Venlafaxine

[Moominy12]

Hi all.

Just wondering if anyone else is on the antidepressant venlafaxine and what their side effects were?

Been on the just over a week and found that i have completely lost my appetite which honestly has made me very happy as I need to lose some weight. Is this a normal side effect? And will it last?

[Haribogirl]

I take mine at 10.30am 150mg slow release capsule
Go to bed between 11-12 pm
Can sometimes sleep through till about 7am, other times I’ll wake 2/3 times a night but only for say 5 mins and just get back off

I’ve never forgot, as I’ve read about if you forget a dose.

[Springtrolls]

I take a dose in the morning and then in the evening

[Summerfalls]

Some nights I’m the same as you haribo sleep but wake up a lot but able to fall back off, other nights I sleep but wake up wide awake for hours then get back off again, and then some nights like last night I was absolutely shattered went to sleep with my son about 7.30 again kept waking every hour but able to fall back to sleep until 2.30 am and I have been wide awake since. Atm irregular sleep isn’t causing me any problems I can deal with it. I also take mine in the morning, sometimes not until nearer lunch, it time depends on how early I can force feed myself couple slices of toast before taking my meds.

[Trooperslane2]

I'm forcing down crackers and a bit of cheese so I can try and take my dose.

I have zero appetite - what are you guys eating when you can't eat?

[Summerfalls]

Toast and butter in morning which even that takes me ages to chew and swallow just want to spit every bite out if I’m honest. And meal in evening, that is literally it, nothing between.
It’s awful isn’t it, hope it improves for you soon

[Mammysin]

I take mine in the morning. I ran out a month ago and stupidly did not replace for three days- not sure about withdrawal but was so, so desperately low & crying. No chance of forgetting here!

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I took this.
It gave me the worst trapped wind, I don't mean just a bit annoying I mean so bad I was crying and rolling around convinced my stomach would rupture.
I've never known anything like it.
The withdrawals were horrific too.
Never, ever again.

[Trooperslane2]

I have a doc appointment next week, however any advice what to try and eat when you have absolutely no appetite?

I'm really struggling with it.

[Summerfalls]

Have you tried soup trooper and a soft roll with butter or buttered bread? Bit easier to stomach.
Although I’m finding my taste buds are affected and my favourite soup tasted vile when I had it yest I managed the bread but not all of the soup, not sure if anyone else has experienced this.

Bananas too maybe.
If you like peanut butter and don’t have nut allergy maybe this on toast. Again it’s something I enjoyed before but now can’t even stomache the smell of it so I have stuck with just toast and butter.
Humous and pita bread or carrots stick.
Rice pudding

Sorry not much help as I’m exactly like you and have zero appetite still. And foods I’m reccomending have no appeal to me anymore.

[Summerfalls]

Hot chocolates made with full fat milk also if you are struggling to eat but could possibly stomach those? I should probably take my own advice too but it’s so difficult when your brain no longer signals hunger/thirst feelings and the smell and taste of things turn you stomache.

[Shattered04]

I think I must be the only person gaining weight on it! My weight had been stable for over a year, even on Citalopram. But as soon as I swapped to Venlafaxine 75mg I ate exactly the same (no more, no less) but I started gaining 1-2lbs a week. I immediately went on the sort of diet that has always worked for me in the past (smaller portion size, reduce carbs a bit) and all it's done is stabilise me, and I'm often feeling hungry.

Also, it doesn't actually seem to be working, which is also a bit shit!

I do wonder if 150mg will make the weight issue worse or not - I'm wary about finding out as it'll make it harder to come off.

[Summerfalls]

Shattered I have read far more reviews online of people gaining weight then I have losing appetite and weight. Medications affect people differently, also I think more people are prone to reporting the weight gain as an issue then people would report weight loss as some people are happier to lose few pounds than gain few pounds so it’s not an issue for everyone.

I’m only 75mg myself atm it’s definately not working right now to improve my depression still struggling to function, and prob need my dose increased I’m just worried increasing the dose will increase the unwanted side effects so not sure right now if I need to continue or switch medication. So like you wary about it but for different reasons. I have appointment with psych and cpn tomorrow to discuss this. Have you had a follow up yet to discuss your medication?

[Shattered04]

Summer - I'm going on Thursday (so long as the snow holds off - it's a 30 minute train journey) so I'll discuss it then. I've been on it since Christmas and it's doing nothing except make me gain! The Citalopram did work, but at the expense of my already failing brain and anything to do with sex. Venlafaxine doesn't do that at 75mg, but it doesn't do much else either beyond literally giving me nightmares.

Sometimes I wonder if it has to be one or the other. In order to make the anxiety and depression go away, do we have to give up everything else?

I'm sorry you're struggling so much with the food side of it. I'm not eating more than usual, but I guess it has slowed my metabolism.

[Summerfalls]

Really hope the snow doesn’t have affect on you being able to make your train journey on Thursday I will keep my fingers crossed for you shattered.

Yes I have always wondered the same, I have been single for 4 years have no sex drive or interest in even dating or spending time with the opposite sex I wonder if it is related, I have been on various medications since I was young.

Thank you, I hope you begin to feel much better soon too also, mental health is enough to deal with on its own and finding the right medications, right dose and minimal side effects is tough but hopefully we will all get there at some point sooner rather than later

[Shattered04]

Thank you!

It wouldn't surprise me. It seems to be the first thing to go when it comes to so many medications, including the pill.

I always found it ironic that when you're at your lowest, we have to deal with trying to work out which medication is best, complete with "new drug" side effects and then withdrawal each time. I'm actually currently in a worse state than when I started.

I hope we can both find something that works soon!

[Philomenajudy17]

I am going through the menopause and my doctors wants me to go on Vennalex, I am on 20mg of citiapram and hopefully they will help with my hot flushes and don’t gain any weight can any give me advice please

[granadagirl]

Start in 37.5mg and don’t move up till you have stabilised on that, when any SE you may have (may not) have settled
If you need to up, do it slowly
Never mind what gp says, they like to get you to therapeutic dose asap this is to fast
Just say I’d like to try Effexor 37.5mg extended release. Venlafaxine is powerful, so I’d stay at least 4/6 weeks before increase.