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Thread: "My Effexor Diary"

  1. #1

    "My Effexor Diary"

    Hi all

    Just posted my first post in the intro forum so some more background there if anyone is interested!

    I have been on Propranolol 80mg for a couple of years now and have just been prescribed Venlafaxine MR (Effexor XL) 75mg because the GAD is still there.

    Have them here but haven't taken the first one yet, just a bit worried out taking them as they have a lot of negative feedback - but I guess everything has it's good and bad side and reading the Propranolo forum there is a fair amount of bad feedback there and I didn't think twice about starting those.

    Guess I'm just looking for a bit of reassurance, and guidance - will read this forum to try and get an idea of the best time to take etc.

    Will try and post my day by day experiences here.

    Matt

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
    Posts
    146

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Hiya

    I was same - on propanolol for ages then started seroxat then effexor xl.

    For me, the side effects when I first started taking them were dreadful for about 2 weeks then calmed right down and it controls my mood and anx pretty well.

    I've not had the greatest time trying to come off them but GP has been good at suggesting ways to make it easier so am sure I will get there eventually.

    Only think I would say is that they are supposed to be a second stage drug (or so my GP tells me) i.e. they would normally try you on another SSRI type drug first and if that doesnt work, they would try effexor.

    Might be worth just asking your GP why they have chosen that as the first step?

    Good luck with them anyway - hope they help

    G

  3. #3

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Day One

    Well I took my first 75mg capsule last night with dinner around 7pm, but wasn't sure what time I should have been taking it. I had some heightened anxiety as soon as I took it, and started imagining side effects right away! I felt quite relaxed as the evening went on though, just chilled out and watched some TV.

    Went to bed about 10:30pm and read for an hour, and feeling tired decided to go to sleep. So basically cue a whole night of lying there trying to get to sleep but having racing thoughts and needing the toilet every hour. I think I may have got an hour total throughout the night but it wasn't good sleep.

    I don't know if this was a side effect from the med or just anxiety at having taken it but I feel very rough this morning - no sleep, plus feel nauseous and shaky. I know the first couple of weeks can be rough, so am just looking forward thinking that this is expected and not to worry.

    Am thinking about taking the capsule at lunchtime today and maybe first thing tomorrow as if it gives me racing thoughts I don't need these as a I try to get to sleep.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    , , United Kingdom.
    Posts
    146

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Hiya again!

    side effects I got were nausea and light headedness - both normal apparently. I also get them if I forget to take it on time and go more than about 4 hours late.

    Stick with it - it'll get easier.

    BTW I take mine in the morning - seems better for me.

  5. #5

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Yeah I think I'm going to switch to taking them in the morning, as they seem to give me a lot of energy which is no good right before I go to bed.

    As for the GP prescribing me these, she had prescribed me Citalopram a few months back but we decided between us to hold off on those. When I saw her this time she thought Effexor would be best as in her experience she has seen better results with them for treating mainly anxiety (as I have symptoms of like anixety 80%, depression 10%, panic 10%).

  6. #6

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Day Two

    Took my tablet with lunch yesterday and while it made me feel very spaced out in the afternoon and evening I went to sleep with no problem and only woke up once - so I think taking them earlier is the better option for me.

    Felt like I had the flu yesterday evening, but I guess that's just the side effects. Woke up this morning with a really bad headache which is resisting painkillers at the moment. Hopefully that will go away with time or now that I have eaten.

    Have taken todays pill with breakfast so will see how that works out.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    87

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Hi

    I think its a great idea doing a blog on here i wish i had when i started venlafaxine. Im one of the lucky ones who found venlafaxine after 8 months of severe anxiety problems both mentally & physically. This drug worked almost from day 1, i did have headaches and tiredness and flu feelings but compared to daily panic attacks, blurred vision and the thought that i was going to have a fit this was an improvement. It all goes after a week or so so keep at it. I started on 75mg for a week then went to 150mg. I will say that although i found this drug the best for me dont set your expectations to high. It helped me and got me back to about 75% of my normal self but i still had minor anxiety, weakness and mood swings but nowhere near as bad as id had before the drug. I also found that at the 2 month stage i experienced a few head zaps and still experienced tiredness but i was told that this was the drug and not my body.

