Venlafaxine 225mg

[WithanAnotE]

I have recurrent depression. 
Been increased from 150mg Venlafaxine XR (an SNRI) to 225mg by Pdoc. Up to 150mg  it works like an SSRI targeting Serotonin. Above 150mg it is reported to act more like a Tricyclic (TCA) action but targeting Serotonin and norepinephrine.
 
Anyone else at this dose and how did it work for you?

[Beckycw]

Hi. I saw this thread and just thought I'd see how everyone got on. I'm on 150mg venlaflaxine for pnd but still have quite a bit of anxiety. I'm using my cbt skills to help. The psychiatrist wants to put up my meds and I just wanted to see how everyone got on with the 225 mg dose. Please no horror stories! Thanks

[user1478351251]

Hi I started a thread quite a while ago -I have been suffering with the most extreme from of Postnatal depression -not the psychosis -but basically the feeling of living outside of your body not feeling quite right -feeling as if I am detached from the world around me its without a doubt the most horrific scary and depressing symptom one can go through!
I have twins and they are IVF -am currently on my 5th Anti depressant
Venafaxine and Mirtazpine 15MG- My twins turn one on the 15th (I have had this excuse my French BITCH of a feeling since March the 17th 2016) My GP has said its very common and will go !-I would just like some reassurance from anyone who got over this that it does go!! Am convinced as now nearly a year on -although my anxiety -panic attacks have gone-I will have this feeling for the rest of my life --!!!!!! Please someone tell me I will get better

[rubycat16]

Hi - just interested now it's a few years on if things have improved for you. I'm on venlafaxine as the Citalopram I was on (and off) for years just stopped being effective. I started on 75mg, am now on 150mg, but like you say I am still having bad thoughts every day although not about anything in particular. Did this get better for you?

[kerryberry50]

Hi if I miss one dose of my 225 of venaflaxine I feel so light headed and sick and can't really do anything else for the whole day does anyone experience anything like this .... Thanks

[WithanAnotE]

Rabbits, found the Venlafaxine very good for my general anxiety. Still get the occasional, situation specific wobble when I reach for the Propranolol 10mg in advance (more for comfort pill popping I think ) but is very rare these days . Hope goes well on the 10th.

[RabbitsMakeGOLDEggs]

I am hoping to have mine increased when I see my psych on the 10th. I am asking for something to control anxiety more and also to help me sleep.

Do notice when I miss a dose, get the funny head shocks and feel all dizzy and not right. WHich is actually good for me to remind me to take them.

[WithanAnotE]

Hi Serial. Thx. So sorry - Sounds like a total mare for you .
I took 15mg mirtazapine every evening for 4 days (alongside 225mg Venlafaxine every morning), then increased to 30mg mirtazapine. I was totally out for count within an hour on day one, but it steadily stabilized to just making me feel sleepy, so take around 8pm. Think you're probably right that you might need to try something else if the Venlafaxine is knocking you out so much. TBH I think I will always be on this stuff (or another AD) which I am ok with but the odd missed dose is a killer, so don't fancy trying to come off it. Don't know what they can cross-taper it with????? Wondered - Do you get to see the Consultant Psych as I know sometimes it can just be the Trainee Psych. or junior doc. Seems a little cavalier of him to just leave you like this.  

[serialhousemover]

Hi all
Glad to hear you've seen good improvement WithanAnotE. I'm really pleased for you. How quickly did you see improvement after starting the Mirtazapine? And how quick was the jump from 15 to 30mg? well done on working out at gym too. i went a couple of times before the exhaustion ruled that out for now.
am now up to 300mg Ven and the fatigue is total now. just lay on sofa all day. psych prefers monotherapy and says the exhaustion/fatigue is possibly from the depression that's not being properly treated. he may be right. either way i just need this to stop now as can't function. so need to go back and change things. like you nervous of needing to come off this stuff perhaps to try something else.

[WithanAnotE]

Hazeldog - I too heard Venlafaxine is one of the worst to come off in respect of withdrawals. Effexor aka 'side-effexor'! Ho hum

[WithanAnotE]

Ps: My Psych did say that the higher 225mg venlafaxine dose does act on  Serotonin AND norepinephrine (aka noradrenaline) - apparently a good thing! But might also explain why the dose increase to 225mg has more noticable side effects for some?????

[hazeldog]

I was on a mega dose of venlafaxine years ago. I can't say it helped but then none of the anti D's did as my depression wasn't chemical in origin. My only reason for posting is to say be aware that if you do come off them from a high dose the withdrawal symptoms are awful. Equivalent to benzodiazepine and lasting for 6 months. If they work for you then great. Its just something to be aware of.

