Day 12

[Animalhugger]

Hi, i'm on day 12 of Venlafaxine 75mg and feel terrible, detached, very low, anxious and panicky. I was previously on Citalopram 30mg and switched over on my doctors advice as they were not working. I had previously been on them on/off for 6 years. I don't know if i can bear to feel this awful anymore. How long can i expect to wait to see an improvement before I go back to my doctor?

[spawn]

Hi im afraid you will feel like this for a while, i did!
I found the spaced out/detached feeling the hardest to deal with, i just couldnt do day to day things!

It does get better, but does take time.
At your stage i was seeing my doctor every 2 weeks, and when settled every 3-4 weeks. It may take you 4-6 weeks to settle on the 75mg i would say, but everyones different?
Hope this helps. :)

[Animalhugger]

Thankyou for the response. For my own conscience I know I need to give them a couple of months it's just very hard to keep plodding along, trying o get on with things. All I want to do is curl up in a ball on the sofa and sleep.

[nicola1980]

Hi i promise you it will pass, i only started on 37.5mg and that was bad enough but give it a couple of weeks and you should start feeling better, you could also be suffering some cit withdrawal x x

[maximus1975]

you could always ask your gp for a little diazepam to get you through the worst of it

[Animalhugger]

My Dr has given me some 2mg Diazepam tabs to take the edge off when i'm feeling especially bad. I've been trying to keep myself busy but you can't avoid those overwhelming times. I had a piece of good news today. I have applied as a volunteer at an animal sanctuary and they called me with an induction date. I desperately want my old self back. It's been 3 months of living in my own personal hell. Thanks for the support x

[spawn]

That sounds like a really good plan, and also diazepam does help.
I still take it from time to time.

[Animalhugger]

I had a better day yesterday, but i'm still getting terrible anxiety about the same irrational things which in turn is making my chest tight and giving me feelings of depersonalistion which is then making me feel very low. Will the medication eventually stop the feelings of depersonalisation? I understand it's my bodys way of buffering from the anxiety but its such a horrible feeling :weep:

[spawn]

All those things you are feeling are part of anxiety.
Anxiety can cause your body to do many unexplained things, it is the most horrible and scary thing I've ever experienced!
Things will get better and you will learn to deal with it and also control anxiety.

[Animalhugger]

Im in a bad way right now. Three weeks ago I started getting repeat anxious thoughts that i didn't love my husband and it's making me feel at my lowest. I keep looking at him in a different way and my brain is trying to find things wrong with him. I have never had this feeling before and honestly It's making me feel like i want to die. All of the sunshine I felt in my life 3 months ago has become dark. I can see no way out. I feel as though no medication is going to help me and this is it for the rest of my life. I cant handle that thought. I was so happy 3 months ago. I'm just short of a month into this medication. Feel as bad as ever.

[maximus1975]

time to go back to the gp and chat it out, maybe get some cbt or go to some anxiety classes i was where u are 6 weeks ago , your on a downer about everything so thats bound to have some affect on your feelings to your husband hang on in there things will get better

[Animalhugger]

Thanks for responding.I'm switching doctors as my one is really unhelpfull, i've found one that deals with anxiety/ and depression. I have an appointment on the 26th, they are away on holiday untill then. Will there be a mediaction that helps control this ??`/ ` I'm not expecting a magic wand to take it all away, just something that gives me some quality of life and a sense of me back so I can work on things :weep: I can't believe that one little thought has become so all consuming. I understand its part of the condition but understanding that doesn't make it go away. I have an appointment with a new therapist this afternoon, she has told me to write the thoughts down. In the space of about 20 mins I had about 10 distressing thoughts come into my head about husband, looked online and found this
http://talkaboutmarriage.com/physical-mental-health-issues/11137-anxiety-making-me-question-everything-i-know.html.
At least I feel less alone. I HAVE to get over this, I can't let anxiety ruin my life.

[LostTomorrow]

Thankyou for the response. For my own conscience I know I need to give them a couple of months it's just very hard to keep plodding along, trying o get on with things. All I want to do is curl up in a ball on the sofa and sleep.

I feel the same on day 5, except I can't sleep.

I hope things are getting better for you now? I also noticed your " driving " thread...I burst into tears driving yesterday:ohmy: managed to pull myself together without having to pull over:shrug:

[Animalhugger]

Sorry for the late reply. I have a new DR now and it's been all change. I have now been taken off the 75mg Venlaflaxine and prescribed escitalopram. I used to be on Citalopram for years. I found that my mood was constantly either on a plateau or low and was having suicidal thoughts.The new Dr felt that as I had previously done so well on Cit that to go back to a similar drug was the best way forward. I switched straight over..it's been a week, I had one really low day but no side effects from the switch in particular, probably because the Ven dose was fairly low. My aunt takes Venlaflaxine for depression/ pts and swears by it, she says it saved her life. I guess it's different for everyone. I hope you are doing better :hugs: