View Full Version : Terrified of starting Venlafaxine again!!! Please help!
SpecialAgentSara
26-07-15, 22:29
Hey guys,
It's a long story. Basically I've suffered severe depression and anxiety with major panic attacks for over 14 years now (first diagnosed when I was 10. I'm now 25) and after going through every possible medication (including Seroxat) it was found that Venlafaxine was the only one that worked.
To ease my anxiety I only need the 75mg lowest dose. Then I can deal with it with talking therapy. I managed to come off of it in February, however I have a lot of terrifying changes coming up. I'm uprooting my entire life and moving it to Cambridge to pursue my dream of becoming a paramedic. I have a place at the university there and everything is all set to go...except me! I'm terrified. My anxiety has skyrocketed even though I am really looking forward to what I am about to achieve. I am now adept at noticing when I need a little medical intervention and I think I need to Venlafaxine again just to get me through the first year and settled.
Only problem is, I'm more scared of starting the Venlafaxine. When I get bad I suffer awful health anxiety that gives me this awful fear of nausea and vomiting, yet whenever I start Venlafaxine I suffer from horrendous nausea. Does anyone have any tips on stopping it? Does taking the tablets with food help? Does the fact that I've been on it before mean that the nausea won't last as long this time? Will the doctor sign me off work for a week while it settles again (my phobia is based on the embarrassment of being sick in public)?
Basically I need some tips, advice and reassurance.
Thank you in advance guys.
Sara
Hi, Sara!
Congratulations on your success so far! You can do this!
If you look around you will probably find a few threads under Venlaxafine that deal with side effects. I wrote one many months ago, because I had had a lot of side effects during start up, and wanted to share tips and advice from other members that helped me. I hope your doctor gives you at least a week off, and also a scrip for the 37.5 dose, as a lot of us find it really helps to go with that dose first, even though it's not considered therapeutic, for me it did help with getting accustomed to the side effects. The nausea was contained mostly inside of that first week and I was advised right away to, yes, eat with the medication. Some people get by with a couple of biscuits and tea, but I needed a small nutritious meal. Then, when I had a drop in my appetite later on in the day, honestly, I would just eat what appealed to me, even if it wasn't the healthiest just to keep something on my tummy. That is key, I found, to managing the nausea. Also (thank you Aprilmoon!) having ginger biscuits helped a lot on both scores, something tasty that I felt like having, and something that worked against the nausea at the same time!
Months later, well past all of the other side effects, I was finding the late afternoons still awful for tiredness, and I remembered the pharmacist telling me that mornings with breakfast was one recommendation, but I should feel free to take it with an evening snack shortly before bed, too. That it might help with the lethargy during the day. Eventually the opportunity came up when I forgot my dose the night before and I was traveling until the next night, lol! Needless to say, by the time I could take it and settle in for the night, I needed it! If you were ever late with a dose, you know what I mean ... Personally, if I had to do that over again, I would do so by bumping it from breakfast to lunch, then mid-afternoon, then lastly to perhaps supper and then evening. But anyway, thankfully once a missed dose is taken, it is only a couple of hours before all is a-okay again. Whew!
Do you know, I realized that nowadays I take my capsule when getting into bed, without a snack (although I don't actually go to bed hungry, having had a snack of some sort while watching tv after dinner). So for sure, the nausea is not at ongoing thing.
Best of luck with school and career! Stock up on ginger biscuits, also ginger ale and soda crackers to nibble on, and tempting, easy to assemble food such as cheese for cheese and crackers, fruit, or even treats you enjoy. Fill your prescription, pick a time to start, and settle in with a blanket, some movies and of course NMP! xo
Marie :bighug1:
SpecialAgentSara
27-07-15, 04:39
Thank you so much Marie. I started in the 37.5 last time first once a day and then twice and 75mg was enough for me to manage my anxiety which I'm glad about because I need a clear head for my degree. I cannot afford to screw that up and I start in the middle of September which is why I want back on the ven now while I've got time to get used to it.
I read your post about side effects and found it very reassuring.
I started first time on ven with the extended release tablets and I don't remember feeling as nauseous on those as I did when they changed me to the standard ones (and I would remember as nausea terrifies me). Has anyone else found the extended release ones better?
Thanks
Sara
nicola1980
27-07-15, 09:12
Hi def start on the slow release as these will help with the nausea, the standard release ones made me feel really sick even when I took them with food but once I got the slow release I was alot better plus I dot think you get as many side effects with the slow release as you do with the standard, they do the slow release in 37.5mg tablets or capsules now so I would def start on that then increase to 75mg in a week or so XX
SpecialAgentSara
27-07-15, 11:13
Thanks guys. I've been to see the doctor and she has given me the modified release tablets and I'm going straight in at 75mg. She's also given me diazepam to use sparingly when the anxiety gets too much in the first few weeks. Has anyone else tried these two in combination?
nicola1980
27-07-15, 13:32
Yep I used Diazepam whilst starting ven and when increasing and it helped take the edge off especially with the increased anxiety side effect. Good luck XX
SpecialAgentSara
27-07-15, 19:36
So 35 minutes ago I took my first tablet. I shaking like mad now. Is this normal? And when will it stop? I can't remember as it was so long ago that I actually went on it!
Could you take cyclizine alongside it? Xx
---------- Post added at 22:03 ---------- Previous post was at 22:02 ----------
I imagine you're feeling like you are as that's your own anxiety about taking the pill .... Go up to bed lovely xx
nicola1980
27-07-15, 22:21
That'll be you panicking about taking it, I always work myself up into a right state before I start new meds even if it's just antibiotics!! Try and relax and not think about it...I know that's easier said than done but taking your mind off it will help XX
SpecialAgentSara
27-07-15, 23:08
Thanks guys. Feeling better but nauseous now. And very tired. I couldn't keep my eyes open watching TV with the other half so I'm attempting to go to bed. Thanks for your support guys :) I really appreciate it. I'm hoping that the side effects won't be as prolonged as before because I've been on ven before buuuut I'm not holding out much hope.
