AIBU to expect a large bill?

[Tanya950]

Hey all,

Im not sure if anyone reading this knows of Venlafaxine and the awful side effects missing a dose can have (especially when on 30mg a day), but missing my dose after a long day travelling yesterday caused me to wake up this morning feeling dizzzy, dehydrated, disorientated and having suffered nightmares. I could barely walk in a straight line.

I took my normal dose at 11am this morning, waited an hour and went out, but couldn’t face the light (it made me more dizzy) and eventually had to go to hospital in an ambulance.

I am in Germany and got here yesterday and was very tired after travelling, that’s why I think I missed the dose.

Anyway, after I took the ambulance, I had some blood tests, an ECG and a check with the neurologist. I had to keep my eyes shut most of the time as the light was making me more dizzy.

After about six hours (when todays dose had entered my system, I assume), I was feeling more normal and was discharged.

I have never needed treatment abroad like this (I was just in the emergency department) and am worried about getting a big bill now.

The ambulance asked to see my insurance card and passport, and I showed them both (the GHIC) and something with my address on in the UK. I think the hospital also saw the insurance card also.

I read that the German hospitals send the invoices by post.

Shoukd I be worried that I will recieve a big bill in a months time?

I don’t really understand how the GHIC works and have never been in an ambulance overseas. Who pays for it?

The hospital said that I didn’t need to pay anything, but what about the ambulance?

I do also have travel insurance. Should I send them the discharge letter and say that I am unsure if there will be any costs sent to me?

please help me understand? I had an awful day missing the venlafaxine and now I am really worried about getting a big bill in a few weeks time.

Any insight?
In an unrelated matter, I am totallly discussing with my GP tapering off/reducing the venlafaxine dose when I get back to the UK. It really scares me to think what those tablets must be doing to my insides if the side effects are THAT bad for just missing one day of them (they are 300mg of the modified release ones).

AIBU to expect a big bill in a few weeks time?

No idea about the potential bill issue, but anecdotally venlafaxine seems to have really bad withdrawal compared to the others. Sorry you had to go through that. Just to say, you should reduce super slowly from that dose. If GP not great with MH they might suggest reduction of 75mg each week which is way too quick. Better to do it over months. And be extra careful at the lower doses

Thanks @MyKidsAreTooNoisy , I’m under secondary MH services so I imagine they will have more insight into the withdrawal effects than a GP.

I was thinking of asking to reduce it by 37.5mg every two months (it’s going to take a loooong time) just to ensure there are no side effects.

Hopefully then I will either settle on a much lower dose, come off antidepressants all together or start on one with less severe side effects.

For me, Venlafaxine is a bit of a nightmare (and if I miss the dose, that is literally!)

Sorry completely not the point of this thread but I am finding it so hard to get my venlaflaxine, which considering I’m taking it for anxiety, is making me so anxious. My local pharmacy does it in a pack I struggle to open so I order online but they never have any stock. I end up having to get a code and no pharmacy has it in stock and I get really close to missing a dose. I’ve got my final one tomorrow and I am so scared to not get ahold of my dose.

I struggled to get hold of it for about 5 days last year and I was so ill. I had the worst panic attack of my life, and I was so sick.

This thread has made me realise it is time to discuss moving on to something else with my GP.

This page, if I have read it right, suggests you may have to pay 10 euros as a co-pay towards the ambulance trip.

https://www.eu-patienten.de/en/behandlung_deutschland/ungeplante_behandlung/wer_traegt_die_kosten_1/behandlung_wie_gesetzlich_krankenversicherte_3/krankentransport/krankentransporte_1.jsp

To everyone on Venlafaxine - do not miss a dose... ever. You will get very sick very quickly. I'm shocked that GPs do not mention this when dispensing because then side effects can be horrific.

Our GHIC covered absolutely everything when we went to A&E in a different EU country recently.

That must have been so scary. I'm glad you are feeling better now.

Regarding tapering off, make sure that as you taper you give it a few days to "settle" each time you reduce the dose. By the end it will be slivers. Go slow with the taper and think several weeks rather than days.

Yes good plan over months. It took me about six months to taper off safely.

@FieldsOfFlours it may not been the point of the thread, but very much relevant if it's become difficult to get hold of. You're quite right, what a way to add to your anxiety.

I am on 225mg in the morning and 150 in the evening
If I even miss just one of the two I feel really dizzy and the nightmares are so violent
I did cold turkey last year was really hard but I feel even worse not being on them.
I hope the bill isn't too big for you OP