Venlafaxine- anxiety and anger. Help

[welshdory]

My doctor moved me onto this about 10 weeks ago. I'm feeling awful on it, extreme anxiety in the afternoon and evening and I feel so irritable and quick to snap, can these meds increase anger and irritability? I also feel nauseous during the day and a bit wired.

I'm starting to feel like a lost cause. I've tried several different meds, with escitralopram being the one I was on the longest. My doctor has suggested I go back onto escitralopram or try lofepramine.

I've almost finished a round of bereavement counselling and still feel awful.

Any suggestions greatly received.

[panic_down_under]

I'm feeling awful on it, extreme anxiety in the afternoon and evening and I feel so irritable and quick to snap, can these meds increase anger and irritability?

Yes, both are potential AD side-effects.

I'm starting to feel like a lost cause.

There are no lost causes, just doctors, psychiatrists and therapists who give up when patients don't respond to the meds in their limited by the numbers treatment script.

I've tried several different meds, with escitralopram being the one I was on the longest. My doctor has suggested I go back onto escitralopram or try lofepramine.

Lofepramine is a noradrenaline, aka norepinephrine (NA) biased reuptake inhibiting TCA. It may do the trick, but I think either imipramine (Tofranil), or amitriptyline (Elavil) are better choices. Unlike venlafaxine both do actually inhibit NA reuptake to a significant degree. Imipramine was the AD that pulled me out of my first bout of panic disorder and the one I'd go back to if I ever need to switch from my current TCA.