View Full Version : Scared of effexor...
My doc wants me to switch from celexa to effexor. I shall start with 75mg. I'd much rather have started with 37,5mg but he prescribed 75mg.
He made it sound like it's no big deal and that side effects are usually nausea,sweating etc. which sounds rather harmless. But I read so many negative reports from people on the net who talk about brain zaps and terrible withdrawal even if you miss only 1 dose. This makes me really anxious. In my position where I already feel totally crappy I can't afford at all to go on something which could cause even more problems.
I also read one testimony where someone wrote that he was on venlaflaxine and then was transmitted to the ER where he had a cardiac arrest and then the doctor found out if was because of venla!!!
This scares me a lot. I have a history of heart rhythm disorders. I don't even know if it's responsible for me to go on this. I also don't understand why shall I take a SNRI. I'd assume that blocking nor-epinephrine makes you more anxious and more hyperactive. These are both things I cannot use AT ALL! I already feel driven and impatient a lot. What I needed is more peace and calmness and not mania.
I really don't know what I should do now. :weep:
I would much rather have tried another SSRI or maybe an atypical AD. I don't want to take something and then know that even if it should work that I have to prepare for terrible withdrawals if I want to stop it. And the missing a dose issue is highly worrying to me.
I tolerated celexa pretty well it only made me tired and didn't do anything for me but other than that I have no sides but I fear that effexor will be much different.
Hi Alec and :welcome:
There are quite a few of us on here who take venlafaxine and there are lots of posts to read through which might give you some reassurance. None of the people I talk to has had any major side effects - just the usual ones you'd get with any SSRI.
For me, venlafaxine has been an enormous help and had really given me the clarity of mind to get things back on track. I have no regrets about taking it.
Join in on some active threads and ask any questions you want. You'd be more than welcome.
Take care
Pip
Hi Alec and :welcome:
There are quite a few of us on here who take venlafaxine and there are lots of posts to read through which might give you some reassurance. None of the people I talk to has had any major side effects - just the usual ones you'd get with any SSRI.
For me, venlafaxine has been an enormous help and had really given me the clarity of mind to get things back on track. I have no regrets about taking it.
Join in on some active threads and ask any questions you want. You'd be more than welcome.
Take care
Pip
I agree with Pip. Ven is the best AD I've taken thus far and I've tried half a dozen. SNRI r much better for anxiety IMO
I wouldn't say venlafaxine is any different from any other AD when it comes to withdrawal. You do get brain zaps and it's not pleasant but it soon passes.
In my experience venlafaxine did not make me in the slightest bit hyper - just the opposite, I had trouble staying awake on it. That's mainly why I came off it and just for the fact that it didn't make any difference to my mood.
Don't google side-effects. All drugs have them and it's extremely rare that anyone has such an adverse reaction as going into cardiac arrest...I would treat that with a huge bag of salt.
Best of luck.
Hi,
I'm just so scared and always uncertain as to what I should do. I fear making a bad decision. What if I get on it and then feel much worse? I have read many testimonies of people who strongly warned others not to take this. This totally scares me. I'm really in state where I'm paralyzed and don't know what to do. Everything could be a mistake. I fear taking something and then losing control or becoming suicidal and not caring about it. I mean I know myself. Under normal circumstances I couldn't do anything to myself but I have no clue what might happen if I take this stuff, after all it increases your motivation and this can be dangerous. What if once you take it everything is different and you're capable of doing things you couldn't normally do? This is damn scary.
And what also scares me is that I read that venlaflaxine generics are worse than the original because even though it's the same substance the time-released effect isn't the same and my shrink prescribed a generic. :mad:
After all what I read about venlaflaxine I see this stuff as a threat and not as a friend and that's already a bad starting point when you have to take something which you see as harmful and not as helpful.
What I'm also scared of is rare side effects. I have read a lot of scary stuff like for example that users got growth in or on their skin from venlaflaxine.
I'm already anxious and worry a lot and if I take such a drug which can basically have all kinds of side effects maybe even rare ones which aren't even known then whenever something seems strange to me I can think that maybe it's from this stuff. This makes me even more anxious.
I really wonder wouldn't it be better to simply take something like st john's wort which might be as effective or maybe more effective and which doesn't pose such a risk? The placebo effect is also important.
I know that I want to take something and then believe that it works even if it shouldn't work then at least you can think that maybe it does work. After starting antidepressants and getting my hopes up I feel even more depressed now when I fear that I might not find something which I could try next. I really need something which I can believe in at least as a crutch.
Alec,
I really feel for you as I know what it's like to have your levels of anxiety and I really want to help. I don't think there's much I can say to reassure you as I think you've already formed your opinion. You have asked some questions and, so far, people have told you their experiences. All I can say is that I know a lot of people who've taken this and the majority found it worked, some found it didn't, most had done mild side effects but none serious. I can't guarantee that you won't be the one in a million but then there's no guarantee I won't be struck by lightening today! You have to weigh up the risks against the potential benefits. When you're looking on line, you do find that people with less positive experiences are more vocal.
Certainly, don't focus in the generic issue. There is a difference between standard and extended release tablets but only regarding how often you have to take them. I've had both and noticed no differences in clinical effects.
Try to recognise that it's your anxiety which is making you think like this and that these meds could help. If they don't, you can stop them. Your decision isn't irreversible.