@giraffe I start uni in September to become a paramedic so then less meds I'm on the better. If I can handle the nausea myself then I'd like to try. I think it's more anxiety than the ven for the moment so I have some 2mg diazepam that I can take if my panic gets really bad but that will be a last resort for me. I'm seeing my gp again in two weeks so if the nausea hasn't gone then I will ask for cyclizine. Thanks for suggesting it :)
SpecialAgentSara
28-07-15, 12:56
Can I take paracetamol for the headache side effect. I've had a headache all night and got little sleep because of it. Does paracetamol work or not really?
angels22165
28-07-15, 16:37
Hi yes I got headaches too in the first week, I took cocodamol as paracetamol doesn't seem to touch the pain. But any are fine to take x
Good thinking to check, Sara. Don't let the headaches get you down, they will pass! Mine came back, with a vengeance and I ended up getting migraine treatments in the ER, but I am still so glad I stuck with the ven! (Sigh. One of the meds they use in the IV treatment, while very good at eradicating migraine, has an unfortunate s/e of anxiety and shaking, if you can believe it! This happens regardless of a pre-existing anxiety condition or whether the patient has ever been anxious before in their lives. They normally administer an IV Benadryl to counteract this, but I felt it each time, maybe should have asked for a bit more? It passes within an hour or so and I would do it again if the headache was that bad again for sure. Worth it, as the little IV "cocktail" works great! ... ps they should do the IV "push" in the hand, and hang a bag of fluids as well. Fluids on board are a key part of the treatment, I have found. ... A little rest, a little snack. Good to go!)
How are you doing otherwise? Are you able to be home for some days now? I shall be ramping up again on the 1st of August, so you'll soon have company in s/e land, lol!
Marie :hugs:
SpecialAgentSara
29-07-15, 04:25
Hi Marie. Thank you for helping me keep my spirits up. At the moment I'm very dizzy and suffering nausea but it's not as bad as I expected it to be. I'm not eating a lot but I am eating a little bit every few hours. Also got the headache and so lethargic I can barely move from the sofa. But in a strange way I already feel more relaxed as well so I'm sticking with it. I'm also getting very broken sleep.
I thought I'd better check about the paracetamol. I can't take ibuprofen on Venlafaxine and I'm allergic to Aspirin and codeine and a lot of other pain meds so I don't know what I would have done if I couldn't.
I've had to phone in sick for work today. I have only taken 2 doses but rather than get signed off for a whole week I'm taking it day by day and seeing how I feel. Hoping that after the third or fourth dose I'll start to feel better.
Good luck with your dosage increase!
Overall I'm feelin positive that I've made the right decision to get back on the ven :). You guys are being amazing too :)
P.S I took your advice about ginger. I always make sure I at least eat something before I take my dose and then always have a ginger biscuit after I've taken my ven. IT HELPS!!
Yes!! I really have found them to help as well, got that tip from Aprilmoon! ...
Lots of amazing peeps on here at all hours to talk to, and plenty to read about ven.
Take it easy, be good to yourself now, you deserve it. xx
Marie. :flowers:
SpecialAgentSara
31-07-15, 12:21
So I've taken four doses and I'm finally starting to feel more human. I can eat again for example but I can only stomach fruit.
However I have noticed that I have the feeling of a lump in the bottom of my throat, almost in my chest, and my stomach is incredibly tight. Is this just the increased anxiety side effect?
Sara xx
Yep, a side effect, right on cue! Lol! I always just explain to myself that these are just symptoms as a result of the change to serotonin receptors while the ven goes to work. Someone on here once laid out the technical bit - basically, the one little end of the receptors are stopped from taking up the circulating serotonin (so that more is left available to work and thus make us feel better). The other end, if you like, is responsible for re-release. But after the reuptake stops, the release stops for a number of days too. It is during this "lag time" that the dips in serotonin cause symptoms like tightened stomach muscles/butterflies. I find it fascinating that the majority of serotonin receptors are in ... Our gut! So I began to equate the tightening of my gut with the slamming off of all those tiny re-uptake receptor ends, ha ha! And since tight stomach muscles are a common occurrence with anxiety flares, then it follows that I can choose to call that a physical symptom, with no basis in what is going on other than the settling in of the medication. Not "real" anxiety, but a physical symptom which it makes perfect sense to be feeling. Which allows me to address it as such; I take several long slow deep breaths, audibly sighing them out, which really helps to release the tightness. I don't let the physical symptoms have any power, and as long as I just handle them like simple physical sensations which will pass, I'm okay! ... I got brain tingles later on, which I told myself was the drug beginning to work in those sites, which is a good sign! Sure enough the sensations passed and I started to experience the benefits of more serotonin availability! :)
For me, I didn't get the tight stomach right at the start, it was a little later and then it lasted into week 5, although it became only intermittent by then anyway. Since you have it so early on, I expect it will pass earlier then. Hang in, you're doing great!! You are lucky that you are good with eating the healthy stuff like fruit, for me it was only pastries and such! Crazy, hey? ... Aprilmoon did well with fruit as well as small snacks like crackers and cheese. But I lived on crackers and ginger ale or sweets for the first week and a half, lol! But then, I have a sweet tooth at the best of times. :P
Run by any other symptoms you're having and we can pitch in with our tips to manage them. :D
nicola1980
01-08-15, 04:54
Hi Sara, yep them symptoms are the increased anxiety effect infact I still get them if I'm feeling particularly anxious or stressing about something....damn anxiety :( glad your feeling more positive tho and after only 4 doses that's fantastic, i was on my knees for 3 weeks when I increased :ohmy: your on your way to getting better now so look forward XX
SpecialAgentSara
01-08-15, 11:36
Thank you guys you are amazing!
I think I'm dealing ok with most of the side effects now. I'm still struggling with sleep but I already take my dose in the evening so I guess there is nothing to do but wait for it to settle. The tightness in my stomach probably explains the nausea j get after eating as well. Marie thank you for your explanation. It really really helped. And your advice on how to deal with it. I only get a headache a half hour after I've taken my tablet now and it goes on its own which is good.
