Venlafaxine

[Scm123]

Long story but I have been on sertraline for 3 years on and off. Recently I upped my dose from 25 to 50mg and the side effects have been horrific for four weeks severe anxiety and depression when I wasn't even depressed before just anxious and not relief.

My Dr has said to wean off and start venlafaxine. I'm just looking for some positive experiences of venlafaxine as I'm so scared of the same side effects again.

I've felt so bad for four weeks and just need to see a light at the end of the tunnel.

Thanks x

Can I ask why are you up to your dose? I'm about to start sertraline for the first time, and I've read so many posts on mums net about the negative effects. Until you increase your dose did it have positive effects? I need to take it for OCD and anxiety issues.

I have never heard of the other drug you mention, what are the side affects look like on that?

I'd reduced my dose as I was feeling okay and then had a dip so decided with a Dr I should up it again.

The past few years it has helped me a lot but the side effects starting were not good for me at all for the first 2-3 weeks, however that doesn't mean to say that you would get the same. Everyone reacts differently and you may not get any or only mild. I don't understand it myself as the side effects just aren't subsiding this time but the Dr said sometimes that happens.

Side effects are pretty much the same on them all if you look and it's just different people's reactions.

Sorry I can't be more help but in my opinion it's worth starting and see how you feel you can always come off and try something else.

Wishing you the best of luck

That is actually very helpful thanks for writing back.

It's funny I'm actually laughing to myself over my behaviour because I have to take them for anxiety, but I'm too anxious to take them because I read the side-effects leaflet. I never ever read those leaflets with ibuprofens or any other tablet so I wish I hadn't written with these.

I hope your new tablets have a better effect for you

I'm on venlafaxine it saved my life. I went from a very high dose down to 35mg over several years. no bad side effects but took 2 weeks to kick in properly

I also feel Venlafaxine saved my life. I was on my second hospital admission and had tried just about everything. A combination of Venlafaxine and ECT turned things around. I have no side effects but do not just stop taking it. I ran out once and it was awful. I am on quite a high dose though (300mg).

Thank you @user1483387154 and KateF.
I have heard withdrawals are bad! At the minute I just want something to work without sending me to rock bottom first.

Can I ask what ECT is?

I’m on 375mg daily it saved me

ECT is electroconvulsive therapy. Under anaesthetic. You are given an electric shock which induces a fit. This sort of recalibrates your brain and relieves severe depression. I had it twice a week for 9 weeks. It was gruelling but I went from suicidal to being able to return to work six months later. So far I haven't had a relapse and have recently been able to cut out one of my medications.

I've now been reading a lot of horror stories online which is scaring me from starting them.
I've started weaning off the sertraline today hope when that has reduced in my system I might feel a bit better.

Hi @babasaclover

Did you start the sertraline? How are you getting on?

Ven is a good antidepressant, I was on 300mg with 100mg quetiapine and I was the best I had ever been. Ven is difficult to come off and the nausea and anxiety when you first begin taking it are horrible. If you do get really bad nausea you could ask your doc for some cyclizine to tide you over until the nausea wears off, that's what my doc did. Xx

I was on 550mg if venlaflaxine and it didn't help at all. Sertraline works better.

I'm on Venlafaxine, and with DBT, has had a massive improvement on my life.

"I was on 550mg if venlaflaxine and it didn't help at all. Sertraline works better."

That was your experience, everyone is different. You can't say sertraline works better as a general statement.

I have been on venlafaxine for most of the last 12 years, I found if works much better for me than sertraline. It's quite hard to come off though.

@Scm123 No - I keep getting it out of the drawer and know I should start taking it. I'm going to get my husband to read the leaflet tonight so he can keep an eye on me for side-effects then bite the bullet and start taking it!

I have found Venlafaxine effective - but missing a tablet is horrendous...