Go and talk to your doctor again and discuss your options. You're right that the placebo effect is important and, if you really believe these won't work for you, they are less likely to.
Good luck and take care.
Pip x
Hi alecc I had severe depression and anxiety last year and was so frightened. The mental health team prescribed venlafaxine through my doctor. That gave me some faith straight away...I thought they must know what to do. I took 37.5mg to begin with along with diazepam and sleeping tablets.(weaned off these slowly at a later date) Felt very zombieish to start with but I noticed a slight lifting of my mood...gradually over a couple of weeks. Dose was then upped to another 37.5mg. After another couple of weeks I started to feel a bit better. Not a miracle cure like I thought...it takes time and you need to make small steps. Sometimes 2 steps forward 1 step back. They eventually worked and then I was able to begin my life again.... With help from mental health team. Did have some side effects...nothing drastic.
hi alecc i switched form citalopram to venlafaxine, and i am so glad i did, the best ad i have had, and i am starting to see the benefits.
there are a lot of posts on here switching from cit to ven, lots of good positive stories to read , join in any time you want. wishing you well xx
nicola1980
10-03-12, 17:37
Hi alecc ive just started on venlafaxine im on day 2 of 37.5mg once a day and will increase it to twice a day in a week, like you i was petrified to start especially after 2 failed attempts on other AD's but its worth a try x x
Hello everybody,
I have venlafaxine RX but I heard that Trevilor RX is better because they have the better time-released mechanism. I think this is not unplausible if they invented the RX form then it's probably better than the RC form which others use cause everyone uses its own. Only the active agent venlafaxine is the same in all generics. This is already a bit worrying. If I take this stuff then I want the best and not some generic. From what I read the generics can cause more stomach problems cause the venlafaxine is released quicker and not as gradually.
I am also supposed to start with 75mg for 1 week and then go up to 150mg for 1 week and then go up to 225mg in week 3. This is a pretty fast increase. I'd feel better with 37,5mg increases but I have 75mg pills so I cant increase slower. :(
What also sucks is what if I dont feel much of a difference then how do I decide wether to try something different or to give it more time or what if the small difference is already the best which can be achieved? What if you expect too much and then go from one drug to the other?
I've taken efexor for 9 years now and the only reason I'm still taking it is because of the massive post acute withdrawal symptoms I suffered when stopping 2 years ago. I suffered 5 months of withdrawal symptoms.
Like all AD they can be a god send or a nightmare and it is true missing 1 dose will cause you side effects as the compounds half-life is very short.
I don't want to scare you but I think when considering a new medication you should understand what it could mean in the long term. I've been told 150mg is a effective dose for depression and anxiety so maybe you could ask try that before ramping up to 200+
Hello,
does the effexor at least help you or doesn't it work and at the same time you cannot get off it?
Alecc,
Everyone's experience of meds is different and, unfortunately, you won't really know if they'll work for you or what the withdrawal will be like until you try them. That's why the best GPs will talk you through all the pros and cons of medication, therapy and other options before helping you to make an informed decision. Ultimately, the decision should be yours.
For information, I'll share a bit of my experience. I've been prescribed venlafaxine on 2 occasions and, both times, it has helped me enormously with general anxiety and depression related to anxiety. The first time I took it, I had a month's break in the middle so I've actually withdrawn from it twice. I can't say it was a walk in the park, more like a steep climb up a small mountain, but after experiencing headaches and a bit of dizziness and nausea for a couple of weeks, I was fine. I was determined just to ignore the withdrawal symptoms as I knew they were temporary. I should add that I (stupidly because I'm a stubborn creature) ignored my GP's advice and stopped abruptly rather than tapering off. Definitely something NOT to do but I just wanted it over with quickly.
Having said all that, the most important aspect is, if meds are your chosen path, to find the right ones for you and to start to feel better rather than dwelling on withdrawal. The anxiety I feel when I'm at my worst is far, far worse than any medication-related symptoms I've ever experienced.
Take care
Pip
Hi Pip,
my impression is that effexor users either say it worked or they say it was awful. But since I read so many reports from users who say that they had negative experiences with effexor I'm worried to try it.
If I really take effexor then I'd at least want to take the original and not a generic and I only have the generic. I don't know why the doctor didn't prescribe me the original.
Alecc,
It's completely up to you if you think meds are a route you want to take. I'm no expert and can only tell you my experience.
I've been on Effexor and generics and notice no difference at all. My generics also swap all the time depending on the pharmacy I go to and I still don't notice. Doctors prescribe generically because they're cheaper for the NHS. They will also prescribe the normal release as standard unless you specifically ask for the XR, which I did.
As I said before, venlafaxine has been a life saver for me and you'll only know if you try. You'll see loads of bad experiences posted by users of all ADs, this being no different.
Take care
Pip
Hi there I'm new to this site. :)
I've just weaned myself off Lafepramine and Diazepam and have been instructed to start 37.5mg of Venafaxine in the morning, I'm feeling a little anxious to say the least about the side affects that I may have to deal with, does anyone feel better after taking this drug because I've got to a stage in my life where I don't think anything or anyone can help me get better? :weep:
Hi there,
Venlafaxine has been a life saver for me and I've had few side effects. There are quite a few active threads on this. Feel free to join in - you should gain quite a good insight into others' experiences and also get support to help you through the first few weeks when the side effects are at their worst. Check out the Effexor section of the forums.
Take care and I look forward to seeing some of your posts.
Pip xx
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