The dizziness when I get up is still a problem though because it makes me very unsteady on my feet.
I have noticed that I have a constant tummy ache. But not always in the same plac. Also a little constipated which could explain it I guess. That or anxiety.
I have a horrendous dry mouth as well. Honestly gasping but I found a solution. My boyfriend came home the other day with a box of Popsicles. I tried one and my god it really helped!
Thanks guys
Sara xx
Hi. Hope you don't mind me hijacking your post Sara. I hope you are doing ok?
I posted briefly before...I'm now on day 18 of Ven (7 days at 75mg & the rest at 150mg) after coming off a very unsuccessful desperate months on Citalopram which made me so much worse...I can't believe I stuck it out for so long (3 weeks of insomnia and sleeping tablets, crazy anxiety of course leading to depression about why I couldn't seem to control my thinking at all! And still trying to function with two children). Anyway after moving away from my useless GP, I seem to have found a good psychiatrist and I really hope Ven will help me get out of this hole.
I just wondered if it's normal at this stage to still be feeling really tired a lot of the time, also I have knots in my stomach and yesterday seemed to be getting stomach cramps and some nausea on and off? Is it all normal to still be feeling these?
Also, once the tabs start kicking in is it an upward journey or lots of ups and downs? I really believe in facing and accepting anxiety and pushing through it but I was really struggling to make any progress on Citalopram and just couldn't understand why I wasn't getting any better despite CBT, exercise, pushing myself to do things. I hope that by sorting out this chemical imbalance I think is to blame, with the right medication, then I should be back on track!
I have felt a little less anxious over the last few mornings, despite still being awake at 530am! and I haven't been in tears or feeling as horrendous as I was, which gives me hope that these might be 'the ones' to finally help. I really hope so!
Xx
SpecialAgentSara
02-08-15, 10:34
Hi Lalaa,
Yes those are all very common side effects. However an increase in anxiety is also a side effect for the first few weeks or so and they are also symptoms of anxiety. Either way they will go away so don't worry
I'm on week one of ven and my stomach is so tight is actually hurts. It's really uncomfortable and my muscles feel really worn out all over my whole abdomen. If you look a few posts above SADnomore has a really good tip about how to relax hen by breathing deeply and sighing it out audibly.
It's all normal as far as I can tell. I'm suffering from them all too.
Sara xx
EDIT: SADnomore has also done a great thread about how to deal with different side effects. Give it a read :)
Thanks so much. I'll try to relax about it all! Know what you mean about the tight stomach. Very odd. Xx
SpecialAgentSara
03-08-15, 20:30
Ok guys. Sorry if this is TMI but I need some advice. The constipation I'm suffering now is terrible!!! It's been about 3 days since I managed to pass anything at all. I'm not in any pain yet, just a little uncomfortable. I go to the loo and try and try but even though it's right there it just doesn't want to come out (TMI, sorry). I've tried prunes and fybogel and spoke to a pharmacist today who suggested dulcolax (bisocodyl). Has anyone else tried this and does it work? I start to get worried about my health if something isn't right. Or should I go back to the doctors tomorrow?
Sara xx
I've also tried pints and pints of water, double the amount I usually drink...nothing...
Hi Sara. Are you eating normally? If you've taken the dulcolax then this will start to work its way through and should help you out tomorrow. Don't worry about your health, it's just another lovely side effect. It'll all come out eventually ;) x
SpecialAgentSara
03-08-15, 22:15
Hi Laala,
Yeah I'm eating normally. I've even increased the amount of fruit I eat in an effort to move things along.
Just taken the dulcolax. If that doesn't work then next stop dynamite XD
Sara xx
Lololol!! :roflmao:
Better give the laxatives a chance first! I think Dulcolax are pretty gentle, good luck and just keep up with the package directions. This side effect will pass soon, so no worries about taking them when necessary. I had to use both the gentle laxative and prunes. Magnesium at night (take with vitamin D) helps. You can build up from 100 mg or so. Magnesium glycinate is a good choice, better absorbed. :)
nicola1980
04-08-15, 06:59
Oh god constipation :ohmy: this is my only long term side effect of the ven, i can go a week without going!! I have to use laxatives or suppositories all the time to help me go :blush: it's gets very painful and uncomfortable at times, just be careful with laxatives that are a bowel stimulant tho as they triggered an ibs flare up with me as my bowel was just contracting, i felt like I was in labour again!! My doctor told me to take senna laxatives which are herbal but do work but don't stimulate your bowel, i do need to take 3 of them tho to do the job lol plus Lactulose is good but beware this gives you terrible wind haha but it softens your stools so works a treat after a few days of doses!! Oh the joys!! XX
Sara,
I had this too - not much fun and it actually freaked me out because I'm a bit funny about this at the best of times. GP told me to do all the things you're doing (fibre, water etc) which I was already doing. He also recommended senna which was the thing that did the trick. This was just in the first couple of weeks and, since then, no problems at all.
Tbh, we can't win as some ADs have exactly the opposite effect! Stick with what you're doing and it will sort itself out. The problem is that the more anxious you get about it, the worse it gets.
Pip
Hi Sara, how have you been getting on?
All, I have now been on Ven for 3 weeks - 1 wk at 75 and 2 weeks at 150. I still feel rubbish but if I look at how I was then there have been small improvements....less anxiety when I wake up in the morning, I haven't been in tears at all or had any meltdowns (I was having those most days before I finally saw a psych rather than my useless GP and came off Cital), my appetite has got a bit better.
After dealing with failed Citalopram since April, I've now been feeling this way every day for at least 4 months and it feels like an eternity.
I just wondered how long it takes to really start feeling like my old self again?? I know everyone is different but would love to hear experiences.
I've been overly anxious in certain situations all my life and started having panic attacks in a stressful job about 10 years ago...I managed to get over it by moving jobs but then I suffered with PND (mainly panic attacks) after my second child. I managed to 'overcome that' with Citalopram (have no idea if it worked that time either!) and therapy and came off those last Spring, but everything reared it's head again this year after my mum got ill. I really thought I'd never have to go through this again as I was SO enjoying life and I'm petrified of having a 'mental illness' for the rest of my life on and off. Does anyone else worry about that?
I'm just scared that Ven won't work for me and I will never feel normal again. I can't tell if it's anxiety or depression I'm feeling at the moment tbh. Just a general fear that this will never get better. It's so frustrating.
Any advice is much appreciated. I have two kiddies on summer hols at the mo and it's really tough to sit this out and hope it gets better.
L
MyNameIsTerry
05-08-15, 11:32
Hi Laala,
Yeah I'm eating normally. I've even increased the amount of fruit I eat in an effort to move things along.
Just taken the dulcolax. If that doesn't work then next stop dynamite XD
Sara xx
When my dad had an operation to remove a growth recently he had constipation. It's common after ops according to the nurse that came out to do the follow up. He suggested clementines and pears. These seemed to do the trick after a few days.
Nuts can be very high in fibre too.
As Marie mentioned you could try magnesium. If you do this you want something like citrate which is a laxative version or oxide which turns to Milk of Magnesia when it hits the water in your stomach. (EDIT: just noticed Marie suggested glycinate.)
Laala - regarding timescales, I started to see small improvements after 2 weeks, much better after 4, and by 3 months, I was hunky dory! Been great ever since. I took beta blockers for the first month which really helped with the shakes and that dreadful tight stomach feeling that you're describing. I found that debilitating at its worst.
I had a nightmare on Sertraline and it sent me into near psychosis (ended up in hospital where the doctor said which idiot prescribed you these at that dose). In hindsight, I should have done more research like I normally do but when you're virtually hysterical with anxiety, it's very difficult to think straight or concentrate. You'll get there, just take it day by day and you'll see small improvements. You're doing the right thing looking at how you were a few weeks ago and recognising the improvements. That should give you encouragement.
Sara - any, err, movement yet? Once you get through this first bit, it usually gets much better. Nature always sorts this out in this situation!
Take care both and feel free to ask any questions if you think it might help. There are loads of us who have been through this and now feel much, much better. If you're still suffering in a week's time, I'll rally all my ven buddies to help you. You'll then see some serious success stories which will prove it can have life-changing effects.
Pip
SpecialAgentSara
05-08-15, 21:14
Hi Pip,
No movement yet haha. I saw my gp again for a follow up and she gave me something called Laxido to try but also told me not to worry so I'm trying not to. Doing so much better this week. It's only been a week and a bit but I'm feeling much better. I am back to work now although I did get a bit panicky about coming back in for my first shift but it's all ok now.
Thanks
Sara
Hi Pip,
No movement yet haha. I saw my gp again for a follow up and she gave me something called Laxido to try but also told me not to worry so I'm trying not to. Doing so much better this week. It's only been a week and a bit but I'm feeling much better. I am back to work now although I did get a bit panicky about coming back in for my first shift but it's all ok now.
Thanks
Sara
Well done! It sounds very promising. Keep giving us the updates - I like to know how people are doing so that I can tell others in future that it's worth sticking it out because lots of members have found that ven works.
Make sure you're keeping active as well though I'm sure you will be if you're back at work. I always think getting back is really important and it gets much easier when the first day's out of the way.
Take care
Pip
SpecialAgentSara
06-08-15, 06:28
Hi pip,
Yeah at work I'm on my feet for at least eight hours and walking around :). Plus I have a dog to walk so I'm keeping in moving.
I know ven works for me after being on it before and know how worth it it will be. It's truly a great drug after the initial few weeks
Thank you :)
Sara xx
How are you all doing?
Pip xx
Hi Pip. Thanks so much for your earlier reply. After taking Ven for 3.5wks I started to feel them working! A little bit of ME was reappearing. I've now felt 'good' and had much more normal and less anxious times for the last 5 days. I'm hoping that I've turned a corner and am on the road to recovery now. I never felt like this on Citalopram so fingers crossed. I do feel very sleepy sometimes so may have to look at switching to taking in the eve.
Thanks for checking in! I'll keep you posted xx
Hi, all! Hello Pip, my old friend, it is very good to hear that all continues to go well for you! You and Pinkdove helped heave me up onto the ven recovery train, seems so long ago now!
Laala and Sara, I'm so happy for you, you're doing really well. :D Big congrats on getting back to work, Sara, and Laala, I absolutely think you are nearing the edge of the woods now. I remember clearly when I realized I couldn't remember when I last collapsed in tears, and realized it had to be the ven working! I had been so depressed that I couldn't even get out for a walk anymore, just sat in going over everything bad that had been happening, which was mostly situational, but my misery was beyond the pale, it really was. Couldn't stop going over negative things said to me, and I Could Not Stop Crying! That is when I finally knew I had to see about a medication. That NOT crying after a bit on the ven was what let me know I had found a way out of the crippling depression.
In answer to your earlier question about the trajectory of getting and staying better, speaking personally, I had no problems until once in spring and once more recently, this time with anxiety, but it was situational again. Same sort of utter trampling of my security and feelings happening. The "blips" seem to vary, but for most of us, they certainly tend to grow fewer and further apart. Which is huge. From everything I am seeing on here, CBT is very helpful in dealing with others in setting and maintaining boundaries, handling stressful situations, and so on. Sadly, the second scenario had a bitter ending, with walls rather than boundaries having gone up irrevocably. It had been pointed out that there was nothing I could do, it was bound to happen. I still feel badly about that being the case, but I do not dwell or obsess about it. I had my afternoon and evening of upset, I felt sad which would be normal for anyone believe, for a few days, BUT I pulled out of it! So, that was just 2 blips in over a year's time. And since that situation is no longer ongoing, I have moved on to acceptance and getting on with life. I can just imagine how much easier that may be in future with CBT or counseling. If you are able to have a go at these, go and learn some tools, for sure!
