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joy
03-09-07, 08:42
Been on this for two weeks and the anxiety seems to be getting worse. I know all a/ds can make it worse at first.Does it suddenly go when the meds kick in ,if they kick in.

How do you keep the faith that they will work when you are feeling worse


love joy

jo61
03-09-07, 09:37
When I started on it I really struggled with anxiety for a couple of weeks, then things got much better. Hope it happens for you too. I'm now coming off it and finding it a bit difficult but will get there I'm sure.

Gabby
03-09-07, 10:35
ditto - had horrendous side effects for the first couple of weeks so much so that i asked to stop it but i carried on and it got much better. controls the anx much better than the seroxat i was on before.

Stick with it, if it doesnt feel better after another week or so, go back to your docs

Gabby x

joy
03-09-07, 11:42
thanks for the replies they are helping a lot. As I've tried other meds that havent worked I'm getting freaky. How do you cope with the anxiety? I have lorazapam which doesnt work, so apart from climbing the walls what do you do????

Love Joy

Gabby
03-09-07, 12:32
Hiya

I have propanolol which helps a lot altho maybe just psychological - but who cares why they work as long as they do!!

I was working at the time so being busy really helped even though sometimes i felt like i couldnt move from my desk or i would be sick.

Afraid im not very good at giving advice on coping techniques cos I just take slow breaths and keep busy. I have been exercising more and that seems to help too. If it gets to the stage where i start to tremor, I go to bed and try to sleep it off.

Just do the usual advice and look after yourself, eat and drink properly and remember its only a physical reaction to too much chemicals runnning round your body and it wont hurt you

hope u feel better soon
G x

bottleblond
03-09-07, 13:04
Hi there,

Yeah stick with it as it will settle down. That's the thing with anxiety medications, the do seem to make it worse before it gets better! Your at the two week stage now so you should start to see a differece in the very near future!.

Best of luck with it
Lisa
xxx

joy
03-09-07, 16:41
Are you two still on venlafaxine? If so what dose??

Thanks again

Love Joy

Gabby
03-09-07, 19:47
75mg daily

joy
09-09-07, 10:00
Still struggling with the ol anx but the Mental health Nurse says to persevere as its a very common side effect especially when swopping one med to another.
Can anyone who is on Venlafaxine remember whether it suddenly got better of was it sort of more gradual and you suddenly just realise hey, I'm not anxious anymore

Finding it hard to keep believing in the miracle that may be venlafaxine

Love joy

Jimbo
09-09-07, 12:37
For me, it was a slow change over about 6 months. Like the others I had lots of side effects during the first 2 weeks when I started it, they then slowly faded away over time. After about 4 weeks I started to feel some benefit.

My dose was slowly ramped up to the maximum over about 2-3 months, I did find each time the dose went up, the side effects came back slightly, but not as bad as when I started.

This is really one you have to persevere with, it took me a long time before I got it's full benefit. Even now it hasn't completely solved my anxiety. But it has definitely helped.

Good luck, keep us updated on how you are doing,

Jim :hugs:

joy
09-09-07, 14:44
in a way I suppose I'm lucky as I have no side effects apart from the increased anxiety but naturally would rather not have that!!!

Got an apt with the shrink in a weeks time so we'll see how I am then

Love Joy

Jimbo
09-09-07, 16:41
Glad you are managing ok.:yesyes:

I felt psychically awful initially, but it didn't effect me mentally too badly. I mainly had the feelings of weakness, tiredness but unable to sleep, ringing in my ears, headaches, racing heart, etc. They did go away thankfully. I personally thought some of the others like Citalopram and Paroxetine were worse for initial side effects, especially increased anxiety.

The only slightly annoying thing that remains still, is that I sweat buckets if I get even slightly hot and I still don't sleep well at all.

Jim :hugs: