View Full Version : nervous of taking Venlafaxine
Hi I am on 60mg citalopram daily, but just feel they not working anymore so I went to the docs yesterday, and he precribed me 75mg of Venlafaxine, I have to take 40mg of Cit 2 day 20 mg tomorrow then no tablets for the rest of the week then start Venlafaxine 75mg next Sunday, I'm so nervous about this drug I have been sat here most the morning reading all the posts on here about them, I so don't know what to do, stay on Cit or go for these, I asked the doc are they addictive he said no, but reading about all the withdrawrels on here makes me think twice about taking them.
Please if anyone can reassure me or think no not to take them please can u give me some advice.
Thanks
Lou :D
They say they're not addictive but I personally found them very difficult to get off but it can be done; I got there in the end. Didn't work for me but I know of people who are on them who found them a miracle drug.
Thanks for the reply, well I'm going to give them a go, I am really nervous so I will create more anxiety I think lol.
I will post an let you know how I'm doing on them
Once again thanks for the reply.
Lou :D
bassplayer
30-09-09, 19:40
Hi loubylou,
I'm in the same boat as you!
I've been taking citalopram (30mg) for 8 weeks with absolutely no improvement so the doc told me to stop taking them for 2 days then start the venlafaxine (75mg) which will be on Friday.
I too am nervous but feel I don't have much choice but to go for it.
Good Luck!
They worked very quickly for me, I saw some improvement right away then it took a while for them to keep me stable and much or less anxiety ridden around the clock after suffering on and off dayily for about 5 years of feeling like I couldnt cope the anxiety was so bad at times.
Hey Lou,
Im in the exact same boat as you! Im really scared and nervous, with all the bad things i feel with CT its put me off meds completely BUT remember what is a miracle drug for one person isnt for another its trial and error and if u feel really bad u can always come off it and try another be sure to see ur doc! all u can do is try it and see, i hope it works for me to!!
IF YOU ARE THINKING OF TAKING THIS DRUG THINK LONG AND HARD. its a ******* to come off. MORE LIKE HEROIN WITHDRAWAL. look it up on all the forums. Your body will shake, electric shock zaps in your body that will disable you. you cant walk let alone string a sentence along properly and you will cry over anything and everything.
i WANTED TO COME OFF BECAUSE THIS DRUG HAD MADE MY BODY CHANGE FROM A SLIM UK SIZE 6 TO A SWOLLEN FAT POT BELLIED DISGUSTING PIG. Ive always been a good eater, yet with the same amount going into my mouth, every month I was piling on the weight until my knees dissappeared into my big fat legs and my stomach rolls over the front and sides like I just had a baby yesterday.
My panic attacks led me to the emergency room at least every weekend but I would rather that than look down at this disgusting body that has swelled up because of the drug. If i wasnt depressed before, I certainly have something to be depressed about now.
I could kick myself for not researching Venlaxafine/Effexor in the first place.
iF YOU ARE THINKING OF PUTTING THIS POISION IN YOUR BODY - I URGE YOU TO THINK TWICE. RESEARCH IT - I NEVER DID.
If you like being thin, say goodbye to your beautiful body and if you are already overweight and depressed get ready to feel suicidal!!
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/images/nmp/misc/progress.gif
Worked for me! I too have put on some weight, but not too much, but am SO much happier. No panic attacks, no anxiety, no depression.
I suppose it depends on how you react to it. Everyone is different. Therefore there are many drugs available. They might work for you, they might not. Give it a go and see!
I've been fine on it. Saved my life!
Worked well for me too, no side effects whatsoever, no weight gain, changes in BP etc. I was put on it 12 years ago, and am now on a minute dose (that apparently is doing very little according to my GP) I'd like to stop it, but I do have dreadful withdrawl symptoms and can't seem to get it any lower. I can't really complain though, as like the poster above, it 'saved me' at a time when nothing could.
Not denying it didnt do it's job. I was panic free whilst I was on them. But when you get stronger and better and you want to come off them.. thats when HELL begins.. you wont know until you try or even miss a dose! the effects of withdrawal are horrid. If you read other threads you'll also see that the weight will continue to pile on. You dont put on weight and it just stops, those scales will get higher and higher every year until your bottom looks like orange peel and you hate yourself!!
Well, it didn't cause that to happen to me...so I think you may have been sadly incredibly unlucky KARMA. I gradually reduced over 10 years and it didn't cause weight gain. I will admit though that there are some nasty withdrawl effects I get from missing a dose, electric shock feelings through half of my body and they have caused some problems in getting off the teeny amounts of cut up tablets :O(
I have missed a dose! On more than one occasion! Not nice! But that was my fault because I didn't renew my prescription on time!
I was on seroxat before and had to come off them very quickly (I came off them in a week! Was on a really high dose too! Now that was really really bad!) They weren't doing their job. It wasn't nice. But had to do it so I could start on the venlafaxine!