And Laala, it took a week to 10 days I think, but after I switched to taking my ven at bedtime, the daytime sleepiness did indeed begin to go away. At the time I started ven I took zopiclone as well for sleep. Then by this spring I felt confident enough to finally withdraw from it, and did so with the help of trazodone straight switch, taken for a few weeks. Sleep hygiene and that same deep breathing (although without the audible exhale!) helped as well. I came off the trazodone and have only re instituted it a couple of times. It is, for most people, not a problem to take. If you are extremely sensitive to drugs, you may want to start at a lower dose than the regular 50 mg for sleep. Not pushing anything, just saying that if sleeplessness persists despite a conscious program of full body relaxation, a week or two of something like that may enable you to then make it work on your own. My husband snores some nights something awful, so if it's one of those nights, I give myself a break and take one!:roflmao:
Hugs, keep on thinking positive, the day is not long off when that will be the natural way you will tend towards doing. "Good-normal" I call it. :yahoo:
Marie xx
SpecialAgentSara
14-08-15, 11:52
Hi guys,
I'm doing so much better now thank you. The side effects are almost gone. The only thing I have noticed is that suddenly my anxiety has skyrocketed. Is this normal after taking it for two weeks. I feel out of breath and jittery all the time.
I know it's still early days but I thought the increased anxiety would come on quicker.
Thanks
Sara xx
Sara,
Yep, totally normal to have ups and downs in the first couple of months. Stick with what you're doing and you'll see it ease off on its own.
Take care
Pip
SpecialAgentSara
14-08-15, 12:46
Thanks Pip, that's what I keep telling myself and I'm keeping busy at work and preparing for uni so I'm comping well with it, I just hate being jittery all the time as I can't sleep haha.
Is it worth giving something like rescue remedy a go?
Thanks
Sara xx
Marie - I forgot to say hello and it's great to hear from you. It's even better to know that you're doing well and are able to give some support to others who are going through the same as we did. :hugs:
Sara - I was on beta blockers when I started ven which helped me a lot. Whatever works for you is worth trying. If you've found rescue remedy worked in the past, give it a go. I looked into it and it doesn't seem to interact with ADs though you might want to double-check.
Ultimately, you just have to give it time in the knowledge that it will work. Keep posting and we'll help you through it :D
Pip xxx
SpecialAgentSara
14-08-15, 23:57
Thanks Pip. I know how wonderful Ven is for me as I've used it before and that's why I'm managing to stick it out. I was on a beta blocker but it made me very dizzy and it turns out I have low blood pressure already and they weren't helping haha.
I find keeping busy helps the best. I find that after I've been distracted for a while I suddenly think 'oh! I haven't felt anxious in a while'. And then of course I start to feel anxious again haha. But I know that in a few more weeks all that will be gone.
Thank you
Sara xx
SpecialAgentSara
16-08-15, 02:44
I have another question. Has anyone ever had any experience with ven causing an intolerance to any foods.
I'm finding that when I eat certain foods that I used to be able to eat with no problems I get stomach aches and feel nauseous.
Thanks
Sara
Hi, Sara, yes, I found I had to keep I pretty bland for the first couple of months, really, again, it may have been the whole bit about the gut. The knots in the stomach, that tension, even as it eased off to where I rarely felt it, no doubt slowed things down in my digestive tract. I realize now, that may be responsible for the constipation too!
Keep up with smaller meals more often and see if that helps. Have you tried chewing on half a dozen prunes, or having a glass of prune juice in the mornings? ... I did notice transient nausea on dose increases, as well, at first. Those were the days I would have mostly rice and oatmeal porridge, plus fruit, especially apples. Like the apple cider vinegar, they help to settle the stomach.
Hugs,
Marie
Hi Marie,
Thanks very much for your support, it means a lot. I just wanted to update and say that it's now been 9 days of improvement and feeling a lot more like myself. It's very exciting! I've been trying not to get my hopes up but I dare say the Ven is working for me. I've been on it just over 4 weeks and I feel so much better!!! I am sleeping, my appetite is back and I'm doing everything pretty normally. I don't feel like I want to cry all the time and my horrendous morning anxiety is almost gone. It's a miracle. I never thought I'd feel normal again, and I know it's early days but I'm hopeful that I'm now on the road to recovery after a pretty awful few months. I'll keep you all posted.
Sara - I do still have moments of extreme nausea but they pass. I am hoping they'll soon go away altogether. The main thing for me is the tiredness but I'm thinking of switching to taking them at night (although too scared to do that at the moment as everything else is working so well!).
L xx
Hi Marie,
Thanks very much for your support, it means a lot. I just wanted to update and say that it's now been 9 days of improvement and feeling a lot more like myself. It's very exciting! I've been trying not to get my hopes up but I dare say the Ven is working for me. I've been on it just over 4 weeks and I feel so much better!!! I am sleeping, my appetite is back and I'm doing everything pretty normally. I don't feel like I want to cry all the time and my horrendous morning anxiety is almost gone. It's a miracle. I never thought I'd feel normal again, and I know it's early days but I'm hopeful that I'm now on the road to recovery after a pretty awful few months. I'll keep you all posted.
Sara - I do still have moments of extreme nausea but they pass. I am hoping they'll soon go away altogether. The main thing for me is the tiredness but I'm thinking of switching to taking them at night (although too scared to do that at the moment as everything else is working so well!).
L xx
Great to hear you're on the up. You'll still keep improving for at least another month as it takes quite a while to feel the full effect. The nausea passes too but some people do experience persistent tiredness. Some find it sedating and pleasant but to others it's a nuisance. My GP told me to switch to evenings if that happened. Just take it an hour or so later each day until you've reached the evening.
Out of interest, which brand are you all on and are they the extended release?
Take care
Pip xx
For me, it's Effexor, extended release capsules.
For me, it's Effexor, extended release capsules.
