View Full Version : How you doing guys
Hi guys,
How we all doing in these stressful times, hope your all OK.
Hi Maca, not doing great at the moment and feeling quite depressed. I’m so frustrated with not being able to go out when and wherever I want. I’m noticing it more as it’s the weekend - been ok most of the week as I’ve been keeping busy with home schooling my son and working in the evenings.
I’ve reduced ven back to 300mg as the highest dose was putting my anxiety and OCD through the roof. I was starting to think I was levelling out and feeling better on 300mg but all this social distancing and lockdown stuff is setting me back.
Yes its starting to get to me as well so not feeling great. Got to work as I deliver meds to care homes but everyone else are working from home. Its really hard to gauge how meds are working for us due to this unusual stress that were all in. Getting panicky now so just taking it one day at a time. Guess we just have to get on with it.
Yep, can’t change it so why worry about it is what my partner keeps saying. I hope they bring out this antibody test soon. I’m convinced we had it before Christmas as we had all the symptoms, but now my partner has a nasty cough and I’m freaked out again 🙁
Yes its getting to me, if I hear someone at work cough I get freaked right out and each of the last 3 mondays a member of staff is off with no explanation from my manager. Im now quite tense all the time now.
Im luck in a way as im a key worker but 2 care homes now have the virus so I have to be very careful when delivering meds. Got the mask and gloves but am constantly thinking what ive touched in the van or at the homes. Worrying times.
Jo/DS any updates ?
Still a little bit up and down. I’ve definitely improved since cutting back to 300mg but I’m still getting irritable and moody at times. My psychiatrist has suggested I try cutting mirtazapine down from 30 to 15 next as I’m concerned about all the weight gain but I’m still not sure. I’m hoping it will be more sedating on a lower dose and maybe reduce the irritability but I’m worried about the effect it could have on my mood.
I found the reduction of Mirt, once stable on Ven OK, I went from 30mg to 15mg then stopped it without any problems. My weight has got bad as Im eating and not doing much trapped in the house when not at work so this adds to my mood so I feel pretty bad at the moment as my sleep is also poor, I just dont feel rested and am still getting up around 3am every night then going back to sleep. At the moment I feel irritated, moody and lethargic but the Ven is keeping my anxiety under control.
How you doing on 300mg Jo.
Ive been self harming again so dr called yesterday and suggested we go up on Ven, im om 225mg atm. I asked that we stay on same dose for a month then revue. Whats your views on this.
Hi Maca, sorry to hear you’re suffering, how long have you been on the 225mg for? Hopefully it will help and I agree about giving it time. If you get increased anxiety and it persists beyond 6 weeks it might be an idea to drop slightly by 37.5mg but check with your doctor first. I struggled going from 300 to 375, it worsened my anxiety and OCD and just wouldn’t settle but really noticed it drop when I reduced back, first to 337.5 and then back to 300mg after two weeks.
I’m doing ok on the 300mg, been on the dose for 5 weeks now. I’m still getting anxiety but it is much better and easier to cope with. Unfortunately now my mood is lower so I’m thinking I’ll give it another week or so and call the psychiatrist, maybe go back up to 337.5 or increase the quetiapine slightly. I’m on 200mg quetiapine and still taking 30mg mirtazapine. I want to get off the mirtazapine due to the weight problem so tried dropping back to 15mg one evening last week, decided it was too soon though.
Thing is this dose of 225mg has worked well for me over the last few months and still is. Just the self harming, which is mild, has come back otherwise i am doing ok. I guess i am worried that, like yourself, an increase will make things worse.
Or it could just make it better. The only way of finding out is by giving it a go unfortunately. You could just try a very small increase of 37.5mg and see how you get on for a couple of weeks
Yes true I think I might give it a try and see what happens
With my increase making things worse, it was because I had only been on 300 for a couple of weeks before I jumped up to 375mg so it was just too much too soon. Now i’ve been back on 300 for a few more weeks and I feel more settled although I think I might need to increase by 37.5 again. As you have been on 225 for a while you might find a tiny increase won’t be so bad.
Yes thanks JO.
