Someone else needing an venflaxine hand-hold!

[Furryfeet]

Can anyone tell me how they've found going from 37.5 - 75 venlafaxine? I am contemplating doing this now I've gone past the 2 week mark since I started taking it (for anxiety/depression), but haven't managed to speak to my GP yet.

It's been a tough couple of weeks in terms of anxiety and lack of sleep - I've been hanging in there as best I can but wondering if it's worth it. Some nights I felt so incredibly wired I thought this can't be the right med for someone who already has sleep issues. However, I'm cautiously optimistic that the night time hyper arousal may be abating a little bit.

I've been taking the one 37.5 tablet first thing in the morning in the hope of minimising any sleeplessness. I've noticed that over the last 2-3 days I've felt really anxious and jittery in the late afternoon/evening, but pretty drowsy and sluggish in the morning in the hour or so after I take the tablet. So it makes me think that either I should start taking the tablet in the evening instead. Or maybe the morning tablet is working, but wearing off and I need to start taking a second one later in the day. I wouldn't be so indecisive if it wasn't for the difficult fortnight and ven's reputation for being difficult when you move the dose around or reduce it.

In a way I know these posts are a bit pointless as everyone responds differently so I could end up more confused, but a handhold would be nice : )

I started out on 75 and tbh it took me a bit longer to start to feel better - probably about 4 weeks before I really noticed a change. Felt like crap until then and almost ditched the whole idea, but managed to stick it out. I then moved to 150 with no problems and have recently doubled again to 300, again no side-effects, so really I think the main difficulties for most people seem to be when first starting or when trying to stop.

Hey @TeddyTrucks thanks, that’s useful. Since posting I have been thinking maybe I should stick with 37.5 for a little longer to get to know how this dose is actually affecting me, rather than dabbling, otherwise I won’t know what symptoms/side effects are down to the increase and what is just because it’s early days.

I've had varying advice on when to take the tablets. I'd heard that they weren't advisable to take at bedtime but my GP, who originally prescribed the 75 dose, said it was fine. However, I've just spent 4 weeks in a private MH facility and the psychs there said I should take all of it in the morning and it wouldn't make any difference, even on the huge 300 dose. I prefer it this way as I have approx 12 other tablets that I have to take all at once first thing, so it means I don't keep forgetting about the bedtime dose as it would be the only pill I needed to remember in the evenings.

Thanks@dane8 I hadn't even thought to ask for slow release but that could be a good workaround. And very sensible advice re taking it slowly. I need to remember that I only upped my HRT 10 days ago so could easily find myself in a pickle with too much chopping and changing