Same as me
P x
SpecialAgentSara
17-08-15, 00:53
I'm on venlalic Xl. It's the extended release one xx
Extended release here too :)
YESSS! I'm always glad when those of us who get s/e can be prescribed the extended release form. Especially when there are memory issues or we are often not home or near water and our pills, (or forget to bring them with us!). Lots of people do fine on the twice daily tablets, and some folks don't get the side effects ... Lucky ducks, ha ha!
I am lucky that my doc feels that the extended release form works best for his patients, and routinely prescribes them. He prefers the brand name, (can't say as I noticed a huge difference really) and I fill my scrip at the pharmacy that brings them in. My hubby just uses the one downstairs in the clinic, which only stocks generics, and has no trouble whatsoever with them, once he has been on any new drug for a while. Wait, that's "chemist's" and "surgery" to you, lol!
You go girls!! xxxx
Marie
OK, so I spoke too soon. I had a great 10 days, away from home again, visiting my family...and as soon as I'm back home and into the routine of being a mummy and working (from home) I fall back into feeling anxious. I have no idea what the actual issue is other than being around people distracts me and there are lots of memories here from the last few months of feeling terrible.
I've just had an appt with my psychiatrist who said that he is wondering if we should up my dose to 225. Needless to say that put the fear of god into me as I thought 150 is high and should do the trick. I've only been on the 150 dose for nearly 4 weeks, 75 for the first week (so 5 weeks in total).
He said if I still feel the same next week I should up the dose.
Would love your input. I feel it's too early to do that x
Right. Well, here is my two cents worth! No worries, Laala, 150 is not a high dose. I was really worried when I decided to try 300 mg for the worst months last winter, but I was fine! 4 weeks is good to establish 150 mg, because it is the point at which the second advantage of ven begins to work. You have already established the "serotonin reuptake inhibitor" bit, meaning there is more serotonin in your system, helping to make you feel better. At 150 mg and just over that, norepinephrine receptors become involved, providing a sort of "booster effect" to mood and activity level. If you are not already taking your dose at night, I would begin to move it now a couple of hours at a time, to evening. I struggled with an energy slump in midafternoon, which I thought was odd, since it is supposed to be more energizing, not less over 150! But this is normal, it turns out, and can be gotten around by sleeping through it at night. ;) At least, that has been my experience. I no longer feel daytime sleepiness, which is nice.
It does sound as though it is just naturally now time for an increase, the ven is working for you, it's just time for more at this time. Lots of people use 225 mg as their usual dose and do well on it. My winter depression seems to require more than that, but in summer, I do okay with 75 mg.
Now this next tip is the most important one! Ask your doctor for a separate prescription of 37.5 mg capsules, and use those for a gradual increase to the 225, in two increases at least 2 weeks apart. My doc was agreeable to this, fingers crossed yours is, but if not, you can speak to your chemist. The first time, before I had got in to get the extra scrip, I just asked if he could make up my refill with the smaller capsules. No problem there.
You can expect a return of MUCH less an experience of s/e, which I found were all gone within just 3 or 4 days with increases, but I think you can just ask yourself if you feel ready each time, and if not, give it another week. Don't worry, by now it has proven to be the one for you, Laala, keep the faith it will kick in some more as needed now. :bighug1:
Marie xx
Hi Marie,
Thanks for the reassurance. I just feel like I've come down with a bump now I'm back home and am totally gutted as I thought I'd turned a corner. I was feeling so good last week! How can that happen?
I'm really struggling to understand how much of this is down to the way I think versus medication. What are your thoughts on that? I'm worried it's now all to do with the way I am thinking about things and that no medication is going to help that. All of these thoughts are increasing my anxiety even more so I'm not helping myself at all! I can see in my husband's face that even he's lost with it all now.
Feeling so normal last week, when I was away from all responsibilities and reminders of 'anxiety', has made this setback even harder to take. Will I ever feel consistently better again? I can't keep going through this.
I'm worried about s/e again. He's only given me a scrip to go straight up by 75mg. I'm going to wait a few days and see how it goes...or maybe I should just bit the bullet! How do I know this is the right medication for me at all?!
Argh xx
Sorry, just losing faith again :( xx
Hi, I see you are on just now Sara, on my way to bed (late as usual!) I would still put in a call, or simply ask the chemist to fill your refill with 37.5's this time so you can go up more gradually this next bit. 225 should give you some real relief, but if you feel its not enough you can consider an adjunct like mirtazapine or a low dose of another med. (mirt is funny in that it is less sedating as you go up in dose. Helps a lot of people. I do think it has helped you and no reason to think it won't again!!
One ey open here, lol! Will lookin on you again tomorrow. No worries, you'll get there!
Hi Marie,
Well I'm struggling today and have just thrown myself in at the deep end and taken the extra amount. I couldn't get the 37.5 so I'm hoping I don't suffer too much with s/es.
I'm really hoping this will help me get on track and stay on track. Keep you posted and thanks of your help xx
SpecialAgentSara
27-08-15, 01:38
Hi guys. So the sleeping issues I'm having were having serious repercussions. I couldn't function especially as i do shift work.
The doc told me I could use the diazepam I was given to help just tip me over the edge into drowsiness. I haven't taken any yet as I get really scared taking new meds ever since a severe allergic reaction a few years ago.
I've finally given in and taken one 2mg tablet and now I'm finding myself in a serious panic about it. How can I expect to feel on the diazepam. I don't know what to expect as I've never taken it before.
Thanks guys.
Sara
tommackent88
28-08-15, 11:10
Hi all. I've read your thread and I'm very much in the same boat. I will be increasing from 150 to 187 tonight and I'm petrified because I know this is when the SNRI kicks in.
Do you know how long I'll feel like crap for?