    I managed to withdraw from this drug in 4 weeks and so far 3 months on im doing ok. the key to coming off for me was to understand that the drug replicates some symptoms of anxiety which may not be being caused by your body. Its hard to explain but its almost as if you recover underneath the drug but still have some symptoms that the drug brings on. Its only once you withdraw completely that you realise that you can be stable and moreless panic free.

    Im going through a testing time at the moment as i have just had to resign from my job as the pressure really got to me (it was in a very aggressive sales role) i found i couldnt function and ended up having to make up appointments etc just to keep my job. (i only made up a few appointments nothing else) Im now stressed out as the company know i made up some appointments to hide that i was struggling and im ashamed and worried about my reputation. The problem i have is that i have held senior roles in management before i got ill and i find accepting failure very hard, its difficult to accept that you will never be the same person as you were before in terms of emotional strength. I only had this job for 4 months and when i took it i was convinced i could cope and that i was still the same person but i realise now that sales isnt me anymore so im seeking a role in training or something similar. I just find my emotions running away with negative thoughts rather than looking to the future and finding a role that will make me happy. (sorry got that off my chest) what im trying to say is that this drug got me functioning again but thats as far as it goes the last 25% is up to me to change my life to help keep the anxiety away. My psychiatrist who has been brilliant gave me one prescription when i finished with him in August and that was to look at the meaning of the word mindfulness on the internet. I will keep an eye on how your getting on so if you want to ask anything about symptoms etc just let me know. Good luck with the recovery.

  8. #8

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Thanks for the kind words Jon, always interesting to hear from someone who has been there. Sorry to hear about your job, and hope that it all works out okay.

    I have come to the conclusion as well that perhaps my job is too high pressured for me and I need to find something else, but when you're in the grip of the anxiety you feel trapped and the thought of making a life change (as in new job) was too much for me to think about.

    The doctor made a good point that there is no point keep patching me up to put me back on the front line just to fall again - if my personality is not suited to the job or the situation then I need to change it ('square peg, round hole' in his words).

    I just hope the medication gives me the strength to make a change for the better and get the most out of my CBT experience.

  9. #9

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    Day Three

    Well after taking yesterdays pill at breakfast I felt pretty tired and run down during the day and had the headache for most of the day. I didn't have any appetite but managed to eat in the evening.

    Again didn't have any problem falling asleep at around 11pm and only woke up once, so hopefully taking the pill earlier has stopped the falling asleep problem.

    Woke up this morning still feeling like I have the flu, with another headache. Hoping that this is just my body getting used to the medication and will settle down after a few days.

    Was supposed to be going somewhere last night but don't feel co-ordinated enough to drive safely at the moment.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Posts
    87

    Re: Just prescribed Effexor XL

    The doctor made a good point that there is no point keep patching me up to put me back on the front line just to fall again - if my personality is not suited to the job or the situation then I need to change it ('square peg, round hole' in his words).

    I think this comment of yours is the key to both mine and your long term recovery, Unfortunately some of us seem to have an inbuilt self destruct button. Mine is taking on to much and putting to much pressure on myself to be someone im not really capable of being at the moment. I like the lifestyle where i dont have to many money worries and can eat out and do nice things with my family without to much worry about finances, Im really struggling to accept at the moment that for a year or two i may have to plod along just making sure the mortgage is paid and learn a new proffesion that will enable me to work without extreme daily pressure! Im a proud person who also worries to much about what others think, a few years ago i was happy and successful now i just dread bumping into someone from my school days and being asked what im doing!

    To look at the positives i have a beautiful wife and two fantastic if not loud children, we have recently bought a decent house so i really should be looking on the bright side, i guess im just scared of the future and what it holds for me following this illness.

    Sorry to hear you have not noticed an improvement yet in the meds, its the weekend in 8 hours so chill out go for a walk and get lots of sleep, Hopefully you will feel better by Monday.

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