Venlafaxine advice

[milliemoo]

I suffer from GAD and have been on venlafaxine now for 9weeks - 5 weeks at75mg and 4 at 150mg. I am sleeping and eating better but this last week I've felt quite down, worrying that the tablets aren't going to work. Has anyone got any advice? Should I wait longer to see if they kick in? Would an increase I dosage help? I've never been on these before. I am also scared of depression, never suffered it before but this last week feels like it?

[hopey]

Hello MillieMoo I have been on Ven longer. Stared at 37.5mg for 8 weeks then75mg for 4 weeks then 75 plus 37.5. Now on 150mg.
When I went to docs last week she said I should take one in morning and one at night. I have been taking two in morning.
I am on slow release ven and wonder if I would feel better if I take 1 morn
and 1 night. All advice appreciated thanks hopey

[aprilmoon]

Hi
I take 187.5 of extended release every morning in one dose,and that works well for me.This was on the advice of my psych .

[hopey]

Hi april moon. Thanks for your reply. Its good to have a reply.

I was a bit concerned about altering to 1 morning and Night. So I will stay as I am doing thanks hopey

[BrainZap]

i got diagnosed with GAD 7 months ago and got supplied with Effoxor which i took every day going from one tablet 35 ml one week and doubled my dose the next week and so on ! My anxiety went within a day i thought it was a miracle never felt so confident. A
fter a while of taking it i started to go really hyper friends thought i was on crack and i couldn't eat and lost about 2-3 stone.
I looked in the mirror and said time to get of this !

The last few months i decided to taper down and stop !
This is now my third day without Venlafaxine and my zaps are getting worse I think I am going insane ! I have managed to get up and go to work and function but i feel flipping awful.
Yesterday the brain zaps where frighteningly strong sharp shooting pains in my freaking BRAIN down to my fingers and toes, im strong minded and i thought tomorrow i will feel better!
Today the zaps seem the same but this time the zaps kick in on every eye moment! what can i do to help it??
im never taking anything like this again and i would strongly advise people not to take this drug its EVIL ! i preferred the comedown of MDMA E's when i was in my youth!!!

THIS DRUG SHOULD BE MADE ILLEGAL !!!

How can the pharmaceutical Chemists legally supply pharmacies and patients with this HORRIBLE drug ???
worst days of my life, i would rather have my anxiety and depression back than take this horrendous stuff again....help me please

[Poppy Girl]

Hi Brain Zap
Seen your post on a few threads. How have you tapered down and over what period? Have you spoken to you dr?
Sorry if these are questions you've answered before but I only come on here occasionally.
I'm on extended release Ven and I've tapered down from 150 to 75mg over about a month. I'm sticking at this for a while now to see how I go before reducing further and always under supervision from my gp.
I haven't had any side effects but I guess I have been lucky with Ven. I had terrible problems with citalopram and fluoxetine before having Ven so I think different medications affect different people in different ways.
Please post again if you need support.

:unsure:

[SADnomore]

This post from Brainzap is a copy if one he made on another thread several days ago. Some of us commented that no drug should be stopped abruptly and that he should speak to his doctor immediately. I pointed out that the symptoms he was experiencing were from withdrawal, not from venlaxafine per se, and shared that I had the same when withdrawing from Zoloft.

Brainzap, I am sorry ven has not worked out for you, and I sympathize with your discomfort in withdrawal. Many of us can relate. If you are able to take some time off and rest at home, do so as soon as possible. Become accustomed to making slow, deliberate turns of your body, rather than just your head, as you need to change position. Stay reclined with your head supported by pillows as much as you can, after placing what you need within reach directly in front of you. Distract yourself with tv, try to get some sleep. Since it will have been several more days now since the symptoms were at their height, it should be manageable soon ... I am not sure what sort of help it is that you are looking for other than the advice you have been given, Brainzap, but I feel the need to point out that the wording of this post, now repeated, borders on fear-mongering. As difficult as it is for many people to get past their fears to try a medication which their doctor has recommended for them in their special case, for us to use frightening language like this is unconscionable. For many more of us, venlaxafine has been a lifesaver. The first sane, rational, helpful sharing about ven that I found, was here on NMP. Prior to that, such "horror tales" on the internet were most of what I found. Thank God I got more support than that from the good people here. I would hate to see even one person that could otherwise be helped, end up scared to follow doctor's orders because of a frightening post they saw here.
Best of luck to you,
Marie

[Munchlet]

Well said Marie I happened to see Brainzaps post and whilst I totally sympathise with the withdrawal effects they are having I did think had I seen that post before I started taking Ven it would have scared the life out of me and I was concerned that it might have an impact on people who had just been prescribed it.

I think no two people are the same when it comes to meds, I was on Fluoxetine on and off for years and every time I've come off I've had awful withdrawals, brainzaps that made me feel so ill, dizziness, sweating, flu like symptoms etc and they say Fluox is one of the ones that's easiest to come off of. Whereas years ago I was on Paxil and when I came off that I had no side effects at all and that's meant to be one of the worst. So it totally depends on the person.

I think people just need to follow the advice of their Dr's and if they want genuine honest support then ask the people on these boards, there are too many horror stories out there about these meds and sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take the Dr's advice.

[Karenhopes4]

I'm new here and not sure sure exactly what I am doing!! I suffer from Chronic Anxiety, I don't feel depressed but my body feels physically nervous all the time. My skins tingles - like something is running up and down...its feel likes something awful is about to happen when I actually don't have anything to worry about. I get through each day and everyone thinks I am ok but I feel terrible in side - very nervous and almost scared. I was put on citalopram and it really didn't do anything. I was then put on 75mg of venlafaxine for two weeks and then 150mg for two weeks, which time I went back to the doctor. My physical anxiety seems worse and constant but I feel more chilled and have lost my appetite (silver lining!!) The doctor said try it for another month. Initially I was doing 75mg twice a day but this was stopping me sleeping so now for the last two weeks I have been on 150mg one a day in the morning - i feel constantly anxious, a bit scared but slightly emotionless at the same time. I feel like the adrenaline is flying round my body at 100 miles an hour, I'm sleeping better but have very vivid dreams.Still no appetite and feel tired quite a lot...I don't really want to keep changing but does all of this mean its not working for me or am I being impatient - please please can someone reply