Starting Venlafaxine tomorrow - Good News Stories Please!!

[Bookworm13]

I am starting 37.5mg of Venlafaxine tomorrow (Thurs 1 Dec) and hoped that you may have some good news stories/advice for me please?!
I was on Sertraline for a year and ended up titrating to the 200mg dose three weeks ago, but it just stopped working. (I suffer with anxiety)
My GP is currently tapering me off the Sertraline and as I say, I start taking the Venlafaxine tomorrow.
Did you have any side effects and how long did it take for you to notice a difference?

Hi
I've been on venla for 3 yrs currently on 150 mg, due to high anxiety lead to depression.
I was on escitalopram previously.

Everyone is different when starting up and different side effects(you will get something)
I would say give it at least a month(easy said I know)
Always have it with food

There's a site called nomorepanic, where there's people in the forum.
They have a part for people on meds and venla is there, have a read of some
There's a really good one by pinkdove the one with a blue circle next to it

Oh thank you so much Haribogirl - I will go and take a look at that.
It sounds as though you are going great on it!
You have been very reassuring! XX

Yer it took a while for me initially my anxiety was sky high, I could not eat/sleep/concentrate basically like a cat on hot bricks!

I would say for me it took a few weeks for me to feel calm(with help of diazepam as well)

All is well mainly now, I'm an anxious person dont react good to change in life and constantly have to tell myself don't panic

Can you manage Eat/sleep

I was doing great with the eating and sleeping and then when the 150mg pooped out, I upped to the 200mg and I could just feel that it wasn't working any more. First thing I noticed was bad sleep again and picking at my food.
I've read that Sertraline has a habit of pooping out after a while.

My GP ordered me to take two Diazepam today (I did just after my lunch) and I am feeling a bit better now. She also told me to take another two at bedtime - only 2mg each.
I bought a packet of sandwiches and managed to eat all of one and took a few bites of the second one, which is a big improvement on the last couple of days!!!
I took 150mg of the Sertraline this morning and my GP has told me to drop to 100mg tomorrow for seven days and to start the Val then as well.

I'm starting tomorrow too op!

Please let me know how you get on Zoflorabore - It says to take with food, so breakfast time .....fingers crossed for us both! I've read good things about Ven, so here's hoping! X

Good luck you two, will be thinking of you both.
It's good you've got help from diazepam op
X

Thank you Haribogirl! X

It's the only one that worked for me and is amazing! There have been two side effects - the first was intense nausae for about an hour after taking the tablet. This was stopped by going on the modified release capsules. The second was it ridiculously increased my libido!! I got super horny on it!!

I've been on it for about 2 years and it's very effective for anxiety. The main thing is that you MUST be consistent in how you take it and don't forget or miss a dose or run out. (The withdrawal can be very intense for some people).

It's the only one that worked for me and is amazing! There have been two side effects - the first was intense nausae for about an hour after taking the tablet. This was stopped by going on the modified release capsules. The second was it ridiculously increased my libido!! I got super horny on it!!

Thank you :) mine are 75mg prolonged release capsules, branded name Alventa XL Venlafaxine.
I'm reducing fluoxetine, on 40 mg now which is 2x 20mg tablets a day.

I have to reduce that to 1 tablet and take 1 Venlafaxine.
In 2 weeks I no longer take the 20mg fluoxetine and increase the Venlafaxine to 2x 75mg daily.

I also have diazepam but does nothing anymore and have been reducing, my plan is to be on just one 2mg tablet daily if needed. I currently take 3 daily. I'm fed up of being exhausted. Also take tons of other stuff for fibromyalgia.

I take over 30 tablets a day :(

Very best of luck op, I will check in when I've taken it.... Bit scared

Thank you all so much!

I've been prescribed Venlablue XL 37.5mg prolonged release capsules, which I understand is the starting dose.

GP said she would then titrate up my dose in a couple of weeks.
I will message in tomorrow after I've taken my first dose - although going by my previous experience on ADs, side effects tend to appear for me from about day 3!

Good morning.
Well, I bit the bullet and took my first Ven at 730am this morning, along with my cereal and a vat of water!
I've got a bit of a headache but it's not too bad. That started about 1.5 hrs after taking it. It could be because I've reduced my Sertraline today to 100mg?
My GP said if I do get any side effects, they usually kick in within the first week.
She is seeing me again Tues afternoon for a catch-up.
If you have/had any side effects from Ven, can you remember when they started and when they stopped? Also, how did you manage them?
How are you getting on Zoflorabore?