All the best
Hi Tom. You might be absolutely fine. A week ago I went from 150 straight up to 225 and have been fine. Well, aside from some nausea, night sweats, a bit of dizziness, and some tossing & turning in the night - but nothing unbearable. I'm so glad I took the jump as just a week later I'm feeling better than I have in ages. Good luck! X
So good to hear, Laala! Sara, sorry I wasn't around when you posted about the diazepam. I have a feeling that you may do better with Trazodone, which is what I take for sleep. It is not a benzodiazapene, it is a very mild antidepressant that is mainly prescribed at low doses for sleep. I take the 50 mg tablets, only as needed, and have no problem not taking it when i don't really have to. I think it comes also as 25 mg tablets. Why don't you get a prescription for the 25 mg and give it a try? I find it feels very gentle and natural. It takes anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to make me feel sleepy, but I feel calmer in 20 minutes with no "drugged" feeling. I practice relaxation breathing and slow full body relaxation techniques (tense with an in-breath to the count of 6, hold for 2 more, then breathe slowly out while relaxing small muscle groups). I start with the toes of one foot. Several natural breaths in between, then tense the other toes in the same way. Gentle breathing, then move on to the balls of the first foot, and so on. Lovely. :D
Good luck Tom and keep posting!! xx
tommackent88
29-08-15, 21:40
Thank you both for your support xx
Day one has been ok so hope that's a good sign
---------- Post added at 21:40 ---------- Previous post was at 19:17 ----------
Guys this is completely random but there is a film on tonight (started at 9pm on Channel 4, if ur in the UK that is) about a girl that starts a new medication for anxiety. It's fictional I'm sure! There is a lot of brand name dropping. It's called 'side effects'.
It might be a bad idea to watch but I'm doing so anyway. Just thought I would share xx
Hi all,
Just after a bit more advice. I've been feeling better over the last couple of weeks (normal at times!) but the last few days I've felt odd. Like I'm experience late side effects. Can this happen? I've had nausea, dizziness, and the last couple of days have felt pretty anxious again. I'm hoping it's because the new dose off 225mg (which I've been on for two weeks today) has ramped up and I just need to get used to it?!
I'm hoping this is the case and the anxiety will die down again. I can live with the other side effects to be honest.
Thanks x
Hi, Laala,
I find that from time to time, the side effects mimic anxiety, which is to say, the little "corrections" being made by the brain as it manages serotonin can cobble together briefly to "feel" like anxiety. I do deep breathing and distraction to help myself get past it. These little episodes do pass, and the slow, deep breaths does help relax. It literally lowers our blood pressure, so it does help calm. Also, staying off of caffeine and drinking chamomile tea is an aid too.
Marie xx
Thanks as always Marie. I've felt head tingles too on and off and it's got worse over the last few days. Hoping it passes. I'm trying relaxation techniques which helps but I seem to have the anxiety feelings for no real reason which is making me think it's something to do with what's going on inside my brain at the mo. Just weird that it started about 10 days after upping the dose. Ugh. Just want to be stable on these xx
Yep, I get those too some days after increasing. That's the only time, and I tell myself that is the serotonin increasing, no worries, the brain is shuttling it around. That sensation passes as it all settles in. ... Oh, and start taking magnesium supplements, or if you have already, do a bit of slow increasing. Daily value is found to be better at 400-600 mg. It's a calming mineral. Omega supplements are too. Mine are much higher in EPA than DHA because that's what's advised.
SpecialAgentSara
06-09-15, 23:44
Hi guys,
Just thought I'd offer a quick update and ask a bit of advice. I'm doing really really well now. I'm almost back to normal in fact. I'm still not sleeping well, maybe 3 hours a night if I'm lucky but I know that sleep is the last thing to get back to normal so I'm not worrying at the moment.
I have noticed one new thing though. My appetite still isn't back and in the last few days whenever I eat I get awful burning sensations in my throat and chest. Sometimes they are so bad that it makes me feel sick. Has anyone else experienced this before?
Thanks
Sara
Sara, have you tried my old "gin fizz"? Its a splash of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar in the bottom of a juice glass, stirred together with some honey or syrup; float a little water over that then toss in a little bit of baking soda and stir briskly. It will foam up and that's when you toss it back! Walk around the house for a bit, et voila, the gas escapes ... I had to have one after every meal for a while, now it's only once a day, usually after supper.
If you'd rather, you can chew those tablets that foam up a bit, for indigestion. It sounds like acid reflux, and, as crazy as it sounds, the apple cider vinegar is what's needed. It has to be the unfiltered organic kind (I get mine at the health food store). Or you know, there are the OTC preparations too. Sometimes I will just eat soda crackers and ginger ale all day, rice for supper, and a couple of ginger biscuits for dessert. The trick is to keep eating Sara. Try having a little of whatever you fancy, even if it's not good for you! :noangel: Lol!
I recommend the ACV because it can always be in the cupboard, and there are no contraindications to its use. It can work if you stick with it, but of course you may need to take something from the pharmacy, and take their advice. GLAD to hear about the rest, way to go girl!
Marie xx
Hi Sara (and Marie).
So glad (and very envious!) that you're feeling better. I'm having a rough week. I just don't know where to turn now. I upped my dose 2.5 weeks ago and initially felt better but now my anxiety is through the roof again. For no reason at all, just the feelings are all there. I'm now at 225mg and wondering if it's too high!? It's like the NRI bit has kicked in and it's too much for me.
Totally stuck as I hoped this would work and I'm worried that my anxiety is just too crazy for meds. Meanwhile I'm managing to run my business, juggle children and keep a home running. I'm functioning but just want these feelings to bugger off.
Any advice from Ven users much appreciated :( I've now been on them 8.5 weeks (1 week 75, 4 weeks 150, 2.5 wks 225mg).
xx
Hey, Laala. Sorry to hear your anxiety continues to spike, two steps forward, one step back so to speak. You feel better, then you don't again. I have been there, I know it's tough. I didn't even particularly have anxiety before all this. I mean, I did after my depression got so bad, but not for years before that.
