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Original poster

Sertraline and venlafaxine

6 replies

Lottie124 · 13/07/2020 11:13

Please help I’ve been on sertraline 5 weeks! I’m seem very little improvement! I’m still very very anxious. Spoke with my doctor This morning who suggested adding in venlafaxine to help with anxiety! I’ve had a very bad experience starting on sertraline so very apprehensive about starting venlafaxine as well. Any advice or experiences would be greatly appreciated

OP posts:
Zinco · 13/07/2020 12:44

With Venlafaxine, you can find people that say that it worked when other antidepressants didn't, but you can also find quite a lot of people that complain about it. For example, the withdrawal symptoms from Venlafaxine can be brutal.

Seems a little strange that your doctor wouldn't first try increasing the sertraline dosage. I'm guessing you are on 50mg, and many people would need higher dosage for it to reduce anxiety. (Obviously depending on individual response that it even works at all.)

Zinco · 13/07/2020 13:13

Also if it's being suggested that you take two antidepressants at the same time, in the UK at least I think that normally needs to be done under the recommendation of a psychiatrist and not a GP. It would be an increased risk for (rare) serotonin syndrome.

Iamnotmad · 13/07/2020 13:51

I am almost certain that this combination of drugs is not safe. I have never heard of the two prescribed together. Please go and see your pharmacist who will know for certain.

villamariavintrapp · 13/07/2020 13:55

5 weeks is very soon to be changing again. Have they increased the dose of Sertraline yet? You'd be better giving that one a proper try before they jump to something else.

Amber0685 · 13/07/2020 14:12

Are you sure the doctor didn't mean to stop the Setraline and change to Venlafexine? It would be unusual to take both together as they work in a similar manner. As a pp said it might be worth trying an increased dose of Setraline first if you are only on 50mg.

Original poster
Lottie124 · 13/07/2020 14:31

No he definitely said add in the venlafaxine! I’m not going to do as I have read on line it’s really hard to come off, Going to Persist with the sertraline but longer! I did up it to 100mg and it was making me really drowsy and I’m looking after my 2 year old! Couldn’t tolerate it x

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