It saved my life, it really did! Really worked for me!!!!
If you're coming off them, from my experience it needs to be done slowly! Any drug prescribed for depression or anxiety needs time to come off it!
I can honestly say that Venlafaxine has changed my life for the better!
About 10 years ago I took paroxetine, which worked for a while, but stupidly came off them because I thought I was cured.
A while after this I was prescribed Citalopram 60mg which I took for years, until my last big panic issue where I was sent to see a pyschiatrist (spelling lol). She then weaned my off of Citaloprm and onto Venlafaxine and I haven't looked back. I take 150mg per day.
I can't say I am completely well, but I am living near enough a normal life now. There are some things I cant do but I have come to terms with it now. I am so grateful for the 98% freedom that these pills have given me.
Hope you get on well with these too! GOOD LUCK
karen xx:yesyes::yesyes::yesyes:
I been taking venlafaxine for two years. It works for me. If that helps. Good luck....Bob
I am in the same boat. Unsure about taking this med but I have been on most of the SSRI's with some benefit but not enough. I will probably start it next week as I am going to my doc- or maybe try something else that doesn't scare me so much!
Good luck:)
Don't be scared of it!!!! Give it a go! If it doesn't work then so what! It really worked for me and I was at rock bottom! I know only to well the anxiety created by trying new meds. I've been on a few! But these worked for me and they might work for you to! :hugs:
Anx Amanda
15-06-10, 01:38
Not denying it didnt do it's job. I was panic free whilst I was on them. But when you get stronger and better and you want to come off them.. thats when HELL begins.. you wont know until you try or even miss a dose! the effects of withdrawal are horrid. If you read other threads you'll also see that the weight will continue to pile on. You dont put on weight and it just stops, those scales will get higher and higher every year until your bottom looks like orange peel and you hate yourself!!
I was takin 37.5mg twice a day then I had a real week of illness and wasnt able to take water let alone my meds. When this had passed I thought Ive gone so long without it Ill try just going onto half my dose. The first week or so was a little shakey but now Im down to just 1 37.5mg a day. Allthough I did try and cut that down too but if I dont take the 1 tab in the morning, then by 12pm Im not able to function. Nausia and unable to drive properly or even make conversation with people. generly feeling quite unwell (a little worrying really) So Im still on one a day waiting for the next bout of illness to cut that down.. lol. Its soo nice to see other people going though the same, its a shame the doctor aint clued up more on this as they sent me for all kinds of blood tests an scans, claiming it wouldnt have anything to do with the tablet withdrawal...!!! I find excercise helps with the anx too to be honest so in turn have lost over a stone since November, ok its taken a while but I havnt changed much other than to be more active. i am still taking my 37.5mg once a day an the weight is still coming off...
I think every med works diffrently fr everyone, I mean citaliprom gave me suicidal thoughts (which I have never suffered with) And ciprolax and fluoxitine made me deppressed (which again I have never suffed with)
I get a doctor you are comfortable with and understands you, then try to trust what they say. At one time I was seeing my doc twice a week untill things picked up so its just about finding what is rite for yourself and getting support from a good doctor.
Good luck xxx
DO NOT TAKE IT unless your prepared to stay on it for life!
I had been on Effexor 150mg p/d for about 8 months when i went to a new doctor who put it up to 300mg p/d because i was unable to sleep. After taking 300mg p/d for the past 2 months i decided that i felt worse and wanted to go back to taking 150mg p/d. Being back on the 150mg p/d i am still experiancing withdrawal 10 days on! This has been absolute hell for me! I am only 22 years old and my boyfriend is currently training in the army so i am back living with my parents who are also currently overseas. The withdrawal symptoms i am getting are horrible and i would never have gone on this drug had i know that i would experiance such extreme withdrawal.
I got into work monday morning and staff members came up to me and were asking me if i was ok. I burst into tears and i couldnt even rememeber how i had got to work that day,, let alone what i had dont the whole weekend.
I am experiencing the follow
Brain Zaps
Numbness and tingling in my extremeties
Vertigo
Withdrawn "spaced out" feeling
Muscle spasm - mainly in legs and worse at night
Vision disturbances
Hearing ultra sensitive
These are symptoms i would experiance when i use to get migraines but with a migraine these symptoms would dissapear within about 12 hours. But not with Effexor!
I have tried everything
I take Benydryl about 15ml 3x a day, this seems to help a little with the brain zaps but it makes me sleepy.
I am also taking Alepam (a type of benzodiazapam) for the muscle spasm but this also makes me groggy.
I have just read about fish oil capsules and have decided to give them a go to.
I will be seeing my doctor again tomorrow and hopefully there will be something else i can do.
If you have any other ideas that have helped you please share them with me, because i feel like i am going crazy!
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