Venlafaxine

[mistyhaiz]

hi everyone, my doctor has told me they are changing my medication from propranolol to venlafaxine i have looked it up and i'm worried as most the comments i have read are not good. i was wondering if anyone is taking this medication and is feeling better for it. my doctor called this morning because he didn't tell me to stop my propranolol so it's a good job i didn't get my new medication yesterday or i would have taken both together. if anyone could please tell me their new experiences from taking this medication please let me know as i'm scared to start taking it.

[petram]

hi im on day 9 , iv been given 37.5mg per day once normal release . had 2 much better days so far .... wat dose u been given? x i was too scared , but unless u try u wont know i also read shit loads of bad stuff which did not help!!
just take it and se ehow u go it didnt make my anxiety any worse than it already is hun, wat u taking it for mines gad ocd and depressioncaused by both previous conditions. x

[chappers1980]

You can take both at the same time as they are not the same kind of drug. Proprananol is just a betablocker that controls the adrenaline and doesn't affect any brain chemicals. Venlafaxine is a SNRI so it does a lot more. I only take proprananol when i'm having a particular anxious event.

See my previous posts, they should help x

[Carys]

Hiyer,

I have taken venlafaxine for 13 years now. I am only on 37.5 mg a day, and don't need to take it but am having trouble with withdrawal symptoms when I reduce any further. originally I was on 225mg a day and it certainly worked for me, after having no results with some other medications. Had no side effects at all from taking it. I have posted about this a few time before, as have others, if you do a search for venlafaxine lots of things should come up.

[Catya]

Carys did you gain weight on this drug?

[Carys]

Nope, none at all. I literally have had no side effects, not even the apparently common ones that many people get when you start them. They can cause BP rise and cholesterol rise over time, but have not had that either. The only problem I had was when reducing them, it had to be done incredibly slowly and I did get side effects.

[Catya]

Yes I know from taking seroxat in the past, some meds are very difficult to come off and have to be tapered very slowly.
Did the drug eventually cease to work with you after such a long time? Sorry, don't mean to be nosy but wondered why you're coming off them. Thanks for any info. X

[Carys]

No, its fine, you ask away !

I just don't need them any more, I haven't needed them for quite a few years. I feel recovered, bar the odd panic attack here and there. I have developed coping strategies and am a different stronger person than I was back then.

I was put on them 13 years ago, and I started reducing them after 2 years of taking them. I have gone from 225 mg daily to 37.5 mgs daily and have been on 37.5 mgs daily for the last 8 years at least. I have tried to even slowly reduce further than that over the last few years, but it gives me horrendous withdrawl symptoms within hours of not taking them. My GP (who is fully supportive of me coming off them) thought at first it might be some sort of psychosomatic reaction to not taking the one tablet, but often I just forget and then I only know I've not taken the tablet by the fact I develop withdrawl symptoms. He then agreed, after doing some research that the strange sensations were listed as a withdrawl side effects. The thing is I just need to find the time when I can just 'put up' with the withdrawl, but I am busy with so many things in life that finding a few days to just get off a tablet comes low on priorities.

It doesn't bother me too much though at the moment, I will deal with it if and when I find time .

I am convinced that venlafaxine helped me get my life back under control. I was actually hospitalised for 6 months due to depression and anxiety and it was venlafaxine that got me going again. There were various meds tried and this one worked for me.

Happy to answer any more questions.....

[Catya]

Thanks so much for sharing.
Well after five years medication free going back on meds has been a huge decision. I've been taking citalopram since November 1st. 10 mg... Then 20, 30 and now 40! It's just not working properly and I don't understand why. I really am so disappointed. My gp has talked about venlafaxine with me, but I keep saying.... "Just a little while longer..." but I think I've really given them long enough to work.

[Carys]

I think the trouble is that different people find different things work for them, and so some 'trying out' may be necessary. I was on dothiepin before venlafaxine (I think it has a different name now?) and a few other assorted things, but this certainly made a difference.

Good luck to you.