[WithanAnotE]

Hi Serial
My Psych added Mirtazapine 15mg rising to 30mg. Really, really helped with my sleeps. Am sleeping pretty normally and regularly for the first time in years, which means I wake up pretty refreshed. I do get quite tired though towards late afternoon, but def. not exhausted. However, I now work out daily at the gym (as I am on sick leave) which boosts my energy levels so not sure how I will be when I go back to work etc. Hope you can stick with it a little longer and see if the tiredness goes. I think the combo of the two ADs is now working well for me, rather than just taking only the venlafaxine.

[beautyavenue]

Hey :)

I'm on Venlafaxine 225mg (Efexor XL). After reading your comments I realised I have been experiencing a lot of the same things but hadn't thought to blame it on the AD's! I've definitely been way more tired on this dose than I was before & am also finding that I'm having more down spells than I was before. However, on the lower dose - I think it was 175mg - I found myself feeling good - being "up" as I call it but still not to the level I was before I got ill. I seemed to stay at this "up" level though, didn't get any better & didn't get any worse. My psych then decided to up the tablets but if anything I think they're even less effective!

Sorry it's long!

Victoriaa x

[serialhousemover]

don't know if anyone's still watching this thread but be interested to hear how it's going. I'm now 6 days in to increased venlafaxine dose (225) and shattered all the time.
WithanAnotE if you're still around, how is the higher dose going for you? does the absolute exhaustion ever end??

[WithanAnotE]

Thanks SerialHousemover,
In true psychiatrist style he said, "We should give it another week and then you ought to come back to me then. Hmm, yes."

Awesome!

[serialhousemover]

Hi WithanE - hope your appt with your pdoc goes well. sorry to hear about the early waking. that's a real pain isn't it.

[WithanAnotE]

Thx all! 
I did quickly notice a difference when increased from 75 to 150mg a year ago but not noticed any real improvement as of yet,  but only a few weeks in on the higher dose. Am totally dog tired ATT at the mo. No energy at all. (Nearly feel asleep during a work  meeting too.) Immediate short term memory is really poor - as in go upstairs to get something but then can't remember what! And early morning waking has started again.....  
Seeing pdoc tomorrow so shall see what transpires!

[serialhousemover]

Thanks Garlic. Yes I know what the thoughts are - is that good? I did some group CBT for depression and then a few sessions for GAD but even the counsellors said I didn't really fit either category very well. They hinted it might be more trauma related (I had a number of "life events" last year and a shocking health (mis)diagnosis). sadly though I think having had some talking treatment I'm now at the bottom of the list for any further help. I'm going to try the Mood Gym -thanks so much for the link.
I'm finding I'm absolutely exhausted still despite getting a good night's sleep since starting the Olanzapine. Hope this is just start up effects and wears off in another day or two!
Hope you're having an okay time weekend. Are your meds fully working for you?

[garlicbutter]

It really is. You seem to know what the thoughts are, which is pretty good actually. Have you done any CBT to help you get used to querying those thoughts?
Might feel a bit too scary while you wait for the meds to work, but perhaps you could have a go on the Mood Gym - it's for depression really - to get used to it :)

[serialhousemover]

Thanks Garlic. I do feel a bit better so guess the tablets work quickly. I hate the thought of being on them though - but it is preferable to be on tablets than to live with such anxiety. The thoughts are all still there though I don't have quite the same reactions in my body which is a relief. Though life with all the thoughts still there doesn't seem bearable. I worry that now I've had the thoughts - and for a quite a long time- they'll always be there. Anxiety is a horrid horrid thing.

[garlicbutter]

Hope you start feeling a bit easier soon, Serial.

[serialhousemover]

Just back and I've got a repeat prescription for 150 Ven and to take 5mg Olanzapine at night to give me sleep and reduce the anxiety. Then next step is apparently to increase to 225 Ven and give that time to take effect before reducing/stopping the olanzapine in a few months time. It feels like a plan. I'm just praying it works.
Garlic Interested in the melatonin being available, thanks. I didn't know about that.
Dinah - hope the 225 works for you.
Perry - hope the olanzapine works like the quitipine for sleep though a bit worried won't wake if the children do (have 3 young ones).

[garlicbutter]

Wrt sleeping at night: I've got Zolpidem for occasional use and the Mirtazapine makes me sleepy. But you can now get Melatonin in the UK, which is the hormone your body produces to regulate sleep. I had it in hospital, it's very gentle and effective. It comes with all the usual warnings about extended use but, if you're concerned about using tranquilisers, could be worth requesting a trial prescription. It's also a brilliant antioxidant.

[PerryCombover]

Zopiclone worked like knock out drops for me
Took it and 20 mins later I was dead to the world BUT 4 hrs later I was completely awake. I was getting 4 hrs anyway and so thought the Z didn't really add anything
Quitipine gives me 7-8 hrs but I'm v out of it during that time. It's also an anti d afaik and less addictive than zopiclone

[DinahMoHum]

ive just gone up to 225 from 150 too My doctor wants to try me on that for a month to see if it gives me a lift, then back down.
im sick of it all