Will report back the outcome.
How’s it going Maca? Did you go for an increase?
I decided to increase again to 337.5mg. The anxiety was much better on 300 but I still had some lingering depression. I’m now 9 days into the increase, depression has lifted but anxiety is back. I can’t win :shrug:. Maybe I need 318.75mg but can’t see how I would manage that! :D
I am going to increase once I have the gp appointment on the 21st so still plodding along. Mood is low and sleep poor but I get flurries of happiness so I know it exists.
Hi Maca, i’m still not great. Not feeling as depressed but the anxiety and intrusive thoughts are still there and getting me down. I’m two weeks back on 337.5mg now. My psychiatrist said ring her if I’m no better after two weeks but everywhere you look online says to give an increase at least a month. I’m trying to look back at my old posts to get an idea how I was on previous increases but it appears my old thread has been deleted :shrug:
I know its frustrating but a month is more realistic to notice changes.
Keep that in mind and stay safe.
panic_down_under
10-05-20, 11:47
I’m two weeks back on 337.5mg now. My psychiatrist said ring her if I’m no better after two weeks but everywhere you look online says to give an increase at least a month.
I agree with Maca, 2 weeks is optimistic, it's likely to be 4-5 weeks, although as with everything about ADs, YMMV. The only predictable thing about them is their unpredictability. :sad:
Out of the blue my Anxiety has gone through the roof and I was doing so well.
Not gone up on Ven yet but see dr on the 20th. Been sleeping bad and wretching first thing, feel like a live wire now not wanting to goto work just want evening to come so I can sleep.
Really shocked that this has happened over 2 days.
Sorry to hear you’re having a rough couple of days, any ideas what set it off? In fact it’s probably best not to try figuring out why, try to accept it’s just a blip and it will pass xx
I’m still getting the odd moment when I’ll start to focus on how I’m feeling and then the agitation will ramp up a bit but I’m not feeling too bad today. The last couple of days I’ve just felt stoned and really tired so hope that wears off soon.
Yes im sure it will fade but just disappointed as I was doing ok. I was tired over the weekend so had a nap in the afternoon on Saturday, I haven't done that in ages.
Onwards and upwards
panic_down_under
13-05-20, 11:51
Been sleeping bad and wretching first thing, feel like a live wire now
Are these typical symptoms when your anxiety levels surge?
Yes always but this normally peaks after 3 or so days, today its not so intense and I have started eating again but can't eat until evening which normally is a calmer time of day for me.
panic_down_under
14-05-20, 09:58
Yes always but this normally peaks after 3 or so days, today its not so intense and I have started eating again but can't eat until evening which normally is a calmer time of day for me.
Ah, okay. I was wondering whether there might have been an infection which could account for the anxiety spike, but seems not.
Yes its the same old thing Panic DU, no change in my reaction to Anxiety spikes. It has calmed down so I can function at work etc so will see how it goes over the next week or so, im just reluctant to go up in Ven dose as GP suggests as I can't keep going up each time I have an Anxiety spike.
panic_down_under
17-05-20, 09:20
Yes its the same old thing Panic DU, no change in my reaction to Anxiety spikes. It has calmed down so I can function at work etc so will see how it goes over the next week or so, im just reluctant to go up in Ven dose as GP suggests as I can't keep going up each time I have an Anxiety spike.
I agree that simply increasing the dose every time there's an occasional anxiety spike can be a slippery slope that often achieves little, however, it might be considered if the dose is at the low end of the therapeutic range, or if they occur frequently. How much venlafaxine are you currently on and how often do anxiety levels go haywire?
Im on 225mg slow release for about 5 mths now with good results. The Anxiety is always in the background but I can function so much better before I changed from Mirt to Ven it has been a life saver. This was the first real panic anxiety since I went to 225mg so have done pretty well really.
panic_down_under
17-05-20, 23:52
Im on 225mg slow release for about 5 mths now with good results.
...This was the first real panic anxiety since I went to 225mg so have done pretty well really.
If you're only having one short lived spike in 5 months then you're doing well so no point in doing anything, imho.
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