Venlafaxine for agoraphobia

[Anxious Betty]

I have recently started Venlafaxine for anxiety - mainly agoraphobia.

I am gradually increasing the dose - just started on 75mg twice a day.

My question is - has anyone on here used it successfully for agoraphobia?

If so, did you just feel more able to go out because your anxiety was less?

Or was it a case of pushing yourself to go out, but feeling less panicky when you did?

I hope that makes sense. It's just that I have had agoraphobia for so long now that the thought of going out of my 'comfort area' just fills me with horror, so I don't even attempt it anymore. I am hoping that the venlafaxine will take those feelings away.

Any help or advice would be great, thanks.

[ana]

I was prescribed Venlafaxine for agoraphobia, but the thing is, no medication is going to get you out of the house unless you make the effort to go out. :) It's all about pushing yourself. The medication is there to help lower your anxiety levels, but you still need to do all the work. I've had both good and bad times since starting Venlafaxine a year ago, and I find that it's helped decrease my feelings of depersonalisation, but unless I make continual effort to go out and push myself out of my comfort zone, the situation worsens.

[Anxious Betty]

Thanks Ana - can I ask what dose you are taking?
It's so hard - I wish I could just switch my brain off!

[ana]

I know what you mean! My mind is always racing with thoughts and is telling me not to go places or do things. If I go somewhere my mind has deemed too far,I start panicking :(
I'm on 150 mg. I used to be on 185 but it was too high a dose for me so I lowered it.
Btw my therapist says that she has had the most success in her agoraphobic patients with Venlafaxine and a sedative.

[Anxious Betty]

It's awful isn't it.
That's interesting about a sedative - does she mean something like Diazepam? Any idea what dose and when?
I have had this now for so long, I'm just so fed up with how it has affected mine and my family's life.

[ana]

Yes,like a Diazepam or a Klonopin. I take Klonopin on an as per needed basis,so I wouldn't know about a dose. She has told me,however,that she has had a patient who couldn't even go into her office without her husband by her side,but the combination of Venlafaxine and Klonopin was making her feel so relaxed that she finally started expanding her radius of movement.
I've had it for 17 years,so I definitely feel your pain.:(

[Anxious Betty]

Thanks Ana - I might try that. I have had it for about 15 years, so I'm not far behind you :( Awful illness. I really hope things get better for us x

[ana]

I'm so sorry you've been suffering for so long, Betty. :( It really is awful. Each day, I try and think positively and push myself to do more and to go out. It's never easy and it makes me panic, but I know I have to keep trying.
I hope for the same :)

[RHUBARB57]

Yes! And it's been extremely successful �� 18 months ago I had got so bad that I couldn't leave my bedroom let alone my house! X

[sammi85]

I know this is a old post but just wondered how you got on I suffer with anxiety and agoraphobia I'm just cutting back on my steraline and then docs are starting me on venlafaxine

[panic_down_under]

I know this is a old post but just wondered how you got on I suffer with anxiety and agoraphobia I'm just cutting back on my steraline and then docs are starting me on venlafaxine

:welcome: to No More Panic,

Anxious Betty and RHUBARB57 haven't be active for some time, which hopefully means they are doing okay.

Why are you switching from sertraline to venlafaxine?

[sammi85]

I've been taking steraline for around 4 months now but not getting any benefits from it all gp says venlafaxine works better for anxiety

[panic_down_under]

I've been taking steraline for around 4 months now but not getting any benefits from it all

What was the highest sertraline dose you took and how long were you at that dose?


gp says venlafaxine works better for anxiety

No antidepressant is intrinsically more effective than the others, either generally, or for a *particular disorder, however, one or two may be for an individual. The difficult bit is narrowing down which these are. There is currently no way of determining this except by trial and error, unfortunately.


* 2 for OCD may be the exception to the rule

[sammi85]

100mg is the highest I've taken for 3 months doc didn't see the point increasing it if it's not doing anything for me. I was on citalopram for years but unfortunately stopped working

[Dying_Swan]

Hi Sammi, and welcome. When do you start on venlafaxine? I've been on various doses of it for a long time, and switched onto it from citalopram. I didn't have much of a problem with side effects, so hopefully you won't either, although it can take a while to settle. Are you having any therapy at all? I suffered with agoraphobia years ago and totally empathise, but am a huge believer of therapy (+/- meds) to help get over it.

[sammi85]

I've got do a week of 25mg of steraline and then a week of nothing then I can start the venlafaxine. I'm having CBT at the moment but can't say I'm finding it that helpful x

[panic_down_under]

100mg is the highest I've taken for 3 months doc didn't see the point increasing it if it's not doing anything for me. I was on citalopram for years but unfortunately stopped working

I might have persevered at up to 200mg/day because higher doses are sometimes needed the second time ADs are taken, but switching is at least as valid an option.


I've got do a week of 25mg of steraline and then a week of nothing then I can start the venlafaxine.

This isn't really necessary. In most cases switching from one SSRI to an equivalent dose of another overnight, or via a short cross taper produces few issues.

[Dying_Swan]

I'm really glad you're having CBT, although sorry to hear it's not helping. Give it time, or if you already have, maybe a different therapist would help. It took me a long time to recover from agoraphobia, and it was a slow process, but it is possible. Fingers crossed the venlafaxine will make things easier for you. Good luck.

[sammi85]

Thank you I just cant wait till I'm feeling a bit like my old self again