Just gone from Ctalopram to Effexor

[sunbeam]

Hey guys
After spending 7 months on Citalopram and going up doses and having no response, my psychiatrist has just put me on Effexor. Is it just me or does it start to work very quickly. I have only been on them since Friday and I have this very peaceful state come over me. I am also feeling very truamatised after having the last seven months in a massive state of anxiety. Having this peasceful state at the moment is just devine!!!!!

My psychiatrist told me they would start to fully work after 3 weeks, but I'm already very rational and don't have as many crazy thoughts running through my head.

I have had no side effects so far, unlike citalopram which made me very sick for the first five days.

My feelings feel a little thwarted at the moment but I am feeling emotional at times, but real emotions!!! Not like when I was on Citalopram which made me like an emotionless Zombie.
Anyone else experiences this instant calmness?

Would love to hear from you and your experiences on this drug.
Thanks

Sunbeam

xxxx:D

[karen34]

i started this 7 yrs ago and i do remember being the same... i too felt very peaceful after only just starting it....shame it didnt last.

[Anxious_gal]

oh my god just done the same thing today! i got very bad anxiety and paranoia on Ctalopram and now I'm terrifed to take Effexor and so afriad of the sideeffects.
what dose are you on? my doctor gave me 37.5 mg's, I'm happy your not having side effects! ah im so afraid to take mine!!!

[bubblerawk]

i went from citralopram to effexor last year and at first i was the same as you but i quickly changed and had to be taken off them.

[nov3ske]

I started on citalopram last year for a few months going up to 60mg, and it didn't really help me. Sure, it made me feel diffrent.. just not for better or for worse lol.

I then started on the Venlafaxine, now on 150mg and i think it did start working pretty quickly for me, and it just gradually got better and better! It's helped me so much the past couple of months. Much better than the citalopram.

[MyNameIsntRich]

Yeah, effexor can literally work in days it seems. Its a powerfull drug that seems to be over used. Please be carefull with this drug and if able before you body becomes to rely on it change to something else that may be less harmfull to your mental state i nthe long run!

Not Rich

[babey.girl]

Hey guys
After spending 7 months on Citalopram and going up doses and having no response, my psychiatrist has just put me on Effexor. Is it just me or does it start to work very quickly. I have only been on them since Friday and I have this very peaceful state come over me. I am also feeling very truamatised after having the last seven months in a massive state of anxiety. Having this peasceful state at the moment is just devine!!!!!

My psychiatrist told me they would start to fully work after 3 weeks, but I'm already very rational and don't have as many crazy thoughts running through my head.

I have had no side effects so far, unlike citalopram which made me very sick for the first five days.

My feelings feel a little thwarted at the moment but I am feeling emotional at times, but real emotions!!! Not like when I was on Citalopram which made me like an emotionless Zombie.
Anyone else experiences this instant calmness?

Would love to hear from you and your experiences on this drug.
Thanks

Sunbeam

xxxx:D
hi
have u experienced any weightgain on effexor or citalopram????

[katicotrophic]

That feeling will last two weeks at the most.

After that, you'll be right back to feeling like an emotionless zombie.

[Jon06121974]

My experience of venlafaxine was positive, im affraid how it effects you is just down to each individual. I was diagnosed with cyclothymia 8 months ago after the worst 6 months of my life going to my GP 3x per week, a Psycologist who was useless and a neurologist who just said nothing wrong but anxiety and go back to your GP. Unfortunately GPs (unless your lucky) dont have much time for psycological illness and will put you on a poor med to start like mirtazapine, then Citalopram.

My symptoms were horrendous it all started one day when i got home and had what id describe as a hypoglycemic attack, from here i had panic attacks daily, was always tired, got the shakes, Bad vision, Depression, Electric shocks like i was going to have a fit, sweats, palpitations, severe anxiety, agraphobia the list goes on. I was convinced something was wrong and it wasnt anxiety related.

Then i had a huge breakthrough i was put in contact with a psychiatrist who worked in a private addiction clinic by a family friend who worked there. After 1 consultation he simply said you are low on seratonin and thats whats making you like this. he explained that seratonin is like a battery which has got run down in my case and it needed a boost but with a much stronger drug than citalopram which i had only been taking for 4 weeks. I started on 75mg venlafaxin for a week and stopped having panic and anxiety almost from day 1. i then went to 150mg where i stayed for 2 1/2 months. I did notice the effects after 2 month started to wear off and i had minor anxiety and eye distortation but in general i could go about my daily duties. I was then told to ease off as 3 months was enough. i went back to 75mg for 2 weeks and after 3 days of head aches i leveled out with no probs, i then went to 1 x 75mg every other day for 2 weeks which was ok apart from a few days headach again. I then stopped all together! At this point i had head zaps for 3 weeks when i moved and was really worried my problems would come flooding back, 3 months on im off venlafaxine all together and still get mild depression and anxiety but ive been told that after what i have been through i will always be more prone to this, its all about managing it as best as you can. I find my nervous system gets very run down and i suffer for around a week when this happens, you just have to know your body and slow down when you have the bad times and recover. My tips for coming off are....

Occupy yourself
Exercise 10-15 mins per day at first so as not to get tired
Dont sit around on your own
Dont read about withraw symptoms
Get plenty of fresh air
Eat well
Listen to your body and head
Take a holiday in the sun (the sun makes you feel great)
Dont stay on the drug for more than 3 months. If you come off and the problems return you can go back on again.

But my tip of all tips is find a specialist who knows what they are talking about and has experience in this field. My psychiatrist has been a god send and i cant thank him enough, he put my mind at ease then proved he knew what he was talking about by managing me.

I admit im not the same person and have just had to resign from my job as i cant take the pressure in sales anymore, what i will do now is find temp work for a few months that is not stressful and look for a role away from pressure like training etc.

I know there are a lot of people who are very against venlafaxine but it worked for me under good guidance. dont write it off until you have tried it because it may work for you. I was at breaking point, i thought i would never be better until i was introduced to it. If i can offer any advice please dont hesitate to ask.