PDA

View Full Version : Finally feeling myself :0)



chappers1980
06-01-12, 13:37
For those of you on venlafaxine, I just wanted to share my experience. This week I went back to work after 2-3 months off with severe anxiety and depression and this drug I believe coupled with sheer determination has finally started to give me my life back. I'm still on the road to recovery and in hindsight I think I've probably been ill for a couple of years. This week I feel like the old me, the me I was when I first met my husband ten years ago, the me who was chilled out, the me who would do things without constantly thinking about how i feel. Dont get me wrong there are still times during the day when the glimmer of anxiety tries to overcome me but I can finally put those feelings to the back of mind rather than them taking over.

If the first anti-depressant you get offered doesn't work for you (for me it was Citalopram), don't give up, try something else til you find something that suits you.

Good luck everyone, you will get there x:yesyes:

eternally optimistic
06-01-12, 13:43
Well done chappers, great post for the New Year.

Onward and upwards.

Keep it coming.

Best wishes

nicola1980
06-01-12, 13:48
Yay thats great news, well done :yesyes: xx

petram
07-01-12, 12:48
brill news hun , im on day 9 of 37.5 still doc dont want to up till the 2 weeks mark , 1 thing i have noticed on my good days is by 6.30 ish i start to feel agitated n anxious n a bit moody too but like i say im on 1 a day of normal tabs do u think this is coz of the half life thing with them and maybe i need a bit more or over the next few days will it last a bit longer into the eve??
nice to have a good reveiw on this med , my aunty and sister take this also and swear it s the best 1 by far , :) xxx

Catya
07-01-12, 17:40
Chappers... what dose citalopram were you on, and for how long?

I've upped to 40mg citalopram (been on it since the beginning of November) but it's still not got to my low mood.

Venlafaxine is one that may be tried next but I feel quite scared by it.

chappers1980
07-01-12, 23:12
I was on 40mg for about 3 weeks of Citalopram (I'd had 6 weeks of 10mg and 20mg prior to that).

Why are you scared of venlafaxine? Every day I get that little bit better :-)

petram
08-01-12, 14:33
chappers did u take the tab ? and if so did u take em together or 1 morn /1 after noon ?
when u upped from 37.5 ?
and did u notice any side effects when upping?
how long altogethe ru been on them now ?
xx

Catya
08-01-12, 15:36
Why are you scared of venlafaxine? Every day I get that little bit better :-)

Well its the bad withdrawal that frightens me. I was on Seroxat for a long time and found it very difficult to come off. Also I worry if you gain weight on it?
I think I may be put onto it though as Citalopram really isn't working... I have to feel better than this. :wacko: xx

chappers1980
08-01-12, 19:02
Well its the bad withdrawal that frightens me. I was on Seroxat for a long time and found it very difficult to come off. Also I worry if you gain weight on it?
I think I may be put onto it though as Citalopram really isn't working... I have to feel better than this. :wacko: xx

I'm going to cross that bridge when i come to it. I needed to take them to feel better and the anxiety was ruining my life. I haven't put weight on (yet) but then i've cut out a lot of junk as i think that was helping with my symptoms. I've cut out everything with caffeine, so tea/coffee, soft drinks, chocolate etc...

petram
17-01-12, 17:35
chappers how long before u see a steady improvement on the 75mg a day??
i hope ya still doing well? x

cathycrumble
17-01-12, 17:56
love to hear a success story well done !!

I was wandering about this AD but I heard it can raise your blood pressure is that true?

I know someone who is on it and they have been on it for 10 years and seem fine but they also take lithium.

Cathy xx

chappers1980
20-01-12, 16:16
Sorry its taken me a while to reply, as i'm feeling a lot better, i'm trying to cut down how much time I spend on here!

I believe its true but my GP just checks by BP every time i go for a review, so far its not raised mine. At my latest review yesterday because i am pretty much better and back at work full time now, I only have to take mine for another 4 weeks and then they will wean me off x

Stormsky
20-01-12, 16:39
Sorry its taken me a while to reply, as i'm feeling a lot better, i'm trying to cut down how much time I spend on here!

I believe its true but my GP just checks by BP every time i go for a review, so far its not raised mine. At my latest review yesterday because i am pretty much better and back at work full time now, I only have to take mine for another 4 weeks and then they will wean me off x

Excellent that youve been feeling so good... real success like others said...but you could be back at square one once your off them.. thats what my gp told me, and sure enough was the case... been off meds now for 5 months, but dont want to go back on them... they dont cure the problems ,just mask them for a bit....

pinkdove
20-01-12, 16:55
Sorry its taken me a while to reply, as i'm feeling a lot better, i'm trying to cut down how much time I spend on here!

I believe its true but my GP just checks by BP every time i go for a review, so far its not raised mine. At my latest review yesterday because i am pretty much better and back at work full time now, I only have to take mine for another 4 weeks and then they will wean me off x
Hi chappers, i am on cit and have been for over a year now, started 10mg got up to 60mg which was way to high.

I am still not 100% although much better, and have thought of changing. did you just go from one to the other, or did you have to wean off cit, i take 25mg just now, sorry for all the question;s but it is so nice to read something positive........long may it continue for you x

petram
20-01-12, 17:32
hi pink , i belive u can go straight onto venlafaxine from a ssri xx

chappers1980
20-01-12, 17:42
hi pink , i belive u can go straight onto venlafaxine from a ssri xx

I went from one to the other straight away from one day to the next. Didn't really get any side effects.

---------- Post added at 16:37 ---------- Previous post was at 16:36 ----------


Excellent that youve been feeling so good... real success like others said...but you could be back at square one once your off them.. thats what my gp told me, and sure enough was the case... been off meds now for 5 months, but dont want to go back on them... they dont cure the problems ,just mask them for a bit....


I appreciate that but I've had plenty of counselling as well and sorted out all the issues I had with my life so hopefully should I feel like this in the future, I will have the coping mechanisms.

---------- Post added at 16:42 ---------- Previous post was at 16:37 ----------


Hi chappers, i am on cit and have been for over a year now, started 10mg got up to 60mg which was way to high.

I am still not 100% although much better, and have thought of changing. did you just go from one to the other, or did you have to wean off cit, i take 25mg just now, sorry for all the question;s but it is so nice to read something positive........long may it continue for you x

I only swapped as i was so desperate to get back to work so i asked my doctor if we could move things along quicker as Cit really wasn't doing that much for me. Venlafaxine has lifted my mood no end. I don't expect to never feel emotions like anxiety etc but its enabled me to think clearer without all of the intrusive thoughts so when i do have a bad day, i can put things to the back of my mind or rationalise the symptoms i get and put them into perspective. I'm not on a very high dose either so i'm hoping coming off them won't be so bad but i'm going to take it slow. I am personally a very impatient person which is why i wanted to get back to work so fast.

Hope you are ok, maybe you should ask the doctor if you could try something else. Venlafaxine is a SNRI so it is slightly different to a SSRI.

Stormsky
20-01-12, 17:42
---------- Post added at 16:37 ---------- Previous post was at 16:36 ----------




I appreciate that but I've had plenty of counselling as well and sorted out all the issues I had with my life so hopefully should I feel like this in the future, I will have the coping mechanisms.

thats great... i really hope it all works out then..:yesyes:

pinkdove
20-01-12, 17:56
Thank you chappers, will really think about it x

Catya
20-01-12, 21:42
Pinkdove this is what I'm supposed to be doing. The 40mg of citalopram really isn't doing its job and I was to swap straight over to 37.5 venlafaxine twice a day.

I just keep chickening out though...... Xx

pinkdove
20-01-12, 23:19
Hi catherine, yes i am the same on cit, better but still not right, low moods, and simmering anxiety, find it hard to relax and switch off, so thinking about a change, but like you i'm scared lol

Catya
21-01-12, 10:20
I think I am going to do it though.... I'll just go for it I think!

pinkdove
21-01-12, 10:45
Good luck catherine, i hope it helps you to feel better. let us know how you get on x

Catya
21-01-12, 14:24
Yep, have done it!
I'm going to try to forget I've taken it now.... Lol x

petram
22-01-12, 17:52
chappers how long in total was it taking the 75mg that u began to feel a good difference in mood ???
and did u find when u 1st upped ya ya intrusive thoughts got a little worse??
xxx

---------- Post added at 16:52 ---------- Previous post was at 16:50 ----------

well done catya if u need any advice or query any side effects just ask i was terrified of taking it too now 3 n a bit weeks into it xx

chappers1980
25-01-12, 19:48
chappers how long in total was it taking the 75mg that u began to feel a good difference in mood ???
and did u find when u 1st upped ya ya intrusive thoughts got a little worse??
xxx

---------- Post added at 16:52 ---------- Previous post was at 16:50 ----------

well done catya if u need any advice or query any side effects just ask i was terrified of taking it too now 3 n a bit weeks into it xx

i'd say a couple of weeks, been on it now for about 6 weeks at 75mg and so far so good x

petram
26-01-12, 09:03
ty for the reply chappers xx

pinkdove
02-02-12, 15:16
Hi chappers, have switched from citalopram to vit, 37.5 mg twice a day, this is only day two, but so far no bad effects, your post really inspired me, and gave me the confidence to change, so i am hoping for good results, like you. hope you are still keeping well xx

chappers1980
05-02-12, 21:00
Hi chappers, have switched from citalopram to vit, 37.5 mg twice a day, this is only day two, but so far no bad effects, your post really inspired me, and gave me the confidence to change, so i am hoping for good results, like you. hope you are still keeping well xx

Hope its going well. I'm still doing well. Last week was my first full week back at work. I've got two more weeks and then i'm coming off them.

Hope you are doing well. Its a tough old journey but i've learnt so much about myself from the experience and its changed my whole attitude to mental illness. I'm glad you have given it a go. I found it so much better than Citalopram xxx

nicola1980
05-02-12, 21:04
do you not need to be on them symptom free for 6 months to ensure you don't have a relapse? thats what ive always been told about any AD?? xx

pinkdove
05-02-12, 21:17
Hey chappers so glad you are getting better each day.

well day 5 for me, no side effects or withdrawal so far.... so it's all good , i think i can even feel my anxiety getting a bit better, early days but right now i'm glad i swapped. thanks for your info it really helped, and i hope you continue to improve xx

petram
08-02-12, 16:45
hey chappers so pleased ya doing well , like nicola said iv heard u need a further 6 months on them once recovered to stay well ???!!
check this out with ya gp hun , i d hate to see all ya hard work n suffering to be undone to have too start over . xx