Moving over from Citalopram to Venlafaxine

[chappers1980]

Hiya All,

My doc has decided that Citalopram has done as much as its going to do so they've moved me to Venlafaxine. Just wondered if anyone had any success stories and when I can expect results. I'm hoping to go back to work in 3 weeks .

I also wondered what the difference was between to the two drugs and why this one would be any better.

I went to doctors originally with anxiety but also had underlying depression. The anxiety is now a lot more manageable but i'm not quite my usual self yet.

Thanks x

[patricias]

hi, i have been asking the same thing. i have been on venlafaxine now for appprox 2/3 weeks. i was on citalapram for 10 years and i think that it had stopped working. so like you i hope this venalafaxine will make some differences. i have just been going through a bad sickness period that i guess is side effects that will settle down soon. i will be interested to see how you get on with this change over as well.

[petram]

hi how s it going on the venex guys? im on day 5 of 37.5 mg x

[premiumpackaging2]

CHAPPERS 1980 ... Check out Wikipaedia. Sorry to rain on your parade, but Venlafaxine appears to increase susceptibility toward suicide in some
people. I have pasted some info about that below:

Adverse effects
[edit] Suicide

The US Food and Drug Administration body (FDA) requires all antidepressants, including venlafaxine, to carry a black box warning with a generic warning about a possible suicide risk. In addition, the most recent research indicated that patients taking venlafaxine are at increased risk of suicide.
A study conducted in Finland followed more than 15,000 patients for 3.4 years. Venlafaxine increased suicide risk 1.6-fold (statistically significant), as compared to no treatment. At the same time, fluoxetine (Prozac) halved the suicide risk.[



---------- Post added at 12:26 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------

I believe that the wise course is to check out on line, say in Wikipaedia, whatever drugs that you have been prescribed and, which the Doctor or prescribing Physician did not have the time to tell you. Forewarned is Forearmed as they say.

[chappers1980]

CHAPPERS 1980 ... Check out Wikipaedia. Sorry to rain on your parade, but Venlafaxine appears to increase susceptibility toward suicide in some
people. I have pasted some info about that below:

Adverse effects
[edit] Suicide

The US Food and Drug Administration body (FDA) requires all antidepressants, including venlafaxine, to carry a black box warning with a generic warning about a possible suicide risk. In addition, the most recent research indicated that patients taking venlafaxine are at increased risk of suicide.
A study conducted in Finland followed more than 15,000 patients for 3.4 years. Venlafaxine increased suicide risk 1.6-fold (statistically significant), as compared to no treatment. At the same time, fluoxetine (Prozac) halved the suicide risk.[



---------- Post added at 12:26 ---------- Previous post was at 12:22 ----------

I believe that the wise course is to check out on line, say in Wikipaedia, whatever drugs that you have been prescribed and, which the Doctor or prescribing Physician did not have the time to tell you. Forewarned is Forearmed as they say.

I appreciate the message but all anti-depressants can do this so its not something that really concerns me. Personally for me they haven't given me any suicidal thoughts and have really changed me for the better the last couple of weeks. I've managed to go back to work this week and am eating and sleeping finally. I know they aren't wonder drugs but they do work for some people and i haven't really had any side effects :-)

[Catya]

How did you do the cross over Chappers? Would really appreciate hearing how you found the change over.
Many thanks xx

[chappers1980]

How did you do the cross over Chappers? Would really appreciate hearing how you found the change over.
Many thanks xx

I literally did a straight swap one day to the next from 40mg of Citalopram to 37.5mg of Venlafaxine. My GP thought that i would be ok as i'd had not that bad side effects on citalopram. I had a bad headache and was a bit more anxious for a day or 2 but nothing i couldn't cope with. My GP did say if i got the shakes to alternate between the two for a couple of days if it got bad. But tbh it was fine.

[varucasalt]

I was wondering can I straight swap from 20 mg of citalopram to venafaxine? My gp told me to go down to 10 mg for a week and then go without citalopram for 1 day and then start venafax how are ppl doing on Effexor/venafaxaline im so scared to do it. But I have been on citalopram since 2000 and I am having lots of panic attacks and anxiety Many thanks I know this is an old post.

[panic_down_under]

I was wondering can I straight swap from 20 mg of citalopram to venafaxine? My gp told me to go down to 10 mg for a week and then go without citalopram for 1 day and then start venafax

The recommended way to switch from SSRIs to SNRIs is via a short cross-taper, however, venlafaxine is really only a SSRI so it probably could be switched to overnight with minimal issues. However, it pays to humour GPs so follow the advice given.

But I have been on citalopram since 2000 and I am having lots of panic attacks and anxiety

Was any consideration given to increase the citalopram dose to 40mg?

Also, adding a small dose of buspirone (Buspar) to a failing serotonergic antidepressant can sometimes restore its effectiveness. Buspirone at doses of up to 30mg/day may also reduce some SSRI side-effects, particularly sexual dysfunction.

[varucasalt]

Yes, I have been on this drug since 2000, I had been up to 60mg with lots of heart palpitations and then the warning came out not to go over 40. So went down to 40mg, stayed there for a bit. Now down to 20mg and I am goin to taper this thurs, 10mg fri 10mg sat 10 sun10 mg then to effexor. I hope this works as I work in a medical clinic very busy. If anyone at all can shed some light on this and how and if effexor has helped them. It would be nice.

Thanks