:
Torvean · 25/09/2021 12:31

I've had verlaine with Mirtazapine, and for me it was the best combination.

Sadly I developed palpitations and an ECG abnormality ( very rare). I had to be taken off it quickly. Which gutted me.
The side effects of coming off Venlafaxine are well known.

Good luck with it. Its very effective in lots of ppl.

Torvean · 25/09/2021 12:32

*venlafaxine

Rantyrantason · 26/09/2021 18:59

niffler92 good to hear your update and that side effects are not too bad.

Original poster
Niffler92 · 26/09/2021 21:35

Argh spoke too soon the side effects are horrible I feel so sick, so tired and my jaw muscles hurt.

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SommerTen · 26/09/2021 21:41

I've been on Venlafaxine MR since 2012.
Increased the dose a couple of times, now I take 337.5mg a day.
I have Schizoaffective disorder & did suffer from major depression too but I can honestly say that the Venlafaxine has saved my life.

@Niffler92 hopefully you will be able to get through the side effects as they shouldn't last too long, once your body gets used to the medication?

polkadotpixie · 26/09/2021 21:50

Very effective, by far the most effective antidepressant I've taken (& I've taken a lot!) but extremely unpleasant to come off, it's the only one I've ever had to taper and it took a couple of weeks of diazepam to stop it completely

InconvenientPeg · 26/09/2021 21:59

I was on it for about 8 years. It's hard to get onto and hard to get off of, and the side effects were awful, but while it was working, it was so worth it.

I hadn't been expected to ever come off, but it stopped working so well, so came off it, and I have a much better concept now of when thoughts are 'depression' and not real, so not on anything else for the last five years. The stability of mood it gave, helped with being able to understand when thoughts are depression driven, as opposed to reasonable responses to stuff that's happening.

It felt like quite a hard core drug, but I needed it. I started on a very low dose, and they upped it slowly, to try to minimise the side effects. Good luck with it.

Original poster
Niffler92 · 27/09/2021 09:37

Thanks I think I’m on the lowest dose twice a day.

OP posts:
Curlygirl06 · 27/09/2021 10:35

Several years ago I took it, but as a help for menopausal night sweats, which was one of the side- things it was supposed to help.

It really decreased my appetite, which as I'm a big eater was weird. It gave me horrendous constipation as well, and didn't touch the night sweats! (Although my doctor said another woman had been taking it for night sweats and it worked a treat for her).

I stopped taking it and the after effects were pretty bad, mostly dizziness and tunnel- like vision occasionally but they only lasted a week or so. To be fair I'd not been taking it long.