Maybe that's why I didn't identify the symptoms as "being" anxiety, so much as being what the brain tells us is anxiety. Especially since there was nothing else to cause them, I was able to draw a line between the symptoms, and the way that I have learned our neurotransmitters work. I get it, in your busy life you don't have time to sit down and internalize that all this is just part of the different neurons adjusting to the drug. Your brain and gut are sending out signals that feel exactly like anxiety, and damn it, by now you are getting frustrated and feeling anxious that this may be getting worse instead of better.
Sorry if I'm going on too long ... I wanted to suggest that you do try asking your doctor now, right away, for those 37.5 mg capsules. I have felt all along that your titration in the full 75s each time was probably behind the struggles you've been having. I just say that because it's what was being suggested when i first came on here. I tried it, I got the smaller scrip and cobbled it together with the 75s, and took several weeks with each rise. I still got symptoms, but I was able to rationalize what was happening, as they didn't put me over the top.
I don't want to second guess your doctor. I fully believe that he has your best interests at heart, and has chosen the best medication for you. The dosing is what he feels will ultimately be what helps you most. Having said that, you may indeed do best by stepping back by 37.5 mg, and seeing how you do with that. Give that at least 2 more weeks and then reassess where you're at. When it's time to try 225 again, you'll know it, and the increase by such a small amount won't be so hard, I promise!
Big hugs, hang in hon! :bighug1: (And remember, there are lots of add-ons that can alleviate symptoms too, maybe have a look on here so that if he doesn't want to lower your dose, then you can speak to him about that. I am talking about other anti-depressants, by the way, not by any means, those addictive benzos!) I like trazodone for evening calming and sleep. Many people find that the antipsychotics, in tiny doses (don't let that word scare you) help a lot, especially when their chief problem is anxiety.
Sorry, I know you're hoping to hear from others too, I'll be quiet now, lol!
ps you might try inboxing Pip or another ven user you've seen in the venlaxafine subforum. :D
Hi Marie,
Thanks very much for your reply. I am waiting for a call back from the doc (still!) to see what he says. I am just fed up and wish I could feel like my old self.
I seem to be immune to treatment! I just hoped it would be an uphill recovery but I take a step forward and two steps back all the time.
I don't know how much of this I should be able to 'cure' myself versus with a pill. And I know there's no magic pill but it seems like people have had very good relief on here when getting the right pill and dose. I'm so confused with it all.
Trying to stay strong. My husband has been so supportive but I can see in his face that he just wants his wife back. It's been 6 months of some ups and mostly downs on the anxiety front. I hate waking up in the morning with this silly anxiety, I have no idea what I'm anxious about other than the anxiety itself at this point in time.
Oh to be 'normal'.
L xx
tommackent88
09-09-15, 21:50
Hi L
I echo what you have just said. I've tried all the drugs and all the therapy. Nothing seems to snap me out of the anxiety spiral.
I'm running out of ideas now! Xx
Many who have anxiety find that it is a matter of the right combination of certain medications and therapy/techniques that they land on that does the trick.
Laala, I sort of relate to your anxiety, except that right now, mine is building in anticipation of the depression I know I will have to fight mid-winter. Kind of silly since it only feeds the dread that precedes the depression!
My "therapy" is more about trying to be on a roll by then with routines that give me respite and distract me from the cold and the dark. Once that rug gets pulled out from under me it is so hard to climb out of the pit :(
... Hey, don't give up on the ven yet, guys, there is plenty more time for it to work moreso. And more augments to try.
Marie xx
---------- Post added at 20:33 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------
ps
And I have faith that it will keep me out of the pit like it has before. I just would like to be even more functional this winter, is all. Get together with friends. Stick with exercise. Most of all, not give in to Miss Sugar B, my alter ego :P Ugh, ten new pounds every winter. :mad:
SpecialAgentSara
13-09-15, 21:33
Hey guys,
I have a question. The only thing I'm rely struggling with now is sleeping. I already take my tablet in the evening but at 7pm and I'm not normally in bed until 11pm. Should I take it a bit later? Will it make a difference.
Hang in there a bit longer lalaa. Things will get better
Sara xx
Hey guys,
I have a question. The only thing I'm rely struggling with now is sleeping. I already take my tablet in the evening but at 7pm and I'm not normally in bed until 11pm. Should I take it a bit later? Will it make a difference.
Hang in there a bit longer lalaa. Things will get better
Sara xx
Sara,
Is the sleep problem a Ven side effect or from your underlying anxiety? If it's Ven, perhaps it would be better to take it in the morning - I take mine after breakfast.
Pip x
SpecialAgentSara
17-09-15, 17:01
Hi Pip,
Sorry I have had no internet access for a few days as I have moved to Cambridge for uni! So far so good and I'm more excited than anxious which I think I have the ven to thank for as it's helped me overcome my anxiety and allowed me to be excited about my future!
I never had a problem with sleeping when I was't on the venlafaxine. In fact it was the opposite. I saw sleeping as an escape and so I spent more time doing it because I wasn't anxious when I was sleep. I think I have identified the problem. Whenever I start to settle and relax, my legs start to twitch! Then I get this horrible feeling like there are things crawling around under my skin and I can only make it go away by moving my legs around so of course that keeps me awake. Could this be the ven?
Sara xx
Hiya, Sara, Pip et al!
See, I had the problem with mid-afternoon exhaustion, especially at higher doses, and after switching to evenings, that went away. Mind you, at the time, I was also taking zopiclone for sleep, so I didn't notice any problems with falling asleep or being comfortable once in bed.
These days, I only take Trazodone, 50 mg, which is not a sleeping pill per se. It's a mild antidepressant that plays well with Effexor, and can be taken only when needed, it doesn't cause dependency. (Really. I know about these things.) Watch your caffeine intake and try to practice good sleep hygiene. By that I mean a quieting of activities after supper, shutting down laptop and cell phone as soon as possible, tucking in with a non-study book for a few pages, then putting out the lamp as soon as you feel relaxed. Do some gentle relaxation breathing, focus on that (wow, I'm getting sleepy just writing that!)
Marie xx
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