Venlafaxine

[Irishoneybun1]

I would really welcome any people's comments on Venlafaxine. I have had such trouble sleeping and relaxing lately and have quite a few other meds I need to take for different conditions so adding what sounds like quite a powerful drug to my current regime is something I want to discuss with my husband. My doctor recommended it as he thinks it will work (2 x 37.5mg) Really like to hear from anyone who can tell me their experience - many thanks

Hi @Irishoneybun1 I have been taking Venlafaxine for almost 2 weeks now, i was initially prescribed 75mg (in 1 capsule) i took this on the first day and felt terrible, heart palpitations, chest pain, really strong brain fog, brain zaps, everything felt like it was in slow motion and I had awful nausea. At this point I did my own research, I found lots of people had experienced the same thing, I wanted to persevere though so I cut the dose in half, I opened the capsule and to my surprise there was 6 tiny little pills inside, I was expecting powder or tiny micro-granules, so I removed 3 and and put 3 back in thus halving the dose as I had read most people start on 37.5mg so this was now about right, I started taking them earlier and earlier each day. About 1-2 hours after taking them I feel nauseous and extremely tired, not with it at all, like everything is a dream, as the day goes on my head feels less thick and heavy and the side affects pass, I am still waiting for the insomnia to go but that could be connected to my personal issues not the AD, as I say it has only been a few weeks for me.
In terms of anxiety and depression I feel less anxious and snappy, I can feel my depression lifting as time goes on, AD are not a quick fix, they are expected to take 4-8 weeks to be in-bedded in your system and begin working properly. xx

I've been on Venlafaxine for 13 years now and it's been a lifesaver for me. None of the other Antidepressants worked half as well. I take 300mg a day alongside a mood stabiliser called Lamotrigine. I'm assuming that you wouldn't have been prescribed them if they didn't work with your other meds.

I've been on a 75mcg dose once a day for the past 6-ish years. The upside is that I feel so much better on it. The awful PMT and mood swings have gone and I cope with life a lot better. I have one slow-release tablet a day and that works for me. I'd tried Paroxetine (gave me suicidal impulses like wanting to drive my car into a wall) and Citalopram (did nothing) before that for post-natal depression and PMT.

Downsides:

• My GP and I tried reducing my daily dose to 37.5mg a couple of years ago, with a view to weaning me off it. The symptoms came straight back. I tried it for 6 months before going back to 75mg.

• The first couple of weeks of taking it were quite hard. I felt dizzy, nauseous and absolutely exhausted. It felt like I was drunk and the floors were slanted. I'd recommend taking the first two days off work or starting on a Friday night.

• If I forget to take it for a day or 2 or am late requesting a prescription then the withdrawal effect is quite severe. I feel nauseous and like my head is in a big bell, reverberating again and again. The most I've gone is 5 days when I had to wait for a prescription and I felt so ill. When I got the prescription I felt immediately better but had the first-time exhaustion again. I needed naps for a couple of days.

Thahks to rsponses above I am new to Mumsnet and cant see a reply section to speak to you individually but the points especially about taking this drug late is interesting so sounds quite a powerful medication. I like that I read about weight loss (I am very overweiight) I have been doing a bit of reading too and note that benzos need a different withdrawal from other mood lifting drugs? Thanks all for your response much apprecaited

I would stop thinking of it as “such a powerful drug” It’s just another antidepressant and one I found very helpful although I too started on 37.5G. I felt so unwell with depression I don’t think I noticed any side effects- I was already nauseous, dizzy and nervous! But it quickly kicked in and I could get up again.
I am not sure what you mean by “benzodiazepines needing a different withdrawal?” Venlafaxine isn’t one but I assume you are on them just now? They are much more risky than venlafaxine and yes you have to withdraw slowly. They are very addictive and I would be trying to get off them

Reading with interest. Have only just started taking these and feeling nauseous and exhausted with upset stomach. How long are these side effects likely to last? I want to persevere but I'm struggling to function and have dc to take care of.

Mr Bob found your reply answered my quetion really wlll as of course instead of keep calling it a powerful drug. Think with all my faffing around last few years and being warned off V I have wavered a bit. If it gets rid of this awful down feeling the minute I wake interspersed, with severe irritability its ruining my life and my dear husband . So this morning I actually took my first tab. A little bit of nausea but I can put up with quite a lot if its going to help. Thank you and everyone for such a good response. Really appreciate it x

@magenta4634737 I have been taking for almost 2 weeks now, the side effects are tapering off I'm pleased to say! I halved my dosage though as I found 75mg was too strong I felt like I'd taken a class A drug, by halving the dosage I feel less out of it and in a dream world ... the nausea was horrible at the start though! xx

I have only been taking it for 3 days but every afternoon I am exhausted and have fallen asleep (can do this because husband is around to look after dc) but I can't continue like this because I have a pre-schooler to look after and don't have the luxury of napping when I want. I am only on 37.5 mg! I take the med at night but by 1 pm the following day I feel shattered.

I have been taking for more than a decade - completely changed my life after trying so many ADs. The first few weeks I had mild nausea and insomnia. If I forget a dose I start getting brain zaps after 24 hours or so (and very vivid dreams and night sweats).

But it takes everyone differently. If your Dr prescribes it then it is probably worth a try. If the side effects aren't worth it then stop

@Allington how did Venlafaxine change your life?

I have been on 225mg for the best part of 2 years. So I can't recall how I felt when I first started taking it, but I get severe nausea, headaches and brain zaps if I forget to take even just one dose. GP tried me on 300mg but the high dose itself gave me brain zaps.

@DuckPancake how do the brain zaps make you feel?

@PrettySad - Best way I can describe it is like a short but intense dizziness accompanied by tingling lips for me. So it might be if I turn my head too quickly, that will normally result in a zap if I've missed a dose or am coming to the end of its effectiveness before my next due dose.

@DuckPancake that's how I feel, my eyes feel like they go all goggly and are rattling around in my head at great speed ....

@dane8 75mg can you explain more on prolonged release please? Does this mean after 13.5 hour I will feel sad and anxious again?

@dane8 this makes sense! I take mine at 10am every morning... I'd take take earlier but I can't guarantee I'll be awake... I'm scared of taking late or missing a dose, it's funny you say that as if I have a late night around midnight I become tearful and inconsolable... must be wearing off then

@prettysad because it treated my persistent depression that I had struggled with for many years. Life still has it's ups and downs, but I do don't battle every day just to do the ordinary, everyday aspects of being alive.

@Allington thanks for your reply. Please can you cover briefly how your days would be affected by depression? I want to understand if I am actually depressed and need these pills...

I took 75 mg for two years and it was life changing. I recently warned myself off over a period of a month with no ill effects.

How on earth I forgot to take this morning's dose of 37.5mg Venlafaxine I don't know. Think its because I have 6 other tabs to take (lots of illness unfortunately) So just taken now (6.30pm) do you think it would be ok to take the second one at say 10pm tonight?