How you doing op ? Hope it gong well although very early days for you

it worked fairly well for me and really got me out of a black hole. I was on it for 2 or 3 years then gradually came off. It does have side effects but they all do

I've been on venlafaxine for quite a long time... a few years, definitely. Over that time I've crept up to 300mg a day. I guess it's worked to a degree as I haven't had any periods of having to be signed off sick from work in that time, but I have had ups and downs with the downs getting more frequent and worse with time. Pdoc now wants to try me on lithium instead (eek). Anyway, I don't find venlafaxine too bad for side effects - the only one I really get is increased sweating (my hands and face are always wet and I get night sweats, it's gross!) but that only started when I went up to quite a high dose. It's also a bugger for withdrawal - have you ever been on citalopram and got the head-zaps? It does that. Even with the extended release capsules I find I have to make sure I take them at the same time every day as if I'm a few hours late I start getting head-zaps, vertigo, nausea and feeling really tearful.
I hope they work well for you.

I've been on Venlafaxine for around seven years now on varying doses. I would repeat what pp have said about definitely eating with it and taking in the morning, as it can make you nauseous otherwise. If I forget to take it it gives me the brain zaps, dizziness and I get kind of manic within an hour or so of missing it - the half life is tiny so withdrawal kicks in quickly.

That said I don't know where I'd be without it. It helped me get on an even enough keel to be able to engage effectively with counselling. I was trying to wean off a few years ago, but was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (I rattle too Zoflo!) and the doctor kept me on 75mg. When I was pregnant last year my GP took me down to 37.5 which was fine until the postnatal depression and anxiety kicked in so I've been on 75mg for a week now and apart from one day of the runs haven't had any too bad side effects (touch wood). Sorry to ramble, but this is the first time I've really admitted about the pnd to anyone other than DH, but I really hope that my experience helps you get through what I know is a really difficult time.

It worked great for me, the only bad point was when it came to cut down taking it as the withdrawal is epically bad! Was worth it though for the benefits, just make sure you don't miss doses.

I've been on venlafaxine for a long time. Before that I had been on all sorts of other anti-d's, none of which worked, but this one worked well, and probably saved my life tbh.

That's quite a low dose which you are being started on which is good, the lowest dose I have ever been on was 75mg, but I generally have to stay on 150mg or the depression comes back.

Like PP's have pointed out, it can be a bugger to come off, and has to be cut down gradually very slowly or the withdrawal symtoms are terrible. I find the slow release tablets work the best so ask for them if you can, and be careful about taking it at the same time each day.

On the whole though, it does tend to work well. I can't remember getting any side effects, but agree with the other about head zaps and so onif I miss a dose, so make sure you take it carefully.

It was the thing that allowed me to find space to cure my depression and co morbid anxiety
I was on 375 mg per day ( and for a period of 6 mths that was titrated higher but under v careful medical care ) I used Effexor/Venlafaxine for 2 yrs altogether.
I have been depression/anxiety and all other mh problems clear for a number of yrs now since being v v v slowly removed from it.
I hope you have brighter days soon

Thank you all so much for your advice and comments. Please keep 'em coming as they are invaluable!
Well today is Day 5 of being on the 37.5mg prolonged release capsules and I'm taking one a day at the moment with my breakfast and lots of water.
I had a great weekend. Had alot of night sweating last night but I'm 47 so that could be partly age related!
Felt a bit anxious this morning first thing but I've got my 6 monthly dental check up later on this afternoon and HATE going, so I know I'm nervous about that - stupid really!
I put a face on it though as my two teenage sons are getting checkups at the same time and have always made sure I don't transfer my dental nerves onto them!
I'm seeing my GP for a catch-up tomorrow afternoon. She said it will take 3-4 weeks to reach a therapeutic level, but said she will probably start me on two doses of 37.5mg at beginning of my second week.
Does anyone know how quickly these pills take to dissolve and then absorb?
Sorry to go on! Xx

Felt a little anxious this morning

Don't let your GP rush you! Do it when you want to let your body get used to it first. I think they rush you to get you up to the therapeutic dose, but it's not them that deal with the SE with each increase.

That's a good point Haribogirl!
When you increased your dose of Ven, what side effects did you have and how long did they last/when did you notice the increase kick in? X

With each increase I felt nauseous and heightened anxiety, only from being on then for 4 /5 years can't remember now! I'd defo say let your body get used to the 37.5 for about a mth then go to the 75mg for another.
If your need to go to 112.5mg another mth and so on.

With me I was really anxious to the point I was dry heaving every morning, no eating,sleeping basically in a mess.
The psychiatrist seemed to rush me(I didn't know then how powerful this ad is)so was just doing as I was told, plus because I wasn't getting there that quick enough she was suggesting addding other ad's as well.
I did add one with it can't remember the name now but after 5 days my head I thought was going to explode it ached that much! My jaw/teeth I felt like I had a brace on that was so so tight. I stopped it
Like I said some(not all) just do it like try this, up your dose to get you there to the therapeutic dose asap.

You sound like your not as bad as I was, but it's a good ad but powerfull.