Starting venlafaxine for severe anxiety - hand hold!

[Sunnyscot80]

I have been struggling with severe anxiety for over a year. It started when I stopped breastfeeding my second child, when I was almost 41 (sure peri menopause has something to do with it) . Have tried a few meds which made me way worse.
My anxiety is very physical, insomnia, feeling over-adrenalised, feeling of constant worry about nothing,. Panic attacks and waking up with feelings of panic/adrenaline rushes rushes. And a constant feeling of de-realisation, which I hate.
I've got some beta blockers which take the edge off a little but obviously they don't lift my mood.
I've not very 'normal' for so long I've forgotten what it's like.
Anyone had success with venlafaxine? Looking for some positive stories. What is start up like?
Ive got 37.5 slow release tablets. Scared if this doesn't work, that there's nothing left!

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow when you first started venlafaxine, did you feel weird? I've just started taking it, and I feel kind of off my face! For want of a better way of putting it. It's like rushes. And I'm yawning lots, feeling sick and my pupils are huge. Is this normal?

@Sunnyscot80 Wondering how you are getting on with the Venlafaxine? Your symptoms sound very similar to mine - I almost could have written your post, except for the bit about the breastfeeding! : ) I am on day 11 and feel possibly slightly better but still not fully myself.

Hi.. have any of you combined Venlafaxine with Mirtazapine?
With Venlafaxine on medium to high dosage, and Mirtazapine on lower dose.

My mum is starting it today. She is on 150mg Venlafaxine, and it did help from previously being on Sertraline. She is back to doing basic things at home again (cooking and cleaning) - but not really enough to her usual quality of life (doesn't leave house, doesnt use phone, cries, dwells, emotionless about almost becoming a grandmother).

Doctor has added 15mg of Mirtazapine to this now.

and she is on 5mg of Olanzapine too.

Googling the combination is named "Californian Rocket Fuel". and even the consultant used the term "blockbuster combination".. I thought it was an unusual way to describe medicine from a professional .

I found Venlafaxine extremely helpful. I was on 375mg per day (two in the morning, three in the evening). It made a genuine, positive difference.

It takes a couple of weeks or so to kick in properly and I found one or two side-effects (muscle twinges, that sort of thing) if I was late taking a dose to be an issue. But the positives vastly outweighed these.

I take Mirtazapine now, but would still be happy with Venlafaxine if it was still being prescribed for me.

Good luck and very best wishes to you. x

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow @JustOneMoreStep @Muddlewitch @Numbersarefun

For those of you who have had good experiences of ven I was wondering if you can advise us noobs on a couple of points:

1 - what do you think when people (e.g. Dr Newson) say that menopause/peri symptoms can’t be helped with AD’s? Personally I find this hard to believe as I can’t see how mental health and menopause can be entirely separate. But it is disheartening to hear while I’m hoping against hope to feel some benefits from AD’s soon (I’m 2 1/2 weeks into the journey). Your perspectives are valued!
2 -how’s your sleep? Ven has a reputation in this department and it does worry me as I can’t afford to lose any more sleep atm as the OP has also mentioned

I can’t take HRT, so whatever Dr Newsone says can’t apply to everyone.

Sleep’s crap.

Venlafaxine was brilliant for me, particularly for the increasing feelings of utter despair I was having pre menstrually. I'm early 40s.

I was told most people are on 75 or 150mg from the GP, more severe depression can have higher but the highest dose patients are often receiving more specialised mental health care. And the horror stories you hear about coming off ven are often for patients who have been on higher doses.

It worked for me when 4 or 5 ssris hadn't.

Also, sleeps fab for me

Thanks for the feedback @ArseInTheCoOpWindow and sorry to hear about the sleep
@Caramac555 Interesting point re the doses. I tend to assume wrongly they every feature of a drug can be generalised to all user groups

Same

@Caramac555 i disagree about the side effects being related to higher dosage. I was on the lowest dose and my tapering/ withdrawal was horrible.

Hi, may I ask why you can't take HRT? Also magnesium is good for sleep x

Magnesium is good for sleep!

HRT gives me immediate thrush that l can’t get rid of. Even Vagifem and the like do it.

Ive tried magnesium including the one that’s meant to make you sleep but if had no effect.

Have you tried transdermal HRT? Gel or spray to arm/leg?

Yes l’ve tried every single variation, seen 4 different specialists. No one has an answer. I tried the gel stuff on 1/4 dose. Got thrush 2 days later.

Ive spent loads on magnesium. A spray that did nothing, some capsules that did nothing. And some that were just too huge to swallow. I tried to split them, but they were sharp when cut and hurt my throat. So l’ve kind of given up with magnesium.

Ive been on venlafaxine. It was good at first, but it was an absolute nightmare to come off it.
At 41, id ask for HRT first, as its far too common to be prescribed antidepressants for perimenopausal symptoms, and i dont think its always the appropriate treatment, and then youre stuck on them, unlike HRT

I never went over 75mg and never had a problem coming off it. Just cut to 37.5, then the half dose every other day, once every three days, etc.

I was very anxious about potential problems coming off it ( actually I was very nervous about everything at that point), my GP was quite reassuring.

I did gain weight on it though, despite it being classed as a weight neutral AD. Brain is clearly a complex/personal thing

It’s made me lose my appetite!

And the horror stories you hear about coming off ven are often for patients who have been on higher doses.
I came off 375 without tapering and it was scary but manageable. I couldn't stand to be on it anymore, how it made me feel, so couldn't have made myself take any, and I was only 19 so didn't follow the rules.

Hi all, It is very difficult to get my mum to routinely take her Venlafaxine - we have to administer it for her to have any confidence she is taking it.

She is on 150mg Venlafaxine, 15mg Mirtazapine and 5mg Olanzapine.

Dr advised to take Mirtazapine and Olanzapine in evening and Venlafaxine "during day".

However due to family being at work, the only time we can administer is morning (8am) and evening.

Is taking Venlafaxine so early in the morning OK?

Yeah it’s fine. That’s when l take mine.