Venlafaxine

[Clare2729]

I have been taking venlafaxine for just over 3 weeks. I started on 75mg and this was increased last week to 112.5mg last week. I think it has started to work on helping my depression and anxiety but I am experiencing some horrible side effects. The worst of these are complete exhaustion which lasts all day and also my legs feel very shakey. Can anybody tell me if they have experienced anything similar and if so how long did it last? Would really appreciate any advice.

I was on these in 2004 and they worked very well but yes I recall the tiredness!!! My periods also became heavier unless that was coincidence!!! Glad they are helping.

Yep, my Dr paired with Welbutrin and it has been a fantastic combination for me. But have read welbutrin is off label for depression in the UK. Worth asking your doctor if there is another med to counter the side effects.

It has turned my life around, so hang on in and try some combinations.

I was on venlafaxine 150mg per day last year and they worked really well to start with for my mood and anxiety but the side effects became too much for me. Tiredness, lethargy and feeling zombie like, and the worst one for me was terrible excessive sweating. My periods completely stopped whilst on them which was the only good thing! I had to come off them in the end as I couldn't cope with how they made me feel.

I used to go through periods of extreme tiredness but after many years and a consistent dose it's much more manageable. There are still times on occasion when I do need to catch up on sleep at weekends but I cope quite well now.
Hope the fatigue eases soon

I'm on Venlafaxine 225mg...I didn't really get lethargy but I did get terrible sweats...Night sweats and during the day.

I found they lasted a few weeks and then stopped apart from the odd occasion so it may be that your side effects do the same?

Worth sticking with them for a little while to see if the side effects calm down if they're working for you.

If you do decide to try something else you'll need to taper off Venlafaxine as the withdrawal is pretty horrid (I forget to take my tablets sometimes and would not recommend the withdrawal!)

That being said I have noticed feeling tired a lot and do nap at the weekends....I guess I just put it down to the extra weight I'm carrying but maybe it's the meds.

Anyway I've been on them for 2.5 years now and I just have a nap on the occasional weekend afternoon so it's nothing too difficult to manage compared to the alternative.

Thanks everyone for the replies. Think I'll stick with them for a while and just hope the tiredness fades over the next few weeks.