Scared of taking Venlafaxine 75mg

[Cat80]

I've just been prescribed this by my Dr after telling her the last 5 SSRI's I have tried have made me feel worse rather than better. She said this is an SNRI and should work better and is one of her favourite medications for GAD (general anxiety disorder). I'm just scared of taking it because I feel sick all the time it is and my phobia is vomiting. I know that nausea is a side effect of all anti anixety meds so just don't know what to do. My Dr did say to me you'll feel sick when first starting them so make sure you take your metoclopramide and that scared me. Just don't know what to do now.

[KK77]

Hi
I've never taken it but from what I've read and heard it's a very effective AD and helps a lot of people when SSRIs fail. I'm sure you'll be started on a low dose and won't get much nausea/sickness that way. You just need to come off very slowly to avoid bad withdrawals later. You'll never know though till you take it and you could be absolutely fine with it! The worst case would be you just stop taking it if it doesn't agree with you. Hope that helps a bit! x

[Cat80]

Thanks for your help. I know I'm being silly, just scared as i have had bad experiences in the past with SSRI's etc.

Well I took my first tablet about 40 mins ago and apart from a slightly achy lower stomach (which could be my IBS anyway) I don't feel too bad.

[Cat80]

Well I spoke too soon. Yesterday I spent most of the afternoon feeling queasy, falling asleep and my eyes felt really spaced out (couldn't look at things as felt dizzy). Last night I couldn't sleep well at all either. About to take my 2nd tablet and am dreading it. Wish I could take them in the evening to help me sleep but my Dr said to take them in the morning

[KK77]

Sorry to hear that ... but it's really normal to have side effects like that when you first start! Hope you feel better soon... X

[lostsoul]

Cat

Everyone is different - I had the complete opposite side effects to you when I started venlafaxine. felt a little sick but never was. I certainly wasnt tired couldnt stop moving around, Never did so much cleaning admittadly I didnt stick it out because I felt to agitated on it but I dont think it was as bad as the other SSRI's that I've taken by a long shot. I didnt sleep either but then again I never do I think it might be worth giving it a go it seems to really work when it works for people. Who knows you might be the one.

In many ways I wish I had stuck at it but I have a diazepam addiction which I am trying to deal with so I wasnt strong enough to deal with cutting down on those and starting the new med. But my phychiatrist insisted that I had to continue reducing my diazepam as well as starting the venlafaxine.

I'm taking pregabalin instead now. Its too early to say if thats working yet or not and it took a fight with my doc to get it due to NHS red tape - the old postcode lottery

Hope you got on Ok with your second dose, I know its hard but trust try and remember no pain then maybe no gain!

[BubbleBonce]

Hiya,

I took Venlafaxine for a few years a while back. It can make you very sleepy to start with but other than that I don't remember many side effects. I was very depressed at the time as well as having anxiety and it was cetainly better than the other SSRI's which made my anxiety worse! Arghh. Meds are a nightmare.

I'm also trying the Pregabalin like Lost Soul. It's very early days and I tried it a few weeks back and it gave me an awful headache & made me very sleepy. Sometimes we have to try things and push through the early weeks when things can get worse.

Weird though cuz I've asked my GP to go back on Venlafaxine and they said they couldnt prescribe it anymore and I'd have to go to a psychiatrist for it. Darn postcodes.

Good Luck.

Bubble

[Cat80]

Thanks so much for the replies. Just about to take my 3rd tablet and am trying to stick it out but it's so hard when I'm spending all day tired and the night time not sleeping well but saying that I didn't sleep too well before the tablets, I think I just notice it more because I'm tired all day. Wasn't expecting to feel so rough as at 75mg it's a low dose. It's the feeling sick that's bothering me as I have emetophobia so it's hard riding out the side effects.

It's weird some people can't get it prescribed by their Dr, why is that do you know? My Dr said this is her favourite tablet for people who have anxiety and depression. She said it went out of favour for a while because people with heart problems shouldn't take it.

I'm in Blackpool and had no problem getting it, very strange.

I guess the other thing that scares me as I've heard how hard it is to come off this tablet, I'm really scared of that happening as I've read some horror stories. I'm on 75mg so hoping that won't be as hard to come off when the time comes.

[BubbleBonce]

Coming off that med isnt too bad. It;s not like some of the SSRI's. Just take it slowly and you could always switch to the tablet ones you take twice a day and cut little bits off if you're worried. I came off that one OK.

[Cat80]

I know I shouldn't but I've been googling coming off Venlafaxine and there are so many horror stories. I just don't think I can go through that when the time comes. It's apparantly one of the worst anti depressants to come off so I really don't want to be on something this strong. I don't know what to do.